(Author's Note: So I saw that I posted the first chapter of My Love is Blind before I posted the ending of And We'll Live Happily Whatever After. I thought that I'd do the same this time around. I hope you enjoy this story as much as I enjoyed conceptualizing and actually writing it.)
♥
Courting Kate: The Stranger
“When you lose something you can’t replace,
When you love someone but it goes to waste,
Could it be worse?
Lights will guide you home,
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you.” –Fix You, Coldplay
1
That man was following her again.
She had noticed him for a few days now. He was always following her whenever she is out and about doing errands. It would have been sweet if only he wasn’t starting to creep her out.
The stranger seems to wear black all the time, very flattering for his tall and dark frame. Even if his eyes are always covered by sunglasses, he is obviously incredibly handsome, if his facial bones are any indication. However, his looks are wasted on him since he is obviously mentally sick. She shook her head in regret.
Katherine Meister—known to her family and friends simply as Kate—entered Café Heaven, owned by her best friend Gwynn and her husband, Paul. The coffee shop is located at the heart of their small town, Little Haven. Across from it is the public park where Kate could see her old friends from high school take their children to play.
She released a sigh as the door swung close behind her. She dare not take a peek over her shoulder to look at the man.
“Hey, Katie girl!” Paul greeted from the counter he was manning. His blue eyes are twinkling in delight. “How’s it going?”
She gave him a tiny smile and immediately relaxed. The atmosphere in Café Heaven really brings peace to the minds of the customers. The combination of the scent of brewing coffee and the sound of bossa nova filtering through the speakers is just divine. “Hey, Paul. Can I hide at the back for a few minutes?”
Paul frowned as he leaned a hip over the counter. “Why? Does your student’s mother—Mrs. Bryan, right?—harassing you again so that her baby gets better treatment over the other kids?”
Kate grinned at the memory of Mrs. Bryan, a plump woman nearing her forties, bribing her with her special apple pie a week ago. Truth be told, the pie tasted like cardboard. “No, no.” she replied. “I just think that man is following me. He shows up wherever I go.” Kate turned her head to look at the man who was now outside of the café, pretending to browse the menu board.
Paul glanced at the man with another scowl and gestured to the back of the café. “Go, Kate. You can find Gwynn there.” He removed the apron he was wearing. “Meanwhile, I’ll take care of him.”
Kate shook her head and put a restraining hand to his arm. “Oh, Paul, you don’t have to bother. He hasn’t approached me and said weird things or anything.”
“Yet.”
She blew out a breath to her fringe and conceded. “Yes, yet. But what if he’s crazy? He might go ballistic if you confront him.”
Paul , who is built like a professional UFC wrestler, puffed out his chest, a lock of dark ash blonde hair falling over his forehead. “I can take care of him. Don’t worry. Just go and find Gwynn.”
With a final glance at the tall stranger, Kate escaped to the back of Café Heaven. She found Gwynn arms-deep in flour. She is a natural strawberry blonde and she has always worn it in a wavy, shoulder bob. Her eyes are blue, bluer than her husband’s and she’s the very picture of a successful American woman.
“Kate!” She grinned. “What brought you here?” Gwynn trained at the best culinary school in America. She met Paul—whose real job is a lawyer—through one of the events she catered when she lived in New York for a year. When they got married, they decided that they want their kids to grow up in a small town so Gwynn brought Paul to Little Haven and built a café. Paul established his own law firm in the city—a thirty-minute drive from Little Haven and Gwynn still caters from time to time but she cut back on working since she is scheduled to give birth in a couple of months.
“Hi,” Kate greeted. “I’m hiding from someone. Can I help you with anything?”
Gwynn looked worried for a moment but then she shrugged. “Actually, yeah, you can turn on the oven. I’m almost done with the dough.” She continued to mix the concoction in a large bowl. “And you can be the one to put the tray in too. You know I can’t bend these days.”
Kate laughed and happily obliged. She likes baking even though she didn’t really formally study unlike her friend. Gwynn was happy to teach her some tricks anyway.
She and Gwynn became friends ever since they were in diapers. They practically grew up together since they houses sit right across from each other. Kate was Gwynn’s maid of honor and Kate hope that one day soon, Gwynn could return the favor.
The two chattered about what’s going on around town, the coming baby and Kate’s preschool students. By the time the cookies were baked and tasted, the tall stranger was forgotten.
♥
“Seriously, man, you’ve got to stop stalking her.” Paul exclaimed. “She has noticed you already and it is starting to freak her out.”
The men were outside the café and they were facing the park. Squeals and laughter filled the air.
The stranger glared at Paul, not in slightest bit intimidated with the other man’s bulk. The stranger was athletically built anyway too. “I’m not stalking her!”
“Then what do you call what you’re doing?” Paul challenged. “You’ve been following her around for days! You might as well break into her house tonight already and delve into her underwear drawer.”
The stranger was posed to take a swing at Paul but at the last second, he pulled back and started to pace. “I’m looking after her, you bastard. I’m not stalking her.” He replied. He was silent for a moment but then he asked, “Are there no changes with her condition?” Paul shook his head and he cursed. “I have to get her to go to Tahiti.”
Paul snorted. “Do you think she’ll go there with somebody she doesn’t know?”
The man resisted the urge to strangle Paul’s neck. “She knows me, damn you! She bloody well knows me!” With that last angry remark, he stalked away.
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WHO IS THE STRANGER? ANY THOUGHTS? :)
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Courting Kate
RomanceKate Meister won an all-expenses paid trip to Tahiti! Her family and friends all but pushed her to go. The problem is, when she got there, she saw that her stalker followed her. The man was gorgeous. Too bad he's a creep. Giancarlo Contini has been...
