The Date

Chapter 47

"I did," she said

"Why?" I asked but she didn't reply. I let out a sigh as I listened to her breathing on the other side of the phone. "Kate, I don't know why but ever since I woke up in that hospital you've been on my mind... that's a lie. You've been on my mind since I first met you, Kate"

"Jake..." her voice sounded shaken.

"Can I come to meet you? I promise I won't be the aggressive ogre I've been through this. I just want to talk. Please." There was a long silent pause. I knew I had no right to ask this of her after the way I've acted but I just hope that she'll hear me out. So long I thought she was about to put the phone down on me but instead, she finally said "Ok"

"Ok" I replied in shock. Did she agree?

"Meet me in the park, Regents Park in an hour?" she whispered on the other side of the phone for some reason.

"I'll be there. At the bench" I said. She would know which bench I meant, from when we would go picnicking out in the park. I found myself sitting there more than often over the winter months.

"Ok... bye" she hangs up as soon as I said bye.

We were meeting. We were going to meet. I smiled to myself, stage one of getting her to meet me was ticked. All I needed to do now was make her see we were great together, agree to try again, make her fall in love with me and marry her so she can never leave me again. Simple.

I looked down at my phone and started looking through the messages when I saw how many times Chris had tried to get in touch with me over the past three days. I had five missed calls and four texts saying;

'Hope you're feeling better man. Text me when your better, I need to talk to you'

'Mate I need to see you, it's important'

'Ring me'

'Fine don't reply to me. Just listen to this.' That last one had a voice recording attached to it. I pressed play and listened to the message. As soon as Kate's voice hit my ears my heart starts leaping.

'I want to say how sorry I am for hurting you Jake but you have to understand that everything I said, everything I did, I did it for you, to keep you safe...'

Kate

I was sitting on 'our' bench tapping my foot hard on the floor, nervously. Why was I meeting him? This wasn't the plan. Everything was working out great. I was finally getting my life back on track. Bill was locked up, Tina was on the run for the wrongs she did and the bakery was doing great. Things were looking up for me. Things were getting easier to deal with... and then he had to bloody call.

I could still feel my heart jumping inside me since hearing his voice on the other side of the phone. He sounded different. Like his old self before all this shit happened. Maybe he just wanted to build a bridge. He said he wasn't going to kick off, he just wanted to talk.

Talk about what?

"Hey" that deep sexy voice made me jump out of my skin. I looked up to see him looking down at me.

"Hey" I whispered trying to get my breathing right again but seeing him again, looking so much better than I last saw him. In that hospital bed all broken and bruised... I couldn't stop myself. I stood and wrapped my arms around him. "I'm so glad you're ok..." I couldn't believe I was holding him. He was here, he was alive.

"Kate..." I felt his arms tighten around me and my whole body turned to jelly. He was holding me, I cried as my heart bounced in my chest.

"Sorry..." I pulled away suddenly feeling cold without his warm, hard chest against my cheek. "What did you want to talk about?" I whipped the fallen tears away from my face as I felt his hand replace my own. What was he doing? Why was he touching me?