MAY
Kat hadn't seen Will in two weeks. No one had, well except John and Kelly who spent Easter weekend with him in Virginia. The word was he went to Buffalo, but no one knew if he was coming back. She could ask Kerry, but then Will would find out.
The last time she saw Will was the evening he had lunch with Sam. She tried not to look, but he looked good with his beard. His eyes had dark circles under them, but she hadn't slept well either.
He appeared on her fire escape because The Landing was closed. It surprised her he didn't have his own key. He stood there slouched over, not his tall, confident jock self.
When she saw he had a paper bag with a bottle in it, she started to shut the door. "Don't think you can give me poison and get me drunk and everything will be fine."
"I don't. It's not. I thought about it, but I bought you a gift. I know I blew it, but this reminds me of when we started. Our friendship. I know I was a jerk and you have every right to hate me. I think I had a messiah complex. I was saving The Landing for the entire Point. I didn't see it but it went to my head."
Kat didn't know what to think of his honesty. Her head spun and her mouth had gone dry. "I can't do this right now."
The pain etched his face. "I understand. Take this." As soon the bottle was firmly in her hand, he turned to leave. Except he stopped and said, "Bye Kit Kat."
As he disappeared, she stood frozen. Pops called her Kitty, and she hated when Bryce said it. She was certain she never told Will. Somehow he conjured up her grandfather's pet name without even knowing it.
Once she finally closed the door, she looked in the bag. It was her favorite wine. The glass she ordered at the Beach House. She would save it for a time when she felt worthy. Her pride had been shredded. Her trust was stomped on again. Messiah complex, she scoffed. Hadn't she acted similarly when she had her own kitchen. Bryce had to remind her she wasn't Gordon Ramsey.
Two days later, Kerry called to let her know the investment group didn't need to approve the weekly schedule anymore. She replied, "You mean Will?"
"He means well, but he's a man. I've been married for twenty-four years and have three sons, so I'm an expert. They don't always think things through, but the man has a good heart."
"Who is your son's favorite football player?"
She laughed. "Ironically, my husband transferred from Massachusetts to Buffalo four years ago, so my boys grew up loving Tom Brady."
Kat laughed for the first time in days. "Does Will know?"
"Yeah. He's met my boys but only my youngest lives nearby. Sometimes I have to remind myself that Will isn't another one of my boys."
"Now his secret is out, you can talk to me."
"I'm sorry but I felt like a double agent. Will offered for Jim and I to use his condo this fall, so we could see what all the fuss is with your cooking."
Kat almost said that she didn't know where she would be by fall, but she signed a contract and intended to hold up her end.
Every day since he left, Kat turned her head when the bell rang. She hadn't intended to make him leave his home.
Kat put the finishing touches on the cookies she had made for Nick's graduation. She had decorated the sugar cookies with a mortarboard and tassel. Then she packaged the dozen cookies in a container so they wouldn't crumble.
"Martha, I'm dropping the cookies off before the family leaves for the airport." According to Kristi, they had a seven-thirty flight. It was only three-thirty, so she had plenty of time. It amazed Kat that she could find out anything if she asked the right person.
She had never been to Nick's house, but she knew which one it was. Next to it was Oliver's cottage. The chef's looked like it had some renovations, but it didn't have an upstairs like so many other homes. She looked beyond it to the Drake cottage, still closed up for the winter.
After walking onto the porch, she knocked on the door. Abbie answered with a surprised face. "Hi Kat. I can still start next week when Nick is home, right?"
"Definitely. I can't wait. I wanted to drop these off to bring to him."
"Abbie, who is it?" Megan Brenner appeared with some folded clothes in her hand. "Oh Kat. Come on in."
"You're busy."
"It's fine. We're in good shape. Luckily, Sophie's graduation is next weekend. Otherwise we would have to divide and conquer."
Kat smiled and nodded. "I'm an only child so that was never an issue."
"Come sit. I was wondering how you're doing. Must have been a shock."
"Shock alright."
"I would have never guessed and was so convinced my father was involved even though he denied it. I wonder why he kept it a secret."
She shrugged. "Word got out online and we've had a few Buffalo fans come in. So far they've only been local, but I wouldn't be surprised if we don't see more."
"That will be awkward if he's trying to enjoy his coffee." Megan's eyes grew big. "Sam's senior project had tons of scenes of Will catching the ball on the beach. I can envision people coming just to get a glimpse of him. He'll have beach groupies."
"Now I feel bad I leaked it." In her anger, she wasn't trustworthy either. She wasn't perfect, but he was less so.
"He was about three when we bought this cottage, the original cottage. I remember him as perpetual motion and Nora wasn't a young mother. Even though his parents doted on him as their miracle baby after years and years of trying, and Lana treated him like a prince, he was never spoiled. When he was older and the twins were three or four, he would play with them. Mostly just run around our little yard. I'm certain he never meant to hurt you, but I understand how it must not feel that way."
"Do you think he's going to stay away until his season starts?"
Megan shrugged. "You could text him and ask him."
She shook her head slowly. "I'm not ready." She stood. "I need to get back before the dinner crowd."
"We're ordering dinner tonight. I could have saved you a trip."
"I made a stuffed bread earlier. It's chicken and spinach with feta and other cheeses."
"Yum. Save a slice for me."
Kat had been making bread to work out her emotions. The different varieties were becoming popular.
When the older woman reached out and hugged her, Kat had not expected it, but needed it. "I speak from experience. Holding a grudge is harder than forgiving. If you forgive him, you don't have to go back to the same relationship."
"I came here because my previous relationship ended disastrously. You would think I learned my lesson."
"Love is worth it. Ask any couple around here. Love's not a straight line, but it's worth the effort. It might not be Will, but don't close off your heart."
She just nodded and turned to leave. It might not be Will. Until everything exploded, she hadn't realized how much she had wanted it to be him. Even with the distance issue, she had wanted to figure a way for it to work.
When she walked in, Martha said, "You have a delivery. It looks like it might be important." She held up a Fedex flat envelope.
"I'll look at it later."
"Aren't you curious? I think it's something legal. It's from a law office."
"It's probably my lawyer." Maybe Bryce finally paid something. Eagerly she ripped it open. It wasn't from her Boston lawyer. It was from Will's lawyer.
Enclosed please find a revised contract for your signature. Here are the highlights of the terms within.
There were bullet items, as she read them her knees felt weak. She looked up at Martha with tears in her eyes. "Why would he do this?"
Martha grabbed the paper from her limp hand. A smile crossed her face as she read. "I was scared. Why? Because he loves you. This is his way of saying he is sorry for being a bastard at the beginning."
"The beginning?"
"Well yeah, have you forgotten he is the same man who gave you your ovens and built you the porch."
"And profits have soared."
"Exactly, and he recognizes it. That's why he wants to share the profits with you."
"He trusts me to run things."
"Darling, from my viewpoint, he always trusted you. You never trusted him."
"He never trusted me completely, he wouldn't let me get a latte machine."
Martha laughed. "He still won't. It says right there three non-negotiable terms."
Kat didn't know why she was crying, as she said, "The coffee, the lobster rolls, and no lattes."
Martha flipped through the papers. "It's a little more specific in legalese. It spells out no froth, foam, flavored syrups and other additives or alternative beans from section blah, blah, blah. This is actually comical." Martha laughed. She looked at Kat. "Darling, are you alright?"
"Yeah. I think I'm staying beyond my initial contract."
"Well, thank goodness for that!"
Martha gave her a big hug. Kat wiped her eyes after the older woman released her. "Where's Finley? I thought she was relieving me. I need to go home and celebrate."
"Fin will be a little late, but you can go. I can handle things."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. She said she would be here before the dinner rush."
The bell rang, and Kat looked up. "I'm here. I'm here."
Martha was just leaving. "I'm going to post the bread. We need to save a piece for Nick's mom. They're getting dinner before their flight."
Fin smiled. "I can't believe Nick and Sophie are graduating from college."
Kat nodded. "I can't believe Nick and Ivy are on the schedule again. It's been a year since Rick retired and I took over."
Fin said, "And the coffee tastes the same."
Kat joined in the laughter. "It always will." She didn't know about Will. She needed more time to sort through her hurt, but she knew she wanted to stay and continue to put her stamp on The Landing.
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