FOUR MONTHS LATER
"Can I ask why you aren't dancing in circles and throwing a fiesta?" Christy demanded when she walked into Kathleen's apartment. Kathleen had been living here for two months after finally finding a job at the local clinic doing secretarial work. It was the first real job she'd ever had and she was very proud of the tiny paycheck she brought home every week and the tiny apartment she was able to pay for herself.
Kathleen did a little spin and threw her hands in the air.
"La fiesta!" she said sarcastically. Christy rolled her eyes.
"You should be celebrating! You're divorce is finally final from that jackass!" she said holding out a case of daiquiris. Kathleen was very happy that her divorce from Tom was final. Several times over the last few months she had been afraid that things would turn violent but Tom's wish to one day enter politics proved stronger than his urge to teach her a lesson.
It helped that she had not asked him for anything. She had refused alimony and had refused the house. The only thing she took was the insurance money from the Lumina to help buy her the blazer sitting out in the parking lot now.
"You act like something is wrong. Don't tell me you regret divorcing him." Christy said as she set the Chinese take out on the table and the two women sat down. Kathleen made a face.
"God no. Divorcing him was the smartest thing I've ever done." she said.
"Then what's wrong?"
"I talked to my mother today." Now it was Christy's turn to make a face.
"Oh and what pray tell did the mighty she devil have to say?" Christy asked taking a bite.
"Well apparently her and my father are throwing a two day dinner party next weekend and I am invited." Kathleen said. Christy raised a perfectly arched eyebrow.
"But I thought your parents were still fuming at you for divorcing Tom?"
"Oh they are… That's why they invited me. It seems that Tom is also coming, along with that brunette bimbo Regina."
"What? They invited your ex and his home wrecker to their party?" Christy said slamming her fork down on the table. Kathleen nodded as she popped open a daiquiri and took a long drink.
"Yep."
"So what are you going to do?"
"Well I have to go. I mean if I don't go then that will look like a victory to my parents and to Tom and his Regina." Kathleen said. Christy nodded.
"I agree." she said.
"But I cannot go alone." Kathleen said matter-of-factly. Christy shook her head.
"No of course not." she agreed.
"So what am I going to do?" Kathleen asked. Christy picked her fork back up and went back to eating.
"Find a date." she said. Kathleen snorted.
"No one is going to date me.." she said her hand automatically going to the jagged scar on her cheek. She had not even attempted to date since her accident. She knew no man could possibly find her attractive now.
"You have major self esteem issues." Christy scolded. Kathleen dropped her hand from her face and blushed angrily.
"But I'm right. I'm getting closer to thirty everyday. I'm not getting any thinner and no amount of make-up could ever hide this." she said pointing to the scar. Christy shook her head.
"You are beautiful. I wish you could see that." she said. "You have bright green eyes that I would kill for. Beautiful long wavy blond hair that I wish I could trade my brown poodle curls for and the greatest smile I've ever seen. Any man would be lucky to have you on his arm at that stupid get together."
Kathleen smiled at her best friend but knew she was wrong.
"We just have to find you a date." Christy said her eyes getting that far away look that she got when she was lost in thought. Kathleen waited for Christy to say something else but instead Christy got up from the table and walked back to Kathleen's bedroom. Kathleen wondered what she was up to and nearly choked on her rice when Christy walked back out with the card that Aaden had given her four months before.
"How did you even know where that was?" she demanded. Christy rolled her eyes.
"How didn't you think of him on your own… Your own personal knight in shining armor?" Kathleen shook her head.
"No no no!"
"Why not?" Christy asked as she sat back down at the table.
"I haven't even talked to the man in four months. I'm sure he doesn't even remember me." Christy rolled her eyes.
"Kath, did you hear the way the mans voice got deeper when he said call if you need anything? Trust me when I say that he'll remember you." Kathleen definitely remembered the way his voice had sounded. She remembered everything about Aaden… She had dreamed of him nearly every night for the last four months. She could still picture him in his stained up blue jeans, his t-shirt, camouflage hat and dirty boots… His blue eyes full of laughter. His messy brown hair and stubble covered chin and cheeks. Oh yes.. She definitely remembered Aaden.
"Look at me Christy… He is too handsome for a woman like me." she said. "I don't exactly look my best these days." Christy growled and threw a piece of orange chicken at Kathleen's head.
"Are you forgetting that the day the guy met you, you were unconscious, covered in blood and soaked to the bone? He liked you then…." Kathleen shook her head.
"So what am I supposed to do? Call him up and say hey I know you probably don't remember me but I'm that woman you rescued four months ago and I know we haven't spoken since but I would like you to come spend the weekend with me and meet my folks?" Christy nodded.
"Something like that." she replied.
"I'll think about it." Kathleen said. Christy seemed satisfied with that answer and went back to eating.
An hour later and Kathleen found herself sitting alone on the couch. Aaden's phone number in one hand and her phone in the other.
It was eight o'clock on a Friday night. The man was probably out on a date or out with friends… At least she hoped he wouldn't answer… She hoped she would get an answering machine and then she wouldn't have to hear his laughter as he shot her down.
She slowly dialed the number and listened to the rings. Much to her shock after three rings a sleepy voice came over the line.
"Hello?" She recognized Aaden's voice and felt her heart skip a beat. She felt her mouth go dry and couldn't seem to form words.
"Hello?" he said again. She snapped out of her trance then.
"Hi Aaden….You probably don't remember me. It's been a long time since the hospital….."
"Kathleen? Are you ok?" he asked. Kathleen couldn't believe he'd recognized her voice. Was it possible that Christy had been right?
"I'm fine." she said suddenly feeling stupid for calling him. How was she supposed to ask him to come to her parents house next weekend. He was silent on the other end of the line and she realized he was waiting on her to continue.
"You sound like you were sleeping. I didn't wake you did I?" she asked. She heard him sigh.
"It was a rough day at work… I was just laying on the couch and I guess I must have dozed off." She nodded though she wasn't sure why since he couldn't see her.
"You said if I ever needed anything I could call you… does that offer still stand?" she asked. She was sure she heard him smile.
"Of course." he said. "What do you need?"
"Actually it would probably be easier to tell you in person. Do you think maybe you could come over for lunch tomorrow and I could explain it then?" she asked.
"Just tell me how to get there and what time and I'll be there." he said. She gave him directions and they decided on lunch at 12:30. After Kathleen hung up the phone she popped open another daiquiri and asked herself what in the world she was thinking.
888
"So you're going to go see her today?" Craig asked. Aaden pushed himself out from under the truck, stood and grabbed a rag.
"Yea." he said as he wiped his greasy hands off the best he could. Craig frowned.
"I'm not sure that's a good idea man." he said. Aaden tossed the rag over onto his tool box.
"Why is that?" he asked. He knew that with Craig it could be anything. He and Craig had been friends for as long as Aaden could remember and Craig always had something to say about every situation.
"I saw her a while back… Just trust me when I tell you it's not a good idea." Aaden shook his head and slammed the hood of his truck down.
"What do you mean you saw her? You don't even know what she looks like." he said. Craig took a swig of the Budweiser in his hand.
"She was with her friend.. That Christy girl. I've been out with her a few times and she introduced us." Aaden smiled and shook his head. Whenever Craig claimed to have 'been out' with a woman it meant he'd slept her with a few times…
"And why exactly should I not go see her?" Aaden asked taking the beer from Craig and downing a swig. Craig shrugged.
"Let's just say she's not a ten… Not even a five really…" Aaden shook his head, blew out a breath and handed Craig back his beer.
"I gotta get a shower and head out." he said. Aaden had never liked Craig's number system for rating the attractiveness of every woman he met. Craig and Aaden had much different thoughts on relationships. Craig was a find them, have some fun with them and forget them kind of guy. Aaden on the other hand was the classic one woman man and though he had just turned thirty had only been in a few serious relationships in his life and no meaningless ones.
"Don't say I didn't warn you, Aaden." Craig said.
"Goodbye, Craig." Aaden said walking away and up to his house.
888
Two hours later and Aaden was walking up the steps to Kathleen's apartment. His stomach was a mess of nerves and he wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans before knocking on her door.
"Just a minute." he heard her say. It seemed to take forever before he finally heard the door unlock and she pulled it open. And then there she was… The woman who had been occupying every single second of his day and every long lonely hour of his nights for the last four months.
Her hair was longer than he remembered but the smile she gave him was exactly the same.
"Hi Aaden." she said softly. He smiled down at her and stuck his thumbs through the belt loops on his jeans.
"Hi ma'am." he replied. He saw her roll her eyes as she turned away from him.
"Kathleen." she said matter-of-factly. He noticed the way she kept her hair over the left side of her face and held it in place with her hand.
"So how have you been?" he asked walking in and shutting the door. She led him over to the kitchen table and he couldn't help but watch the way her jeans hugged her hips and rear end. She sat down and he sat down across from her.
"I've been good." she replied. She stood up and grabbed two plates off the counter and set them on the table. "Sorry it's nothing fancy…." she said. Aaden looked down at the turkey sandwich and chips and smiled.
"I'm not fancy so this'll be just fine." he said. She smiled over at him. He was wearing the same baseball cap he'd been wearing the last time she'd seen him and a pair of worn out blue jeans and blue t-shirt. The same dirty work boots were on his feet. No he definitely wasn't fancy.. He was the definition of perfection in her eyes.
"How have you been?" she asked. He stuffed some chips in his mouth and shrugged.
"I've been ok." he said. He wished that she would move her hair out of her face so he could see both of her bright green eyes. "How did things turn out between you and that uh… short guy?" Kathleen laughed and he felt his heart speed up at the sound.
"Tom?" she asked. He shrugged and grinned.
"Oh was that his name?"
"My official ex-husband. Thank goodness." she said. He held up his Pepsi.
"Cheers." he said. She smiled and clinked her can against his.
"I was surprised to hear from you last night." he said. She nodded.
"I was actually surprised myself that I called you…."
"Last night you said you needed something." Aaden said before taking a bite of his turkey sandwich. Kathleen sighed and wondered how exactly she was going to ask him to do this.
"Yea well… You can feel free to tell me that I'm crazy and run for your life if you want to."
"I'm too lazy to run and I certainly don't think you're crazy so tell me what you needed." he said. She couldn't help but smile. She knew it was crazy because she didn't even know Aaden but somehow felt like he'd been around her whole life. She heard Christy's voice in her head saying that he was her own personal knight in shining armor and quickly pushed it away….
"Well, um… My parents are throwing a party next weekend. They invited me to come down on Friday and the party goes until Sunday afternoon." she paused and Aaden waited for her to continue.
"I was going to just go alone….."
"Why?" he interrupted her. She blushed then and again he found himself wishing he could smooth that hair out of her face. She acted like she was trying to hide behind it.
"Anyway I talked to my mom yesterday and she let me know that she invited Tom…."
"The short guy?" Aaden interrupted again. She nodded. "Nice family." he said. Kathleen laughed lightly and took a sip of her pop.
"Not really but it's the only one I have." she replied. "Tom is bringing the woman that he was sleeping…. Well he's bringing a date and so I really don't want to show up alone."
"So you want to use me as a date and rub me in the short guys face so to speak?" he asked. Kathleen winced.
"It sounds bad when you say it like that. How about we say I'm just looking for a friend to come with me and have my back so to speak." He smiled. He had no idea what it was about this woman that had him so tied in knots. He felt like he had known her forever… Like she was the only woman in the world that mattered.
"Well since you put it that way what kind of man would I be if I refused?"
"Seriously?" Kathleen asked. She was genuinely surprised he could tell. She must have thought he would turn her down. "You'll really come with me?" he nodded.
"Yea. I told you to let me know if you ever needed anything…. I wouldn't have told you that if I planned on telling you no when you asked for help." Kathleen felt a relief like she'd never known before wash over her. She didn't have to face her parents and Tom alone. This man, her own personal knight in shining armor was going to be with her.
She forgot momentarily about hiding her scar and ran her hands through her hair pushing it away from her face. She saw his eyes widen and realized her mistake. She quickly pushed her hair back over her cheek.
Aaden saw the fear in her eyes. Did she really think he'd turn away from her now just because of that scar. He thought back to what Craig had told him about her not even being a five and wondered just how many times men had turned away from her in the past few months because of that scar.
Aaden found himself wanting to take her into his arms and tell her just how beautiful he thought she was…Scar and all… But he didn't want to scare her away. He was shocked at the depths of what he was feeling for this woman he barely knew and he knew that if she could read his mind she'd be kicking his butt out of here faster than he could blink.
He decided to just ignore the scar and the fact that he had seen it. He took another bite of his sandwich and could feel her eyes on him as if she was waiting for him to take off running.
"So where do your parents live?" he asked. Kathleen was caught off guard by the question. She knew he had seen the scar. She had seen his eyes widen. So why wasn't he jumping to his feet and making excuses to leave and never come back?
"Um… About three hours away actually.. Just outside of Lexington." she replied.
"I don't get out of work at the mill until four… I could probably be here by five to get you and we could head that way."
"You still want to go?" she asked before she could stop herself. His eyes locked with hers.
"Of course." he said. "You said you need a friend to have your back… I happen to enjoy watching your back…." He winked at her and she found herself blushing. She remembered the way she had felt his eyes following every step she had taken in that flimsy little hospital gown.
"I guess after asking you to help me pee this probably doesn't sound like that big of a deal." she said. He laughed and stuck the last of his sandwich into his mouth.
"I think it sounds like fun. I'll be here at five next Friday to pick you up." he said. "I wish I could stay longer today but I promised my nephew that I would come by this afternoon and teach him how to throw a football." Kathleen stood and nodded.
"I'm sorry I made you come all the way out here. I should have just asked you over the phone.. I should have known you'd have plans today….." He smiled at her rambling.
"Do you always ramble when you're embarrassed or uncomfortable?' he asked. She glared at him.
"No." she said. Then she smiled. "Maybe." she admitted. He chuckled and stood up.
"I'm glad that you invited me for lunch. Best turkey sandwich I've ever eaten." he said. "And I liked being able to see you again. And you didn't make me come out here or interrupt my plans. My nephew is eight and he is getting ready to try out for the football team so he wants my help." Kathleen nodded.
"You played football in high school?" she asked. Aaden shrugged.
"A little. I wasn't as good as my brother but he passed away a few years ago. I promised him I'd teach the boy how to play ball." Kathleen's eyes widened.
"I'm sorry. How did he.. Oh never mind it's none of my business." she said crossing her arms over her chest.
"Cancer." Aaden replied. "My nephew was only four when it happened and my brother made me promise him that I would look after the boy. He and Max's mom had been split up a long time by then and my brother wanted to make sure that Max would have some of his daddies family to look after him."
Kathleen looked up at Aaden and felt a new respect and fondness for the man growing. Maybe he was different from all the rest….
"Well then I won't keep you from him any longer." she said walking toward the door.
"Do you want to join me?" he asked. She looked at him standing next to her and realized that he looked nervous. He had his hat in his hands and was twisting it tightly. She smiled and shook her head.
"I actually am expecting my friend to be here any moment… You remember Christy from the hospital?" he nodded. "Yea well her and I are going shopping… She says I need to get some 'eat your heart out and make you wish you were dead' kind of clothes to wear next weekend."
"What kind of clothes are those?" he asked raising a brow. She smiled and waved her hand.
"Knowing Christy it will be something we have to go to strippers r us for." Aaden gave her a wicked grin.
"Lucky me." he said. Kathleen blushed. She didn't really know how to flirt anymore.. But she knew enough to know that he was flirting. It had been a long time since any man had flirted with her.
"Don't get too excited…. Christy has yet to talk to me into buying anything when she takes me to places like that." Aaden nodded.
"Probably just as well… You know I'm supposed to have your back next weekend and I'd hate to have to beat up some poor guy just because he looks at my date the wrong way." Kathleen blushed.
"Thank you, Aaden. I'm glad that I have you for a friend." she said. His hand itched to smooth that hair away from her face and his lips itched to see what hers would feel like pressed against his own… He wanted to tell her that friendship was not what he wanted from her… But what if that was all she wanted from him? After all she had just gotten out of a really bad marriage… He was crazy to try to fool himself into believing she'd want anything more then friendship from him.
Before he could respond to her there was a knock on the door.
"Who is it?" Kathleen called out.
"Your best friend in the whole world! I'm dying to know how the meeting went with Mr. tall, dark and handsome….." Christy stopped talking when Kathleen opened the door and she saw Aaden standing behind her smiling broadly.
"Tall, dark and handsome huh?" he asked. Kathleen blushed and gave Christy a look that let her know without a doubt that she was in trouble. Kathleen's face was bright red as she turned back to Aaden.
"Yes well.. Um I won't keep you any longer… I'm sure your nephew is waiting for you." she said. Aaden was chuckling as he stepped out into the hallway.
"Ma'am." he said giving Christy a small wave. She bit her lip and waved back. He looked down at Kathleen who seemed determined not to meet his gaze. He stuck his thumbs through his belt loops.
"I'll see you Friday." he said. She nodded.
"Sounds good." she replied. He could hear the embarrassment in her voice and he fought hard to hold back his laughter. She felt him watching her and finally looked up at him.
Her entire body seemed to freeze in place as he raised one hand and smoothed the hair away from her left cheek. She closed her eyes not wanting to see the disgust in his eyes that she was sure would be there. She nearly jumped out of her skin when suddenly she felt him leaning toward her. He lips brushed lightly over her scarred cheek and then he pulled away.
"Bye, Kathleen." he said and before she could respond he turned and walked away. Kathleen stood rooted to the ground staring at the stairs long after he was already gone.
Finally Christy grabbed her by the back of her shirt, pulled her into the room and shut the door.
"Oh my god! Girl he likes you!" Kathleen shook her head.
"He's just my friend." she said matter of factly. Christy laughed.
"I wish I had friends that looked like that… And that looked at me like that… There was something in his eyes Kathleen…. Something that tells me he's interested in a lot more then just your friendship." Kathleen laughed her comment off but inside she swore that her heart was growing wings because it felt like it was trying to fly right out of her chest.
She could still feel the heat from his lips where he had pressed them to the scar that she had tried so desperately to keep hidden from him….
"Let's just go shopping." she said.