WE LINGERED at the restaurant after our meal with the excuse of allowing the physical effects of our wine to subside. We sipped sparkling water and spoke about current events, avoiding talk that revolved around work or anything too personal. The time was fleeting, and eventually I conceded that I needed to return home. I’d assumed that Kathleen would change her mind about moving our spontaneous date over to my house, but to my surprise she was still committed to the idea.
I paid the bill and asked Kathleen to give me a ten-minute head start. I apologized for the request. I was hesitant to leave her alone at The Blacksmith, but I needed to square things away with Heide and her sitter. I wanted to welcome Kathleen into my home without any unnecessary complications. She was understanding, reassured me she would be all right and would see me again soon.
When I opened the front door, I discovered two sleeping girls on the living room floor. Lydia had spread out a soft blanket and pillows for them to lie on. One of Heide’s favorite channels ran on the television, but the volume was low. Lydia was curled up on the sofa, engrossed in an e-book. We greeted each other in whispers.
“How was the date?” she asked.
“Um. Good.” I stepped closer to the sofa and slid my hands into my pant pockets. “Still going, I suppose.”
Lydia peered over at the closed front door, and a wicked grin appeared. “Oh?”
“She’s coming over. Just for a little bit.”
Lydia stood up and gathered her things to leave. She moved as though to wake up her daughter, but I waved her off.
“I hate to wake Ava,” I admitted. “She’s welcome to stay the night here.”
Lydia shook her head. “That’s sweet, but you have plans. It’s no big deal.”
“At least, let me carry Ava to the car,” I insisted. “Give her a few more minutes of undisturbed sleep. If that’s helpful.”
I removed my blazer and set it on the back of the sofa. “I’ll put Heide in her bed first.”
I approached the sleeping children and leaned down to scoop up my daughter. Heide stayed mostly undisturbed by the jostling and only stirred long enough to wrap her arms around my neck. She leaned her head against my chest, and I carried her with ease down the hall. I entered the bedroom, placed Heide in her bed and tucked her in with minimal fuss.
When I returned to the living room, Lydia was waiting by the front door, car keys in hand. I went to Ava and wrapped the blanket around her before lifting her into my arms. I offered Lydia a bashful grin as she reached for the doorknob.
“I hope you don’t feel rushed.”
“Nonsense. Maybe someday soon you can return the favor for me.” She flashed another broad grin heavy with meaning. I followed Lydia to the car and placed Ava inside.
“Thank you,” she said, after closing the passenger door. “I’ll get your blanket back to you next week.”
“No worries. Whenever.” I leveled her with a serious expression. “Will you be all right from here?”
“Oh yeah.” She waved at me as she opened the driver’s side door. “I’ll pull the car into the garage and we’ll be fine. Don’t worry about us. Enjoy the rest of your date.”
“Thanks, Lydia. For everything.”
“Anytime,” she replied while closing the door. The car’s engine roared to life, and I stepped away from the vehicle. As Lydia pulled away, I waved and returned inside.
I made a quick attempt to tidy up the living room in preparation for Kathleen’s arrival. The girls had marked their territory throughout the evening with toys and dishes but hadn’t made any significant messes. I heard Kathleen’s car pull into the driveway just as I finished the task.
I took a deep breath, opened the front door and stepped outside. I strolled to the car to greet her. When Kathleen came out, she was quiet but wore a friendly expression.
“You’re right on time,” I said. “You knew where to go.”
I turned and made my way toward the house. She followed me.
“When it comes to Bend?” she replied, “I know the back roads to the back roads.”
On the front porch, I opened the door while she stepped past me. I inhaled her floral perfume. I was nervous and stayed on the threshold as she stepped inside. The last thing I wanted was for her to change her mind, but I also wanted her to feel safe. I wouldn’t close the front door until she offered me a signal that it was all right to do so.
I watched Kathleen’s slender back as she paused to look around my living room. She studied her new surroundings with consideration. When she finished her inspection, she looked over her shoulder. In that moment, I was hyperaware that we barely knew each other. She smiled at me, eyes sparkling and lovely cheekbones on full display. She looked very much at home. I returned her grin and stepped inside the entryway, closing the door behind me.
I moved, closing the distance between us without drawing too close.
“Welcome,” I said.
“Thank you.” Kathleen extended her arm toward the living room. “This is cozy.”
“Heide helped me put it all together.”
“Maybe she’ll become an interior decorator someday.”
I laughed. “You haven’t seen her bedroom.”
I didn’t have a clue what to do next, except for one thing.
“Speaking of Heide, if you’ll excuse me for just a moment, I’d like to check on her.”
Kathleen blinked and shifted her weight from one foot to the other, drawing my gaze right to her hips. “Yes, of course.”
“I’ll be right back,” I managed to utter, pointing to the living room. “Please. Feel free to take a seat.”
There wasn’t much reason to look in on my daughter. Heide was a sound sleeper. If she hadn’t woken up during the commotion of the past fifteen minutes, she wouldn’t now. But I was anxious and felt my composure slipping away. I stepped into Heide’s room and stood over her as I processed the unfolding scenario. As thrilling as the evening was, having Kathleen in my home was an unexpected turn of events. I hadn’t had enough time to think about where the night would go, but obviously it couldn’t go too far.
I glanced at Heide’s peaceful face, seeking a fraction of her tranquility. I’d invited Kathleen over for a tour of the house. Nothing more. More than anything else, I needed to remember this. She was my coworker and she had extended her trust at the office. I’d hold my professional guard in place, and she would let me know when she was ready to leave. It needed to be as simple as that. Things would only become complicated if I allowed them to. Kathleen’s opinion of me mattered. She appeared to see me as someone better than I was. I wouldn’t let her down by moving our budding friendship faster than it should.
After I committed to a plan, a weight lifted from my shoulders. I returned to the living room and found Kathleen sitting in the center of the sofa, one bare leg crossed over the other. Her purse was resting nearby, and she wasn’t alone. Kitty Hawk was standing on the cushion next to her, sniffing her extended fingers.
Kathleen looked my way when I approached. “You have a cat.”
“She’s not bothering you, I hope. I can put her in the laundry room.”
“She’s fine. We’re just introducing ourselves.”
Kathleen scratched Kitty Hawk’s chin with an experimental finger. I waited to see how the cat would react. She allowed it—but only for a few seconds. The cat jumped down from the sofa and stretched out to bathe herself on the floor.
Kathleen rose and offered me her full attention. “Is everything okay with Heide?”
“Yes. She’s sound asleep.”
“That’s good.” Kathleen paused and took in a quick breath. “It’s been a long week. I shouldn’t keep you up late. Shall we take that tour?”
“Uh. Yeah.” I swiveled. “We can start here, I guess. Most of the house is the other way.”
“Okay.”
Kathleen followed me throughout the house. I wasn’t inclined to make a fuss over anything, but she had an eye for detail and asked questions about items and features that caught her attention. She didn’t rush through rooms but always offered a clear signal when she was ready to move along. We stopped outside the door to my bedroom, which I intended to leave shut. That was until Kathleen inquired about my home office space, which was part of the en suite space.
“So, you keep your office in your bedroom?” She appeared confused by the concept. “How can you ever just relax in there?”
I glanced at the closed door and then back to her, my calm eradicated.
“Do you want to see it?” I asked, unable to disguise the uncertainty in my voice.
“Only if you’re comfortable. I don’t mean to intrude.”
“There’s no intrusion. A quick look around should be fine.”
I opened the door and waited outside as she entered the space. I only reached into the room long enough to flick on the light switch.
Kathleen stood right next to the corner of the mattress in what appeared to be an ordinary master bedroom.
“I don’t understand,” she murmured.
I stayed in the hallway but pointed to the left. “The office is in the next room. There’s a light switch on the wall to the right.”
Kathleen followed my directions and discovered the hidden office. “Oh! I see! What a great use of space. It’s removed from the rest of the house. That’s clever.”
Kathleen’s steps paused for a moment, and then her high-heeled shoes clicked on the hardwood floor, moving back in my direction. She leaned out from the office doorway but didn’t step back into the bedroom. She examined me from head to toe.
“Are you nervous?” she asked me with a playful expression.
“Kind of,” I admitted.
Kathleen beckoned me with a tantalizing finger. “It’s all right, Jack. This is your house, remember? If I’m not anxious, there’s no reason for you to be.”
I considered her words and then nodded. When she turned her back to me, I quickly went through my bedroom to the office. Once inside the room, I noticed Kathleen examining one of the bookshelves against the eastern wall.
“Are you a reader?” I asked.
“I was. Once. I miss it sometimes. I’ve been thinking about it more lately.”
“What do you like to read?”
Kathleen gave her answer some thought. “I’m not sure. It’s been so long. I’d like to read something that offers a bit of everything—good, evil, laughter, sadness, comfort, fear, love and hate. I’d like to be able to feel those things in one story.”
I moved to stand next to her and peered up at the shelf closest to us. I spotted one book and reached for it. I held the novel in my hands and showed the cover to Kathleen.
“The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon,” she read the title aloud and crossed her arms over her body. “What’s it about?”
“It’s about a young girl who gets lost in the woods.”
“How young?”
“Nine or ten. She has to rely on her own wits to survive, and she uses her Walkman to keep her company. She can listen to baseball games on the radio. Her hero, Tom Gordon, is a pitcher.”
“How did she get lost?”
“She was with her mother and her brother on a hike. The mother and brother argued a lot, and the girl got tired of listening to them. She wandered away and couldn’t get back to her family.”
A shadow of apprehension flickered across Kathleen’s face.
“It’s a good book,” I insisted. “It’s also a short read. You could borrow it if you like.”
Kathleen didn’t reach for the book, but she studied the cover again. “I’m not sure I’m brave enough for this one, but you have such great taste. I promise to think about it.” She offered a quick grin and placed her hand on the back of my shoulder. She massaged it for a few brief moments before retreating from the library. I registered Kathleen wandering back into my bedroom as I pondered the book in my hands.
Something about Kathleen’s demeanor had changed when I told her about the novel’s plot. She’d gone from being curious about a new read to feeling unsure. But even so, she’d offered me a kind compliment and a reassuring smile along with her delicate touch.
I hadn’t struck out. Yet.