New Year’s Day
“Kayden, slow down,” Katie said in a rushed tone. “I’m not sure I know what or who you’re talking about.”
Kayden held the phone to his ear as he paced the kitchen. Exhaustion filled every pore of his body. He hadn’t slept a wink after his mystery woman bolted. No one at the party knew who she was or had seen her leave. Why hadn’t anyone else seen her tattoo? It seemed that he was the only one who knew about it. Why was she hiding it from everyone? Why the secrecy? He wasn’t about to give up. Those two words had no place in his life.
Surely, someone must know who she is? He felt like bloody Prince Charming, trying to find Cinderella. Except in place of a glass slipper, she had a tattoo.
“Kayden, are you still on the line?” Katie asked.
He shook the random thoughts from his mind. “Yes, I’m still here.” He paused. “I’ve met someone, a woman.”
“Oh, Kayden, I’m so happy for you. Who is she?”
He sighed. “That’s just it, I’ve got no damn idea who she is.” He’d spent the rest of the night and the best part of the morning combing every part of town. His pleas were met with blank stares. It was like she was a ghost, as if she never existed. Kayden knew better. The pleasure and desire he experienced with her still lingered in his limbs.
“What do you mean you’ve got no idea?” she asked. “You must know her name.”
“No, I don’t. I first met her at the Halloween party, but…” His voice trailed off. The loss of Todd that night still stabbed at his heart every time he remembered what had been ripped from him ahead of time. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I shouldn’t—”
Her voice was still laced with pain. “No, it’s okay.”
Kayden could kick himself for being so insensitive.
“It’s still hard and always will be, but I’m learning to talk about it. Now, tell me about this woman.”
Warmth filled Kayden’s heart. “She’s beautiful, has the most amazing blue eyes that glow like sapphires, long brown curls that dance on her shoulders, and her tattoo…” He paused. “God, Katie, her tattoo is the most exquisite I’ve ever seen.”
“Do I even want to know where her tattoo is?” Katie said in a squeamish tone.
He chuckled. “It runs across her shoulder blades and down her back to—”
“Okay, that’s enough. Well, someone must know her by her tattoo?”
“That’s just it. No one seems to have seen it, at least the people I’ve spoken to today haven’t.” Frustration settled in the pit of his stomach. “Listen, are you busy? Can I still pop over?”
“Um, no, not really,” she said. “I’ve an appointment at the house, so you’ll have to use your key to let yourself in.”
“No problem, see you soon.” Kayden ended the call and marched toward the shower. Maybe a cold shower will do the trick.
****
Kayden’s gazed scoured the main street as he headed east toward Katie’s house. Thankfully, Todd had provided well for her and Emma, so she’d never have to worry financially. Familiar face after familiar face smiled or waved at him as he drove by.
Where the hell are you?
He was so frustrated, he was nearly close to losing his shit right in the middle of town. He reined himself in before he did something stupid like lose control of his damn car. If he had her name, he could use his contacts at the station to find her, but without so much as a first name he was flying blind.
“You’re here somewhere, I know it.” The thought of not finding her sent a shudder through his body. Losing Todd so unexpectedly reminded Kayden that life was too short to be unhappy.
She was his “happily ever after.” He would find her, no matter how long it took.
He pulled up into Katie’s driveway behind an old, sunset-orange Toyota Corolla. “Damn it.” He’d forgotten she had an appointment. Leaning over the front seat, he grabbed Katie’s house key from the glove box.
Kayden eyeballed the old, beat-up Corolla with caution. “Jesus, I hope to hell that’s safe to drive.” He chuckled to himself. “Maybe I need to give it a once-over before I leave.”
He took the front steps two at a time. Kayden didn’t waste any time letting himself in and searching out Katie. He followed the sound of female laughter to the back room.
“It’s good to hear you laugh again, Katie,” he said, leaning against the doorframe, arms folded across his chest. Katie’s relaxed body reclined back on the lounge while a woman fussed over her toenails. He’d obviously interrupted a girly afternoon of pampering and toenail painting.
“Kayden,” she said between giggles. “You must think I’ve had one too many wines, but Tash here just told the funniest joke I’ve ever heard in my life.”
“Really,” he said. “What made it so funny?”
“I think it was the way she told it, and the funny accent she used,” she said, wiping the tears from her eyes.
“I didn’t mean to interrupt your afternoon.”
“Nonsense,” Katie said dryly. “I’m sure Tash is able to work while we talk. Sinead postponed our appointment from last week ’til today, but unfortunately, she’s still ill so Tash is here instead.”
“Oh.” Great. Just what I need, a nosy busybody, eager to soak up some new town gossip. I can just see it now, details of my mystery woman will be front-page news by the end of the day.
“Tash, this is my good friend, Kayden Langford.”
Without turning around, Tash held up her hand in acknowledgement of Kayden’s presence.
How rude. Kayden grunted. “Nice to meet you.”
“Come over here and get that hug you so desperately need,” Katie said, opening her arms to him.
He backed away, ready to leave. “Listen, I’ll come back a bit later, when you two have finished.”
“Are you sure?”
He glanced toward Katie. “Yeah, I’m sure. It’s—” He stopped, his words suddenly vanished. The blood drained from his face in two seconds flat.
What the fuck? He couldn’t breathe underneath the fist crushing his chest. He blinked a few times, praying his eyes weren’t playing tricks on him. No, there it was—the tattoo he’d dreamt about was peeking out from Tasha’s sleeveless top. It was just visible on the edge of her shoulder, teasing his senses.
“Kayden, honey, are you all right?” Katie asked, her words laced with concern.
Were his eyes playing tricks on him? “It can’t be,” he muttered, edging closer.
“Kayden, what is it?” Katie asked worried.
His eyes locked on to the faint shimmering outline of the supposedly hidden vine. She froze under his constant gaze. She was so still he couldn’t even be sure she was still breathing.
“It’s you,” he whispered from behind her. Frustration pumped through his veins. “Why the hell did you leave last night?”
“Kayden,” Katie gasped. “Watch your language in my house.”
Katie’s angry expression startled Kayden. His heart was about to jump into his throat. “This is her, the woman I was talking about. There’s only one woman I know that has a tattoo like that.” He pointed to Tash’s shoulder. “And she’s sitting right in front of you and me.”
“Tash?” Katie asked. “Is it true?”
Kayden held his breath, waiting for her answer. After what felt like an eternity, she nodded.
His lungs burned, and he hadn’t realized he was holding his breath until his head started to spin. She slowly stood and turned to face him, her pale skin a picture of an angel. Her strawberry-blonde hair rested above her slim shoulders and her eyes…green? I don’t understand.
She was skittish as all hell, like a newborn colt. He wasn’t going to let her get away a third time, nor did he want to air his personal life in front of Todd’s wife. “Katie, do you think you can give us a moment…alone?”
Katie jumped off the couch and moved to Tash’s side. “Tash, are you all right?”
She paused but finally nodded, all the while her eyes focused on Kayden.
“Kayden, I love you like a brother and I’m happy to step into the kitchen to make us all some coffee, but if Tash says the conversation is over, then it’s over. Are we clear?”
“Crystal,” he said, holding his ground. His pulse raced as he sensed Katie exit the room.
“I don’t understand. Green eyes?” She smiled and he thought his heart would beat right out of his chest.
“Blue contacts,” she said.
His brow creased. “Short, strawberry-blonde hair?”
She shrugged. “Brown hair extensions.”
“Why?” he asked. “Why the deception?”
“It’s a long story.” She paused. “And a boring one.” She moved to pack her equipment.
Over my dead body will you leave without explaining to me what the hell is going on.
“You’re obviously trying to hide your identity. Why? What was the real reason you were there last night? Don’t you think I at least deserve some sort of explanation?” Frustration wormed its way up his spine. Silence greeted his questions, which only served to piss him off more.
“So, you were out for an easy lay, is that it?” he spat.
She gasped, wide-eyed, shock plastered on her face. “No, that was never my intention.”
“Then what was? Are you playing me?” He ran his shaking hand through his hair. “I don’t make a habit of one-night stands.”
“Neither do I,” she barked.
“Then tell me what the hell is going on,” he said in a commanding tone.
“Damn it,” she cursed, shoving her hands on her hips. “We were supposed to do business, not have sex, but that all changed when—”
“When what?”
“We danced, all right? It all changed when we danced.”
Danced? His body sprang to life at the reminder of their bodies locked together on the dance floor. He raised an eyebrow. “What business are you talking about?”
“I was there for Sinead,” she sighed. “She couldn’t go because she was ill, and she asked me to go in her place and talk to you about a deal for your property by the lake. But then I heard what you said to the guy at the door after we…you know…about not wanting to talk to anyone about business, and I knew that you would think I slept with you just to talk business.”
“And did you?”
Mortification filled her eyes. “No, of course not, but I knew I couldn’t stay.”
“Because if you did, we would have talked.”
“Yes, and you would have wanted to know all about me and my past. I just couldn’t get involved with someone else, especially a cop.”
Kayden couldn’t give a fuck about her past. His blood boiled. Time to end this now.
“Are you a criminal? Are you running from the law?” he blurted out.
“No, of course not.”
“Did you murder someone?”
“No.”
“So, you’re going to throw away what we shared because you’re worried about what I’ll think of you if I know your past?”
She paled and his head began to throb under the bombardment of useless questions. “Are you married? Is that it?”
****
Tash felt the blood drain from her face. She squeezed her hands together in a desperate effort to stop them trembling. “No…not anymore.”
“What do you mean ‘not anymore,’” he pried.
Her pulse sped up. The curiosity in his gaze pleaded with her. “Actually, I’m a widow. My husband was killed in a car accident three years ago.”
His expression darkened. “I’m sorry for your loss.”
“I’m not,” she said, continuing to pack up her belongings.
“Damn it, Tash. What are you not telling me?” he asked, stilling her hands with his. “Why all the secrecy, and why hasn’t anyone else seen your tattoo?”
Tash’s heart almost stopped, tears welling in her eyes. She sighed, as if the last of her fight had left her body. “Because I got the tattoo when I was first married. I did a lot of regretful things when I was married, but most of all, I’ve regretted the fact that I didn’t even really know my husband.”
Kayden’s brow creased. “What do you mean?”
Tash sighed. “I suppose you’ll find out sooner or later.” Tash sat down, ready to let it all spill out. “I married Connor when I was very young, I was so in love, I did just about anything for him, including getting the tattoo. It wasn’t until he was killed in the accident that the depths of his deceit surfaced.” She paused, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. “He was a gambling addict, in way over his head, and I had no idea. How pathetic is that?”
Kayden sat beside her and brushed a wisp of hair behind her ear. “No, not pathetic…trusting.”
She huffed. “Yeah, trusting. I suppose you could say that. I trusted him so much that when he died, he left me in so much debt that the only way to pay it off was to work for the damn loan sharks. I did it. It took me three long years, but I did it.”
“So, why all the secrecy?”
“Don’t you see,” she said, escaping to the other side of the room. “I spent the last three years surviving the worst kind of working conditions imaginable, and I refuse to throw it away on a man. This is about me starting over. When people see my tattoo, they’re quick to judge. I have to come first, be able to stand on my own two feet. I’m not ready for another relationship. The last thing I want is my mind clouded by feelings for you before I’m ready to take that next step. Surely you can understand?”
Tash’s stomach bottomed out as he edged his tense body toward her. “Yes, I can understand, but I understand that you are confusing me with your husband.”
“I—”
Kayden held her hands in his and ran his thumbs over her pulse point. “I am not Connor. What we shared last night, I have never shared with another woman, ever.”
Tash gulped and breathed a little faster.
“I know I’m a better man than Connor could ever be. All I’m asking for is a chance to prove to you that I can make you happy. I know we have chemistry. I’m honest, if nothing else.”
“That’s true,” Katie said from the kitchen doorway.
Both Kayden and Tash jumped at the soft tone of her voice.
“He’s one of the most honest men I know, except for Todd, my husband. I’m the best judge of character, and I placed my husband’s life in Kayden’s hands. So, Tash, if I can trust him, so can you.”
As if reading her thoughts, he said, “I know you don’t trust easily, but all I’m asking for is time. Time to show you that I’m not Connor, time to show you that there are good men out in the world and I’m one of them.”
Tash’s chest burned. Could she trust again?
“So how about it, Tash?” Katie said, smiling from across the room.
“Tash, can you give me time?” Kayden whispered.
Jumbled thoughts filled her mind, but it was as if all the fog lifted and in one singular moment she knew the right answer.
“Yes.”
The End
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