Forty
“Tanner! She’s dead. Just totally dead!” Kate found it impossible to keep the whine out of her voice as she wailed into the cell phone.
“I’m sorry, hon.”
“Maybe I should get a second opinion?”
“Look, I know she was a good friend, but she was getting awfully old. I don’t think another opinion will change things. Just remember all the good years you had together.”
“I have to go now. They want me to take my things out of her. And they want their car back.”
“I’ll be right there.”
“You don’t have to come. I can walk home. I just wanted to tell you.”
“I’ll see you in two minutes. Bye.”
She turned off her cell phone and gazed across the parking lot of the car repair shop. Helen looked so forlorn sitting off to one side, her faded blue washed out in the late afternoon sun.
She was only a car.
No…she was Kate’s past…and she was Kate’s future. Named after the political journalist Helen Thomas, the old Volkswagen represented Kate’s dream. As if on cue, the dream and the car had died together.
No, that was being melodramatic. Just because one visit to DC had been a bust didn’t mean the dream was gone. It just meant it was more challenging.
A black SUV turned the corner.
Doubly challenging. Why would she move away from that guy?
She sighed and walked over to her car.
Tanner joined her as she dug through the trunk. “Hi.” He pulled her into his arms.
“Oh, fiddlesticks. Now I’m going to cry.”
“Go ahead.”
“She’s just a car.” Kate buried her face in his chest.
Two hours later they sat at a small candlelit table in Antonio’s, Tanner’s solution to Kate’s grieving.
She knew she was hooked, but she pointed a finger at him and said sternly, “You think you’re pretty good at this Galahad business, don’t you?”
He smiled and winked at her. “Don’t you?”
Kate felt a distinct sense of warmth creeping up her neck. Good grief! Now he had her blushing!
“I must say, Katelyn, you are dealing rather well with the issue. I comforted you over Helen. I helped you pick out a car to lease, which I strongly suggested you do. And now I’ve brought you to Antonio’s.”
“Hey, I drove myself here in my own car.”
“I got the reservation.”
“But I’m not a damsel in distress.”
“No, definitely not. You were simply temporarily without transportation and hungry. As your friend, I came along to keep you company.”
She burst out laughing. “It’s still an issue with me, isn’t it?”
“We’ve only been at it for a little over twenty-four hours now.”
“It’s not fair though. You’ve spent years as a practicing Sir Galahad. That places me at a disadvantage.”
“How’s that?”
The waitress interrupted as she set salads before them. Before leaving she smiled at Tanner. Typical.
Kate speared a forkful of lettuce. “Oh, Tanner. I don’t know how to respond. I don’t mind your help. I appreciate it, but I don’t want to lose sight of my independence.”
He touched her wrist. “Let’s pray.”
And then he said things like that. The frothy, shivery sensation hadn’t yet subsided.
“Dear Jesus. Thanks for this food and Kate’s car that wasn’t too overpriced. Please help her to understand it’s not a game with me. Amen.” He patted her wrist and let go. “Why would you lose sight of your independence?”
“By getting accustomed to you doing things for me.”
“But there are thousands of things that only you can do for yourself.”
“Name one.”
He swallowed a bite of salad. “Write.”
“You took pictures at today’s track meet. I’m sure you could write the story too.”
“Okay. Put on makeup.”
“I don’t wear any.”
“Ah, you had some on the last time we came here.”
“You noticed?”
He grinned. “That wasn’t all I noticed.”
The guy unnerved her. “Moving right along. Try naming another.”
“Only you can decide about DC.”
She studied the napkin on her lap.
“Only you can love me. Only you can let me love you.”
“All right.” She glanced up at him. “I get it. Therein lies my independence.”
“Yes. The Galahad stuff isn’t important. If I’m in the way, just say so.”
“Oh, you’ve been in the way for a long time, Carlucci.”
“Really?”
She took a bite of salad, delaying her answer, then deciding she may as well air things now as later. “You’ve been filling all the nooks and crannies inside of me, interfering with…everything.”
He smiled. “I know the feeling. I keep tripping over you.”
“Sounds like we’re in each other’s way.”
“But that’s a good thing.”
“Is it? What happens when…?” She bit her lip.
“When what, Kate?”
“When you…find someone else. Someone who fits you.”
He reached over and covered her hand with his. “Kate, no one could fit me better than you. Believe me, I’ve never felt this way about anyone.”
“Oh, Tanner, I believe you, but… Remember your old friend at the theater, that woman who thought I was your sister?”
“Yeah.”
“Don’t you see that with others? At the car lot today. The waitress here tonight. The way they look at us. People from church invite you over. I’ve never been invited over except to Britte’s, and that was because they wanted press coverage. Tanner, I’m fine with who I am, that I’m short and have red hair and don’t get a lot of admiring attention. That I’m not a soul mate to Adonis. You, on the other hand, are Adonis with the most gorgeous eyes and lashes I’ve ever seen. If you hang out with me, you’re going to be spending all of your time explaining why.”
A slight frown furrowed his brow.
The waitress returned. Kate moved aside her salad, which she hadn’t finished yet because she’d been talking so much. The wafting steam smelled delicious as the girl set a plate of seafood linguini before her.
“Miss, I’d like you to meet the woman I love.” Tanner was addressing the waitress who now fastened her attention on Kate.
“Her name’s Katelyn. Isn’t that pretty?” He turned to Kate now and continued speaking softly. “She reminds me of a Christmas elf, petite, witty, energetic, bubbling with joy. And then there’s her color. Her hair’s really a copper, like a shiny new penny, but it’s close enough to red. And her eyes are green. Can you see them? They’re this wonderful translucent color. Sometimes I think I can see all the way into her soul, which is incredibly beautiful. Of course, on the outside she’s intoxicatingly beautiful. That creamy skin. I couldn’t believe how soft it was the first time I touched it. And her lips. Mmm.” He kissed his fingertips in the manner of a chef. “Magnifico. She’s got great, and I mean great, legs and— well, you get my drift. But you know what the best thing is? She makes me feel like Sir Galahad, a knight on a white horse who’s bigger than life. You know, like I’m something special. What more could a guy ask for? Excuse me.”
He stood up, walked around the waitress to Kate’s side, cupped her face in his hands, and kissed her soundly. “I love you.” And then he sat back down.
Kate stared at him, speechless.
“Sir,” the waitress said, “will there be anything else?”
Still looking at Kate, he replied, “No, I don’t think so. Thanks.”
Kate could only blink at him.
Tanner smiled and shrugged. “I don’t have a problem with explaining why.”