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Dressed in a classic black dress, Katana was ready for seven p.m. for her date with Tobias.
Nerves churned around in her stomach as the clock ticked the time away. Even though they were living in the same house, Tobias went to the extreme of walking out of his own front door and ringing the door bell as if picking Katana up for their date.
She answered the door, giggling. “Hello.”
“Wow, you look amazing,” he said, handing her a bouquet of red roses.
Katana looked him up and down in his own smart pale blue cotton shirt and black tailored trousers. “You look pretty nice yourself.”
He smiled at her and made a hook with his arm as he motioned for her to join him outside. Walking her to the car, he settled her in the passenger seat before jumping in the driver’s seat.
“Where are we going?” she asked, trying to ignore the grumble of her stomach.
“Well, you’ll have to wait and see.”
Katana gifted him a small smile before bringing him up to speed on the latest developments. “So it looks like we’re going to be vigilante justice werewolf hunters.”
Tobias chuckled. “That’s a good thing, though. It’s not just population control for the sake of it. It’s gene cleansing, society protecting, and soul healing.”
“Soul healing?”
“Well, yeah. You’re telling me you won’t enjoy going after some guy whose been forcing himself on little kiddies?”
Katana stilled for a moment, several thoughts running through her head. “Of course I would, it’ll make the whole kill thing even sweeter. But I thought you weren’t a fan of women hunting in the field?”
“Are you calling me sexist?”
“No...more old fashioned.”
He laughed so heartily, a tear leaked from the corner of his left eye. “I like that. Very good.”
“So you’re saying that you’ll be happy for your wife to go out hunting in the field?”
Tobias looked over at Katana and smiled. “We’re nearly at the restaurant. I hope you like Thai food?”
Katana nodded. “Love it.”
“Good.”
They fell into silence as Tobias drove the last few miles. When he pulled up down a small empty country road, Katana frowned. He eased the car into a small gravel square, turned the engine off, and hopped out.
Helping Katana from the passenger seat, he eased her along the gravel as her high heels made her footing unsteady. Once over the gravel, they stood on a grassy bank looking into a narrow canal.
“Food awaits,” he said, motioning to his right.
Katana looked to where his attention was focused and gasped.
A narrowboat sat on top of the dark waters, warm yellow lighting gleaming out of the windows and the delicious aroma of cooking food wafting through the air towards her.
“Really? That’s a restaurant?”
Tobias grinned. “Ok. It’s my personal boat that I hired a chef to cook in, but it still counts, right?”
Katana laughed. “Full marks for effort, definitely.”
Tobias helped her cross the soft grass and step down the soft bank. When they finally set foot on the boat, Katana let out a long breath she didn’t realise she’d been holding.
“Did that make you nervous?” Tobias asked, opening the small wooden door that led into the cabin.
“I invite you to put six-inch heels on and walk down a virtually vertical bank without holding your breath.”
“I’ll take your word for it,” he replied, chuckling. “Wearing women’s shoes isn’t really my thing.”
Katana giggled and stepped inside the narrow boat. Perfectly polished wood shone back at her. At the far end, a white marble kitchen stole the attention complete with a busy chef frying something in a wok.
A cream leather couch dominated the left-hand side of the boat with a long table stretched out in front of it. The table was set for two places with two tall candles lit and flickering with romance.
“This is amazing,” Katana said, turning to Tobias. The sizzling coming from the wok almost drowned out her words. “I can’t believe you’ve set this up. Thank you.”
Tobias held his hand out towards the sofa. “The pleasure is all mine. I hope you’re ok with eating on a sofa? I didn’t have enough time to get it replaced with chairs.”
Katana frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Well I had a team come in and spruce the place up a little. They couldn’t get me proper chairs to replace the sofa ordered in time for tonight.”
“How long have you been planning this?”
“Five days.”
Katana gasped. The penny dropped as to what all the fuss was about. Her stomach tumbled and flipped around inside her. He was going to propose. This was it. The moment.
“Sit down. I’ll get us some wine.”
Katana sat on the smooth leather surface, trying to ignore the cold sweat that had broken out all over her body.
She watched Tobias as he strode towards the small kitchen, chatted with the chef, and then came back with an expensive looking bottle of champagne.
He popped the cork easily, poured two glasses, and then sat down next to her.
“So, you’ve probably guessed what tonight is for,” Tobias said, taking a sip of his drink.
Katana nodded, a hot flush creeping up her cheeks. She took a gulp of her champagne to escape the rising tension.
“But, it’s not going to happen,” he said, giving her a sad smile.
Katana’s heart stopped and did a back flip. “What?”
“I’ve been doing some thinking over the past few days and I have to agree with you.”
“With me? On what?”
“Marrying for love.”
A spear of dread lodged itself in her heart. She was being dumped by the guy who’d pursued her for six years? What the hell?
“But...our deal...I’m confused.”
A thud sounded from outside. Tobias looked towards the door and nodded. “I know I’ll never have your heart, Katana. After everything that’s happened, I’ve come to realise that allowing you to be with the one person you love more than anything is the least I can do. You don’t have a price to pay to me.”
The door squeaked open. Katana looked in its direction. A tall, white-haired man stepped inside. His lithe, athletic body was highlighted perfectly in a white cotton shirt and a pair of dark denim jeans. Two sparkling blue eyes settled on Katana.
“Jacques?” she said, tears springing to her eyes.
“Hey,” he replied, his pink lips turning upwards into a warm smile. A rosy blush spread over his face. “You look fantastic.”
Katana bolted from her seat and rushed to her best friend, desperate to hug him for real. When he wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled into her hair, she couldn’t help but let the tears slide free.