Kiss Me Read online

  With her purse slung over her shoulder, she headed out the door, making sure to lock it behind her. She was leaving early enough that she had time to walk. She needed the time to think and clear her head, mulling over what she would say to the bakery owner. He had called early this morning and asked her to come in. She was hoping he had cooled down and wanted her to come back, after he had so unceremoniously fired her on that horrible day.

  “Be pleasant, apologize and smile,” she coached herself, before pulling open the door and walking inside.

  Talia Soles was behind the counter, wiping it down. She looked up when the door chimed, a smile spreading across her face.

  She quickly dashed around the counter and wrapped Katherine in a big hug. “I’m so happy to see you!”

  “I’m happy to see you, too. How’ve you been?” she asked, missing her friend.

  Talia had been the only real friend she’d had in San Francisco. Once she had been fired, there had been all the drama with getting Ben out of jail and then meeting with the attorney to start the divorce paperwork. So, they hadn’t talked since that fateful day.

  “I’m good. You?”

  “I’m great. What are you doing here?”

  Katherine smiled. “He called me and asked me to come in,” she said, in a low voice, not wanting to reveal her excitement.

  Talia’s eyes went wide. “What? Are you serious? Is he going to give you your job back?”

  “I don’t know. I hope so. I haven’t even had time to start looking for a job and could really use one. I loved working here.”

  “He better take you back. He had no business firing you in the first place. It wasn’t like you could have controlled what you’re crazy ex did; and holy shit, he is crazy. I totally understand why you ran away from him,” she grumbled.

  “We’ll soon see. Is he here?” she asked.

  Talia nodded. “He’s in back. Kick ass, girl. I know he loved having you here.”

  “I hope so,” Katherine said with a sigh, walking behind the counter and immediately flashing back to the day when Ben had beat up Tim for trying to pull her out the door. It felt like a hundred years ago and yesterday at the same time.

  She knocked on the office door, not encouraged by the gruff response for her to enter.

  “Hi,” she said, hoping she sounded cheerful and upbeat.

  “Have a seat,” her old boss ordered, not bothering to shake her hand or anything.

  Her hopes of getting her job back were quickly evaporating. She took the seat and waited. This was his show.

  “I have your last check,” he said, and handed her a paper check.

  She took it. “Thank you. Is that why you called me in here? I could have picked it up anytime.”

  “We needed to talk.”

  “Have you reconsidered?”

  His eyebrows shot up. “Reconsidered what?”

  “I had hoped you realized that what happened that day was not my fault and would do the right thing and give me my job back,” she said, using a firm voice.

  He looked at her as if she were crazy. “You can’t be serious.”

  “I’m very serious. You fired me for something I had no control over.”

  He rubbed a hand over his face. “I fired you because you brought that drama into my business. The damage done was extensive, not to mention the loss of business for that day. The regulars were worried about coming into the shop, afraid a mad man would be waiting to attack them.”

  Katherine rolled her eyes. “That’s an exaggeration.”

  He shook his head. “No, it isn’t. I had to close for the rest of the day while we cleaned up, talked to police and tried to put the kitchen back together.”

  “I was assaulted. It isn’t like I asked for it,” she snapped.

  “Your ex-husband by all accounts is the victim. Your boyfriend will be held liable for his role in the disaster and therefore, he is trespassed from the store. I am politely asking you to refrain from ever stepping foot in my shop again, but if necessary, I can make it official.”

  Her mind was reeling and she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. It made no sense. She had nearly been dragged out to face who knew what kind of abuse by Tim and she was the one paying the price. And Ben. Ben was going to pay the price in a literal sense.

  “You’re making a mistake. I thought you were a better man that that. Quite frankly, I’m happy I won’t be working for you. If there’s nothing else, I’ll go. Don’t worry, I will never darken your door again. Hopefully, you’ll get a nice fat check from Ben’s team and you can afford to pay Talia better than you do,” she said, standing and glaring at the man.

  She was tired of being bullied by men in positions of power. He thought he had an advantage over her. He did not. She didn’t have to listen to him for another minute.

  “I’m sorry, Katherine. For what it’s worth, you were a great employee. I enjoyed having you on my team.”

  She stopped at the door and turned back to look at him. “It’s worth nothing. Absolutely zero.”

  She strolled back through the kitchen area and out from behind the counter. Talia was wiping down tables in the small lobby.

  “I’m sorry,” Katherine said, wrapping Talia in a hug.

  Talia’s face fell. “Dammit. I’m sorry. I really thought he would be cool about it.”

  Katherine shrugged a shoulder and smiled. “It’s okay. I’ve had plenty of jobs. I’ll find another one. I liked working with you though. I hope we can still keep in touch.”

  “Absolutely! You’re not getting rid of me that easy.”

  Katherine giggled, but stopped when she saw the manager stop at the counter, watching her and Talia. “Call me anytime. Don’t expect me to be stopping by though. I’ve been officially banned.”

  Talia’s mouth dropped open. “Bullshit,” she hissed, turning to shoot a glare at her boss.

  Katherine’s hand touched her arm. “It’s okay. You keep working here. This is a great job.”

  “I’m sorry,” she said again, shaking her head.

  “I’ll talk to you later.”

  She gave one last goodbye and walked out of the little shop she had fallen in love with. She would miss the bakery, but it wasn’t the first time she’d had to leave a job. It had become a way of life for her. She was a rolling stone. As she walked down the street, she looked in the windows of the shops and stores she passed. It was time to get a new job. It had been a couple weeks now. Her vacation was over.

  She thought about what she wanted to do. The bakery had seemed like a good fit because of her love of cooking. But in actuality, she did very little cooking, more baking goods that were already premixed. She liked the coffee shop part of it. The hustle and bustle was exciting and fast-paced. The days flew by. She also enjoyed the regular customers. People were creatures of habit and once they discovered a great place to buy their morning cup of coffee, they would keep coming back for more.

  Her stroll kept going with no real destination in mind. It was then she realized she was basically sightseeing for the first time. In all the places she had lived before, she’d been too worried about being spotted to spend any real time out and about. She usually found a job, a place to do laundry and grocery shopping, and a home. Everything was different now. She wanted to branch out and learn more about the city, discovering the many secrets hidden in plain sight right in front of her.

  “Good morning,” she said, speaking to an older gentleman sitting on a bench at the small park she had run into.

  She sat down on one end and inhaled a deep breath, smelling what could only be sourdough baking in a nearby shop.

  “Smells delicious, doesn’t it?” the man asked, with a big grin on his face.

  Katherine giggled. “It does. I bet this bench is part of their marketing strategy. People sit and smell that bread and can’t resist.”

  The man with the wise blue eyes and wrinkled face had a wistful smile on his face. “My Judy used to say the same thing. That’s why
I’m here.”

  “For Judy? Is that your wife?”

  “She was my wife for fifty-three years before she decided it was time to go. She always did like to go first, making sure everything was ready for me,” he said, a sad smile on his face.

  “I’m sorry,” Katherine replied.

  “Don’t be. I’m not sad. I miss her, but I know she’s getting everything just so, and when it’s time, I’ll meet her there.”

  Katherine had to blink back tears. It was the sweetest thing she’d ever heard. She imagined being like that with Ben. Could they be a couple like that? She had never even thought of a happily ever after or growing old with a man by her side.

  “Did Judy like the sourdough?” she asked.

  “She sure did. She used to tell me to go sit at the park. When I smelled the bread cooking, I was supposed to wait another thirty minutes before I went in and asked for a fresh loaf. Judy was very particular about her instructions. “So, every Monday, I wait right here until it’s time to pick up the bread.”

  Katherine smiled and nodded her head. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to wait with you. I don’t believe I’ve ever had fresh sourdough.”

  The man shook his head as if it was a terrible shame. “You’re gonna be hooked. It is the best. I could never eat those dry loaves from the store again after having it fresh from the oven.”

  “What did Judy serve it with?” she asked, an idea for dinner blooming in her mind.

  He waved a hand. “Oh, she liked to make me these gooey grilled cheese sandwiches that I would dip in the tomato soup she made from scratch. Sometimes, she’d make me a delicious sandwich or serve it up with pasta. It never got old.”

  “I think all of that sounds amazing.”

  “I bet your husband will love it as well,” he said, a grin on his face.

  Katherine chuckled. “He isn’t my husband, but I know he will love it.”

  “Keep giving him that bread and he’ll be your husband soon enough,” the old man chuckled, a playful gleam in his eyes.

  Katherine giggled along beside him, imagining a future she refused to let herself think about too much. Her life hadn’t given her the luxury of planning that far ahead. Not yet, but soon it would.

  Chapter Four

  Ben

  RACHEL MCKINNEY STROLLED into his office, a file folder tucked under one arm with a coffee in her other hand. He watched her, studying her and grinned.

  “What are you grinning at?” she asked, looking down at her blouse.

  “You.”

  “Why? Am I unzipped? Do I have something in my teeth? Why are you looking at me like that?”

  He shook his head, laughing. “None of the above. You look different—happy.”

  She blushed and set the coffee down in front of him. “Drink your coffee. You’re delirious.”

  “No, I’m not, and thank you by the way.”

  “You’re welcome. How did it go on Friday?” she asked, setting the file on the desk before taking the seat across from his desk.

  He took a sip of the hot coffee, nodding his head. “It went very well. I was a little worried she would back out, but she did it. She signed and seemed to be very happy about it. We spent the weekend celebrating,” he said with a smile.

  Rachel was grinning. “Good. I’m glad.”

  “You’re happy,” he repeated.

  “I’m always happy.”

  He shook his head. “Not like this. You’re happy happy,” he said, a grin on his face.

  She rolled her eyes. “You sound like my mother. I’m just happy. One happy.”

  “Is it Will? Are things still going well between you?” he pried, not feeling the least bit guilty for the interrogation.

  “Things are good.”

  “Did you see him this weekend?” he pressed, not ready to drop the topic yet.

  She smacked a palm to her forehead. “You’re like a dog with a bone. You are not going to give up on this, are you?”

  He grinned. “Nope. Come on. Save us both some time and trouble. I want to know if I have a future in matchmaking.”

  At first, it looked as if she wouldn’t answer, then, a slow smile spread across her face. “Things are good. We aren’t jumping into marriage, but he is the only man I’m interested in at this point and I think the feeling is mutual.”

  “Good. You two are great for each other. He completes you,” he said in a cheesy voice.

  “What about you and Katherine? Is it a love match? Does she complete you?” she asked in a sing-song voice.

  He shrugged a shoulder. “Maybe.”

  “Don’t play hard to get. I already know she does. You are so into her.”

  He sipped his coffee. There was no point in denying it. He and Rachel talked about everything. She would know if he was lying if he tried.

  “I am into her. I’m crazy about her, but things are still a little tenuous. The divorce papers are signed, but that doesn’t mean that maniac is gone. I think I have to assume he’ll be back. I know she does.”

  “And? If he comes back, you threaten him and if he pushes, you kick his ass—again,” she said, grinning.

  “It isn’t that simple. If I push Katherine too hard, or if he creates a lot of trouble, she’ll run. She wants to gain independence and I want that for her. She needs that to grow so she can move past this nightmare. If I tell her I’m into her and see myself settling down with her, she’s going to bolt,” he confessed.

  Rachel grimaced. “That’s a tough one, but I think you’re right. You need to give her some space. Is she in any kind of therapy or anything?”

  He shook his head. “No, not that I know of. She’s a strong woman and I feel like she is well-adjusted. Yes, she constantly looks over her shoulder, but not as much. She’s changed. She seems happier and I am cool with going along for the ride for as long as she will let me.”

  “Good. I hope it all works out. I like her, and I know you do.”

  He mulled over the words, hoping like hell it did work out. For now, he would appreciate every day he got with her. He felt like he was taking baby steps to walk a hundred miles, but as long as he kept moving forward, heading towards his goal, he would keep doing it.

  “What am I looking at here?” he asked, opening the file, their personal conversation tabled for the moment.

  She shrugged a shoulder. “A few invoices. No big deal. Maybe a small raise for me,” she said with a cheeky grin.

  “Isn’t that how you got your last one? You just slipped it into the stack?” he teased.

  “I can neither confirm or deny that allegation.”

  He laughed and picked up his pen to start signing his name when there was a soft knock on his office door before it was pushed open. Rachel was already up and out of her chair, ready to intercept whoever it was that dared enter his office without his approval. He would never want to be on the receiving end of Rachel’s fury. She could be a mean little thing when she wanted to.

  “Hi, I didn’t see you at the desk,” Katherine said in a quiet voice, staying at the door as she spoke to Rachel who was quickly advancing on her.

  “Come in,” Ben said, standing and automatically buttoning his suit jacket.

  “I don’t want to interrupt,” Katherine replied, looking from him to his secretary.

  Rachel gave her a quick hug. “I was just headed back to my desk. He’s all yours,” she said and closed the door behind her, leaving Ben and Katherine alone.

  “This is a pleasant surprise,” he said, walking to her and giving her a quick kiss.

  “Are you sure I’m not bothering you?” she asked nervously.

  He took her hand and led her to the couch in the office. “You are not bothering me. You could never bother me. What brings you by?”

  She let out a long sigh. “I’m officially fired.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “I thought you were already officially fired.”

  “My boss, ex-boss, called me after you left this morning and asked if I would come
in for a meeting. I thought maybe, just maybe, he was going to be a reasonable human being and give me my job back. I was wrong,” she groaned.

  He shook his head. “I’m sorry. I could call him and let him know he’s making a huge mistake. I’m sure there are some laws he’s breaking. I could threaten him.”

  She shook her head, her hand up and her eyes wide. “No!”

  “Woah, okay, I won’t,” he said, realizing he had said the wrong thing.

  “You don’t understand. That’s the other reason he called me in. He wanted to talk to me, or warn me rather, about you,” she said, her eyes dropping to the plush rug under the table between the couch and chairs.

  He wasn’t understanding. “Katherine, sweetheart, why would he call you in to talk about me?”

  Her hand moved through her dark hair that was hanging loose around her shoulders. Over the weekend, he noticed the blonde roots and wondered if she would let her natural color come in now that she didn’t need to hide. “I’m so sorry,” she muttered.

  “What could you possibly have to be sorry for?”

  “He’s suing you or demanding you pay for the damages and I will tell you right now, he’s inflating the damage done. He’s looking for a quick payout,” she said, a grimace on her face.

  Ben smirked. “Let him sue me. I don’t care. It isn’t like I don’t have the money. It will be fine. You let me worry about that. I will own up to my mess.”

  “It isn’t right. You were only protecting me. He fired me for being assaulted. It’s so wrong,” she said, slapping her hand on her jeaned thigh.

  “I’m not worried about it. I would do it all over again. All of it. It was all worth it,” he insisted.

  Her heavy sigh told him she was stressed. The last thing he wanted was for her to feel stressed and like she needed to run away. The woman had dealt with more in the past five years than the average person dealt with in an entire lifetime. It wasn’t fair, and he hoped he could help right some of the wrongs that had been done to her.

  “Katherine, this is not a big deal. I can help you find another job, or—” he stopped talking in the nick of time.

  He was about to offer to support her but knew that was a loaded conversation and he seriously doubted she would ever accept an offer from him. From anyone for that matter. Katherine had to find her independence. He wanted to help, but this was something she needed to do for herself. He had to take a step back and support her without doing it for her.