When they reached the kitchen, Ben handed Katherine a mug that was still steaming, but cool enough to drink. He had already taken the time to make her a cup of tea and Katherine found that to be incredibly sweet.
“We need to talk,” she said, her words scraping along her dry throat.
Ben’s eyes perked with interest before he took a deep breath as he ran his fingers through his tussled hair. He was trying to calm himself down, but Katherine wasn’t sure why.
“Katherine, you don’t owe me anything. Don’t feel forced to tell me something you’re not ready to talk about,” he said, as his eyes searched hers.
“I want to tell you my story, Ben.”
Katherine knew Ben didn’t want to pressure her. He was so considerate, it left her in awe as she watched him lean against the kitchen counter with a mug in his hands. He was so effortlessly sexy, even in her shaken state, she couldn’t help but be bothered by his allure.
“Let’s go to the living room,” Ben suggested, after they each took a few sips of their tea in silence.
Katherine led the way this time, sitting on the sectional sofa first before tapping her palm against the soft leather as she welcomed Ben to join her. He sat without hesitation, first scooting close to Katherine, and then adjusting himself a bit, to put a little space between the two of them.
Katherine’s anxiety spiked, wondering if he was preparing to separate from her based on what she said. It was nerve wracking and scary, but she knew she had to do it, so Katherine took a deep breath.
“I moved so I can see you, by the way,” Ben interrupted Katherine’s thoughts, reading her nervous energy.
His gray eyes were warm and encouraging, but Katherine could still see the rage there, too. Ben was far past upset and she wanted to bring him some type of relief.
“I want you to know the whole truth, Ben,” Katherine began, preparing herself for what she knew would be a difficult and incredibly
vulnerable experience.
She had never told anyone everything about Tim. What she told Talia was a big step, but as her new friend and co-worker, she thought she could trust her friend. Ben deserved more than that, though. He had seen the ugly side of Katherine’s life, so she wanted to let him know everything.
“There is nothing you could tell me that would make me see you any differently,” Ben said, gently placing his hand on her knee.
When Katherine looked into his eyes, she felt her lips curve upwards, appreciative of his kindness. Ben always went out of his way to make her feel comfortable, but she didn’t think he would see it the same way once he knew everything.
People change when they can see behind the curtain into what you’re really like. Katherine may have a nice life now, but her marriage, and life with Tim, was anything but. She wanted Ben to know everything, but she also knew that could possibly mean losing everything she had with him. With one last deep breath, she decided it didn’t matter what the outcome would be. She wanted to tell him her truth.
Chapter Eight
Ben
WITH HIS NERVES IN knots, Ben watched Katherine take a deep breath, preparing to tell him her story. He had wanted answers, but now that they were staring him in the face, he wasn’t sure he was ready. Things had been so perfect, right up until they weren’t, and he wanted to know what had ruined them. But he didn’t want to ruin the good times they had shared together. It was a tricky place to be, but when Katherine’s eyes connected with his, he knew he was out of time.
“The man that came to the event last night was Tim Marshall, and technically speaking, he is my husband.” Katherine’s admission was made with shame in her eyes and Ben instantly felt guilty for the anger he had felt.
When Katherine used the word husband, he felt defensive and territorial, ready to tear this man apart who thought he could hurt Katherine. But, regardless of what he felt, he never wanted Katherine to feel any shame, and he knew her feelings would be rooted in his reaction. She was watching him closely, and he knew it, but whenever she mentioned Tim, his blood pressure shot up as adrenaline coursed through his veins.
“I’ll just start from the beginning, because that’s the easiest way to tell the story.” Katherine paused, taking another deep breath before adding, “I-uh, I’ve never told anyone about this,” while pushing her hair behind her ears and looking to Ben.
“It’s okay. You can trust me,” he heard himself say.
“I know,” she smiled and continued. “I met Tim about five years ago while I was working at a restaurant in Los Angeles. It was a high-end restaurant, and I was slated to learn directly from the head chef.” Katherine smiled, recalling the memory. Ben could sense it was a special memory, and he recalled Katherine mentioning an interest in cooking in the past. He nodded while listening as he made a mental note to find a way to reconnect her with that aspiration.
“Anyway, Tim came in on a business meeting one afternoon and he was seated in my section. Honestly, he was a dick to the guy he was with, and to another server. I should have known then that he was bad news, but no matter how rude and nasty he was to everyone else, when I came to the table he was really kind and well mannered.
“He was a regular, so everyone knew about his attitude problem, only I never saw it. My first time waiting on him was a lesson in patience, which was another red flag. Everything had to be just how he liked it. The other servers would joke that he thought it was his restaurant. He made so many changes to his order, it was like he created another meal. I’m sorry. I know that’s an unimportant detail, but it just stands out when I think back to it. I should have known then that he was not the type of person to compromise on anything.”
“Sweetheart, you don’t have to apologize for anything. You can tell me as many details as you want. Everything is clearer in hindsight, so don’t hold that against yourself,” Ben said, as he rubbed her knee gently.
“Well, we started dating soon after that first time I waited on him at the restaurant. He was very flashy, so we would go out to different places—it was a whirlwind romance for me. He had a different lifestyle than me altogether, and he invited me into a world that I never knew existed. We would sit courtside at basketball games, or drive up to Malibu and stay at his beach house.
“It was all about fun, and we used to laugh nonstop. When I think back to that time in my life, I can honestly say that I had no inkling of what I was in for. Tim was respectful and kind. He listened to me, or at least it felt like he did,” Katherine giggled softly at the recollection before continuing.