Compass (Second Chances 1)

“Or seven?” She laughs. “I know you too well. You’re off to meet a man.”

“Mom,” I say with an exaggerated bite of frustration in my voice. “I have to go.”

“Fine, dear.” She sighs. “I’ll call you the day after tomorrow. Try to pick up.”

“Bye, Mom.” I yank my favorite little black dress from its hanger.

She exhales softly. “I’ll keep my fingers crossed that the next time we talk you’ll tell me you found the one and you’re in love, Kate.”

I grip the phone in my hand as the call ends.

Knowing she can’t hear me, I say aloud what I’ve been too scared to admit to myself, “I did find the one eight years ago and I think I’m still in love with him.”

***

A little more than an hour later, Gage flashes me a smile when he sees what I have in my hand.

I look past him to where a bottle of the same red wine is sitting on his coffee table.

I laugh. “Is this a case of great minds thinking alike?”

He takes the bottle from me. “You don’t still drink this, do you?”

I take in how relaxed he looks in a white long sleeve sweater and blue jeans.

His feet are bare. His hair is neatly combed. It’s a sharp contrast to the light growth of beard on his jaw.

Unlike the inexpensive wine we used to drink, Gage has only gotten better with age.

He closes his apartment door behind me, motioning for me to take a seat on his sofa.

“I haven’t bought a bottle in years.” I cross the apartment to the living room. “The last time was back in California.”

It was three weeks before my life collapsed. I’d stopped on my way home and picked up a bottle so we could celebrate the fact that we were almost man and wife.

I remember that night vividly.

Our toast to our future was followed by a short discussion about kids.

Gage asked one last time if I was sure I’d never change my mind about being a mom. I told him I was one hundred percent certain.

Less than a month later he found out he was a dad.

“I’ll check on dinner and crack this open.” He holds up the wine bottle. “Or should I say I’ll unscrew the cap?”

I drop my purse on the coffee table before I take a seat, nervously crossing my legs.

I sense his gaze on me, so I look up into his green eyes. I see familiarity there and promise.

“You being here means the world to me, Katie. Thank you for coming.”

I glance down because the intensity in his eyes is too much.

“Don’t move a muscle. I’ll be right back.” He walks away, leaving me to wonder what tonight holds.

Chapter 36

Gage