Page 94 of Catching the Coach
I pinch the bra between my thumb and forefinger, holding it up. “I don’t think Marlene would mind if I’m wearing a T-shirt and jeans.”
“You’re dressing up. You’ve been moping around for days, not that I blame you. You have every right to take this time and figure shit out, but getting out of the house will do you some good.” She gives me another smirk. “The dressing up is just for fun.”
I deadpan her. “We have different ideas of fun.”
Kara clasps her hands together. “Please, dress up. If not for yourself, for me?” She finishes her plea with puppy dog eyes.
I bark out a laugh. “Fine, fine I’ll dress up. Do I have time to shower and do my hair?” If I’m going to dress up, I might as well go all out.
“Yes, if you hurry,” Kara replies, clapping happily.
Rolling my eyes again, I gather my clothes and head into the bathroom. I stop and peek out from the door frame. “Thanks Kar, I don’t know what I would have done without you this week.”
She flutters her hand in front of her. “Stop, you’ll make me cry and I’m not ruining my makeup. But anything for you, babe,” she says, giving me a wink.
I laugh and shut the door behind me, turning on the shower. Feeling lighter than I have all week.
* * *
Showered, dressed and feeling fresh, we’re on the road and heading to Marlenes. Hudson and Kade stayed with Kara’s mom at Kara’s, so we could just have some girl time. I offered to drive, since I’ve been there before and know the way, but Kara insisted on driving and said that’s what GPS was for. She’s being a little weird, but I just chalk it up to her trying to cheer me up.
Kara turns on the radio and I sit back in my seat, humming along to a song and enjoying the view. It’s one of my favorite drives and I missed making it last week. My heart squeezes, that’s not the only thing I miss. Kara nudges my arm and I look over at her. She gives me a reassuring smile. “It’ll get better babe, you’ll see. You just need to talk to him.”
I sigh.
I know she’s right. I’ve been putting off talking to Kessler, letting my fear overcome me. The fact that he so easily shut me out still bothers me and I don’t know if I can trust him not to do it again. Marie encouraged me to talk it out with him when she came over last night. She even suggested we go to counseling, not only to help us get past the hurdle we face now, but to help us communicate better in the future. It’s something I’m going to bring up when I talk to Kessler, whenever I get the courage to do that.
Lost in thought I look out the window, the scenery around me is unfamiliar. Grabbing Kara’s phone, I look at the address she typed in. It’s not Marlene’s, but it’s close, just up the road. “Kar, you typed in the wrong address.” I tell her, holding up her phone.
“Oh did I? Darn it. Where’s that one taking us?”
Darn it? Kara never says darn it. It’s damn, or shit, or any other four letter word, neverdarn it.I narrow my eyes at her, my warning bells going off in my head. “Kara Cahill, what are you up to?”
She doesn’t get a chance to answer because the phone in my hand tells us in 500-feet our destination is on the left. I give her a pointed look as she turns into the unfamiliar driveway. Old maple trees line both sides of the driveway, stealing my breath with their size. Their branches wave hello to us in the breeze. At the end of the driveway sits a beautiful one-story farmhouse. It’s painted in a soft mint green tone with white trim and wood-stained a porch that wraps around it.
“Wow,” I whisper in awe. “That house looks like it’s right out of one of my Pinterest boards.” I may have a whole board dedicated to my dream home, and what exactly I would want it to look like.
Kara comes to a stop and puts the car in park. I whip my head to the side to look at her. “What are you doing? This isn’t Marlene’s.”
She gives me a mischievous smile and I don’t like it one bit. “Get out of the car, babe.”
“Uh no, I don’t know who lives here.”
She nods her head toward the house and I turn to look where she is. There’s a man standing on the porch now.
Kessler
He’s leaning against the porch railing, hands tucked in the pockets of his dark-wash jeans. Wearing a black button-up shirt, that makes his moss-green eyes pop. The sleeves are rolled up to his elbows, showing off his muscular forearms. His beard has been trimmed since the last time I saw him, making his features sharper. My heart catches in my chest at the small, shy smile he gives me. I turn to Kara, my eyes wide.
“Get out of the car, Lucy,” she says, giving me a reassuring smile.
I slowly shake my head back and forth. “I don’t understand.”
She pats my hand. “You will.”
“What if it doesn’t work out?” I whisper.
“You won’t know until you try,” she whispers back.
