A Lifetime

Chapter 2

The car arrived right on time. The driver knocked on the door softly and stepped back as she approached. As she opened the door, his smile grew as he held out a bouquet of white roses to her.

“How nice, thank you!” she said surprised. 

“My pleasure. Kyle is already at the restaurant. He wanted to make sure that everything was ready and that you wouldn’t have to wait. I’ll be in the car. Come when you’re ready,” the driver said with a formal nod of his head towards her.

As the car slowed to a stop in front of the restaurant, she could feel her heart racing as she grew increasingly nervous. She didn’t need the money as badly as a year ago, but she always thought about her children when a job presented itself. She wasn’t about to turn something lucrative down, but she still didn’t like the feeling of blindly walking into a job interview, underqualified and unprepared.

As she was escorted through the restaurant, she rounded a corner to find a large area completely empty.

It was a very private setting. The remainder of the restaurant was packed with people and more waiting outside, so she felt a tinge of guilt for having such a space reserved for only the two of them.

A lone gentleman, across the room, quickly stood, pushing his chair from the intimate table, when she entered. A huge smile took over his face. She almost felt like a joke had been played on her. Like she really knew this man. He seemed overly pleased to see her. “Or maybe he’s just that nice,” she thought to herself. Accusing herself of overthinking things as usual.

“It is so nice to finally meet you,” Kyle said, smiling ear to ear.

“I apologize for my reluctance before. I’m just at a disadvantage. You know more about me than I do about you,” she confessed frankly.

“Well, that’s what I’m here for. I will clear up anything that you need to know. I will actually be the one to work with you to get this project done and I’m really looking forward to it,” he continued with his excitement.

“Well, if you’re always this kind, it will be my pleasure as well,” she said smiling back at him.

He made a sudden move, as though poked, and rushed around the table to pull out her chair.

“Thank you,” she said as she took her seat, glancing up to deliver a smile of appreciation towards Kyle. She realized as he had approached her, and now towered over her, that he was just as tall, if not taller than Oliver. He also had a gentleness about his face. It was soft and youthful as though he were much younger than she thought him to be. It was evident that he, like Oliver, worked inside and cared greatly about his refined appearance. He was distinguishably tailored. Very handsome as well. And yet, she found herself not distracted by his handsome features. Except for perhaps the smile. He had a captivating smile.

The dinner was beyond anything she had eaten before. Kyle ordered things he said he thought they’d both like to try after she modestly ordered a piece of Salmon. As one entrée after another arrived, he held it out to her, insisting that she try it. He was excited to share a discovery of foods and charming in his careful design of the evening. Every moment of the evening was so easy with him that she would’ve sworn it was rehearsed. He was witty and the two easily laughed while they ate. All of the food had arrived, and all had already been sampled by the time he ever brought up the conversation of business. He seemed to be waiting to allow her to soak in the positive air of the evening. He was building the evening to a crescendo before finally changing the mood to something closer to a professional conference. He had politely avoided that for most of the night. When he finally began to talk business, he did so in-depth, explaining the company’s vision and began to explain why she was the perfect fit. He reassured her that the owner trusted her.

She was startled at his comment. She hesitated for a moment to press the matter but felt curiosity win over the fear of seeming disrespectful.

“How does he trust me?” she looked at him puzzled.

“Well, that’s the funny thing, Katherine…” 

Before he could finish, her thoughts jumped to “So, here it comes. Here’s the catch. I’ve wasted my time here.”

Even his tone changed. He seemed almost reluctant to get to this one point. This perfect human was actually the perfect salesman and she had been played. Deceived. Now the truth would come out and she would leave frustrated. Embarrassed even that she had let herself feel flattered.

“My employer knows you from a long time ago. He saw the recent accolades around your writing so when our public relations group suggested a professional writer, he knew who it had to be. He told them that it had to be you.”

She could almost swear that he gulped. He was suddenly nervous.

“He insisted that I do whatever it takes.”

Her irritation quickly faded as she began to understand that it wasn’t some phony pitch but someone who she now desperately hoped she’d remember. She almost became nervous again, thinking how embarrassing it would be if she didn’t remember the person who thought so highly of her.

“Who is he?” she asked, more curious by the minute.

He did it again. She was certain of it. He definitely gulped. This time was more profound than the last time.

“Chance Collins,” he replied almost as quickly as she gasped.

Kyle was staring at her while she stared at her plate trying to process the name she just heard. It felt as though the name took form and was lodged somehow in her throat. Making it hard to breathe. So many thoughts were running through her mind. She must have been staring at her plate for some time, because Kyle asked, “Are you alright?”

Her face was deathly pale.

She looked up slowly, “Yes.” But she said it not entirely convinced. Nor convincingly.

Kyle continued to watch her, trying to discern what she was feeling. He had no idea if she’d get up and walk out without a word or accept this offer from an old friend.

“This is not a good idea,” came blurting out without any forethought. It had been involuntary. The words had manifested in her head, like a giant billboard and she read them off. She looked up at Kyle to receive proof that she in fact spoke the words aloud. In truth, she hadn’t planned to say anything. You can’t speak in your right mind if you’re in the middle of an aneurism. That’s what her head felt like. It was excruciating.

He looked sadly at her.

“I’m sorry that this is such a shock. He thought it would be.”

He watched her color remain pale and sickly.

Kyle’s nature was to run to the other side of the table and console her. She looked like she could use a shoulder to cry on…to hold her up even. He was just terrified that those actions would escalate her refusal if he drew attention to her current misery. 

Kyle took a deep breath, still studying her. He was worried about her. 

“Just give it some time. Think about it before you give me a final answer. He holds you in the highest regards and is adamant that you are the only one for this job.”

He reached inside the inner pocket of his blazer and pulled out an envelope. He slid it across the table to her. “He asked me to give this to you,” he said as he gently patted the envelope. A nervous reaction or to fully get her attention, it was hard to know.

She looked up at Kyle then back at the envelope. As she picked it up, just feeling the envelope against her fingers made her blush. She was touching something of “his” after so many years. It was so conflicting. Something felt familiar and then so foreign.

Kyle watched sadly as her fingers gently rubbed down the side of the envelope. Then, she very slowly opened it. Fingers now trembling.

“Dear Kat,

I know it’s been a very long time. I have thought of you often and was so thrilled to see your recent successes. I know that’s a dream come true for you. It makes me happier than I can put into words. I was never the writer. It was always you.

I truly hope you’ll consider this project. I really need your help. I was asked who I trusted with something this important. I could only think of you. No amount of time could change that about you. Kyle is one of my most trusted friends and would be working with you closely. You don’t have to be an expert. Just being yourself makes you more than qualified. In business, I must pick people whom I can trust, so I couldn’t possibly offer this job to anyone else. I would greatly appreciate your help.

Your friend,

Chance”

She held the paper in her fingers. Her thumb slid over the front of it. The letter felt alive to her.

Time is a thief. It was a cruel thief, so many years ago, and still today. She had no idea how long she stared at the words from Chance. She read them over and over.

“I will be working with Kyle, not Chance. It is just another writing job,” she thought. She didn’t cower away from anything, let alone Chance.

“Hear him out, for the kids,” was the last thought she had before looking up again at Kyle.

“I would be working with you, correct?” She asked with an emphasis on the “you.”

“Yes.” His voice was now with an inkling of hope.

He slid a piece of paper, face down, across the table to her. She turned it over and stared at it without so much as a blink for a solid minute at least. It was more money than she could make in a year. This project must be unbelievably important. She wasn’t against helping him, she was just worried about their past.

But the money!

“The kids come first,” she reminded herself. She made most, if not all, of her decisions with her children in mind. First and foremost.

“How and where will we work? I do my writing from home and have other projects that I’m working on, but they can be pushed back for this short time. What’s the date you would like it completed by, exactly?” She asked very robotically. Getting straight to business.

“I took the liberty of asking if any of the lake houses in your community were for rent and there are two. One even next door if that’s alright. I would be willing to stay there and work with you until the project is complete. We don’t expect it to take longer than a few weeks. If it takes longer, that’s fine we will work around your schedule. We are just hoping to start immediately to complete the project well in advance of his trip to Japan, at the end of April, to promote the business there.” He explained.

She didn’t want to make an impression of being pushy but had to clarify the single most important detail. “I will be working only with you?”

“Yes,” he said hastily.

“Okay,” was all she said while making eye contact for a second and quickly looking back to her purse. It was clear that the evening was over for her. 

He almost stood from his chair, like one would see an excited fan, at home, cheering from the comfort of their couch, for their favorite sports team on tv.

There was no mistake that she had a lot on her mind, so he wasn’t going to push his luck. He politely thanked her and began walking across to her side of the table. He smiled softly as he shook her hand and asked the final question. When to start.

“Day after tomorrow?” she said after contemplating that she needed at least a day to have to herself first.

“Perfect. I’ll move my things in tomorrow. Here’s my card. Call me if you need anything,” he stated while handing her his card.

She forced a smile onto her lips that felt as fraudulent as it looked, then turned and walked out of the restaurant.

As she got into the car to go home, she laid her head back and slightly stared out the window. So many emotions were flooding into her right now. She hadn’t heard that name in twenty years. She never thought she would again.

The driver glanced towards her. Just for a second. She looked sad. “Back home, miss?” he asked.

“Yes, thank you,” she stated as he began forward.

The drive was uncomfortably quiet. Not a sound. She was usually a very talkative person. She would have normally made small talk with the driver, but her thoughts were trapped in another time, and she couldn’t think of anything else. She was so thankful that she postponed this project start by one day. She would need a good night’s sleep and a full day to process this new revelation.