Page 14 of Shadows of Before

“It would be, Will.”

“Hmm.” He grasped her arms. They were thin. “Would you like to go out on a date with me?”

“Very much so. I’m free tonight.”

“How interesting. So am I.”

“What do you have in mind?”

He hadn’t forgotten how to treat a woman. “Dinner, dancing, champagne.”

When they headed back to the house, he frowned. He’d never treated Katie this way. He wondered if she felt bad about that.

* * *

Kate was hungry so she went into the kitchen to get some cereal. Why was it on the top shelf, up so high? She didn’t remember putting it there.

She slid a stool over and climbed on it. She yanked at the cereal and…oh, hell. She tumbled to the floor. And landed on her butt.

Gingerly, she got to her feet. She was sore but she didn’t think she broke anything. She was probably loose enough from the beer to tumble off and not get hurt.

Going to the closet she retrieved the broom, then swung at the cereal. She got it on the first try. “What the—"

Cheerios rained down on her, bounced off the counter, and rolled onto the floor. The cardboard stuck in the stove burners.

And Katie burst into tears. Something she hadn’t done in a very long time. Sinking onto a chair, she buried her face in her hands and cried. Her life stunk. Her job, this hole she lived in…and a guy who only wanted to fuck her.

* * *

Will woke up early the next morning. Depression filled him. Instead of getting out of bed, he linked his hands behind his neck and looked up at the fan circling overhead. The place wasn’t air conditioned, but at least the bedroom was cool because of the fan and the open windows.

He thought back to his date last night. Had he ever been more awkward? Usually, he was a cool character with women. He knew what they wanted and he made them happy. But last night, he was distracted…

“Will, where did you go?” Taylor’s pretty brow was furrowed. She’d dressed to kill in a red dress with stilettos.

“Sorry?”

“You were in the middle of a sentence and you stopped talking and stared off somewhere.”

“Oh, hell. My mind did wander to all I have to do after my dad’s death.”

“It must be hard shouldering everything.”

“Yes it is…”

When they left the restaurant, she walked beside him to the car…

He headed to the driver’s side but she just stood by the passenger door. Then he remembered. Women liked their doors opened.“Here I go again, being distracted. Let me get that for you…”

Huh. He couldn’t imagine Katie waiting for him to open the door.

When they got to her house, a beautiful three story in a rich neighborhood, he escorted her to the front porch.

She moved in close and whispered, “I’d like you to come in.”

“You would?”

Closer. “Hmm, I want to make love with you.”

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