Page 39 of Crashing Into Me
Kayden glanced over at her, his eyes filled with tears, and then opened the door of the car. Lana wasn't sure what to makeof it, but she climbed out of the low-sitting car and followed him into the icy air. Kayden walked up to a lamp post that had old scorch marks on it and placed his hand on it, and wept.
It dawned on her that this was where it all happened: the accident, his brother, and the night that changed his life forever. No words formed in her mouth as she watched him fall apart. The best thing she could think to do was to console him, so she walked over to him and hugged him. He held onto her, squeezing her uncomfortably tight on the desolate highway. She couldn’t help the emotions she felt bubbling up inside. The heartbreak of seeing him so helpless, losing Rachel, the fact that she would have to leave him, and then her own tears joined his.
He finally broke free and wiped his face.
“Sorry about that,” he said.
“Don’t you dare apologize,” Lana replied as she pulled him by the shirt and gave him a quick kiss on the lips.
“Not a very manly thing to do, huh?”
“Quite the opposite, Kayden Capshaw, and don’t you ever forget it.”
“I love you so much,” he replied and pulled her into another hug.
“I love you to the moon and back,” she replied.
“I can’t wait to marry you.”
Lana pulled back from him and looked around the roadside.
“Hey, if you think about it, this is kind of where we met,” she replied, not really meaning to change the subject.
He looked around, then back down to her.
“You’re absolutely right,” he replied, grinning, “Did you think it would end up like this?” he asked, kissing her forehead.
“Nope. Not in a million years. And I don’t regret a single moment of it,” she replied, fighting back tears.
She took his hand and started leading him back to the car and back to Hamby for the very last time.
IF SHE WERE going down,it would be with a bang. This was her last night with Kayden, and she wanted to make it special. After stopping on the side of the road, she picked up some candles at the grocery store and now had them lit throughout the entire downstairs. It gave off a warm glow that illuminated the house, and she also started the fireplace, which provided the warmth. For dinner, she made him shrimp Alfredo, a favorite of his that also reminded her of the happier times a few short weeks ago.
She hoped those memories would be enough to comfort her on her way back to Florida the next day, as it would be the hardest thing she would ever have to do. Lana placed a bottle of white wine in the ice bucket on the table and had set two place settings. Cutlery, napkins, and the nicest china Paula had in the house were laid out. Kayden was busy having another conference call as she got things together, and she was grateful. This wouldn’t have happened if she had the distraction of his stare on her all night.
Placing the thick sauce full of giant prawns in a serving bowl, as well as the linguini in its own bowl, she went to the oven and pulled the garlic bread out. It smelled lovely coming out of the oven, with glistening golden butter and speckles of parsley. After putting it all on a serving tray, everything was ready to go. As she sat down, the light coming off the massive stone in the engagement ring kept catching her eye and invading her thoughts. It wasn't the ring, but what it signified.
Just when I let someone in again, it would be over before it starts,she thought, as she had no intention of keeping it. Lord only knew what his mother would say once she was gone, andshe didn’t need to add any fuel to that fire. Lana looked up at Kayden, who was still on the phone, and pointed to her wrist. He nodded his head at her.
“Listen, I’ll have to call you back. The future Mrs. Capshaw is trying to feed me dinner,” he said to Taylor.
After a few seconds, he laughed. “Hey, hey, that’s my wife you’re talking about. Chat soon.”
He hung up and put the phone in his pocket. Lana raised an eyebrow at him, and he stopped and turned the phone off. She wanted his undivided attention.
“Ok, it’s off. I’m starving,” he said as he grabbed her around the waist and planted a big kiss on her mouth.
“Let’s dig in,” she replied.
While they ate and drank, they talked about the plans for KDN, which took her mind off just how sad an occasion this actually was. They didn’t speak about the roadside either. She studied him as he spoke, his facial expressions, his mannerisms, the way he chewed his food, all in an attempt to mentally engrave him in her mind. The realization that she would never sit across another table from him like that again wiped her appetite away, so she focused on enjoying the wine in her glass. Looking over at the strong, handsome, and accomplished man sitting across from her made her realize that she really didn’t regret one experience with him, no matter how good or bad.
Not one. A tear escaped her face as she raised her glass in a silent salute to him. He frowned at her and then raised his. Their eyes locked across the table with nothing but the soft crackling of the fireplace filling the silence.
“Love you,” he said.
“To the moon and back,” she replied. They each took a sip, and he wiped his mouth with his napkin and stood from the table. He walked over and sat in the chair beside her. Then hedabbed her face with the unused napkin that lay next to her uneaten plate of food.
“Why so many tears lately?” he asked curiously, searching her for the truth.
