Page 8 of One Weekend On Mackinac Island

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because he needed me.” My dad had been having health problems lately and was getting up there in age. The store was becoming too much for him to handle. When I’d left the Army, I promised him I’d help. Now, I felt trapped. It wasn’t the life I’d imagined for myself, but it was the life I’d felt obligated to lead.

“Why not just hire a full time manager or something?”

“Just seemed easier for me to take on the role.”

A look of distaste crossed her features, her lips twitching into a grimace, and her brow furrowing into a frown. “But it’s not what you want.”

“Kit,” I warned.

“What? I’m right, aren’t I?”

“It’s not that simple.”

“Why not? You have a skill here,” she said, indicating the bandage I’d just placed over her wound. “One that you enjoy. Why not get a job as a paramedic for something?”

“My dad needs me,” I insisted. Her words held merit, but with my dad’s health, I was needed at the store. I’d already put off taking over, as was my dad’s wish, to join the army. I couldn’t justify letting him down again. “And I need to be there for him.”

I knew she enjoyed the job she had as the office manager of a construction company. She’d once told me about the thrill she got seeing their builds go from draft to design to implementation. I reckoned being content in her own job, it was difficult for her to imagine anyone not enjoying their work.

She looked down at the ground and kicked an acorn with the toe of her shoe. “I just don’t like seeing you so unhappy.”

Her words were like a spark igniting a fire in my chest, making my heart leap with happiness. I liked that she cared. I placed my finger beneath her chin, and with a slight pressure, I raised her head to meet her gaze. “I’ll think about it, okay?”

It was the best I could give her at the moment. The thought of becoming a paramedic had crossed my mind a time or two, but I had to put off that dream for my dad’s sake. Now, thanks to Kat, this nagging question would stay in my head until I made a choice, one way or the other.

We walked on, both of us lost in our own thoughts. I couldn’t help but rehash the last few moments in my head. I was so sure there was an answering flare of desire in her eyes, but now I wasn’t so sure. The missed kiss stung, but the thought of the potential damage it could have caused to our long-standing friendship gave me pause.

As we approached the town, the streets grew busier, a cacophony of sounds and movement surrounding us. “I never did apologize for missing your birthday party all those years ago,” I said, breaking the silence that had consumed us for the past half hour.

“That’s not necessary.”

“No, really,” I insisted. “I felt awful when it happened.”

The corners of her mouth lifted into a subtle, knowing smile. “I think Todd did too. He made sure never to miss a single birthday after that. Even when he was in the Army, he always managed to send me a bouquet of my favorite flowers.”

That surprised me. I didn’t know Todd had been sending her flowers on her birthday as well. If I knew I was going to be out of pocket over her birthday, I’d always planned ahead. I never wanted to miss another one, so I had a standing order for a bouquet of lilacs, her favorite flower, to be sent to her every year. It never occurred to me that Todd was doing the same.

“Speaking of flowers, I can’t believe how beautiful the lilacs are here.” The blooms were everywhere, and the scent, so similar to Kat’s perfume, filled the air. “I’m so happy Todd and Tria booked their wedding during the lilac festival.”

“They are beautiful.” The vividness of the bright purples, pinks, and whites was a marvel to behold. Though the things themselves were interesting, the real wonder was seeing how much Kat was enjoying them. It filled me with a sense of peace, just like with the sunrise this morning.

“Did you know Mackinac Island has some of the oldest and largest lilacs in the world? There are over 300 of them around the island. I read that there are sixty-eight species, each boasting one of seventeen distinct colors. I had no idea that there was such a wide variety of colors in existence.” Her voice grew excited as she talked about her favorite plant, her words almost tumbling over each other.

“Which color is your favorite?”

She glanced around at our surroundings. Most people’s yards had one or two of the plants, all with massive blooms on them. “That one,” she answered, pointing to a dark purple, almost mauve colored variety. It was not surprising at all; I could have guessed that would be her favorite. I'd have to find out if I could get that specific shade for this year’s birthday bouquet.

Propping the bike against a white picket fence, I pulled out my phone. “Let me get your picture with it.”

She posed for several pictures, each one more beautiful than the last. The image she presented was so stunning, so full of life and beauty, that a wave of emotion washed over me, leaving me breathless and aching. She brought the flower near, her eyes shut, inhaling the powerful, heady scent, and I was completely captivated by her. I couldn’t fight it anymore. I had to figure out a way to make her mine.

Chapter 5

Kat

---