Page 91 of Eye of the Hurricane
“In part, I guess. It’s more to do with how much power it gives them to be able to hold money over my head. I couldn’t afford any distractions because the sooner I reach my goals, the sooner I’m out from under them. My mom never fails to remind me that I can’t have a relationship and my career.” She takes a deep breath.
“You know that isn’t true, right?”
“It’s the next building on your right,” she says, pointing it out on the road. I follow her instruction and pull into the parking lot of what looks to be some kind of resort.
“Kat, you do know that, right?” I ask, parking the car and turning my attention to her.
“We should get inside,” she says, avoiding eye contact.
I follow her out of the car. I scan the parking lot and there’s no one near us. I grab her wrist, pulling her to me and closing her in between me and the car. Her eyes still avoid mine.
“Tell me that’s not what the space has been about,” I plead. She bites her lip, thinking for a moment before she speaks.
“Of course not, this is a fake relationship,” she whispers back to me. Call it wishful thinking or delusion but I don’t believe her. Something about the tremble in her voice and refusal to look at me when she says it.
I hum low in my throat, letting her out of my space. She’s flushed and flustered which doesn’t feel particularly fake to me.
Cocktail hour and dinner are pretty slow. It finally starts to feel like a real wedding when they open up the bar and start the music. I can’t say it’s the most fun wedding I’ve ever been to, but it’s certainly the most beautiful.
“You’re driving home?” Katherine asks, dragging me to the bar by my hand.
“Yes ma’am.”
“Espresso martini, please.” The bartender mixes the drink and slides it across the bar to her. She moans at the first sip.
Once people have a couple of drinks in them, the dance floor starts to fill out some. Dan and Shay’s “Speechless” comes on and I’m standing before she even gets the chance to ask. I remember camping, I know she wants to go dance to this song.
She sits her martini glass on the table and takes my hand, following me out to the floor.
“I love this song,” she gushes.
“I know.”
We hold each other close and sway to the music. Every other couple dancing seems to be tolerating each other at best. Somehow Katherine and I look like most real couple out here.
One song turns to three then five and I realize we haven’t left this space the entire time. Except of course for her to sneak away for a few seconds for a drink here and there. “There’s The Sun” by Zach Top is playing now.
This whole time we’ve been dancing lazily, her head pressed to my chest and my hands wrapped around her lower back. Maybe it was that last espresso martini or the song but we’re really dancing now.
I’m talking spins, twirls, and dips. It feels silly and we’re definitely out of place doing it here but it’s worth it for the smile on her face when I tip her backwards. I yank her back upright and into my chest. Our eyes are locked on each other.
“Does this feel fake to you, Katherine?” I whisper into her ear. She bites her cheek, fighting a smile. She doesn’t say anything. “Have we been here long enough?” I ask. She nods.
We walk over to the table and she finishes her drink. She hugs the bride and lets her know we’re leaving. She lets her mom know she’s leaving but doesn’t hug her. As soon as we’re out of the double doors taking us outside of the ballroom, I pick her up off of the floor.
“What are you doing?” She laughs.
“You’re too pretty to have to walk in heels like these,” I tell her, adjusting her to sit more comfortably over my shoulder.
“You’re ridiculous! I can walk,” her laughter grows.
“I know you can.” She sighs. I don’t sit her back on her feet until we’re out of the building and outside of the car.
I open the passenger side door for her and she sits down. I crouch down in front of her and pull her left foot onto my knee to unbuckle the strap on her heel.
“Kat, I’ve been thinking about it all night. Please tell me that this space you’ve been asking for isn’t because you have some idea in your head that you have to choose between a relationship and your career.”
“Okay, fine. Yes, that may have had something to do with it,” she admits.
