Page 21 of The Marriage Pact
That seemed sensible. Alex didn’t want Kaitlyn to give up everything she’d worked so hard for; he wasn’t about to stifle her creativity. Though he wanted the studio in New York to be a surprise.
“I hope you’ll bring some of these pieces to put in the apartment,” he said, glancing along the countertop in the kitchen, where a number of Kaitlyn’s pieces were displayed.
She had a particular style, blues and greens, different shades, all a reminder of the sea and what lay beneath it. Alex knew he’d be able to tell her work if he saw it in a gallery or someone’s home. It had a timeless elegance about it. She was an exceptional talent.
“Some of these are commissions. But I’ve got a few pieces around the house I’d like to bring. As long as there’s room.”
Alex smiled. “There’s room,” he said, just as the doorbell rang.
It was his mom, and she came bearing a bottle of champagne and a bunch of flowers for Kaitlyn. Alex was relieved to see she intended to congratulate them, rather than repeat her fears of earlier that day.
“Your mom would’ve been so pleased. What a nice person she was, a real lady,” she said as Alex poured her a glass of wine.
“Kaitlyn’s made horseshoe sandwiches for dinner, Mom. Remember when we used to have them at Uncle Bert’s?” Alex said.
His mom made a face. “I remember you getting sick from eating too many. He thought he was being kind by overfeeding you. I was the one who had to stop the car on the way home for you to throw up,” she said. “I remember that admission of guilt when I asked how many you’d actually eaten.”
“It was four,” Alex admitted, remembering the episode well.
Kaitlyn laughed. “It’ll just be one tonight. Those ham steaks are enormous,” she said.
It was nice to sit down at the table and eat together. Alex and his mom had never really done so when he was a kid. She’d taken jobs where she could, and that often meant Alex was home alone. The conversation was relaxed. They talked about life in Cedarhurst, and about Kaitlyn’s mom. Alex learned more about Kaitlyn’s life over the past year and the many difficulties she’d experienced. It was sobering to hear of the troubles she’d been through, and he wished he’d been able to do more.
“So, when do you two leave for New York?” his mom asked after they’d finished the fruit salad.
Alex and Kaitlyn looked at one another.
“Well… as soon as possible, I suppose,” Alex replied.
They hadn’t discussed it yet, as there was a lot they hadn’t discussed, but, to his relief, Kaitlyn nodded.
“There’s no point in waiting, is there?” she replied, smiling at him across the table.
CHAPTER 8
KAITLYN
There hadn’t been a lot to pack, not for the move to New York, at least. The house was still to be sorted. Kaitlyn had made little headway with sorting through her mom’s things, but she didn’t really want to, either. Before Alex’s return, she’d had the vague idea of renting the house out for income, or even turning it into a guest house, for Cedarhurst was a popular tourist town. But none of that mattered now. She didn’t need the income, that was for sure. Instead, and at Alex’s suggestion, she packed only the barest of essentials, knowing everything else she needed could be easily found in New York. The only exceptions were her art materials and the pieces she was working on. These were carefully wrapped and packaged to be sent on ahead. It had all happened so quickly, and within just a few days, Kaitlyn and Alex were ready to leave.
“You’re leaving before we get back?” Rachel had said when Kaitlyn had called her to tell her what was happening.
“I don’t see any point in waiting, do you? You could come to New York. I’m sure Alex would pay for the flight,” Kaitlyn had replied.
She didn’t know why Rachel was being difficult. It wasn’t as though she was being left behind. She’d just married Sean, and they were expecting a baby. Her life was sorted. Why couldn’t she just be happy for them?
“I don’t really like New York. It’s so big and busy,” Rachel had said.
It was noncommittal, but Kaitlyn had promised to stay in touch. Rachel was her best friend. She knew how it looked, the suddenness of it all, but the more time she spent with Alex, the more convinced Kaitlyn was that she was doing the right thing. A spark had lit between them. It was hard to describe, like a fire that’s been smoldering, now brought back to life. They were rediscovering their feelings for one another. It was exciting, and Kaitlyn was caught up in the whirl of possibilities that New York presented.
“Is that all you came with?” Kaitlyn asked when a car arrived from the airport to collect them.
Alex had returned to his mom’s house to say goodbye to her and pick up his things. He only had one bag. It looked like they were going away for the weekend.
“To tell you the truth, I was only planning to be here a couple of nights. I was going to make an excuse to Mom and go back to New York. You changed my mind about that,” he said as the driver opened the car door for them.
Kaitlyn had never been chauffeured before, unless you counted Betsy. It was a beautiful car, with a plush leather interior and a bottle of champagne on ice.
“It’s only ten o’clock in the morning,” Kaitlyn said when Alex offered her a glass.
