Stitches and Scars (2 page)

“So, what’s on the agenda for tonight?” Elle questioned while sipping her sweet tea.

“Well, I’m getting to the gallery early, probably around seven. You guys can come whenever you want.” Kate tried sounding casual about the whole thing, but her insides were a mess. She knew that she’d be a ball of nerves until they showed up and stood by her side.

They, being the best friends they were, noticed her nervousness and responded just as she assumed they would. “We’ll be there around seven thirty,” they said in unison.

With a sigh of relief, Kate felt herself relax slightly. “Thanks,” she said, hearing her voice waver. “I’m just so nervous, I think it will help having you guys there.”

“It’s going to be great, you’ll see.” Elle reached over and squeezed Kate’s hand. “Besides, who knows? Maybe some rich old millionaire will buy all your work and sweep you off your feet.”

“Why does he have to be old?” Sophie piped in.

“Okay, so not old, but definitely rich
and
good looking.” Elle raised her perfect brow in challenge.

“That’s better,” Sophie nodded. “Maybe a hot, young doctor, or lawyer, or investment banker or something.” Kate could see the wheels turning as Sophie dreamed about her friend’s unlikely fairytale future.

“All right, you two, let’s just focus on getting me through the exhibit, and then we’ll take it from there.” Kate was already nervous enough, and the thought of either of her friends trying to set her up with someone tonight made it even worse.

“Fine, but after tonight, we get to take you out for some hunting,” Elle purred while a wicked smile stretched across her face.

“Ohh, someplace fun, like Rain. They always have good guys there.” Sophie’s eyes were wide, and Kate could feel her excitement.

“Soph, you already have a good guy. No, let me rephrase that. Logan is a great guy. You already have a great guy.” That sounded better.

“I’m not talking about me, silly. I’m talking about
you
.” She was still dancing in her seat, smiling at Kate.

“Let’s just take it one night at a time, all right?” As soon as the words left Kate’s mouth, Sophie’s face fell in disappointment. “Okay, okay,” she said quickly. “We’ll take it one night at a time, starting with tonight, and then tomorrow night, we’ll go to Rain.” She tried to sound excited but was sure there was no disguising her voice.

“It will be fun, you’ll see. Right, Elle?” Their blond friend looked over at her partner in crime for some encouragement.

“It will be a blast, like always. It has been a little while since I’ve gone hunting, though. I may need to sharpen my weapons.” She gave a little shoulder shimmy and leaned forward, showing some cleavage.

“You are such a man-eater.” Kate laughed.

Elle winked. “And you love me for it.”

The three girls spent the rest of their meal talking about plans for the next few weeks. They were interrupted when Sophie’s phone started buzzing. She answered with a huge grin on her delicate face.

Kate and Elle both knew that look. There was only one person who could cause a smile like that, and that was Logan. Standing at just over six feet, Logan was just as attractive as his sister. They shared the same dark hair and eyes, and his smile could melt any girl’s heart. He and Sophie had been dating since high school. Except for the time they’d spent apart while she was in Paris, they were inseparable. Everyone knew they were perfect for each other and it was only a matter of time until they got married.

Sophie snapped her phone shut. “Sorry, guys,” she apologized. “I should probably get going. I’ll be over at five thirty to help get you ready?” She looked at Kate expectantly.

“When have I ever gotten ready for a big event without your help?”

“I know, I was just checking. I’ll see you later then.” She leaned down and gave her two friends a quick kiss, before grabbing her bags and heading off.

“What would we do without that nut keeping us in order?” Elle laughed.

“I don’t have the slightest.” Kate shook her head and stood to throw her trash away, Elle following behind her.

Together they walked to the parking garage.

“I’ll see you at home. I’m going to stop off at the store and grab some stuff. Do you need anything?” Elle asked, rummaging through her purse for her keys.

“Some nerves of steel, if they’re selling it.” Kate looked back at her with worried eyes.

“You’ll do great; you won’t need any. You’ll see.” She leaned forward and gave her a quick hug.

“Thanks,” Kate said, hanging her head. “I’ll see you at home.”

They said their goodbyes, and as Kate walked to her car, her mind easily wandered back to Scott. She hated that she still thought about him so much, especially at exciting times like this. She knew that it would take some time to get over him, but it was taking longer than she expected. But he had been her best friend, and she missed him. She missed laughing with him. She missed their long conversations, and comfortable silences. She just missed … him.

It was with that thought that a light flicked on and everything suddenly became clear. For the first time in a long time, Kate realized that she only missed him as her friend and nothing more. She would always love him, but not in the romantic way that she had. While she missed their conversations and time spent together, she didn’t ache for him. She didn’t miss his kisses or his touch. She didn’t even miss the comfort she used to feel when wrapped in his arms.

She found herself smiling as she came to this realization. This epiphany had brought with it a new feeling of determination.

I’m moving on with my life and I’m going to take some chances.

She wasn’t exactly sure how she was going to do that, but something told her that tonight was going to be her start.

Chapter 2

First Glances

W
alking into the gallery was probably the longest and most nerve-wracking walk of Kate’s life. Butterflies were wreaking havoc on her insides, and if it wasn’t for the deep breathing she’d done in the car on the way over, she was certain she’d be sick.

With shaky hands, she pulled open the large glass door of the gallery and stepped inside, searching quickly for the bathroom. She had to make sure all of Sophie’s hard work hadn’t just been blown away in the wind. Thankfully, it wasn’t that bad. Just a little finger-run-through and it was perfect. She stepped back to take one final look.

Kate smiled because she liked what she saw. For the first time in a while, she felt … sexy. The dress was great and surprisingly comfortable. Sophie had made sure to keep the hair simple and left it down in waves. Though at the time Kate had been hesitant on the smoky eye make-up, looking at herself now, she was glad that she let her friend work her magic.

Well, it’s now or never.
She took a deep breath and exhaled. Feeling herself relax a little, she headed into the gallery.

It was pretty crowded, more than she had expected it to be. Glancing at her watch, she realized there was still about twenty minutes until Elle, Sophie, and Logan showed up. Seizing the opportunity, she decided to walk around and look at the other work on display.

About halfway through, she came upon one of her own pictures. Her heart thumped loudly in her chest, and she felt a wave of accomplishment rush over her. Standing back a few feet, she took a minute to admire her work as it hung before her. She still couldn’t believe it was hers.

Staring at the bold palette of colors, her mind drifted back to the day she’d taken it. It was not the happiest day of her life, but it ended up leading to great things. She and Scott had just ended their relationship, and this time she knew it was different. It was final.

After their fight, she’d needed to get away and have some time alone, time to think. She’d climbed in her car and drove out of the city, leaving the hustle and bustle behind her. Without paying attention to any of the passing exits, she eventually pulled off and parked the car when she came upon what looked like a state park. Grabbing her camera, she’d started walking, not sure of where she was going but sure that she’d know once she got there.

Ultimately, she ended up sitting under an amazing tree. It was unlike anything she’d ever seen before. The black bark twisted and wrapped around the trunk in waves, making it appear as if it was actually moving. The branches reached towards the sky, like fingers stretching for the stars. She sat under its protective canopy for an immeasurable amount of time and wondered how old it must have been. How many people had sat in its shade just like she was at that very moment? She had lost track of time, hadn’t even noticed until the sun began to set. Light streamed through the branches of the tree and cast an orange-red glow over everything. It was as if someone put a tinted lens in front of her eyes—rose colored glasses that made everything look even more beautiful. Everything around her was aglow. It was at that magical moment that she knew things would be okay. Somehow they would all work out. She had pulled out her camera and hoped that the picture would capture the moment forever. Hoped that the lens would do the beautiful tree justice.

Later, when she got back in her car to head home, she took a moment to look around at her surroundings. Not sure of exactly where she was, she had driven to the closest town. As soon as she saw the sign, she knew it was where she was meant to be.
New Hope
. She was never a person who looked for signs, but there was no denying this one. Just the name alone gave her a sense of beginning, of starting over. She knew it was exactly what she needed, and after driving through the charming, artsy town, she knew she’d found it: her new hope, her new home.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

A deep voice from behind Kate broke her train of thought. She jumped and quickly whipped around to see who it was. Her body turned faster than her legs and she began to lose her balance. Unable to stop herself, she stumbled forward and face planted into the stranger’s chest. His feet shuffled for a second, but he quickly regained his balance as he helped her gain hers.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Before Kate even looked up, she was apologizing. “No, I’m sorry. I was just lost in a memory and I—” Her words caught in her throat the instant she finally looked up and met a beautiful pair of smoky blue eyes. It took her a second to realize that she’d stopped talking, and her jumbled mind quickly grasped for words.

“I mean, I’m … I’m really sorry; I wasn’t paying attention.” She looked down, trying to hide the obvious embarrassment that she felt.

“No, I’m the one who should apologize. I shouldn’t be sneaking up on beautiful ladies like that.” A smirk spread across his face, and Kate could feel the heat rise to her cheeks.

She kept her head down as she tried to think of something to say. He seemed to sense her embarrassment and came to the conclusion that she felt uneasy.

“Sorry, I’ll just let you enjoy the art.”

He started to turn away, and as he did, Kate’s body reacted instinctively. She reached out and grabbed his hand, feeling a tingling prick at her fingers when her skin touched his. With wide eyes, she stared at her own hand realizing what she’d done.

“Um, sorry, I didn’t mean to just grab you like that. I don’t normally do that … I just … um, what I mean is, you can stay here if you want. You don’t have to leave.” Kate stumbled with her words, trying not to sound like an idiot.

He liked what he heard and smiled at her again. Unable to look away, Kate studied him, took in every detail. The lines of his jaw were strong and angular, a harsh contrast to the friendly lines around his eyes. His brown hair was left natural and unstyled, no gel holding it in place. It was so different from Scott’s perfect hair. And his eyes were the most interesting shade of steel blue that she’d ever seen. Kate realized she was staring, yet she couldn’t look away.

Eventually he broke their gaze and turned to Kate’s picture.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” he repeated and took a step closer to get a better look.

“I’ve always loved trees.” Kate shrugged. “There’s just something about them. They seem so strong and powerful.” She heard the words that were coming out of her mouth and suddenly felt a little stupid. Who talks about trees like that?

She chanced a quick glance in his direction; instead of looking at her like she was crazy, he smiled.

“Where was this taken?” he wondered aloud.

“I don’t really remember, to be honest. I just came upon it one day while I was walking. I keep saying I’m going to try and find it again, but I still haven’t tried.”

His eyes grew wide upon hearing her words. “You took this?”

Kate wasn’t sure if he sounded shocked in a good way or a bad way. “Yes, why do you look so stunned?”

“I’m not, I’m just … surprised.” He shrugged.

Surprised? What, a girl like me can’t possibly take a good picture? Who does this guy think he is? She could feel herself getting angry.

“What do you mean ‘surprised’? You don’t even know me, how does that surprise you?” Her voice grew louder. She was aware that she was acting ridiculous and jumping to conclusions, but she couldn’t help herself.

Before she could say another word, he held his hands up, palms facing out, as if surrendering. His eyes looked playful and his sexy smile got even bigger.

Great, now he’s smiling at me. Here I am trying to sound tough and he just smiles. Not that I mind, but still. She placed her hands on her hips, feeling a little like Sophie, and waited for his response. Very slowly, he started speaking as if he was carefully choosing his words so he wouldn’t upset her further.

“I’m sorry if I upset you. By no means was I surprised in a bad way. On the contrary, I am actually very impressed. It’s not every day that I get to meet the talent behind the work. Not only are you beautiful, but you take a beautiful picture as well.”

Kate stood completely frozen with her jaw hanging open in shock. She wasn’t sure what she was expecting him to say, but it definitely was not that. She tried to speak but nothing came out. All she could do was stand there and look into the eyes of the stranger.

She was fairly certain there were other people in the room, but she couldn’t be sure. In that one moment, time ceased to exist. The air between them grew thick, and she felt the heat rushing through her body, from the tips of her toes all the way to her hairline. Never in her life had she experienced something like this, and from the look on his face, neither had he. When her head started to spin, she realized she wasn’t breathing. Trying not to gasp, she sucked in some air and attempted to concentrate, but her mind was blank. Just as she opened her mouth to say something, his phone rang. With apologetic eyes, he stepped away to take the call and blended into the crowd.

When his back was turned, Kate dropped her head in her hands and tried to make sense of what had just taken place. Less than a minute later, she heard someone yell her name.

“Kate!” Sophie spotted her and started weaving her way through the crowd. As soon as she was close enough, she wrapped her arms around Kate’s neck. “Oh, I’m so excited for you. Everything looks great; the place seems crowded. Aren’t you excited?” She leaned back and looked at her friend and immediately sensed something was off. “What’s wrong?”

Realizing that she must look a little dazed, Kate attempted to relax a bit and act normal. “Nothing’s wrong, I’m just a little nervous.” Her eyes dashed around the room, looking for the man she was just speaking with.

“Looking for someone?” Sophie asked.

“Um, yeah,” Kate mumbled, completely distracted. She continued searching for him and felt her heart sink when he was nowhere in sight. It was a minute before she realized Sophie was staring at her. She obviously wanted an explanation for Kate’s odd behavior, but Kate couldn’t give one. How could she explain something that she didn’t even understand?

“Where are Logan and Elle?” she quickly asked, looking to change the subject.

“Logan’s parking the car, and Elle went to find the bathroom.” Sophie continued to study her face but didn’t say a word, for which Kate was thankful.

“Let’s go find her and get some drinks. I’m thirsty.” Kate grabbed Sophie’s hand and headed off to the bar. She wasn’t sure if this distraction would work, but she could try.

***

The rest of the night flew by, and Kate continued to look for the mystery man. Unfortunately, she never saw him again, and it put her in a sulky mood. She tried to act happy but wasn’t sure if her friends were buying it.

Elle had her arm linked with Kate’s as they headed to their cars. “What’s with you tonight?” Elle asked.

“What do you mean?” Kate tried to sound surprised by her question.

“We just had an amazing night, and I feel like you’re not even here.”

Kate dropped her eyes to the pavement. “I just have a lot on my mind, that’s all.”

“Does it have anything to do with the text Scott sent you?” Elle asked. The mention of Scott’s name always made Kate pause, usually because it stung a little. But this time, she paused because he was actually not the person Kate was thinking about.

“Sophie told you, huh? Not that it really matters anyway. I’m not calling him. I actually had an epiphany earlier today, and I’ve decided that I’m over him.” Kate rolled her shoulders back with pride.

“Good for you. So does that mean you’re going hunting with me tomorrow night?” Elle asked, unable to hide the smile that was now on her face.

“Would I ever let you hunt alone, Elle?” She too couldn’t help but laugh at their ridiculous term for picking up men. They made it up in high school and never stopped using it. After all, it fit. For one, there are a lot of beasts out there. Second, you can get hurt while trying to catch one. And third, when you finally got the kill or the “right one” it was always worth it.

“Good. Because I have a feeling it’s going to be a great season.” Elle smirked as she got into her car. Pulling away, she gave a wave and was out of sight in no time.

For the second time that day, Kate found herself walking to her car all alone and thinking about a guy. But this time, it wasn’t Scott. She kept replaying the moment she shared with the mystery man over and over in her mind. The way he smiled, and the way he looked at her. There was something different; she knew it, and she felt it. She didn’t know what it was or who he was, but someday, somehow, she hoped to find out.