To Love Twice (15 page)

She was so refreshing.  Open, honest.  It’d been a
long time since he’d met anyone like her.  Most of the people in his
circle only told him what they thought he wanted to hear.  It was obvious
to him that Kate still had no idea who he was.  And that made her even
more attractive to him.

“Georgie, my sister, said she’d take Mary tomorrow or
Saturday night if we wanted to go out and have a nice dinner,” Kate said as she
leaned back to look into his face.

“Do you want to do that, Kate?  I’m happy to be here with
you two girls.”

“Weekends are usually our bonding time, Mary and me. 
But this weekend is special, so I think I will let Georgie have her.  All
three of us can hang out tomorrow and Saturday morning.  Then I’ll let
Georgie take Mary, and we can enjoy your last night here before you head back
to London.”

“As long as it makes you happy, I’m open to whatever you
decide.  Don’t feel like you have to make any special considerations for
me,” Edward said.  “Can I ask you a personal question?”

“Of course,” Kate replied.

“Why don’t Georgie and Tim have children of their own?”

Kate sighed.  “They can’t.  They tried for
years.  They saw doctors, specialists, medicine doctors.  They tried
IVF.  Prayers, cleansings, fastings.  Everything.  Nothing
worked.  They stopped trying right before I got pregnant with Mary.”

“They never wanted to adopt?”

“Georgie did, but by the time they stopped trying, Tim was
over it,” Kate shook her head.  “That was mean.  He was just worn out
and burned out.  He told Georgie that this was how God wanted their life,
and that after everything they’d tried and done, it just wasn’t meant to be.”

“That’s so sad,” Edward said.

“It is.  I know Georgie is extremely close to Mary
because of it.  And honestly, I can’t blame her.”

Edward nodded, and rubbed his hand along her arm.

Kate smiled and rested her head back on his chest. 
“It’s so surreal,” Kate murmured.

“What is?”

“You being here.  I feel so happy and content to have
you here, but there’s another part of me that is a tiny bit scared and worried.” 
She felt Edward tense under her cheek and quickly continued.  “Not because
I’m afraid of you or I’m worried you’re some axe murderer,” Kate laughed. 
“I…it’s just fast.  And that scares me a little bit.  It scares me how
happy I am to have you here, how much I care about you already, how much I feel
like I know you,” Kate finished.

“I understand.  It was rather rash of me to fly
here.  I’ve thought about you constantly since you left.  I had to
see if it was real, what I remembered, or if I’d somehow made it more than it
was.  Talking to you on the phone, I knew I hadn’t exaggerated anything in
my mind.  Seeing you framed in the door, I knew I’d made the right choice
to come.”

The weekend was flying by too quickly.  All too soon,
Georgie was at the door to pick up Mary for the night.  They’d enjoyed a
lazy breakfast before heading to the beach.  Mary had instantly wrapped
Edward around her finger, and had used it quite to her advantage.  Kate
was a little afraid of how easily that particular skill had come to her. 
It didn’t bode well for her teenage years, for sure.

“Edward, I’d like for you to meet my sister.  This is
Georgie,” Kate laughed at Georgie’s eye roll.

“Edward, so nice to meet you,” Georgie said as she shook
Edward’s hand.  “Are you enjoying your visit?”

“Very much,” Edward said.

“Ah G!!!  Ah G!!!”  Mary yelled as she ran and
launched herself at Georgie.  “I’m sleeping at your house!”

“Hi Sweet Pea!  A little excited?”

“Yes,” Mary said.  “Mom’s having a date!”

Georgie laughed.  “Well, I’m glad you’re excited. 
Uncle Tim is taking us out to dinner tonight,” Georgie said as she lifted
Mary’s bag and slung it over her shoulder.

“PIZZA!” Mary yelled.

“Pizza, it’s the only one way to this girl’s heart!”

Edward sent a playful glare at Kate. “Why didn’t you tell me
that?  We could have had pizza for breakfast yesterday!”

Laughing, Kate said “You didn’t need any help.  She had
you wrapped around her finger in five seconds.  I’m still a little
appalled at how quickly that all transpired.  Makes me weep for the
teenage boys.”  Kate motioned toward Mary’s overnight bag.  “All her
gear is in there, lovey, clothes and some snacks.  Want me to come down
with you?”

“No, no.  We’re good,” Georgie said as she opened the
door.  “So nice to meet you Edward, enjoy the rest of your visit.”

“Thank you, Georgie.  It was a pleasure to meet you as
well,” Edward held the door open for the duo.

“I’ll text you tomorrow and let you know when I’ll be by to
pick her up,” Kate said as she gave Mary one last hug and kiss.

“No rush.  We don’t get nearly enough time with her,”
Georgie said.  “See you tomorrow!”

“Bye Mama!  Wuv you!”

“Bye Mary, have fun.  I love you too!”  She
watched as they cruised down the hall to the elevator and waved goodbye as they
stepped into the elevator.  Sighing, she shut the door.

“You didn’t have to send her away, Kate,” Edward soothed as
he wrapped his arms around her.

“I know,” Kate sighed.  “I want to spend some time with
you, just us.  And Georgie is always asking for her share of time with Mary. 
I’m stingy, she’s my baby and I want her all to myself.  I go a little
nuts when she’s not here.  It’s so much easier when I go away.  I
have work to focus on, touristy things to do.  But to be in this apartment
when she’s not, it feels wrong.”

“Empty nest syndrome.  That’s what my mum calls
it.  She said she had it bad after everyone left the house.  She told
me that she’d spent so many years, so much time and energy on us that when we’d
all finally gone – she didn’t know what to do with herself.  Had no
idea how to occupy her time.”

“Ugh, you mean it’ll get worse with time?”

“Undoubtedly.”

“I can’t even imagine it,” Kate shook her head.  She
took a deep breath and let it out slowly.  “I just need something to
do.  Something to take my mind off her not being here.  Shall we go
out?”

Edward leaned his head down and nuzzled her ear. 
Taking a couple quick nips of her earlobe, he whispered “No.”

Kate shivered.  It was delicious, the feelings that he
was creating in her.  He slowly backed her up to the wall.  Running
his hands down her sides, he continued to explore her face with his lips. 
Slowly he kissed his way across her cheek and when his lips reached hers,
passion exploded between them.

Breaking away from the kiss, Edward groaned.  “Kate, do
you want me to stop?”

“No, don’t stop.  Please!”  She tugged his shirt
out of his jeans.  Running her hands up his chest, she sighed in
appreciation.  His chest was like marble, finely chiseled.  
Warm and tan, she reveled in the feel of it as she ran her hands over his chest
and back. 

“Our first time isn’t going to be up against a wall,
Kate.  Hang on to me,” Edward said as he lifted her in his arms.  He
carried her to her bedroom and gently laid her on the bed. He slowly raised her
shirt over her head and flung it across the room.  Looking down at her, he
sighed in appreciation.  “God Kate, you’re so beautiful.”  He traced
his lips across her collar bones and then down between her breasts. 
Sighing softly, he rested his forehead on her stomach.  “I’ve dreamt of
this since the first night we shared dinner.  Do you even know how
alluring you are?”

Sighing with pleasure and not a little womanly pride, Kate
raised her hand to his face and traced a line from his brow to his lips. 
“Kiss me, Edward.”

Kate woke the next morning feeling happy and sated. 
She and Edward had spent the majority of the night becoming very intimately
acquainted.  Smiling to herself as she rolled over and snuggled closer to
Edward, she thought back to the events of the night.  Edward was so
thoughtful and giving, their lovemaking had been amazing.  She dropped a
kiss to his shoulder and she slowly closed her eyes.

Edward draped his arm over her and tugged her closer. 
“Are you awake?” He asked sleepily, nuzzling the top of her head.

“Not really, I was just rolling over to get comfy.”

“Do you want to be awake?”  He asked as he slowly ran
his hand up and down the curve of her back.

Smiling, Kate whispered, “That depends on what you’re
offering me.  It’s not often that I get to sleep in these days.”

Edward gently pushed Kate onto her back.  Leaning down
to kiss her, he stopped just before their lips touched.  “Oh, I don’t
think you’ll mind missing some sleep-in time for what I have in mind,” he said.

Kate sighed against his lips at his words, eagerly awaiting
what Edward had in mind. 

A couple of hours later, showered and dressed, they left her
apartment in search of food.  While they were waiting for the elevator,
Edward took her hand in his.

“I called the airline while you were in the shower and
changed my flight to six tomorrow morning.”

“But what about your meeting?” Kate asked.

“No worries, I changed that too.  I explained that I
got caught up on a personal project, one that’s quite special to my heart and
wouldn’t be able to tear myself away until tomorrow.”

“You won’t get in any trouble?”

“No,” he winked at her as the doors to the elevator opened
and they stepped out into the lobby.  “They can’t have the meeting without
me.”

Kate smiled and looked up at him.  “Where would you
like to eat?”

“Matters not to me, love.”

“Hmm,” Kate thought.  “How about somewhere small,
romantic and local?”

“Sounds perfect!  Which way,” Edward asked as he looked
up and down the street.

Kate tugged his hand and nodded to the right.  “This
way.”

They strolled down the sidewalk hand in hand enjoying the
warm sun and fresh air.

“You know Edward, I was thinking.  You made this
special trip out here, and you won’t be around when I’m in London next. 
Perhaps Mary and I could make a special trip out to see you when you get back?”

“Are you sure you want to use up your holiday time? 
You only get a couple of weeks, right?”

“Well, yes, but I think it’s worth it.  Mary and I
haven’t ever traveled anywhere.  We go to the beach and to my sister’s
house.  I have plenty of time saved up and I think it would be fun for the
two of us to get away and come visit you.”

“Kate, I would adore it if you both came to visit.  As
soon as I get back, I’ll verify my schedule and give you some definite dates,”
Edward said.

“I already have Mary’s passport done.  I got it when I
found out that the travel to London was mandatory, in case I had to bring her
along at some point.”

“Wonderful, so there’s no waiting on a passport,” Edward
said as he squeezed her hand.  “I’ll take you both out to my country
home.  I have a couple of horses, we could take her riding.”

“Oh, she’d love that,” Kate laughed and dropped her head
onto his shoulder.  “She rode a pony at the petting zoo and then she
begged me for a pony of her own for weeks.”  Kate stopped walking and
tugged on Edward’s hand.

“What’s wrong, Kate?”  Edward asked as he looked down
at her face.

“Edward, I don’t want to sound crazy, but I think that man
over there is taking pictures of us,” Kate said as she nodded across the
street.

Edward cringed inwardly.  While he still wasn’t
well-known in America, there was always the chance someone would recognize
him.  He ducked his head and tried to reassure Kate.  “Maybe he’s a
tourist?”

“Could be,” Kate mused.  “Although why he wants a picture
of me is the question.  I don’t look like a local.”

“No, but you are beautiful.  I don’t blame him for
wanting to take a picture to remember you by.”

Smiling, Kate looked into his eyes.  “You’re sweet,
thank you!”  She stood on her tiptoes and gave him a kiss on the
lips.  “There’s more of that later,” she promised.

“I can’t wait,” he whispered.  He gently cupped the
back of her neck and kissed her again, more urgently.  “I can’t get enough
of you, love.”

“I know, me either.”  Kate rested her forehead against
his chest.  “Come, let’s eat.  It’s just down the block here.”

Edward took her hand and they hurried down the sidewalk.

“Emilio’s?”  Edward inquired as he opened the door for
Kate.

“It’s one of my favorites around here.  I found this
place not long after Mary and I moved into our apartment.”

“Italian?” Edward grinned.  “Why didn’t I guess?”

Kate laughed.

“Maybe we can go to Italy someday.  We’ll get you some
real
Italian food,” Edward said.

“Oh, that would be lovely!”

“Kate, hello!  Where’s little Mary?”

“Hello, Nan!” Kate said as she kissed the woman’s
cheek.  “Mary is staying the weekend with my sister.  But I’ve
brought you someone new to spoil!”  Kate reached behind her and tugged
Edward up next to her.  “Nan, this is Edward, and Edward, this is Nan.”

Edward shook hands with Nan.  She was a very tiny
woman, couldn’t have been more than five feet tall.  Very petite, she had
snow white hair that hung thickly down her back.  Her eyes were a clear,
bright blue and reminded Edward of the sunny, cloudless skies back home.

“Nice to meet you, Nan,” Edward said. 

A twinkle and a knowing gleam entered Nan’s eyes as she
gathered up the daily menu and led them to their table.  “What can I get
you to drink, my dears?”

“I’d love some lemon water to start, Nan.”  Kate said.

“I’ll have the same, please,” Edward said.

“Our special today is the meat lasagna, gouda cheese ravioli
and chicken marsala.  Our soup today is wedding soup.  I’ll be right
back with your drinks.”

“Oh, I love their wedding soup,” Kate said.  “The
meatballs are perfectly bite-sized.”