It was late afternoon
before Raymond drove me back to the hotel.
Food was the furthest thing from my mind, but there were still a few
hours of daylight left and a good run would be just the thing.
I changed my
clothes and stopped by the concierge’s desk to ask the whereabouts of Peninsula
Traders. She brought it up on an
electronic tablet and showed me how to get there.
I ran past
shops—large, small, quaint and gauche.
Caitlin was right, history was everywhere in the old buildings, cobblestone
streets, and carriage tours. I came to a
section of elegant old homes on the edge of a commercial area, and ahead in the
next block, I saw the sign for Peninsula Traders. A busy street ran between me and the supermarket.
As I waited to cross, I saw Caitlin come outside dressed in khaki pants and a
white button-down shirt. She looked
tired, but gorgeous. She got in her car
and I ducked into a doorway so she wouldn’t see me as she drove by. Christ,
I feel like a stalker.
I continued my run
back toward the hotel, passing a large library, a large construction site and a
huge building that claimed to house the county department of education. They
must have good schools here. On
another block, I came across several buildings associated with a college, there
was a theatre with an old fashioned marquee and an interesting vintage
bookstore with a blue bicycle parked outside.
Lots of restaurants, bars, and more shops of all kinds lined my way back
to the hotel.
* * *
The next day, I
wasn’t expected at the studio till afternoon. I’d stayed up late writing music so I slept in
a bit and had a leisurely breakfast in my suite. I left the hotel for Peninsula Traders
dressed in jeans, a tee shirt and my trainers.
It was a short few blocks to the market.
As I entered the grocery,
the scent of freshly baked bread greeted me, along with a young man who said,
“Welcome to Traders.”
“Thank you,” I
answered.
“Would you like a
shopping cart and a sale ad?”
He was so bright
and fresh, I couldn’t help but smile.
“No, thank you,” I said, “but could you direct me to the floral
department?”
He pointed me in
the right direction and I sauntered toward it looking at the displays along the
way. Like the young man at the door, the
supermarket itself was bright and fresh.
Every display was perfectly arranged.
The labels of the tinned goods all faced forward, boxed goods stacked
just so. Flawless produce in rainbows of
colour led into the floral section, where I spotted Caitlin working alongside a
young woman behind a counter. A young
man watered green plants on the sales floor.
I pretended to
inspect apples as I planned my approach.
Would she be glad to see me, or would she still think it a bad
idea? I had no way of knowing, but when
the sound of her laughter reached me, I knew I had to take the chance.
When I entered the
floral area, the young man, whose name tag pronounced him “Joe,” came up to me.
“Good morning,” he
said, just as brightly as his co-worker up front. “May I help you find something today?”
“Thank you,” I
said in a soft voice, “but I believe I’ve found it. I wonder if you might quietly point Caitlin
Flynn in my direction.”
Joe’s eyebrows
shot up and his smile widened across his face.
“Cait?” he asked, almost in a whisper.
“Yes, thank
you.” I nodded. “Quietly.”
“Sure. You must be why she’s wearing makeup again,”
he said with a grin.
I couldn’t help my
own grin at his comment and wondered if it was true as he walked toward the
counter where Caitlin and the other woman trimmed roses placing them into
large, black vases. When Joe got there,
Cait looked up and saw me. She covered
her mouth with her hand in a gesture of surprise. I couldn’t tell if she was happy to see me or
not.
I drew in a shaky
breath and stood my ground, though my instinct urged me to fly to her and fold
her into my arms. I was so nervous, I
may have bitten my bottom lip.
I couldn’t hear
what Joe said to her, but the woman beside her took Cait’s flower pruners and
gave her a little push toward the sales floor.
I read her lips as she told Cait to “Go!”
Caitlin's breath was
shallow by the time she reached me. I
wanted desperately to take her trembling hands in mine, but I kept them to myself.
“Nicholas,” she
said, with a tentative smile that matched my own. I relaxed a smidgeon when she put her hands
on my arms so I kissed her on both cheeks.
“What are you doing here?”
“I’m helping Billy
Farmer with a project while we’re on our break.”
“Billy Farmer?”
“Yes. He lives near here.”
“Oh, that’s
right.” She looked less sure than ever
and I was afraid of what she would say next.
“Look, maybe I
shouldn’t have come,” I said, “but Billy called for my help and I couldn’t stay
a few blocks from here and not see you.”
I shook my head at my shoes and took a deep breath.
“How did you even
find me here?” she asked, more curious than annoyed, I was pleased to note.
I looked
around. “Is there somewhere we can go to
talk?” I asked, tension building in my chest.
“I can’t right
now,” she said, glancing back toward the counter where her co-workers, who had
clearly been watching us, quickly busied themselves. That
made her show me the smile I had longed for.
My heart picked up its pace.
“I get off at
seven,” she said, taking my hands.
“Dinner?”
I shook my
head. “I don’t know how long I’ll be at
Billy’s. I’m not going there till
one-thirty.” I brightened. “How about lunch?”
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