Roses at Home-11
By Friday evening, Kate was seriously regretting her hastened decision. She had been on a plane for 12 hours, landed around 7 pm in the most traffic congested city she had ever seen and barely made it into the car Lucas arranged for her. He couldn’t meet her, but arranged for a hotel room. She would rest for the night, and then meet William tomorrow.
“He thinks he is meeting me for lunch at Santa Monica Pier at noon. I’ll have a car come for you at 11:30, or you can walk from your hotel. It is a short distance. Have a good rest.” Kate barely heard his voice message. Her legs ached and she had no idea what time it was. She got to the hotel, ordered room service and fell asleep promptly.
She awoke the next morning well rested. The bed was fluffier than clouds, and softer than anything Kate had touched before. Someone had come in and left a breakfast tray on the table. She looked at the clock, 8 am. She had 4 hours to occupy her mind.
Kate yawned, stretched and dragged herself out of the bed. She slipped into a robe and slippers, and walked towards the sliding door. She opened it, pulled back the curtain and gasped. Her balcony overlooked the beach. She could feel the soft sea breeze, hear the crashing waves and smell the salt. She went back inside, took a cup of tea and toast back outside to eat and enjoy the outdoors.
For almost an hour she sat, taking in the majestic Pacific. She could see the pier from her room. It was about 5 blocks down the beach. Only when tourists began to arrive on the sand did Kate get up to shower. She dressed quickly in jeans, a striped summer tank and sandals. She called Lucas to cancel the car and left the hotel to explore what Santa Monica had to offer.
William sighed and leaned against the building of the restaurant. It was almost noon, and his meeting with Lucas was supposed to start any minute. He could not figure out why he had to wait outside the restaurant. It made hiding from the public that much harder.
Still it was a nice opportunity to get some sun. He was wearing sunglasses to hide his telltale blue eyes, a plain grey t-shirt, blue jeans and flip flops. He tried to fit in with the crowd, tried to hide in it. This way, he could enjoy the California sun and surf in peace. He looked down and wriggled his toes, smiling. He was itching to swim in the ocean.
“Come on Lucas,” he muttered looking at his watch. Lucas was always early and never late. Will pushed himself off the building and wandered down the pier a few feet. People were scattered around fishing, walking, enjoying each others company. He tried hard to ignore the lonely feeling inside.
And it seemed to be working. The loneliness was leaving him almost as suddenly as it came. He could hardly explain it. He looked down the pier, wondering if Lucas was even on his way. No such luck. The pier was filling up with the lunch time crowd. And among the strangers was something familiar, someone familiar. William wondered if he was hallucinating. He put a hand up to shield his eyes, and took off his sunglasses to get a better look.
It was Kate, no doubt about it. Her hair was flying about in the sea breeze and the sun radiated about her in ways William could never understand. He began walking towards her, a little confused but elated. Her eyes met his, and her heart soared.
Her feet were no longer on the ground. She was running towards him. William held his arms open and Kate jumped into him. She wrapped her legs around him, and planted a kiss on his lips he would never forget.
When they finally parted, he was breathless. “What are you doing here?” He asked, placing her back on the ground, but still holding her waist. “Why are you here?”
Kate shrugged. “Surprise!” She laughed and kissed him again. “I couldn’t stay away. You honestly think I could go a month without seeing you?” He gazed at her, smiling. “So I hopped on the first plane out of England and came here! What could be a more fun place than Southern California?” Her voice was full of laughter and it was contagious. William chuckled, kissed her forehead and held her close. Kate forgot all of the rainy days she spent in England missing him and relished in the feeling of his arms.
“Well, shall we eat? Or are there more surprises?” William looked into her eyes, feeling at home.
She shook her head. “No more surprises and yes I am starving.”
“He thinks he is meeting me for lunch at Santa Monica Pier at noon. I’ll have a car come for you at 11:30, or you can walk from your hotel. It is a short distance. Have a good rest.” Kate barely heard his voice message. Her legs ached and she had no idea what time it was. She got to the hotel, ordered room service and fell asleep promptly.
She awoke the next morning well rested. The bed was fluffier than clouds, and softer than anything Kate had touched before. Someone had come in and left a breakfast tray on the table. She looked at the clock, 8 am. She had 4 hours to occupy her mind.
Kate yawned, stretched and dragged herself out of the bed. She slipped into a robe and slippers, and walked towards the sliding door. She opened it, pulled back the curtain and gasped. Her balcony overlooked the beach. She could feel the soft sea breeze, hear the crashing waves and smell the salt. She went back inside, took a cup of tea and toast back outside to eat and enjoy the outdoors.
For almost an hour she sat, taking in the majestic Pacific. She could see the pier from her room. It was about 5 blocks down the beach. Only when tourists began to arrive on the sand did Kate get up to shower. She dressed quickly in jeans, a striped summer tank and sandals. She called Lucas to cancel the car and left the hotel to explore what Santa Monica had to offer.
William sighed and leaned against the building of the restaurant. It was almost noon, and his meeting with Lucas was supposed to start any minute. He could not figure out why he had to wait outside the restaurant. It made hiding from the public that much harder.
Still it was a nice opportunity to get some sun. He was wearing sunglasses to hide his telltale blue eyes, a plain grey t-shirt, blue jeans and flip flops. He tried to fit in with the crowd, tried to hide in it. This way, he could enjoy the California sun and surf in peace. He looked down and wriggled his toes, smiling. He was itching to swim in the ocean.
“Come on Lucas,” he muttered looking at his watch. Lucas was always early and never late. Will pushed himself off the building and wandered down the pier a few feet. People were scattered around fishing, walking, enjoying each others company. He tried hard to ignore the lonely feeling inside.
And it seemed to be working. The loneliness was leaving him almost as suddenly as it came. He could hardly explain it. He looked down the pier, wondering if Lucas was even on his way. No such luck. The pier was filling up with the lunch time crowd. And among the strangers was something familiar, someone familiar. William wondered if he was hallucinating. He put a hand up to shield his eyes, and took off his sunglasses to get a better look.
It was Kate, no doubt about it. Her hair was flying about in the sea breeze and the sun radiated about her in ways William could never understand. He began walking towards her, a little confused but elated. Her eyes met his, and her heart soared.
Her feet were no longer on the ground. She was running towards him. William held his arms open and Kate jumped into him. She wrapped her legs around him, and planted a kiss on his lips he would never forget.
When they finally parted, he was breathless. “What are you doing here?” He asked, placing her back on the ground, but still holding her waist. “Why are you here?”
Kate shrugged. “Surprise!” She laughed and kissed him again. “I couldn’t stay away. You honestly think I could go a month without seeing you?” He gazed at her, smiling. “So I hopped on the first plane out of England and came here! What could be a more fun place than Southern California?” Her voice was full of laughter and it was contagious. William chuckled, kissed her forehead and held her close. Kate forgot all of the rainy days she spent in England missing him and relished in the feeling of his arms.
“Well, shall we eat? Or are there more surprises?” William looked into her eyes, feeling at home.
She shook her head. “No more surprises and yes I am starving.”