Page 44 of Fools in Love

“What are you asking for rent?” She turned to him suddenly, making up her mind.

When he gave her the amount, she tried to hold in her excitement. She easily had enough in her savings accounts to cover a year’s worth and doubted it would come down to having to pull anything from that account.

Josh smiled. “You can take some time to think on it if you need?”

She held out her hand and smiled when he put his in hers without hesitation just as the patrol car pulled up outside. “No, I don’t need any time. I’ll take it.”

“Looks like Tom found us,” Josh joked. “We can meet tomorrow to sign the lease if you want. If there’s anything that needs to be done to the space, just let me know,” he said as Tom walked into the front.

“Hey,” Tom said, walking over to her and placing a kiss on her lips quickly. Then he shook Josh’s hand. “Carrie mentioned that the two of you walked down here to take a look at the place.”

Josh nodded. “Yes, and we just agreed that it’s hers.”

A look of surprise passed through Tom’s eyes quickly, then he pulled her into a hug. “Congrats,” he said into her hair.

Everything was moving swiftly, but Kate wasn’t worried or afraid. Instead, she was excited. She chatted nervously about what she would have to do to get the place ready as they headed back down to Baked.

Since Tom had driven the patrol car, she and Josh walked back and talked about all the details. Tom was waiting for them, along with Nick and Aiden, who had joined the large group.

Everyone hung out for a few more hours, and she filled everyone in on her plans.

Several people hinted that they would be interested in joining a couple of her classes, mainly the yoga class that she’d mentioned she was thinking of having each morning.

Kara suggested the possibility of using her venue for events such as recitals. Kate had been to the large facility that held Sunset Weddings, now Sunset Events. It was a massive old barn that had been remodeled into a magical place. Each event held there brought more and more out-of-town guests into the small town.

Kara and her sister Robin were the main reason Pride had grown so much in the past few years. Destination weddings had become so important to the town that the woman interested in renting Josh’s other space was opening a bridal and dress boutique.

Suzie seemed eager to hear this news, since the shop would be next door to her. It did make Kate wonder if she was doing the right thing. After all, what did she really know about running a business? Sure, she knew all the ins and outs of dance. She’d taken so many classes in her childhood that she could teach not only ballet, but tap, hip-hop, swing, and even some ballroom dancing. Not to mention the yoga and Pilates she had planned for adults.

She wanted to pack each day with so many classes that she wouldn’t miss the city or her dead career. A moment of worry flooded her mind. Was she doing the right thing? Could she really be happy here? What if she started this business and it failed? What if no one showed up or Pride was just too small of a town for what she was hoping to build?

Then Tom took her hand under the table, and just the simple touch somehow squashed her fears. Whatever the future held, at least he was by her side.

Chapter Fifteen

Over the next few weeks, Tom helped Kate get her new place ready as much as possible. They spent a wonderful full day in the city shopping, where she purchased a few items for her new apartment. He was thankful he had enough room in his car to fit everything and take it back to her place.

They ate dinner along the river in Portland at a place she’d picked, and he enjoyed the Mexican food so much that he thought he’d probably eat there any time he returned to the city.

A bout of summer flu had circulated in the station, leaving them shorthanded. Everyone who wasn’t sick had to work double shifts. Tom had been one of the lucky ones that it had skipped. Once everyone was finally back at work and healthy, only then did he feel the fever hit him.

He’d taken two days off and had spent it with Kate, since she’d gotten the flu at the same time. He’d never had anyone dote on him before when he’d been sick.

Most of the time growing up, his mother had been working, leaving his father to care for him when he’d been home from school sick. His father couldn’t even be bothered to make him lunch.

Tom was pretty sure his old man had seen children as nothing but a burden. Actually, everything had been. His mother could never do anything right, according to his father.

His dad had complained about everything. If the laundry was done, the dishes weren’t. If they were both done, the floor was dirty. There was always something his mother couldn’t get right. She’d worked a full-time job at the poker tables at a casino and shortly before her death had even picked up a part-time job at another casino.

Tom’s father had been between jobs and spent most of his days and nights drinking and gambling. Which is how that fateful night had turned dark.

“Hey, are you okay?” Kate asked as she came into his room holding a tray with a bowl of soup balanced on it. “You look…” She frowned as she sat next to him on the bed.

“Sick?” he asked, then he coughed a few times.

Kate had gotten the flu, most likely from him, but, she’d bounced back after the first day and was now making it her mission to nurse him back to health.

Kate smiled. “Sad,” she finished, running her hand over his forehead.