More Nights With Kate (Jack Ryker) Read Free Page B

restaurant and
spotted her.  Judging by her expression, it seemed as if it had been far
longer than 21 hours since we had last seen one another.
    “I know that this might sound strange, but I already miss
working with you,” she confided as we settled in and began to glance over the
menus.
    “We’ve been together a long time.  It will definitely
take some time to adjust,” I conceded.
    I could tell she had more to say, but she held her tongue
and reluctantly turned back to the menu.  Our conversation turned to what
each of us was craving for lunch, but I knew that there was something else on
her mind.
    “You mentioned wrapping up some loose ends in your message
last night,” I said after the waiter took our order.
    “Yes, it seemed easier than telling you that I needed to see
you,” she responded, reaching for my hand.
    “I understand this is a big change for you.  Work has
been the focal point of your life and I’m sure it’s going to take some time to
figure out what comes next,” I assured her.
    “Do you remember when Coleman and I broke up?”
    Coleman was Kristen’s longtime boyfriend.  The poor son
of a bitch was even more uptight than she was.  I could still picture him
standing in his black double-breasted suit, with a matching bowtie and his
hands clasped in front of him.  He had the same pose and facial expression
whether you saw him at a funeral or the annual Christmas party.
    “Yes, was that two years ago?” 
    “A little over three actually,” she corrected while shifting
nervously in her chair.
    I gently squeezed her hand and waited patiently for her to
share her thoughts.
    “Coleman always said that the reason I didn’t want to get
married… was because I was in love with you,” she finally confided.
    “Really… was that true?”
    “At the time, I really thought that it was simply because he
wasn’t the one.  But shortly after Eva was killed, I realized that no one
could’ve been the one.  No one could ever compare to you Jack.  You
were always the one,” she confessed with pleading eyes.
    “So all of these years of working together, you’ve been
secretly in love with me?  Why would you do that to yourself?” 
    “I don’t know… I justified it by telling myself that at
least I was spending my days with you,” she replied running her fingers along
the top of my hand.  “You weren’t dating anyone, so I was just waiting to
see a sign of life.  Then you met Kate and overnight you turned into a
sex-crazed teenager.  I was caught off guard to say the least.”
    “I hope you realize how important you’ve been to me,
Kristen.  I consider you to be a lifelong friend, not just a personal
assistant.”
    “I know.  I was just hoping our relationship could
become more than that.  After you left yesterday, I felt as if I had lost
my reason for living.”
    “That’s a little extreme. After more than 20 years of
working together on a daily basis, I can understand why you would feel that
way.  It obviously hasn’t sunk in yet that after the corporate buyout
yesterday you’re a multi-millionaire.  You probably can’t imagine how much
your life will open up and change over the next few years.  For now,
though, how about I keep you on as my personal assistant?” 
    “I would like that Jack.  You don’t even have to pay
me,” she replied with a warm, but subtle smile.
    Kristen really is a beautiful woman with her long black
hair, cool blue eyes, and nicely toned body.  We get along great,
too.  But I don’t think that I could ever make the transition from being
her friend and business associate, to a more personal relationship. 
That’s just not something that can be forced.  She knows that Kate and I
are both uncertain about our future.  That’s why she chose this moment to
tell me how she really feels.
    “I will always love you, Kristen, and I probably wouldn’t
have survived the last few years without you.  To be perfectly honest, I
would’ve