Saving Katie Baker Read Free Page A

her on the outside of the kitchen pantry. She remembered the day her dad purchased the cell phone for her and insisted that she carry it with her at all times. It was after the accident. He demanded she have it in case of any other emergencies.
    “You are no longer a stay-at-home mom,” he’d told her, pushing for her to carry this device with her at all times because she could no longer rely solely on a landline.
    Katie could hear Jill already beginning to giggle. “So, what happened last night? Did you end up killing that neighbor of yours?”
    Katie gave a snort and an angry “ha!” as she went on to explain the events that occurred the night before, in detail. That’s the way she communicated. Re-living each and every little thing. It was a blessing and a curse. The details are not only relived in her mind but also they play as if on rewind in her dreams. They haunted her more often than they blessed.
    “I think it’s quite romantic that he caught you out smoking. You probably came off as a badass,” Jill said.
    “What!? I’m not a smoker. Why does everyone keep insisting on calling me one? I only smoke when I have the need.”
    “Oh, totally, me too. Katie, is that really what you’re going to focus on here? What about the fact that the cute neighbor came over and talked to you, purposefully?”
    Katie scooped some of the oatmeal into a bowl in order to let it cool down for her daughter and replied, “You are nuts. He came over because his dumb dog roamed off. Who names their dog ‘Montag’ anyway? Why not give a dog a normal name like ‘Chocolate’, ‘Buster’, or ‘Rascal’?”
    Jill snickered. “Hey, I gotta run, but I’ll see you at work, and then you can fill me in on all the other details.”
    “Whatever.”
    Katie hung up and handed the oatmeal to Micah and said, “Don’t forget to blow on it, sweetheart, it’s a little hot.” The little girl looked up, smiled with those gorgeous blue eyes she inherited from her daddy and immediately began digging into her breakfast.
    “Let’s hurry; Mommy is going to be late for work.”
    Katie grabbed her briefcase, which was currently stuffed to the brim with lesson plans, a few diapers, and school crafts. This made it unable for her to properly fasten the lid closed. Bag over one shoulder, she scooped up Micah and placed her on the opposite hip. Katie locked and closed the front door as she quickly waddled to the SUV.
    Katie couldn’t help but glance quickly across the drive, all the motorcycles were gone except one, the green one. The one that Katie saw pull in and out more often than any others. This must be his , Katie thought.
    “Idiot.”
    Just as the word was out, she noticed the bike was being mounted by someone whom Katie assumed was the neighbor himself. She couldn’t remember what he had said his name was, so she rolled the options around in her mind: Caleb, Matt, Brad, Will . . . ? It just wouldn’t come.
    “Why do I care anyway?” she said out loud as she buckled her daughter in the car seat.
    Katie drove around the circle drive shared by the neighbor and noticed he waited at the bottom of his driveway. She pressed on the brake petal and the screeching wail was back. With blushing cheeks, Katie motioned for him to go ahead out in front of her but he didn’t listen. Stubbornly, he shook his head, which currently sported a helmet with dice graffiti on the side. Katie couldn’t make out his eyes behind the iridium shield but the rider motioned for her to go ahead with his hand, as if saying, “Ladies first.”
    “Ugh,” this kindness irritated her even more: Him, trying to be polite, trying to be chivalrous. As if. The thoughts running through Katie’s head only added to the frustration of last night’s situation.
    She pulled her SUV impatiently through and up the gravel drive. At least she wouldn’t have to see or talk to him all day. Usually Fridays thrilled Katie since it meant she had the weekend off, but she wasn’t