Katie's Glimpse (The Glimpse Series)
Read Katie's Glimpse (The Glimpse Series) Online
Authors: Robin Keahey
Katie's Glimpse
By Robin Keahey
Katie’s Glimpse
Copyright © 2013 by Robin
Keahey
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be
reproduced, scanned or distributed in any printed or electronic form without
written permission from the author.
This is a work of fiction.
Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s
imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living
or dead, events or locales is purely coincidental. The Author holds exclusive
rights to this work. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.
Edited by Sydney Pope
Cover design by Christine Ko
Glimpse-
/glimps/
1.
A brief,
passing look, sight or view.
2.
A momentary
or slight appearance.
3.
A vague
idea; inkling.
4.
A gleam, as
of light.
Yet you do not know what
tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a
little time and then vanishes.
-James 4:14
To
all the broken girls out there- you are never alone.
To
my husband- thanks for loving me just as I am.
Jackson,
Tennessee
I sat in the red
vinyl booth of the local café and drank my lukewarm coffee. It wasn’t crowded
here yet, at least not for a Saturday in a college town. As I glanced around at
all the Union University memorabilia on the walls, I realized I would never fit
in, not in this town. I was not the typical college girl- that perky, sorority-rushing,
happy to finally be free from her parents type. I was more of a “suffer in silence”
type.
The gray, gloomy February
day mirrored my mood perfectly. I stared down at my Intro to Microeconomics
textbook on the chipped Formica table and sighed. I just couldn’t do this
today. I watched through the plate-glass window as one of the remaining leaves
on an old oak tree finally succumbed to the blistering wind and fell to the
sidewalk below, only to be trampled by a passing pedestrian. My mind wandered
to the not so distant past, the image of the leaf still in my head. That leaf
was a lot like me- dried up and crushed. Life’s harsh winds had blown against
me and even though I’d desperately tried to hang on, it had managed to tear me
away from everything I’d ever known.
I shook the
depressing thoughts from my head. It was only the loneliness talking. That had
to be it, or so I hoped. Especially since the threat of depression was always
near, waiting to hold me captive again. I really had made great strides in
improving my mental health since moving away from home. The panic attacks and
nightmares didn’t come quite as often now. Today was just a minor setback.
I had dragged my
body out of bed and forced myself to get ready this morning. There would be no
more hiding away in my apartment. I decided against wearing my ratty sweatpants
out in public; no use scaring the kiddies. Instead, I wore my favorite jeans
and a Union hoodie. A navy toboggan completed my almost human look and kept me
from having to fix my hair.
I heard the jingle
of the bell above the café door.
Hmm, that’s
weird. I never noticed
the sound before.
I glanced towards the door, and what I saw took my breath
away. A very well-built and attractive man entered the cafe. He was well over 6
feet tall and even through his fleece pullover, I knew he was solid muscle. He
sported short black hair and a face that belonged on a magazine. He looked my
way and when our eyes met, he gave me a heart-stopping smile.
I quickly looked
down at my textbook, struggling to erase the image of his beautiful face from
my mind. I stared at the words on the page, but seemed unable to focus, reading
the same sentence over and over. My mind continued to wander to Mr. Gorgeous,
and I felt a sudden urge to get another glimpse. I peeked through my lashes and
found him standing at the counter with his back to me, so I took a minute to
stare, unabashed. He wore dark jeans and what looked like steel toe boots. I
recognized these since my dad worked construction and wore them too. I closed
my eyes and took a deep breath.
What has gotten into me? I don’t ogle guys,
no matter how hot they are.
Once again, I tried concentrating on my studies,
but the sound of approaching footsteps distracted me.
Don’t look up, Katie,
don’t look up
. I couldn’t resist though and lifted my head as he came to a
stop right beside me.
“Can I sit here?” he
asked, his voice deep and soothing to my ears.
I looked into his
eyes, the dark blue shade reminding me of a stormy afternoon sky, and felt
butterflies take flight in my stomach. It shocked me. I hadn’t felt that in a
long time and quite frankly, hadn’t wanted too.
I hesitated before
stammering out, “I..I really need to study.”
It was obvious my
brain wouldn’t work with him this close and even though he was amazing to look
at, I wasn’t interested. I braced for what was coming next, probably some lame
compliment on my eyes. They’d been quite frequent since I started college. I
stared at him, my impatience visible, and waited.
“Oh, I promise I
won’t bother you,” he said as he slid into the seat across from mine.
I gaped at him,
shocked and a little scared.
This guy obviously isn’t getting the hint.
I scooted closer to the edge of my seat, ready to bolt if he started acting
weird.
He stuck his large hand
out across the table. “I’m Levi.”
I looked at his hand
and noting several callouses on his palm and fingertips, hesitantly shook it. “Kaitlyn,”
I said firmly and pulled my hand away quickly.
Even though his hand
was rough, it was warm and felt too good to hold any longer. He gave me a dimpled
smile and somehow, I knew it was genuine. I continued to study his face. He looked
quite tan and had a ruggedness about him. His whole demeanor seemed to radiate
strength. His jawline was strong; his nose straight. His full lips were
currently curved into an amused smile.
Realizing I was
staring, I lowered my head under the pretense of studying, but glanced up again
to see what he was doing. He had his head bowed in reverence, as if in prayer.
I couldn’t explain it, but for some reason watching this formidable looking man
pray in front of me just felt right. When he finished, he lifted his head and
smiled at me, setting off his dimples once again.
He didn’t even act
embarrassed that I’d caught him praying.
All my apprehensions about him
vanished, and I relaxed back in my seat.
“You go to Union?”
he asked between bites of scrambled eggs.
“Uh huh,” I replied,
and cringed when I realized I’d taken his napkin and shredded it into a pile in
front of me.
He chuckled and
reached over, grabbing another from the box at the end of the table.
I noticed a small
logo on his pullover when he settled back against the seat- Phillips Nursery
and Commercial Lawn Care.
“Is that where you
work?” I asked, pointing to the name on his shirt. He looked down at his chest
as if he’d forgotten what he’d worn.
“Yeah, it is.”
Well that
explains the tan and the rough hands.
He continued to eat his breakfast while I pretended to study. I felt his gaze
on the top of my head and looked up at him, not trying to disguise my
irritation.
This guy really needs to move along.
“I’m sorry. I
promised I wouldn’t bother you, and I guess I am,” he admitted, giving me a
lopsided grin.
I blushed,
embarrassed for being so rude while he was being polite. “No, it’s fine. I just
don’t normally do this,” I revealed.
“Do what?” he asked,
his eyebrows knitting in confusion.
“Sit and talk with
strange men.”
“You think I’m
strange,” he replied, taken aback.
“What? No! I didn’t
mean you’re a strange person. I just meant you’re a stranger,” I explained,
hoping to erase the injured look from his face.
Relief washed over
his face and he laughed. It was the most comforting sound I’d heard in a while.
“Well, I did introduce myself so I’m not really a stranger anymore,” he said
and winked.
I blinked, a little
startled.
Did he just wink at me?
I couldn’t help the giggle that
escaped me. He would be the man of my dreams, if I still had dreams, but they
all died my senior year of high school.
He finished his
breakfast and after wiping his mouth, gave me one last beautiful smile. “It was
nice to meet you, Kaitlyn. Thanks for letting me join you.”
I smiled back,
trying to hide my sudden sadness at his leaving. “You’re welcome. It was nice to
meet you too,” I murmured and actually meant it.
He pulled out his
wallet, left a tip on the table, and strolled out the door. I shook my head in disbelief.
He had never once mentioned my eyes.
***
I sat on the
couch and thumbed through the local paper, stopping at the help wanted ads. I
needed to find a part time job and fast. I had too much time on my hands, time
I’d been using to dwell on things I could never change. All my college classes
were over by noon, and I couldn’t continue to sit around the apartment watching
movies or cleaning every afternoon. I didn’t need the money, since my parents
were paying for everything, but I felt guilty about not contributing at all.
There were a few ads that caught my eye, but unless I had experience as a
waitress or a bank teller, which I didn’t, those jobs were out. Near the bottom
of the page I spotted a generic looking ad.
Part time counter
help and bookkeeper needed.
Hours:
Tuesday-Friday 1pm-5pm and Saturday 9am-4pm.
Bookkeeping
experience preferred.
Hmm, this
looks promising.
I picked up my cell and dialed the phone number given. A woman
with a perky voice answered the phone.
“Phillips, this is
Sydney.”
Phillips? Where
do I know that name from?
It
sounded familiar, but I couldn’t place it. “Hi, my name is Katie. I’m calling
about the ad I saw in the paper.” I said, hoping she didn’t notice that my voice
wavered a bit.
“Okay, do you have
any experience with bookkeeping?” she inquired.
“Yes ma’am, I do.”
I held my breath and waited for her reply.
“That’s great! We
haven’t had many people apply with experience. How about you come on down at
three today, and you can talk to the owner.”
I jumped up, doing a
fist pump but managed to keep my voice professional. “Sure, that sounds great.
I’ll be there.”
She gave me
directions, and we said our goodbyes. I hung up the phone feeling pleased for
the first time in a while. It was already two, so I ran to the bedroom to
change into more professional attire. I needed to make a good first impression
on the boss.
After I changed
clothes twice, I decided on black dress pants paired with my red and black floral
print top and red cardigan, to keep the chill away. Sydney didn’t say what kind
of business it was, but this look could go for just about anything. I added my
black heels that were usually reserved for church and laughed at that thought.
I’d been at college for six weeks and had yet to visit one church. My parents
would be disappointed if they knew, but I wasn’t ready to put on a happy face
and pretend like I belonged in a house of worship. I put on some makeup; a
little blush, mascara, and lip gloss. I wasn’t a big fan of makeup, but it
couldn’t hurt for me to try and look my best, at least this one day anyway. I’d
saved my hair for last, and luckily it wasn’t in too much of a mess. I managed
to tame the strays before tucking it behind my ears. One last look in the
mirror, and I was as good as I was going to get. I slipped on my wool pea coat
and headed out the door.
I followed the
directions Sydney gave me through town, finally pulling up to an older, red
brick building on the outskirts of Jackson. I noticed the barbed-wire topped chain
link fence and what must have been acres of plants, trees, and shrubs on both
sides and behind the building. The large white and green sign read- Phillips
Nursery and Commercial Lawn Care. It suddenly dawned on me where I knew that
name, from the guy I’d met the week before at the café.
I closed my eyes, took
a deep breath, and let it out slowly. Before leaving the car, I’d already convinced
myself that considering the size of the property, I probably wouldn’t run into
him much.
I concentrated on
not slumping as I made my way to the front door. It was something Mom had
drilled into me as a child and apparently, it stuck. I opened the glass door
and immediately the smell of plants and soil bombarded my nose. I inhaled
deeply, already in love with the sweet aroma.
A friendly looking
woman, in her late twenties to early thirties, stood behind a high counter.
She smiled sweetly when
she saw me. “Are you Katie?” she asked.
“Yes ma’am,” I
answered.
She laughed, the
sound seeming loud in the small reception area. “Oh please, don’t call me
ma’am. I’m not that old. I’m Sydney, and I’m glad you could come in on such
short notice. Come on back. I’ll introduce you to the boss man and y’all can
chat.”
She came around the
counter belly first. The sight had me frozen in place, momentarily dazed. I
stared at it briefly. She looked to be around seven months pregnant. I fought
back the wave of nausea I felt as memories flooded my mind. I wanted to kick
myself for still having trouble dealing with this issue. I tried to play it off
and gave her a small smile, nodding at her swollen belly.
She gently caressed
it with her hand. “I’ve got two and a half months before she gets here. That’s
the reason for the job opening. My husband wants me to cut back on my hours. He
thinks I’m on my feet too much.”
I smiled again and
replied, “Oh, okay.”
Geez, this woman is going to think I’m a complete
idiot.
She turned the
corner, and I followed her down a narrow hallway. She stopped at an open door,
stuck her head in, and spoke to the person inside. “Boss, your three o’clock
applicant is here.”
Turning, she held
her hand out, gesturing for me to go inside. As I came around the doorway and
got a view of the “boss man
”
my steps faltered. There, sitting behind
the desk, was the guy from the café- Levi. His eyes met mine and noting the apparent
look of shock on my face, he laughed loudly.