Chapter 7

Come on, Kat. You can do this. You've waited over two months for this moment and the moment has come. Don't be chicken and just go! She forced herself to open the door and then let herself be ushered out by the man waiting there. She got into a waiting limo and found herself being driven to the most glamorous restaurant in the city. As soon as the chauffeur opened the door for her, the cool, night air rushed in and chilled her for a moment. She got out and forced herself to go through the doors. She gave her name and was immediately led the way to a small, private room in the corner of the restaurant. The waiter helped her into her chair before she was able to turn and look around. Light talk from other customers drifted into her room by way of one open door. Across from it, another door was slightly open, letting her glimpse out at the beautiful scene outside. It led to a garden where couples now and then passed by. A slight longing to be just like them tugged at her heart and she sighed.

"Why so sad?" A voice came from behind her.

Startled, Kat turned around in her seat and found Chris leaning against the wall, in one dark corner. "Chris!"

"Hello to you too, Kat." Chris stood up and left his corner.

"What are you doing here?"

"The question is, what are you doing here?"

She didn't even notice how he'd turned the question on her. She was that flustered. "Waiting for someone."

"Oh? Who could that be?"

"You know who," she retorted back.

"Tell me, Kat. Why are you here?" Before she could give another snappy remark, he went on. "Seriously. What do you expect?"

Kat closed her eyes. "I don't know what I want, Chris." She opened her eyes again and looked at him. "To be honest, I just want to be like one of those couples out there." She gestured with an impatient hand out toward the garden where a couple was walking along the path, lazy and oblivious to the world around them. "I want to be selfish and wish for myself a share of that kind of happiness. I want to be loved by someone and I want to be able to love that someone in return.

"I could really care less who comes in that door," Kat said, indicating toward the door that joined the room to the rest of the restaurant. "I'm here with an open mind which is daring itself to fall in love with the man who already stole her heart with the first note."

"Kat," Chris said, quietly. "Do you remember what the first note said?"

She gave a small smile. "Every word."

"What did it say?"

She closed her eyes again. "Dearest Kat, Do you already know what I'm going to say? I doubt it. Why? Because something like this is so unexpected, even for me. Kat…" She was surprised when another voice mixed with hers and she looked up at Chris. "You've been on my mind constantly, these past few months. Don't laugh, please. What I have to say comes from deep in my heart and I can only hope that somewhere deep inside you, you feel the same way. " Kat dropped out and let him continue on.

"What I have to say is that I really like you, not just as a person or a friend, but as something more." As he continued on, he reached out a hand and she reached out hers. "So what now? I don't know. I only know that I had to get this out. But you… You have a choice here. Right now, in this moment, someone is here with an offer. If you accept, I will continue trying to win your heart in hopes that we will be together in the future. If you don't-"

He didn't need to continue. Kat had reached over the table and put a finger to his lips, silencing him. "I accept."

Chris smiled before he took her hands and kissed each. "Are you sure you want to try this?"

"Chris, you know me better than anyone else. Would I agree to something if I wasn't completely sure?"

"No," he smiled.

Kat grinned back in return. "Then stop complaining and let's order already."

The two laughed and the night continued on.