cubicle for the rest of my life. When I play, and sing, that’s
when I feel the most alive. I’m not going to start slaving over a desk or a
bunch of computers just to get by. It takes passion to succeed and I can’t see
myself having passion for an IT career or whatever else you think I should be
doing.”
Kate noted
his irritation from the way he dumped his napkin on the table and pushed his
half-eaten plate away.
A shuddering
sigh escaped her. “You’re wrong, Gage. It takes more than passion to succeed.
It takes a sense of responsibility, of knowing when to grow up. I can’t be with
someone who doesn’t even want to see when it’s time to change the dream for
something real, and worthwhile. I’m thinking we should just…part as friends
before this gets any deeper and one of us gets hurt.”
Even now,
five years later, Kate could remember the bottomless, shadowed look that had
taken over Gage’s whole expression. He’d seemed shocked, dismayed, angry and
betrayed all at the same time.
“You’re
breaking it off, like this?” he asked, looking around at the surroundings with
its low buzz from the few other clients in the trendy food bar.
“Don’t make
it sound like that,” she said in a hushed voice. “If you could just…agree to at
least consider trying something else…”
“Then what,
you’ll give me a second chance?” he asked, suddenly smiling wryly. He took her
hand, pressed it warmly with his fingers. Kate felt warmth and still, an ache
at the same time. It was then she knew that though she still loved him, she
couldn’t continue to be with him.
“You know
your problem, Kate? All work and no play,” Gage admonished, thumb rubbing on
the sensitive curve between her thumb and index finger.
A rush of
sensual awareness shot up her arm at his caress, and she quickly pulled her arm
away. Gage might be the sexiest man she’d ever met; but there was more to life
than hot sex, a handsome face and a charming personality. Futures could not be
built on that.
“You on the
other hand, are the exact opposite,” she said calmly, gathering up her things.
“You’re all about play, aren’t you?” Kate sighed raggedly.
She’d always
been teased by him and his friends as being much too serious; a pessimistic who
hardly saw the bright side of things. Kate loved to have fun like everyone else
but she also knew what it was to not have a stable life. Her father had been so
much like Gage.
Kate’s father
had got on in life with his looks and personality for as long as he could. But
he’d been unable to cater for his family while sticking to his dead-end
vocation as a writer. Kate’s mother had ended up working two jobs and sometimes
three just to keep the family going. And now, Kate wasn’t about to make the
same mistake by falling for someone just like her father. The Dreamer. Dreams
didn’t pay bills and they certainly didn’t provide for the future. Kate felt
she deserved more than that.
That sunny
day, she’d risen from her chair to gaze down at Gage, her eyes filmy with
moisture even as her chin squared with resolve. “I’m sorry we weren’t good for
each other.”
And she’d
meant it. She was sorry that she couldn’t be the happy-go-lucky, rock
band-supporting carefree Kate Preston that Gage and his pals wanted her to be.
And she was sorry he couldn’t be the normal, everyday working guy ready to earn
a proper living the way she thought he should.
Gage’s eyes
had narrowed and she could see his hands clench on the tablecloth before he
stretched the palms flat as if to deliberately calm himself. At last, he said
quietly, “If you walk away from me now, I hope you know it’s for good? Because
there’ll be no going back. It’s over. But if you stay, and sit down and talk,
and work at this, then we still have a chance.”
Kate shook
her head, smiling as the glitter of tears finally faded and she could see
clearly. “That’s just it, Gage Stevens. We never stood a chance to
when I feel the most alive. I’m not going to start slaving over a desk or a
bunch of computers just to get by. It takes passion to succeed and I can’t see
myself having passion for an IT career or whatever else you think I should be
doing.”
Kate noted
his irritation from the way he dumped his napkin on the table and pushed his
half-eaten plate away.
A shuddering
sigh escaped her. “You’re wrong, Gage. It takes more than passion to succeed.
It takes a sense of responsibility, of knowing when to grow up. I can’t be with
someone who doesn’t even want to see when it’s time to change the dream for
something real, and worthwhile. I’m thinking we should just…part as friends
before this gets any deeper and one of us gets hurt.”
Even now,
five years later, Kate could remember the bottomless, shadowed look that had
taken over Gage’s whole expression. He’d seemed shocked, dismayed, angry and
betrayed all at the same time.
“You’re
breaking it off, like this?” he asked, looking around at the surroundings with
its low buzz from the few other clients in the trendy food bar.
“Don’t make
it sound like that,” she said in a hushed voice. “If you could just…agree to at
least consider trying something else…”
“Then what,
you’ll give me a second chance?” he asked, suddenly smiling wryly. He took her
hand, pressed it warmly with his fingers. Kate felt warmth and still, an ache
at the same time. It was then she knew that though she still loved him, she
couldn’t continue to be with him.
“You know
your problem, Kate? All work and no play,” Gage admonished, thumb rubbing on
the sensitive curve between her thumb and index finger.
A rush of
sensual awareness shot up her arm at his caress, and she quickly pulled her arm
away. Gage might be the sexiest man she’d ever met; but there was more to life
than hot sex, a handsome face and a charming personality. Futures could not be
built on that.
“You on the
other hand, are the exact opposite,” she said calmly, gathering up her things.
“You’re all about play, aren’t you?” Kate sighed raggedly.
She’d always
been teased by him and his friends as being much too serious; a pessimistic who
hardly saw the bright side of things. Kate loved to have fun like everyone else
but she also knew what it was to not have a stable life. Her father had been so
much like Gage.
Kate’s father
had got on in life with his looks and personality for as long as he could. But
he’d been unable to cater for his family while sticking to his dead-end
vocation as a writer. Kate’s mother had ended up working two jobs and sometimes
three just to keep the family going. And now, Kate wasn’t about to make the
same mistake by falling for someone just like her father. The Dreamer. Dreams
didn’t pay bills and they certainly didn’t provide for the future. Kate felt
she deserved more than that.
That sunny
day, she’d risen from her chair to gaze down at Gage, her eyes filmy with
moisture even as her chin squared with resolve. “I’m sorry we weren’t good for
each other.”
And she’d
meant it. She was sorry that she couldn’t be the happy-go-lucky, rock
band-supporting carefree Kate Preston that Gage and his pals wanted her to be.
And she was sorry he couldn’t be the normal, everyday working guy ready to earn
a proper living the way she thought he should.
Gage’s eyes
had narrowed and she could see his hands clench on the tablecloth before he
stretched the palms flat as if to deliberately calm himself. At last, he said
quietly, “If you walk away from me now, I hope you know it’s for good? Because
there’ll be no going back. It’s over. But if you stay, and sit down and talk,
and work at this, then we still have a chance.”
Kate shook
her head, smiling as the glitter of tears finally faded and she could see
clearly. “That’s just it, Gage Stevens. We never stood a chance to
Similar Books
