Kate and Tyler Ch. 02

Kate felt like she was overthinking, and she probably was, looking for any excuse possible to convince him they shouldn't be together. But why? Did she really have Tyler's best interest at heart, or was she just being a selfish chicken shit?

She sighed, finishing her first cup of coffee, and decided she needed to take a few days, maybe a week, to get her head straight.

To say it was awkward seeing him at the gym the next week was an understatement. Part of her secretly hoped he wouldn't respect her wishes for space and would come over and talk to her. It was like she had become addicted to his presence. She felt like some small part of her died each time he didn't follow her out to her car at the last second when she left. She missed him, though she tried not to. It was a futile effort.

Several days passed before he finally gave in and texted her.

"I miss you. Hope you're having a good week." Kate wondered how crazy it was making him to not "bug" her more. It was hard enough for her and the whole thing had been her idea. That right there should have told her all she needed to know to make a decision.

Another Monday came and Tyler messaged her again.

"Can we meet up and talk? Please don't be mad at me for asking. I swear I've been trying to be patient. I just really think we should talk."

Just thinking about the agony he was probably going through about killed her. She had wondered more than once how long he had been holding onto his feelings for her. He had finally worked up his nerve to confess them and she had shut down and shut him out. Kate felt like an ass. She was still feeling wishy-washy about the whole thing despite the time she had had to weigh the pros and cons, wanting to give an actual relationship, one not hidden from the world, a chance one second, wanting to run away and pretend they had never happened completely the next. Regardless of her mixed up feelings, Kate felt like some of her time was the least she could give him. She made a promise to herself that she would be honest with him at their lunch date.

As excited as she was to spend time with him, their meeting was awkward. It was like they were on a first date, both of them shy and afraid to say something "wrong". Except it wasn't their first date and there were a lot of unspoken words and feelings making the air between them almost palpable.

They had only taken a few bites of their sandwiches when Kate's phone rang. When she saw it was her babysitter, her heart sank. Kaitlen had never called her. Text had been sufficient for any of her questions in the past.

"I'm sorry. I've got to take this. It's the babysitter," she told Tyler hurriedly.

He nodded enthusiastically in agreement, his mouth full.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Kate. Sorry to bother you, but I think Jasmine might have broken her arm. She fell off the playset just now and I can't get her to stop crying. She said her arm hurts to move it. I'm so sorry."

"No, no. It's ok. I'm glad you called. I'll be right there," Kate hung up and snatched her purse. Tyler was looking at her with wide eyes.

"I have to go. Jasmine might have broken her arm. I'm sorry," she spun to leave, but he stopped her before she could reach the door.

"Let me go with you."

"What? Tyler, I don't have time to argue about this," she said incredulously, trying to break free from his grasp on her arm.

"Listen. She's going to be upset and want you. I can drive you guys there and you can sit with her in the back."

Kate bit her lip. He has a point...damn it. Knowing that he wasn't thinking about them any more, thinking about what was best for her and her daughter melted her heart. Tyler really was a sweetheart.

"Ok," she gave in. "I'll see you at home."

At Kate's house, they could hear the little girl wailing before they even got inside. She ran to the door when she heard her daughter's cries and Tyler followed.

Kate ran to Jasmine, who was sitting on the babysitter's lap on the couch, crying her eyes out. The girl handed her over to her mom.

"Hey, sweetie," Kate rubbed Jasmine's back.

"What happened?" she said more for the babysitter and her other two girls to answer than the sobbing little girl. The three of them started talking all at once. Tyler could see Kate's face immediately flush with frustration.

"I don't give a shit who did what!" she yelled at her older two girls, who were trying to place the blame on one another for causing their little sister to fall off the playset. Kate inhaled sharply.

"I'm sorry. What were you saying, Kaitlen?"

It was hard to hear anyone over Jasmine's wails. Tyler had never heard a kid cry that loud in his life. It was clear she was in real pain and not just milking it like some kids did.

"From what I saw, she just lost her balance. She just happened to be standing next to that spot at the top by the climbing wall when her sisters ran by and she fell over. I don't think either one of them knocked into her or anything," the babysitter spoke louder to be heard over the screaming child. The older two kids continued to fight. It was a zoo and Tyler was merely observing. No one seemed to notice him and he was quietly grateful for that.

He saw Kate was having a hard time holding back her own tears now, trying to console Jasmine, and knew he had made the right choice in insisting on taking them to the ER, which he was fairly certain they were headed to.

Kate held up a hand for the others to be quiet and went into nurse mode, trying to assess the damage of her young daughter's arm.

"Sweetie, I know it hurts, but I need to try to move it if you won't, ok?" she tried to say calmly. The little girl instantly started screaming even louder, somehow, as Kate barely moved her arm.

"Ok. We gotta go," she finally looked up at Tyler.

"Come on, baby," she carefully lifted the girl like an infant. "My friend is going to take us to the hospital to get your arm fixed up."

"Will it hurt?!" Jasmine's words were barely coherent as they walked toward him.

"No. They're just going to take some special pictures of the inside of your arm and put a big, hard bandaid all around it so it will stop hurting."

"Ok!" she cried and buried her face in her mom's chest.

"I'll keep you updated," Kate said absently to the babysitter as she reached the door and Tyler.

"You can watch them for longer, right?" she added as an after thought, referring to her other two daughters.

"Yah, of course! Again, I'm so sorry." But Kate had already turned again, walking out the door Tyler had opened for her. He knew she wasn't trying to be rude, but she was clearly worried about her youngest daughter.

"It could have happened to anyone," Tyler spoke to the babysitter, taking pity on her. He recognized her from school, a grade or two younger than him. He caught the hint of recognition in her eyes too as he closed the front door. He knew it was selfish and ridiculous at the moment, but he was secretly a bit envious that this girl he had gone to school with was better acquainted with Kate's kids than he was. He pushed the thought away as he opened the backdoor of Kate's SUV and helped them get settled.

At last, Jasmine finally started to calm down about ten minutes into the forty minute drive to the hospital. Tyler listened as Kate introduced him to her daughter.

"Who's taking us to da hospital, mommy?" the little girl pointed.

"This is mommy's friend, Tyler. Do you remember him from the restaurant when you were with daddy a couple weeks ago?"

Tyler caught her shaking her head "no" in the rearview mirror and stifled a laugh. Kids' memories really were shit.

"That's ok," Kate patted her leg.

Watching them in the rearview mirror made his heart swell, the way Jasmine snuggled against Kate, knowing she was safe with her, and the way Kate stroked her hair, knowing exactly what would help calm her down.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Jasmine." Tyler hoped he wasn't pushing his luck. He wasn't trying to piss Kate off, just keep the girl's mind off of her aching arm.

"I've heard lots about you from your mommy."

"You have?" She said, astonished.

"Yah! I heard you're really funny and like to do silly things."

"Yah," Jasmine admitted bashfully.

"So how old are you?"

"Five."

"Wow! Are you going to kindergarten next year?"

"Mmhmm," she nodded.

"Well, that's exciting! Do you like school? Did you go to preschool this year?"

And so it went until they arrived at the hospital. The little girl seemed to have forgotten all about her injured arm.

Five hours later and they were finally leaving the hospital. It was only nearing 6, but Jasmine fell asleep quickly in the back seat, exhausted from the day's events. Kate glanced at her in the rearview mirror, thinking she looked so peaceful and pitiful at the same time with the bulky purple cast on her arm. Tyler had already promised to be the first one to sign it when they got home.

"Sorry the afternoon turned into such a shit show," Kate offered quietly. It was bad enough it had taken so long and he'd had to sit by himself for a good chunk of the time. To add to her guilt, Tyler was missing work because of her.

"Don't worry about it. I'm glad I could be there." He reached out his hand for hers and she let him. Kate believed him. He wasn't one to give lip service and she was fairly certain there wasn't an ounce of meanness in him. Occasional anger and frustration, sure, but not outright spitefulness.

"How'd you get so good with kids?" she wondered aloud. She had fondly watched him interact with Jasmine while they were all still in the waiting area at the hospital. Kate had started to realize then she'd made a mistake in keeping him from meeting her girls.

"Lots of younger cousins," he gave a small smile.

"Well, she seems to really like you. I hope she didn't drive you crazy," Kate laughed thinking about her 5-year-old talking his ear off. Tyler had been an excellent distraction from her broken arm.

"No," he chuckled. "She's cute. Glad I could take her mind off things," he squeezed her hand.

A few minutes went by.

"I'm sorry we didn't get to talk." As much as she didn't want to, Kate did feel bad they hadn't even "gotten down to business" the short time they had been alone together earlier since that was the whole point of their meeting.

"We've got some time now," Tyler offered.

There was another pause.

"I've missed you like crazy," she finally admitted.

"I've missed you too. But you already know that."

More silence.

"What's the real reason you're trying to push me away?" he finally asked.

Kate sighed, knew the question was coming, but it was still difficult working up her courage to tell the truth. It was embarrassing. She had shut herself off for so long that she'd forgotten how vulnerable she felt when she opened up. It may not have been the lunch date they were supposed to have, but Kate had promised herself she'd be honest. She closed her eyes and told him the laundry list of her worries. Tyler barely hesitated before answering, seeming to already have had a good idea of what her concerns were before she even voiced them. He was a smart guy and knew her better than she had ever meant to let him.

"First of all, we've been over this before. I don't want some girl my age. I want you." Kate's cheeks flushed. He spoke not with irritation, but patience, his voice surprisingly even.

"Second, you and I both know I can't say what things will be like in a year. And that's not fair either." He paused.

"I know you didn't mean to fall in love with me, but I know you do, whether you like admitting it or not. So let me ask you this again: You'd rather deny yourself one of life's simple pleasures on the chance that it might not end well than to try at all?" There was still no anger in his words. He paused before continuing, letting her think about what he had said.

"You and I both know you don't really want to do this. Think about what it will be like if you do. Seeing each other at the gym, trying to pretend nothing ever happened, that we aren't still longing for each other..." Tyler pulled her SUV up in front of her house.

Kate was in danger of crying again, but glad she was numb from the tiring day.

She knew he was right and hated him a little for saying it out loud. She could imagine it, but didn't like to. It made her heart ache thinking about him not being in her life at all.

"I do love you," she whispered, squeezing his hand, surprised at herself for uttering the words aloud.

"I want you to be part of my life. But it still scares the hell out of me, thinking about the possibilities. I know I'm being a total pessimist, but it's hard not to be. Dan and I got together in high school. We got married when we were 21. That's a long time to be with someone and have it all fall apart. Other than the kids, I feel like the majority of my life has been a waste so far," she admitted honestly.

"That is a long time. But not every relationship is going to end like that. And I hate that you think your life has been a waste. It brought you to this point and I'm personally pretty thankful for that," Tyler squeezed her hand. "And Kate?"

"Yah?"

"I'm not Dan." They stared at each other a long moment, both of them fighting back tears. It was still plenty light out they could see each other's eyes glistening.

"I know you're not," Kate whispered and shook her head lightly. At last, they leaned in and kissed, something they'd both been secretly longing for since her birthday. Silent tears slid down their cheeks.

Reluctantly, Tyler pulled away and held her face in his hands.

"I can't promise nothing bad will happen, but will you at least give me a chance to prove all of the things good things that can happen?"

Kate nodded, leaning in to hug him, both still crying quietly. It felt good to feel his warmth again.

"I love you, Kate," he whispered in her ear.

"I love you, Tyler," she choked, fighting back ugly sobs. Her body filled with relief saying the words out loud.

Several minutes passed before they finally calmed down and released each other slowly, each of them wiping the wetness from their eyes with the backs of their hands.

"No more sneaking around?" Tyler asked.

She shook her head.

"Can I meet your other kids now?"

"Yes," Kate laughed. "Come in with me?"

"Sure I'm not intruding? It's been a long day. I'm sure Jocelyn and Jesse missed you."

"Come on," she squeezed his hand, the other on the door handle. "They'll be thrilled."

"One more question: Can I take you all out for ice cream? I think that one deserves it," Tyler hiked a thumb toward the little girl sleeping in the backseat.

Kate laughed again.

"You must really want them to like you."

"It never hurts to make a good first impression," he grinned.

*Author's note: I know some of you didn't want them to become a couple. Sorry. You know what they say: You can't please everyone. If you happen to read any of my other stories, you should know that I'm kind of a hopeless romantic. :)