Promise to Love Me, Even When You Hate Me.

Chapter 7

After 45 minutes of driving the conversation had died off, Dutchy shifted In his seat as he glanced over to Kate who was deep in thought.

"Okay, what you thinking?"

Kate shrugged still looking out the window.

"Nothing."

It was, of course, a lie, on the inside she was freaking out. Was Warren right? Did she really doubt the information she was given? She blinked a few times bringing herself out of her head, either way, she was going to find out the truth. She felt his eyes on her, she turned her head slightly and raised an eyebrow.

"I'm fine, seriously…"

Dutchy didn't understand why she was so hot and cold, she had opened up to him previously, even if it was only for a split second. He felt she was still holding back, he didn't know why she couldn't she just be herself.

"Okay, lets play a game…"

"A game?"

"Yeah! Umm, so what do you prefer, cats or dogs?"

She looked over to him and frowned then focused back out the window. Dutchy re-gripped the steering wheel determined not to let her shut him out.

"C'mon, I'm just trying to make conversation here…"

She exhaled loudly, get it together, Kate. She shifted her body in the seat and tucked one leg under the other turning towards him.

"Dogs…"

He smiled and winked in her direction, he was winning.

"Me too… Okay, pasta or pizza?"

"Oh, that's a hard one, but pasta."

"Umm, chocolate or flowers?"

Kate let out a laugh.

"Chocolate, duh."

Dutchy wrinkled his nose trying to think of a hard one.

"Hmm, okay, sunsets or sunrises?"

"Sunrises..."

Kate was quick to answer, he glanced over to her surprised by her answer.

"Why sunrises?"

Her lips curved upward ever so slightly.

"Cos the sunrise signals a new day, giving me a chance to make a difference."

Dutchy's eyes darted back and forth from Kate to the road, he didn't know what to say, he didn't expect such an honest answer.

"Wow, okay, we're going deep now are we?"

Kate's heart raced as she felt her cheeks burn. She felt too exposed, she repositioned her body turning towards the door and looked back out the window. She jumped as she felt a hand on her arm.

"Kate, it's fine, why do you get all funny when you say something meaningful?"

She opened her mouth to reply, but he cut her off.

"And don't say you don't, you do!"

She folded her arms across her chest trying to think of a defense, but her mind was blank. She frowned as he pulled the car over to the side of the road.

"Well, you wanted to know something real about me…"

He got out the car, Kate sat in the passenger's seat looking around confused bout where they were. He walked around to her side and opened the door.

"Come on…"

She got out the car as he rummaged around the boot, he pulled out a small black bag and placed it over his body. She slammed the door shut still not understanding what was going on.

"I thought you said you were going to tell me something personal about you?"

"In a minute, follow me first."

They walked down a dirt track for a few minutes, they came to a clearing and were surrounded by large rock formations and a natural swimming hole.

Kate stood on top of a large boulder and closed her eyes feeling the warm sun on her skin, for a moment she felt calm, like her life wasn't a complete mess. She heard a clicking noise and reopened her eyes and turned in the noise's direction. Dutchy focused a large camera in her direction, she covered her face with one hand while she waved the other in his direction.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm showing you something personal about myself."

He shook his head slightly at her confused expression and placed the camera strap around his neck.

"You wanted to know something real about me, well, in my spare time I like to dabble in photography."

It wasn't anything that she was expecting, she didn't have a response.

"Well, after the stuff we have to deal with at work, it's nice to see the beauty in the world."

Kate tilted her head, she didn't expect such sentiment in his words.

"Oh…"

It was Dutchy's turn to feel exposed, he broke eye contact and quickly shoved the camera back into the bag.

"Never mind…"

She stepped off the boulder and stood close.

"No, Dutchy, sorry, I guess, I wasn't expecting it, I think it's wonderful."

She removed the camera from the bag and held it up to her eye.

"Show me…"

He wrapped the strap around her neck and stood behind her, a shiver ran down her spine as placed his hands on hers and held the camera up to her face and leaned in close.

"Okay, so look through the viewfinder, you can adjust the zoom by twisting the lens."

He maneuvered her hand from side to side.

"See?"

She could only manage a nod, she was too focused on how close he was standing.

"Okay, so, got it?"

She nodded again.

"So, find me some beauty…"

Kate pivoted on the spot, she focused on the water and took a shot, she then moved her attention to the trees and to the rock formations. She sighed as she removed the camera from her neck, the situation was all too perfect. A guy and a girl alone in the secluded, yet beautiful wilderness, taking photographs, discussing their innermost thoughts, and yet, none of it was real, and she needed to remember that. She handed the camera back to Dutchy, he flicked through the photos and nodded, impressed by what he saw.

"You've got a great eye…"

She peered over him to look at the screen.

"Really?"

They got lost in each other's gaze for a moment, Dutchy was the first to look away, he cleared his throat.

"Anyway, we better get going, still got a bit of a drive."

She nodded and took a last look around at the serenity.

"But, we'll have to come back here…"

She heard the click of the camera again, Dutchy smiled as he lowered the camera from his face. She walked passed him and shoved him a little.

"Stop! I hate having my photo taken!"

He grabbed her arm and pulled her in close turning the camera around to face them.

"Just one more… say selfie!"

She rolled her eyes as he took the photo, he nudged her and posed again.

"Come on, a nice one!"

She smiled and posed for the selfie.

They arrived at the main strip of Townsville, Dutchy pulled into a park and undid his seat belt.

"So, where to first?"

Kate patted her stomach and grinned.

"Ah, food, I need food."

"I thought you girls didn't eat before you went shopping?"

Kate looked at him strangely.

"Who are you hanging out with? I need fuel for this!"

After eating half her body weight in food, Kate was ready to hit the shops.

Dutchy pointed to various stores as they walked down the strip, she shook her head at everyone he suggested.

"Seriously, it's more of what I wore the other night."

"Hey, you looked good..."

"Yeah, but, Dutchy, I don't wanna look like I'm trying to look 18."

He let out a laugh.

"So why did you buy the other outfits?"

Kate stopped and glanced in one of the windows.

"Ah, probably out of spite…"

"Huh?"

She shook her head and continued walking down the street.

"Never mind, so what about you?"

"What about me?"

Kate pointed to a male mannequin in a window dressed in a suit.

"Oh, c'mon, if I have to do this then you do to!"

"I don't think so!"

"I'll make you a deal, I'll try on 3 outfits of your choosing and I do the same for you..."

Dutchy let out a groan as Kate pulled him towards the Westfield entrance.

They walked into Myer and Dutchy found himself the 'boyfriend' chair and flopped into it.

"Okay, do your worst."

Kate walked around the shop and picked out a few items, she dumped them on his lap.

"Here you go!"

Dutchy let out a groan as he rose from the chair, Kate sat in his place, 10 minutes later he hadn't emerged, she sat there tapping her foot impatiently.

"Hurry up, Petty Officer, that's an order!"

Dutchy flung open the change room curtains and did his best catwalk model impression out to the shop floor. Kate giggled as he swung his hips from side to side.

"Hey, it looks good!"

Dutchy walked over to the mirror and nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, actually, not bad."

He turned checking himself out in the reflection.

"I'm so used to my girlfriends dressing me in…"

He stopped himself and glanced back at Kate.

"I, umm, didn't mean that you're, like my girlfriend, I just meant that…"

Kate laughed at his bumbling explanation.

"Dutchy, it's okay, I know what you mean."

He turned back to the mirror and brushed off his shirt.

"So, if you're this good at picking out clothes why don't you do if for yourself?"

He smirked and looked at her in the mirror expecting a retaliation, she folded her arms over her chest.

"One day, Mulholland, one day you're going to get what's coming to you…"

He didn't reply and strolled over to the women's section and smirked.

"Yep, and today is that day…"

Kate followed him to the racks, he shook his head and ushered her back to the couch.

"No peeking…"

She reluctantly sat back in the chair and put on a sulky face.

He walked back over to the racks, her glanced back over to her periodically grinning at her impatient expression. He returned and presented her with a coat hanger, she looked up, her face void of expression and shook her head.

"No!"

He nodded and smirked and removed the red polka dotted bikini from the hanger and held it in her face.

"A deals a deal…"

She snatched it from him and walked back over to the racks and shuffled through the bathing suits. She walked back over to him with a giant grin on her face and shoved a coat hanger into his chest.

"A deals a deal…"

He shook his head as he looked down seeing a bright pink bikini with frills.

"You're lucky I man-scape…"

She cringed the thought and entered the change room.

5 minutes later Dutchy poked his head out of the curtain.

"You ready?"

There was no response, he wrapped himself in the curtain and stepped out of the change room making sure he was covered. He caught a glimpse of her through the gap in the curtain, she stood there in the bikini looking at herself in the mirror, he flung back the curtain surprising her, she screamed from surprised.

"Dutchy!"

He looked her up and down and nodded with approval, Kate grabbed her clothes and attempted to cover herself.

"Hey!"

He tried to pull them from her grip.

"Don't be embarrassed!"

She grinned seeing Dutchy hiding behind the curtain, she snatched it away from him and doubled over in a fit of giggles seeing the tiny bikini covering what it could. He stood there with his hands on his hips, she gasped for air in between her snorts and howls.

"Totally worth it!"

He snatched the curtain back from her grip.

"Hey, you're lucky everything fit in there..."

Kate collapsed on the floor unable to contain herself, her laughed got him going and he sat next to her on the ground giggling.

"I'm regretting the steak I had for lunch, I have to suck it in."

She scoffed and whacked him on the stomach.

"Yeah right, sorry you're six pack is blocking your beer gut!"

Dutchy looked over to Kate and nudged her with his elbow.

"See, friends are fun..."

She rolled her eyes and gathered her clothes covering herself again, Dutchy frowned seeing the wire hanging out from her top.

"What's that?"

"Oh, ah, just my, umm, headphones..."

"Right... okay, well, you better be buying that bikini..."

Kate giggled as she poked at his chest.

"I think they'll make you buy yours seeming you've, umm, stretched it out..."

She pulled on the string of the bottoms, he lept up and re-wrapped the curtain around him.

"Kate McGregor, were you checking out my..."

She shoved him out of her change room, a few minutes later he passed some outfits through the curtain.

"Here, these are the serious ones."

She refused to grab the hangers, he jiggled them in her direction.

"Seriously, no more bikinis…"

She let out a growl and hung them on the hook. Dutchy rose from the chair as she exited the cabin, he had to do a double take, he smiled and caught her eye.

"Now that's perfect."

Kate stood there in a floral knee length off the shoulder dress, it was fitted through to her waist. She looked over to Dutchy expecting another smart ass comment, but there wasn't one, she broke eye contact seeing the sparkle in his eyes.

"Umm, yeah, it's okay…"

She ran back into the change room, Dutchy shrugged and sat back down.

He waited for her at the counter, she emerged and plonked the clothes and bikini on the counter, she frowned seeing he had a pile too.

"You're getting the outfits I chose?"

He nodded and took out his wallet.

"Yeah, I wasn't lying when I said I liked them..."

"Oh, let me get them…"

She took out her wallet and grabbed the company credit card, Dutchy pushed her hand away.

"No, I can't let you do that…"

She shoved the card towards the sale assistant.

"Yes, you can…"

The sales assistant looked up at them and smiled.

"I love it when couples shop together, normally it's funny to watch them argue about outfits, but you two are so cute..."

Kate and Dutchy glanced awkwardly at each other, Kate cleared her throat.

"Ah, we're not together..."

They walked down the street in silence, Dutchy wasn't sure why it was awkward again.

"Ah, more food?"

"Nah, could go a brew though..."

Kate fiddled with the sugar packets realising the flaw in her plan, she didn't know if he had a girlfriend. She knew he didn't have a family, but if he had a girlfriend, it would throw the spanner in the works, she sat there thinking of a way to subtly ask.

"So, umm, your girlfriend doesn't like the way you dress?"

"Nah, I mean, I don't have one right now, but yeah, I'm not a slob, I think I dress okay. But for some reason they're always trying to get me into suits and stuff, it's just not me. I struggle with wearing Whites as it is, it's not my style..."

"Fair enough, but have you ever considered that maybe you're choosing the wrong girls then?"

"Oh, so, I'm going to get some McGregor words of wisdom am I?"

"No! Well, I mean, look, I'm not all about the looks, but I mean, if they want you to dress another way then what else do they want to change? But I bet I can guess what kinda of woman you go for..."

Dutchy crossed his arms over his chest feeling a little judged.

"Oh, really?"

Kate scanned the cafe for an example, she heard a flutter of giggles and turned to see a table of young, attractive twenty somethings, wearing next to nothing, sipping on their iced tea.

"Bingo..."

Dutchy's eyes followed Kate's, he let out a grunt, she was spot on.

"Ah, maybe..."

"Exactly, look, who wouldn't be attracted to umm, that, but maybe you should look for someone who's got a bit more, err, clothing."

Dutchy laughed at her description, he knew she was trying not to be insulting.

"Yeah, okay, well, maybe no one like that has ever been interested in me..."

Kate went to speak but thought better of it, she needed to be delicate, not to be too 'into him', straight away.

"Well, maybe you haven't put yourself out there?"

Dutchy felt like he was being lectured by his mother, he sighed and swirled his coffee around the mug.

"If we keep talking like this I'm gonna I've to Irish up my coffee... so, what about you?"

"What about me?"

"Do you only date murderous drug dealers…"

They both froze, Dutchy didn't mean for it to come out like that.

"Oh, Kate, sorry, it was supposed to be a joke…"

Kate glared at him, he could see the tears well in her eyes. Before he could say anything else, she rose from her chair and calmly walked away. Dutchy rubbed his hands over his face and slammed his fist on the table.

"You idiot!"

Kate sat on the sand, tears falling from her cheeks. She wasn't sure if she was mad about his comment, or mad at herself for involving personal information in her lie. She furiously wiped the tears from her cheeks as she heard footsteps approach, Dutchy sat next to her hoping that she wouldn't run again.

"Kate, I'm so sorry!"

She fixed her gaze out to the water.

"It's okay…"

"No, it's not okay, it was an awful thing to say, I wasn't thinking."

She dug her feet into the sand, she knew this was the moment, the moment that she could "let him in" and put her plan in motion.

"But it was the truth, and the other truth is that I haven't had a boyfriend since…"

She glanced up to Dutchy hoping he was going to lighten the mood, but instead he looked back at her with sympathetic eyes.

"I'm sorry…"

She couldn't stand seeing the look on his face, that look of pity, she focused back on the sand.

"Don't be sorry, what did Grey's Anatomy teach me? It's not love if it doesn't destroy you?"

"What? I've never seen that show, but it sounds terrible. Love shouldn't destroy you, it anything it should help you grow."

Kate let out a sigh digging her feet further into the sand.

"You've obviously never been in love then."

"Obviously not…"

They sat there staring out into the water, Kate cleared her throat knowing she needed to give him more.

"You know, you're the only one I've ever told this too…"

"Oh…"

She felt Dutchy shift in the sand, she hoped she hadn't blown it and made him feel uncomfortable.

"Ah, sorry, I didn't mean to make this weird…"

Kate went to stand, Dutchy pulled on her arm making her sit back down.

"No, you didn't, I just don't really know what to say."

She shrugged.

"You don't need to say anything, listening is enough…"

"Can I just ask, I mean, is this why you're so serious about work? I mean, like you don't want to get close to anyone?"

It was exactly why, but she wasn't ready to admit that just yet.

"Ah, no, I mean, I just don't have the time, I'm on a new ship basically every year…"

Dutchy knew that she was trying to make excuses, but he didn't want to call her out on it, not when she was opening up again.

"Well, I'm glad you told me."

"Dutchy, just, can you keep this to yourself?"

"Of course, Kate, it's not something that I'd go round telling everyone, I mean…"

She waved her hand in the air dismissing his explanation.

"No, sorry, I know you wouldn't..."

She lifted her hand and slowly placed it on his knee, she glanced up to him out the corner of her eye.

"Thanks for this, I mean it…"

Dutchy smiled and placed his hand on hers.

"Anytime, I mean it..."

Kate broke eye contact and cleared her throat, she pulled her hand back and ran it through her hair. She wasn't sure if she was uncomfortable because she had shared private information, or because they were actually bonding over it. She hopped up from the sand and brushed herself off.

"Okay, I'm hungry again…"

Dutchy knew she was changing the subject, but he went along with it.

"Yeah, cool. What ever you want…"

That night Dutchy dropped Kate back to her house, he carried the shopping bags to her front door. She unlocked the door and hesitated for a moment.

"Ah, you wanna come in?"

Dutchy was surprised by her offer.

"Ah, yeah, sure…"

He plonked the bags on the kitchen bench and sat on the couch, Kate brought over a bottle of wine and 2 glasses.

"So, umm, thanks for today."

"You already said that…"

'Well, did I already say that I'm glad to have you as a friend?"

Dutchy's eyes darted up to hers checking that she wasn't being sarcastic, he shook his head and took a sip from his glass.

"Yeah, well, I told you we'd make a good couple, I mean, like friends…"

Dutchy's phone beeped, he took his phone from his pocket, it was a message from 2Dads.

"Pub tonight?"

Kate glanced over and saw the message.

"Oh, don't let me keep you…"

Dutchy shrugged and put the phone back in his pocket.

"Nah, all good, I'm pretty tired, rather just hang and watch a movie or something, oh, that's if you don't mind the company?"

Kate sipped on her wine trying to hide her smile, her plan was a go.

"Are you sure?"

He nodded and wiggled himself into the couch.

"Definitely…"

"Good, I'll pick the takeaway then…"

Dutchy laughed and shook his head in wonder.

"Do you ever stop eating?"

End of Chapter 7.

Thanks to everyone who's left a review, I hope i'm not confusing people too much, i try and re read everything but then I know what's going to happen so i'm not reading it with the same minds as you guys! lol there's still so much more to come, and i'm trying not to rush it cos i'm getting impatient lol!

P.S. Fun fact, Conrad Colbey (Dutchy) is now a professional photographer, thought it might be fun to add some real facts in.