Spike looked at the card with Kendall's cell phone written on it, he wondered or eight was too early to call. He really wanted to get to know her, he was hoping he could stretch a cup of coffee into dinner.
He knew she was busy today with her friend's wedding and may not have a lot of time to talk, that's why he need to have perfect timing. He'd give her until ten, then he'd call her.
XXX
She was running late to the church, she had over slept which almost never happens. She had stopped to get coffee and donuts for everyone. She was headed to Catlin ' house to pick her uo, then to the church, do they could get ready. It was eight in the morning, they had to start pictures at eleven.
She pulled into Cait's drive, honking the horn she was important waiting for the bride to be to get going. She finally came wandering out of the house ten minutes later.
"We're late! Let's go!"
She peeled out of the drive way, flying down the road to the church. There was so much to do this morning and they were fifteen minutes behind schedule. She hurried Cait into the church, and into the chair so the styles could start fixing her hair. She got the brides maids started, on their hair.
She'd go last, once she was sure everyone else was taken care of. She made sure all the dresses and shoes were ready to go. All the bouquets of flowers were ready, she set her phone down when it was her turn for hair and make up.
XXX
"Dr. Kendall Turner's phone, how may I help you?"
"This is Mike Scarlatti, is Kendall availabl"
"She's getting her hair done, can I take a message?"
"Just let her know I called."
"Are you the guy from The Goose?"
"Yeah."
"Come on over at six tonight, to Mc Keenly Hall, for my reception You can see Kendall then."
"I don't want to intrude. "
"Trust me, you won't be."
She ended the call, smiling at herself, she loved playing matchmaker.
XXX
The more she thought about it, the more she decided that she'd just have a cup of coffee with Mike Scarlatti, and that was it. She couldn't afford to draw attention to herself after fifteen years of flying under the radar, getting involved with a law enforcement officer was just too dangerous.
She thought back to the young girl that she once was, the one that died that night. Leaving behind a life of comfort and extravagant living. She didn't regret the choice she made that night, but her life had been harder because of it, the scrafices and choices she had to make at fifteen still haunted her.
Getting involved with him, could bring her world crashing down around her.
XXX
Spike walked into Mc Neely hall, looking around the room, he spotted her at standing at the bar next to one of the groomsmen. He slowly made his way over, walking through the crowd of people. He admired her beauty.
Her dark hair was in loose curls down her back, her dress clung to her body, as he got closer he saw that her eyes sparkled under the lights of the bar, her full lips were painted a dark pink. She was laughing at something the groomsmen had said, her head titled back in laughter.
He walked up to the bar, standing next to her, she turned looking at him. It took a few minutes for her to recognize him, he was confused by what he saw. First shock, then happiness, followed by maybe anger.
XXX
"Constable Scarlatti, what are you doing here?'
"Caitlin, invited me to come by."
"She's over there. "I called you, to see about coffee tomorrow, and she answered. She invited me to the reception. "
He really was cute, his dimples, his smile, his warm brown eyes, and he seemed really sweet. She just couldn't. She closed her eyes, trying to get her focus back on the reasons he was a bad idea. She opened her eyes, he was staring at her intently.
"How about a dance?"
She offered him her hand, allowing him to lead her onto the dance floor. She should have but an end to it right then and there, he took her into his arms, and his touch sent electric currents through her body. She continued to dance with him, that was mistake number one. Mistake number two through six came when she spend the rest of the evening with him, allowing him to kiss her at the end of the night.
XXX
She lay in her bed exhausted, it had been a crazy week. She decided to be lazy for the rest of the day. She had absolutely no plans, she was debating on if she should get up or not. She thought about the kiss she shared with Mike last night. It was amazing and fantastic, and would never happen again.
Her phone rang inturrupting her thoughts, grabbing her phone she answered her phone without checking her ID.
"Dr Turner."
"Kendall, this is Spike."
"Hi." She was trying to think of a way to discourage him from calling her back and asking her out. It was a shame too, she had a good time with him last night. It was do easy to talk to him, he was sweet and attentive.
"I was wondering if you wanted to go to lunch today? I had fun last night, and really want to get to know you."
"I'm sorry, I can't today."
"Maybe next time."
This was her opportunity, she could and should have just said no, ended it then and there. "Maybe."
XXX
She couldn't stop thinking about him, no matter what she did, she couldn't get the handsome SRU officer out of her head. She left for work that morning determined to get him out of her mind. She arrived in the ER, to start her twenty four hour shift.
She stowed her bag in her room, and went out to get report from the out going doctor. She poured herself a cup of coffee and prepared herself for her shift. The craziness of her work started rolling in a hour after her shift started, it was late afternoon before she even stopped to think about eating a meal.
She was sitting down at a table in the garden of the hospital enjoying the late summer sun. Her meal sat uneaten, she was too tired to eat. She titled her head back closing her eyes, enjoying what few moments peace she had. A shadow was cast over her face, she frowned slowly opening her eyes.
The one man she was trying to erase from her memory was standing in front of her smiling. She smiled back at him, there was just something about him, that made her want to run to him, instead of away. He say down beside her placing a steaming cup of hot coffee in front of her.
She picked it up taking a drink, closing her eyes in bliss, much better then the sludge she'd been drinking most of the day.
"Thank you! This is much appreciated!"
"You're welcome." He paused for a few minutes before he spoke again. "I had a really good time with you Saturday. I was really hoping we could go out sometime."
Here it was, the time to say no, to run from him and run fast. She never dated, it was complicated, it was very lonely but for the best. It was too hard to explain her past or lack there of to people. It was better and safer just to be single. She didn't need a law enforcement agent meddling around in her life, and ruining everything she had worked so hard for.
"I'm sorry Mike, I'm not looking to date anyone. You're a really nice guy, but I just can't.."
The look on his face nearly made her change her mind, he looked like someone had just kicked his dog. She thanked him for the coffee and went back into the hospital, before he could asking anymore questions. She felt like a horrible person, she should have never of spent so much time with him Saturday night. The rest of her shift was non-stop go, she didn't have time to eat or sleep, much less think of Constable Michelangelo Scarlatti.
XXX
She dragged into the dinner across from the hospital for breakfast before going home, she was meeting some others that had just gotten off shift. She was starving, she had a bag of popcorn at three am, the last meal she had was the day before. The rest of the group got there, they ordered their breakfast, and started to unwind from the night.
She didn't look up, when the bell sounded, the dinner was busy that morning. There was a gunshot in the air, everyone hit the floor. The robbers locked the front doors, and started taking money from the cash registrar, the safe, and then started robbing the customers. Kendall could hear the sirens in the distance, she prayed that nothing bad would happen, she was scared. The robbers came to their table and demanded their valuables.
She was slow getting her ring off, the robber grabbed her up by the hair of the head. She didn't know what came over her, maybe it was from a memory and training from years gone past. She balled up her fist, throwing it back, hitting him in the nose, breaking it. He released his hold on her, she took hold of his neck, and slammed his head into the table. He dropped his gun, she picked it up, she grabbed him, holding him in front of her, like a shield, she got the other robbers attention.
"Stop! Put down the gun and walk this way!"
"Or what?"
"I'll blow his brains out, before he hits the floor you're next!"
The robber laughed, Kendall stared at the robber never blinking. The other robber throw the gun down. "Kick it over to me!"
She picked the second gun up. "Now walk to the door, unlock it, and go outside!"
She watched them as they followed orders, she was shaking by the time the whole ordeal was over. She sat down at the counter, placing both guns on the counter, laying her head down. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves, she knew that the police would probably reprimand her for being stupid, they had every right to. She was stupid, she had just screwed up, the past she was trying to escape, kept catching up with her.
"Excuse me, I'm Sgt. Greg Parker with SRU. Can I ask you a few questions about what happened?"
"I'm Dr. Kendall Turner, I know I did something stupid and dangerous. I apologize."
