Chapter 6: If You Say Stop, We'll Stop
She glared at the clock because the hands kept moving. The closer it got to three o'clock, the more butterflies clamored in her stomach. Finally at 2:49pm, she grabbed her keys and bag and stalked to the door, muttering and cursing until it closed behind her. Gale and Johanna exchanged satisfied glances. Phase one was underway. Gale pulled a cell phone from his pocket and sent a warning text message. Johanna slung an arm around his shoulders, resting her chin on the top of his head. "What if this little plan you two have cooked up doesn't work?" she asked quietly.
Gale shrugged and twined his fingers with hers. "It will. It has to, Jo. She can't keep hiding." He placed a light kiss on their joined fingers, "She's existing, not living. I owe it to her as a friend. I owe it to my brother. He would kick my ass for letting her carry on this long."
Johanna laughed and mussed his hair affectionately. "I agree with you, brainless. I just think we're slightly overstepping our bounds. Wouldn't it be easier to just get her in the car along with him and let nature take its course? Why must we have an elaborate charade?"
Gale eyed her incredulously, "You do realize that this is Katniss Everdeen we are talking about? She will never do things the easy way. Anyway, we didn't come up with this elaborate charade as you so aptly put it. She came up with this plan all on her own. She said we should just buy the tickets and drive them so that we don't miss any of the juicy details. That's exactly what we're doing." Johanna grinned, remembering the conversation from just a couple of days ago. Katniss had said those very words in a fit of piqué. Gale continued, "Peeta and I just tweaked those details a little bit. She'll still put up a fight. We're just giving him an extra edge. With her, he's going to need all the help he can get." Johanna, unfortunately, couldn't disagree with him on that.
Katniss parked her Jeep and cleared the door at the Mockingbird Diner at 2:59pm. She looked around, noting with a great deal of annoyance that there was no familiar blond head occupying any of the tables. Her annoyance gave way to a flash of anger. Don't be late indeed.
A petite blond garbed in a tight red blouse and short black skirt ambled over, menu in hand. "Welcome to the Mockingbird, table for one?" Katniss eyed her in frustration and nodded tightly. She was led to the only open booth, given the menu and a recitation of specials before Katniss asked for some tea, and then abandoned. So much for customer service, she thought darkly and glared at the menu.
"Should I be scared that you're strangling the menu?" Peeta asked mildly. "Or are you wishing that it was my neck instead?" He slid into the other seat, smirking as her glare shifted to his face.
"I was ordered to appear at three o'clock. I came as ordered," she groused, tossing the menu aside. "I can't understand why someone requests a progress report after only one day, but here I am. You could have least had the courtesy of letting me know you would be late, especially after you demanded that I be on time."
He chuckled at her tone and remarked, "I wasn't late. I've been here since noon to help with the lunch rush. I didn't get done cleaning up as soon as I had hoped, Katniss, so I was a few moments late. Please allow me to beg your forgiveness." She met his amused gaze sharply and finally noticed the long white apron he had casually tossed aside. He followed her glance and chuckled quietly. "I didn't expect that we would have such a crowd. It's not usually that busy mid-week." He gestured to the discarded menu, "You should get something. The food here is really good. And I'm not just saying that because I helped make it, either."
Katniss' eyebrows rose into her hairline as understanding dawned. So this was Sae's restaurant. Very interesting. She retrieved the menu and flipped through it quickly. The waitress chose that very moment to finally return, Katniss' tea in hand, and chirped, "Are you ready to order?" Katniss bit her lip at the cold tone and mutely shook her head. She dimly noted the name tag, "Madge" attached to the collar of the red blouse. Ms. Short Skirt stalked back toward the kitchen, anger rolling off her in waves. Ah, yes. This must be the Malibu Barbie that Prim spoke about. Katniss felt her mood take a turn for the better. The day was starting to look up.
Peeta clearly noted her changing expression and gratifyingly began to look a little nervous. He didn't know what caused that sudden gleam to appear in her steely gray gaze. He did, however, notice how her eyes followed Madge and groaned to himself. He was going to kill Prim. His turncoat little sister had clearly spilled the beans. Peeta cursed himself for inviting Katniss to meet at the Mockingbird. It had seemed like such a promising idea that the time. He had completely overlooked that Prim might tell Katniss about his side job. He definitely had not considered that the little wretch would blabber about his embarrassing situation with Madge. The infernal woman wouldn't take no for an answer, and being polite had gotten him exactly nowhere. Peeta had decided to let Sae know that he was no longer available to take shifts. He hated to give it up but he could see no other alternative. Until now.
Katniss waited impatiently for him to speak. She had clearly given away the fact that she was aware of his issues with the hired help. Pity. According to Prim, the show was a good one. She had no idea why he continued to sit there looking way too satisfied all of a sudden. She jumped as his hand slid across the table, catching hers and he began playing with her fingers. "I'm sorry that you had to wait, Sweetheart. I promise I'll make it up to you tonight. Please don't be mad." He placed a nibbling kiss on each of her fingertips and almost ended up with a lap full of tea when she jumped at the contact.
"Tonight," she squeaked, gray eyes wide. She twisted her fingers, trying to get them free but he continued to pepper the tips with kisses, his blue eyes dancing merrily at her predicament. "What do you mean tonight?"
"Katniss, I'm talking about the concert that we're attending with Gale and Johanna. You didn't forget, did you? Gale said that you and he made the arrangements at the office. He picked up the tickets this morning." He smiled lazily, rotating her hand to place a soft kiss on the inside of her wrist.
Katniss mentally cursed Gale with every oath learned over the course of twenty-six years. She added a few in for Johanna as well, because there was no doubt in Katniss' mind that she was involved in this little setup. She finally extricated her hand, "I thought this was a progress meeting about your sister, not a set up to get me to go out on a date with you," she retorted coldly. "Gale is just being an ass. I expect Johanna to join in. It's what she does best. How did they con you into it?"
Peeta rolled his eyes at her offended tone. He reached across the table and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Nobody conned me into anything. Did you or did you not tell Gale that he needed to buy tickets to a concert and drive us there?" She mutely nodded so he continued, "He took that as a sign that you were willing to spend some time in my company. I enjoyed meeting your friends and was happy when he called earlier. It's been too long since I've had some down time. I'm looking forward to it."
"Fine," she groused. "I'll go, but this had better not happen again. And for future reference, don't use me to clean up your other problems, either. You can deal with Malibu Barbie on your own."
Peeta raised his eyebrows in surprise at her easy acceptance and the reference to Malibu Barbie. Prim had definitely talked. He would deal with her later. Right now, he had to placate the obviously irritated Katniss if there was any hope of enjoying a pleasant evening. "Don't worry about Madge, honey. She's going to be taken care of soon. I'm telling Sae today that I won't be able to do shifts until she gets everything sorted out. I guess I'll see you later then." Climbing to his feet, he dropped a kiss on the top of her head and strolled toward the kitchen, whistling as he went.
Katniss growled an oath under her breath, snatched her bag up and headed for the exit. The waitress, Madge, watched her go with venomous eyes, and Katniss sent her a sugary smile as she pushed through the door. Peeta caught the exchange and tossed her an amused grin, causing one side of her mouth to quirk up in response. She gave Madge a challenging look and then blew Peeta a kiss before the door slammed shut behind her. Madge stamped her foot and glared at the door before turning her scowl on Peeta. He merely shrugged and continued into the kitchen. He hoped Gale and Johanna knew what they were doing. He didn't want to be smacked. He also didn't want to lose the opportunity to spend more time with her. That was the part that she didn't need to know about just yet.
It was much later when the four of them parted company at Katniss' front door. The night had gone unexpectedly well. The concert they attended featured a local band that wasn't well-known, but put on a fantastic live performance. The night had been filled with easy laughter and joking. It had been something of a shock when Katniss came down wearing a skirt and vest top, her feet shod in comfortable leather sandals. She had accepted Peeta's compliments gracefully, bantering with Gale and Johanna as though she didn't have a care in the world. It was almost surreal, which made Peeta very wary. She reminded him of a ticking bomb just waiting for the right stimulus to explode in fire and devastation.
They had met at Katniss' place, piled into Gale's beat up Range Rover, and made it just in time for the opening number. Afterward, they had stopped at the Mockingbird for a late supper. Sae was running the register when they entered and greeted all of them like old friends. She gave them their meal on the house, insisting that they try the homemade blackberry cobbler. Sae also told Peeta that there was no need for him to discontinue his shifts if he still wanted to work. The Madge situation had been handled. Peeta actually felt a little sorry for Madge, since Sae's methods of taking care of a situation weren't known to be pleasant. The girl was lucky that she maintained her job; Sae wasn't known for giving second chances.
Gale and Johanna dropped them off, laughingly suggesting that they do it again soon. Katniss rolled her eyes and retorted that she would love to be asked instead of coerced. Peeta just shook his head at her reprovingly, giving Gale even more ammunition as her face reddened in embarrassment. The two stood awkwardly, watching the lights fade into the night. Finally, Katniss cleared her throat and asked hesitantly, "Do you want to come in?"
Peeta flashed a half-hearted smile, "I don't think that's such a good idea, do you? It's been a long day. I'm sure you have a lot to do tomorrow. You've been forced into my company enough for one day."
Katniss nodded mutely, her expression suddenly downcast. "No, I haven't been forced into anything. But if you have to go, it's okay. I just thought you might want to…"her voice trailed off and she looked even more uncomfortable.
He gently touched her hand. When her gaze lifted to his, he said, "It's not that I don't want to stay, Katniss. I just don't want to intrude. If you want me to stay, I'll stay."
She smiled up at him shyly and turned toward the building. They entered the elevator and he was surprised when she hit the button for the roof access. He looked at her questioningly. "I want you to see something. I think you'll like it. It's my favorite place in the world." He nodded mutely and tried not to look too pleased as she reached for his hand the moment the door opened.
They stepped out into a fairy tale. The moon gave just enough light to outline the gravel path that wound back and forth among the beds and pots. The landlord had set up the roof as a pocket-sized garden, complete with a tinkling fountain and wind chimes that danced when caught in a convenient breeze. Small flowering shrubs edged the pathways that separated the roof into several different beds. At the center, a small waterfall flowed endlessly into a pond enclosure, the water splashing soothingly on the rocks carefully arranged below.
She stood quietly with her eyes closed and let the peacefulness quiet the butterflies in her stomach. They had started the moment that Gale drove off, leaving her gazing into a pair of brilliant blue eyes. She had acted on instinct, inviting him to see her sanctuary. She had never brought anyone to her rooftop garden before; it was hers alone. She shivered and felt his hands on her shoulders, briskly rubbing up and down her arms as if he could warm her by touch alone. She leaned into his chest, eyes still closed and sighed contentedly as his hands dropped to encircle her waist and pull her closer. He hugged her tightly for a second then loosened his hold. One of his hands tangled in her braid, undoing the tie and separating the strands until they hung in loose waves about her shoulders and back. He turned her around to face him, eyes taking in his handiwork. She smiled slightly at his wondering expression and brushed the wayward strands behind her ears. The quiet air around them began to hum with shared anticipation. He stepped forward, lowering his head and she stopped him, unsure and unsteady on her feet.
"Why did you bring me pastries, Peeta? Especially those pastries?" she questioned.
"I don't know," he responded after an uncomfortable minute. "I really don't. I guess Prim told you the significance." He laughed quietly, running a hand through the already tumbled curls. "They were kind of a tradition with my parents. My Dad used them when he proposed. He gave them to Mom each year on their anniversary. I loved to see the look on her face when he would hand her that bag. You would have thought she held the whole world in her hand. At least, that's what her face looked like." He hesitated, clearly choosing his words. "I wasn't aiming that high when I gave them to you. I just wanted to make you smile. You were so full of life and enthusiasm when you came to my office to talk about Prim. You made me believe that she could get it together and be okay again. I wanted to thank you for that, I guess. And, I'll admit, I wanted to see you again. It had been so long since I'd felt anything good. I just wanted to return the favor, hence the pastries. I just wanted to repay you. It was stupid, I know."
He trailed off, surprised as she stepped toward him, her hands coming up to cup his face. He grabbed her wrists, holding her hands to his cheeks. Their lips met in a quick exchange of pressure and breath before she pulled back. Her eyes searched his, looking furiously for what, he didn't know. He held her gaze, pressing her palm to his mouth and then gently kissing each finger in turn. She shivered again, the cold air contrasting with the heat where he held her. Releasing her hand, he removed his jacket and swept it about her shoulders, enfolding her in its warmth.
"What are we doing?" she whispered shakily.
"I don't know, Sweetheart," he answered quietly. "This was your idea. What do you want to do?"
She shook her head, eyes closing as she fought some internal battle. When they opened, Peeta was startled to see a haze of tears in the gray depths. He reached for her again and she deftly sidestepped his hands, moving to a small bench and sinking down. He followed her, his gaze never leaving her face, and waited until she spoke. "I wasn't looking for this. I didn't plan this. You were just so…" she trailed off, shifting uncomfortably. "Please, Peeta. I'm begging you for both of our sakes. Don't make me love you. I don't think I could handle it."
Startled at her words, he grabbed her shoulders and waited until her eyes met his before speaking, "Make you love me? Sweetheart, I couldn't even if I wanted to. It's completely your choice, Katniss, about how far this thing goes." He smiled ruefully at her. "I was a goner from the moment you came into my office. Nothing I've seen since then has altered my opinion in the slightest." He twined her fingers with his once more. "I don't know where this is going. I'm afraid to question it. But you have to realize that unless you want it too, that this is as far as it goes. I could love you, Katniss. I know that I could. But I can't and won't force you to love me back. We both deserve better."
She leaned forward and their lips met again. Slow and warm, gentle and giving. She felt as though he had lit a fire in her. It terrified and excited her at the same time. Eventually, he pulled away and rested his forehead against her shoulder. Meeting her gaze, he smiled and pushed her hair back, trapping the flyaway strands between his fingers. "We can't figure this out tonight," he whispered. "After Prim is done, we will talk this out. If you say stop, we'll stop. But I promise you this, I'm not going anywhere. You're stuck with me, so get used to it."
She smiled, her fingers tangling into his hair. "I think I can handle it," she retorted. "I'm not going anywhere, either. You've got yourself a deal, Mellark. In three months, we decide." They curled into each other, hands and mouths meeting to seal the deal. Three months. It suddenly seemed like an eternity away.
End Part 6
*Thanks to Chelzie for doing the whole beta thing...much appreciation.