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Past Imperfect
Written by Cait MacChat
Part Three
“Connor will return in time for lunch. He is meeting with Marcello to discuss closing the house and shipping my things to the mainland. I wish he would explain why he wants us to leave the house today and the island tomorrow,” Renee said as they finished the last of the breakfast dishes.
“I’m glad you agreed to come with me, Renee; I’m looking forward to working with you. I have so many ideas, things I really want to do - but I need help. I’m the worlds worst in the kitchen,” Kit said, her face staining in embarrassment. “I’m a great organizer but I’m missing the cooking gene.”
“Kit, allow me to speak frankly. I’m unhappy with all of this - it is
happening too quickly. I agree to join you for several reasons. I have
found when Connor decides something there is no going back. He is
correct, I cannot remain here nor return until Connor has ended it one
way or the other,” Renee stated. Pausing for a moment, as if she were
gathering her thoughts, Renee continued, “I like you, Kit, I think we
can help each other.”
“I appreciate your honesty Renee. Leaving the known for the
unknown is never easy. You’re right about everything else as well.
I’ve known Connor for a long, long time. He wouldn’t insist that you
leave if wasn’t absolutely necessary,” Kit replied.
“I appreciate your offer of a retainer but it is not necessary. My
parents left me everything and Connor has helped me invest in the
stock markets in the U.S. and in Europe. I have a good income,”
Renee confided.
Changing the subject, Renee continued, “You are not as unpleasant
as Conner led me to believe.”
“Excuse me?” Kit replied, taken aback by the unexpected comment.“He warned me. He told me not to be surprised if you were
unpleasant. You do not enjoy the morning, Oui?”
“Morning is not my favorite time of day, but I have been known to
rise to the occasion,” Kit answered, tongue firmly placed in her cheek.
“However, the scent of freshly ground coffee and home-made
croissants is a powerful motivator. That and the prospect of a
morning swim before the heat sets in tends to make me more, um,
pleasant.”As Renee had predicted, Connor met them back at the house that
afternoon. They found him sitting at the kitchen table drinking rum
with Marcello and going over the last details of closing the house.
“Ah, Renee. I will miss you,” Marcello said as he stood and
embraced Renee. “Do not stay away so long again, Oui?”
“I will return as soon as possible, Mon ami. I shall miss you, too,”
Renee said with a hint of sadness in her voice as she returned the hug.
“I think that takes care of everything, Marcello. We’ll be at the Bois
Joli tonight. Please see that our things are delivered there,” Connor
instructed as he escorted Marcello to the door. “Tell Nico we’ll be
ready to head down in about ten or fifteen minutes.”
“Nico’s taking you down, Kit. Renee and I will take the other
scooter,” Connor explained. “Renee, why don’t you go through the
house once more and make sure you have everything? We’ll meet you
outside.”
Renee nodded silently and left them alone in the kitchen.
“This is very hard for her, Connor. Are you sure there’s no other
way?” Kit asked, her heart breaking for her friend.
“I’m sure, Kit. It will be fine, don’t worry,” Connor replied as he
rinsed his glass and stashed the bottle of rum in his backpack. Linking
his arm in Kit’s they walked through the house and onto the verandah
where Renee was waiting.
“I can hear Nico coming,” Renee said. “Are we ready?”
Renee turned to look at the house one last time. “Good-bye house,
I’ll see you again soon!” Renee said softly. “I know it sounds funny
but when I was a child, I always said good-bye to this place. I didn’t
want it to be lonely while I was gone.”
With the benediction given, they mounted the motor scooters and
left the house without a backward glance
“Three years,” Kit thought, “and she’s never mentioned
returning to Terre-de-Haute.” Connor was right about hurricane
season - the house was totally destroyed the following August.
Thanks to Marcello, who was killed in the storm, Renee’s most
precious belongings had been packed, shipped, and stored until her
carriage house was ready. It was a comforting thought to know that
not all had been lost for her friend.The ringing of the telephone brought Kit back to the present. “Oh
bother,” she thought as she rose to answer it. “Riverhaven, Kathryn
Hawth...oh, hi, Adam. What’s up? I see. That’s fine. See you in about
forty-five minutes then? Drive safely - it looks like more rain.”
“Good,” she thought, “that will give me just enough time to
freshen up before Adam gets back.” Kit smiled to herself
remembering the previous night, “Perhaps we’ll have just enough time
to ourselves before Duncan and Amanda arrive.”“Kit, I’m back,” Adam announced as he let himself in the back
door. “Kit?” he repeated. “Renee? Anyone?” Dropping his briefcase
on the kitchen table, he switched the bouquet of fresh lilacs into his
other hand, careful not to dislodge any blossoms. Glancing at the
multi-line phone, he noticed the light signifying Kit’s bedroom was lit.
“There you are,” he said to himself.Although the thick carpeting muffled his footsteps, Kit felt Adam’s
distinctive buzz as he approached her room.
She continued her conversation without skipping a beat, “Yes,
Gina - you Helma, Renee and me. That’s one nice thing about the ski
season - everyone wants to go to the mountains and they leave the
Gorge alone! That, plus being able to turn down business if I want to,
is a bonus. It’s Renee’s birthday and I thought it might be fun for the
four of us to have a friendly game of Mah Jong. You know it’s her
favorite game, probably because she always wins,” Kit laughed. “I
wanted to throw her a party but she said she’d rather get together with
us, then have a few others over for dinner. No, I’m having it catered -
you know better than to eat anything I’ve prepared,” Kit said mocking
her infamous lack of culinary skills. “Great! I’ll call you back in a few
days and we’ll firm things up. Bye, Gina, have a good weekend,” Kit
finished as Adam approached her.
“I take it the ladies are free to come play?” Methos asked. “I don’t
understand why you persist in playing with Renee - she always takes
your money!
“You know birthday’s are difficult for her, Adam. She shared her
birthday with her Mother and it makes her sad to think of it. She was
the champion Mah Jong player on Terre-de-Haute and playing makes
her happy. It reminds her of the island and the old days with her
family. Besides that, what’s a few hundred bucks among friends?” Kit
teased.
“Yes, well,” Adam replied. “These are for you by the way,” he
continued as he presented the bouquet.
“Why thank you, kind sir,” Kit said as she brought the flowers to
her face and inhaled deeply. She noticed Adam’s eyes dropping to
the opening of her silk robe as she leaned forward. The robe was tied
loosely at the waist allowing a tantalizing glimpse of her bareness
beneath the silk. “I was just about to take a shower when Gina called.
I thought I’d go ahead and get ready a little early in case Renee needed
some help getting set up before Duncan and Amanda arrive.”
“Amanda’s coming? When did this happen?” Methos asked with a
slight frown.
“This morning after you left. It seems she’s meeting her newest
‘friend’ tomorrow and she’s at loose ends for the evening. Duncan
asked if she could join us and, of course, I said yes.”
Rising from the chaise lounge, Kit allowed Adam a long look at her
firm and shapely legs. “Did I ever thank you properly for the robe?”
she asked. “I do love the feel of silk against my skin.”
“Yes, as a matter of fact you did thank me - I’m glad you’re
enjoying it. I like the feel of silk against your skin as well,” Adam
replied as he dropped the lilac bouquet on her bed, scattering the
delicate blossoms. “I thought it was a rather inspired gift myself,” he
continued as he ran his hands over her shoulders and down her arms.
The movement separated the opening of her robe even wider.
Wrapping her arms around him, Kit lifted her head for a kiss.
“Umm, well, thank you again and again and again,” she whispered into
his mouth.
Pressing herself against him she could feel him accepting her thanks.Adam broke the kiss gently as his lips followed a trail down her jaw
line to linger on the pulse point of her throat. Kit moaned softly as she
felt his mouth on her neck. The whisper of his breath against her skin
caused delicious chills down her spine. Adam untied the belt at her
waist and let it drop.
“Why do I get the feeling you had something more in mind when
you mentioned getting ready a little early?” he whispered into her ear as
his hands wandered up and down her back.
“Guilty as charged, “Kit said, her voice trembling. “I throw myself
on the mercy of the court.”
“I’ve never believed in making quick decisions when the crime is as
serious as this. I think I shall have to study all the aspects of your
case in greater detail before passing judgment,” Adam responded in a
teasing voice.
“Your honor, I throw myself on the mercy of the court,” Kit
whispered with a shuddering breath. “Oh my and then some.”
“Precisely,” Adam replied as he continued to caress her. “Sweet, so
very sweet,” Methos murmured…Recovering, they lay entwined, touching and stroking one another
lightly.
“Let’s call Duncan and cancel, shall we?” Adam suggested.
“That would hardly be the polite thing to do, now would it?
However, it is a thought,” Kit said drowsily.
The abrupt ringing of the house phone shattered their mood. Kit
groped for the phone on her bedside table, “Yes, Renee, what can I
do for you?”
“I hope I’m interrupting,” Renee replied, “because I could use a
hand down here. I have several bags of goodies in the car and I’d like
some help getting them inside. I saw Adam’s car. What’s the point in
having a guy around if you can’t use him as a cheap labor?”
“We’ll be down shortly. Keep your pants on,” Kit, said with a sigh.“Yeah, I’ll do that while you and Adam puts your's back on,”
Renee laughed, hanging up before Kit could answer.
Part 4 will be posted in two weeks! Join us then for
more of this wonderful story!
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