With Me (30 page)

Her lips go up into a mischievous smile, which tell me she had something to do with the reviews. “Okay. I might have had my sister and mom write a review each,” she tells me already bringing up the proof. “Plus, I had their friends write some as well. I posted them on the main page when you first open up the website, see?” she says, pointing to the side of the page, where sure enough, there were currently six written reviews, all in italics. “That way potential customers will read them and
want
to buy the product. It’s working, isn’t it? You already have more orders than you thought you would to process,” she says, making me smile.

“True,” I tell her, already remembering the last large load I had to take to the UPS store.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen you smile since you’ve been back,” she tells me, making my frown return. She’s right, I haven’t smiled at all until now and I hadn’t realized it until she mentioned it.

Glancing over to where Josephina is dancing away with Mark, their laughter radiates throughout the room, as I take in how silly they both look. “Yeah, it’s kind of hard to smile when you’re sad most of the time,” I sadly tell her.

She reaches over to grab my hand, gently giving me a reassuring squeeze. “You miss him, don’t you?” The question a reminder of how I fell asleep last night, making me nod as I fight back the tears which are now clouding my vision.

“He called Mark last night,” she quietly states, quickly glancing over in Mark’s direction. “By the conversation I heard from our end, he’s up to something. I just don’t know what it is because Mark wouldn’t tell me,” she says smiling. “I think it’s because he knows I’ll tell you anyway, but by the sounds of it, it has something to do with you. Have you spoken with him?” she curiously asks.

I have to swallow the lump in my throat before I answer. “No, he only speaks to Josephina.” With the words said, the tears start to fall from my eyes when I make my confession. “Oh, Ashley. I think I made the biggest mistake of my life by walking away. But, I couldn’t stay and keep thinking I was his back up plan. I just couldn’t,” I finish saying as she embraces me in her arms, crying onto her shoulder, letting it all out. “He asked me to marry him at the airport,” I say in between my sobbing cries, making Ashley yank her body back with her eyes wide in shock.

“What?”

Wiping my nose with the back of my hand before telling her. “I know he was only asked because he wanted us to stay. He wasn’t asking because he loves me,” I explain, sniffling again.

“Oh, Kasey. Of course you would’ve thought that, but let me tell you something, you might not think Joseph loves you, but deep down inside I
know
he does.”

I’m about to argue her point, but she continues, “I know because of the way he is with you and by the way he looks at you. Kasey, a while ago when Joseph came home on leave, he brought Elizabeth to visit us. The difference of how he acted with you, compared to how he was around her, was completely night and day,” she says, with a heavy sigh, her eyebrows going up. “Yes, he might have given his attention to her, but when he looks at you…it’s with admiration and desire. He never did that with her. Never. So to me, it shows me he
does
love you.”

I sit there, taking in her words as I listen to her, shocked by her declaration. It’s the words I needed to hear to help make the decision I’d been contemplating lately. One I hope I wouldn’t regret making.

“HERE ARE YOUR keys, Mr. Mitchell. Congratulations on your purchase. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to call me, but I believe you’ll be extremely happy here,” the real estate agent tells me as he hands me my keys, walking over to the door before he leaves.

I take one final turn around the empty living room, beaming from ear to ear. It’s the first time I’ve really smiled since Kasey left, it’s only because I don’t have her by my side.

It kills me to know she doesn’t want to speak to me. I hadn’t pushed for it, but only because I couldn’t stand the thought of seeing her saddened face, the same one I already see when I talk to Josephina on
FaceTime
every night. It would’ve only made me run back to get her. Even against her protesting, I wouldn’t have given her a choice, but I didn’t go after her because I wanted to make sure I had secured buying the house before I did so.

Although I had wanted to tell Kasey about the house the day she left, I didn’t, already knowing she’d say it wasn’t meant for her. Plus, I had wanted it to be a surprise, which it was going to be, just like I kept telling Josephina.

The night Kasey left I kept going over all the words she said during her visit and it finally hit me, it was my fault she’d left. If I‘d just told her I loved her from the beginning, maybe she would have stayed.

Taking in the house once more, I think of why I didn’t tell Kasey about it. She would’ve easily figured out I had put an offer on it while I was engaged to Elizabeth. Yes, it was supposed to be the one I was going to live in after we got married, but I was no longer marrying Elizabeth because I found Kasey again. Life has a way of showing you what is really meant to be.

With the smile still on my face, I know the house was really meant to have Kasey and Josephina living in it with me. I remember when I had first seen the house. I had fallen in love with it instantly. Elizabeth may not have liked it, being she wanted a brand new house, something by the beach, but that wasn’t me. Against her protest, I still put an offer on it, regardless of what she said. At the time I had a gut feeling this was the house I
needed.
Now I know why. It was never meant to have Elizabeth in it, but Kasey instead. The problem I was now facing was trying to convince Kasey of that point.

Somehow I was going to convince her, though. This house was perfect for her. It came with a large garage that had been used as a workshop for cars. Originally I had planned on working on my own cars in here, but that was something I was willing to sacrifice for Kasey. It could easily be converted into a studio for Kasey. It was the perfect size for Kasey to work. I already knew when I showed her she would be sold on moving here. Shit, I would get down on my knees and beg if I had to.

When I had told Mark about my plan, he said I was taking a big risk, but one that may just work, which made me happy knowing I had a chance. With his help of keeping me up to date with Kasey’s business, I already knew it was taking off online, and she would need a bigger space. Mark’s updates were the only thing keeping me sane nowadays since she didn’t really want to talk to me. I know she was pretty pissed about the way we left things. I couldn’t blame her, but I was planning on making it up to her.

I’m locking up the house when my phone starts to ring. Digging it out of my pocket, I look at the phone, and see Kasey’s name on the screen. It’s strange to see it, especially knowing she doesn’t call me at all anymore. I’m usually the one who has to call them via
FaceTime
and even then, it’s only to speak to Josephina.

“Kasey, is everything okay?” I ask, worried something might have happened to Josephina.

“Well, I do seem to have a little problem,” she says, a hint of laughter in her voice, confusing me, but the words alone make the panic build up inside of me. I hate knowing she’s still clear across the country and I wouldn’t be able to get to them fast enough if something was wrong. I need to get them both back on the west coast fast because I can’t take this shit any longer. “Kasey, what’s wrong? I can call Mark or Ashley. They can get to you in a couple of minutes,” I frantically say in a panic. My heart is racing, my mind building with the scenarios of what could’ve happened. It’s driving me insane.

I hear her chuckle, confusing me, as she says, “I really doubt Mark or Ashley can help me today. Actually, I’d really hate to have them fly to San Diego just to help me this time.”

I hear the rustling of the phone, as if it’s being passed to someone else before I hear Josephina say, “Daddy, when are you coming home? Because I really need to pee, and your door is locked,” she whines.

My eyes go wide, my heart feeling as if it’s stopped. I stand rooted to the spot in shock from the words, wondering if I heard her wrong. I don’t want to get excited thinking they are here in San Diego again.

I hear the rattle return, most likely Kasey taking the phone back from Josephina, because I hear her voice say clearly into the phone, “What time are you coming home?”

“Kasey, where are you guys at?” I force myself to ask, trying to calm my excited state of mind.

“We’re actually sitting on the steps outside your door at this moment. I wanted to surprise you, but it back fired on me being that you’re not home,” she declares, sounding disappointed.

I quickly start walking to my truck as fast as I can. Practically jogging to it. “Kasey, you see the box with the fire extinguisher inside it, in between the two apartment doors? There is a key above it to my apartment. I’ll be home in fifteen minutes, baby,” I tell her, smiling from ear to ear as I’m jumping into my truck.

“Okay. We’ll be inside waiting for you,” she calmly says before hanging up the phone, leaving me listening to dead silence.

Taking every back street that would allow me to break all the traffic laws possible, I can only think about getting to them. I California rolled through more stop signs than I should have, but I didn’t care. I couldn’t get to my girls fast enough.

I’m finally back at my apartment, my heart racing with excitement to see them. I’m barely able to get the truck in park before jumping out and taking the stairs two at a time to get to my apartment. Rushing through the door I see them, going straight towards Kasey to pick her up, eagerly kissing her lips.

Her arms wrap around my neck, pulling me tighter to her body as she laughs against my mouth. I take advantage of her laughter to push my tongue forward, deepening the kiss. She has never tasted so good. When I hear her moan into my mouth it makes me close my eyes and thank my lucky stars she’s here.

“Daddy,” I hear Josephina say as she tugs at my pants.

Opening my eyes, I pull my lips away from Kasey’s, and look down at Josephina. Slowly I lower Kasey down to the ground. Just as quickly I lean down to pick Josephina up, hugging her tightly in my arms to place a kiss on her head, inhaling her sweet smell.

“Were you surprised, daddy?” she enthusiastically asks, as she pushes herself away to look at me, “We wanted to surprise you by knocking on your door, but you weren’t home,” she says with a frown.

I smile at her. “Of course I’m surprised. It’s the best surprise in the world,” I say to her, telling her the truth.

Looking over at Kasey, the doubt hits me in the pit of my stomach. “Please tell me you’re not just visiting?” I beg her, already dreading the fear of watching her leave.

She smiles up at me, shaking her head. “Nope,” she says before taking her bottom lip as she shyly smiles at me. “We’re here for good, but Joseph, there’s something I want to talk to you about first,” she says, making me frown. The expression on her face is worrying me. It’s the same one she had the day she left. I don’t want to see it again.

Placing Josephina back down on the ground, I go to turn on the TV. “Princess, your mommy and I are going to the room to talk. Will you be a good girl and watch TV for a while?” I tell her, as she is already lying down on the couch. The yawn she gives me as she nods her head indicates she’s going to fall asleep soon, which is good. It will give Kasey and I time to talk.

“I think she’s going to take a nap,” Kasey whispers up to me. “We had to get up pretty early this morning and the excitement of coming here has kept her awake. I think it’s finally catching up to her.”

Grabbing the blanket at the end of the couch, I cover Josephina up with it, giving her a kiss on her head as I watch her drift off into sleep.

Reaching out to pull Kasey’s hand into mine, I lead her to the bedroom as she follows closely behind. I already fear what she’ll say, but regardless, it’s my chance to finally tell her how I feel. Once inside, I shut the door behind us, turning to face her before I take her in as she’s standing in front of me. It’s clear she’s lost weight since she left. Her eyes are darkened with shadows, as if she hasn’t slept, making her look exhausted. I hate seeing her like this. Stepping up to her I grab onto her waist, pulling her towards me, close enough that I’m looking directly down into her eyes. She places her hands on my arms as she begins to speak. “Joseph, the reason why I left the first time was because I felt like there wasn’t any reason for me to be here. I felt like there was no
real
future between us,” she says to me. “I’m not going to demand you make any promises, but I need to know if I’ve wasted my time by coming back.”