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Chapter 35

Kitty

Guy held my hand everywhere we walked in Manhattan. We’d stopped by my hotel so I could get fresh clothes and shower with my own stuff. It was close to noon, and New York’s August heat was thick and sultry. I picked a light cotton dress with some sandals that were comfy for walking. Somehow, my curled ponytail had survived the night pretty nicely.

We waited in line for iced coffee in a small neighborhood shop. Guy got two pain au chocolate with our iced coffees. We gave our coffee names as Jack and Diane, my idea.

“You need two pastries to hold you over til lunch, Frenchie?”

“No. You’ll say you only want a bite and then you’ll eat my whole pastry. One’s for you, ma puce .”

I smacked him, but still laughed. The barista called out our names.

“Hey, not to be weird,” they said, putting our drinks on the bar, “But are you Kitty Gatto?”

“Guilty,” I said.

“And this is the hockey player?”

Guy snorted. “Yes, I’m the hockey player.”

“Do you mind if I get a selfie? My friends aren’t going to believe me.”

I glanced at Guy and he nodded. “Sure.”

They came around the counter. “Want me to take it?” Guy asked.

“No, get in!” the barista said. Guy hunched down to fit in the frame, giving a crooked but happy smile.

Guy slid his hand back into mine as we left, stopping me just outside the door. He pulled me to him for a quiet but sweet kiss. He looked down into my eyes with a broad smile as he traced his thumb over my lips.

“What was that for?”

“You’re nice to your fans. It’s cute,” he said.

“Well, yeah. I’m not a monster. You’re nice to yours, too.”

“I haven’t gotten to see you be famous, though,” he said. “It makes me happy. You deserve everything, Birdy.”

My grin could have split my face. “Thanks, Frenchie. Wanna meet some of my famous friends?”

“I don’t wanna crash your time with them,” he said. “I can go do tourist things.”

“I’ll double-check, but I’m sure they’ll be fine. But we might just gossip the whole time. Your choice.”

He gave me a sweet smile. “I’ll tag along.”

I had a lunch date scheduled with some friends from SNL, meeting up at a dive bar that had great burgers. I texted Tania to see if she was cool with Guy tagging along.

Hey. My old friend is with me this weekend.

Do you mind if he comes?

TANIA

You mean that hot piece of ass that you had on stage last night?

Yeah, bring him. But don’t blow up our lunch spot

with your fame and fortune

Ha. See you soon

Guy came in late, saying he needed to return his agent’s phone call. Our recent boost in fame affected his career, too.

Tania, my closest castmate other than the one I dated (ahem), my makeup artist Deandra, and my other co-star James Anthony waited for me at a table, greeting me with boisterous hugs.

“Heard you brought your man meat. Where is he?” Deandra asked, looking behind me.

“Outside on the phone. He’ll be in soon.”

“Okay, so before he comes in, did you two hook up? Did the stage chemistry carry over?” Tania jumped into interrogation mode.

I sipped the water in front of me. “Has the waiter been by yet?” I asked, changing the subject and fully knowing I wasn’t going to get away with it.

“No way, missy. Cough it up. How was it?” Deandra pushed.

I smirked. “He still remembers everything about me.”

The table erupted in shouts of excitement.

“But he’s the one that tried to marry you when you were nineteen, right?” Tania asked.

“He is,” I said after hesitating.

James gagged on his water. “Nine-TEEN?”

“It’s complicated. We went our separate ways after that, but we never really stopped loving each other,” I sighed. “It’s really nice to see him again.”

“Is he really the one that got away? We all watched the video before you came,” Deandra had stars in her eyes. I swallowed hard and nodded.

“Oh, Kitty Cat,” Tania said, grabbing my hand. “Is this going to ruin you?”

“It can’t. I’m just about to start with this writing job. He’s going back to Seattle. We’re just having fun this weekend and seeing what happens, I guess.”

“Well, speak of the devil,” James said. The door to the bar opened and Guy’s tall form filled the doorway. He waved to the bartender like he’d been there a thousand times and was getting his usual. His hand landed on my shoulder when he got to the table. I introduced him to everyone.

“I’m starstruck,” Guy said. “Nice to meet the people Kitty loves so much.”

“Likewise,” Tania said. I kicked her under the table.

“How was Marcie?” I asked Guy.

“Apparently, my little New York trip is sparking New York trade rumors,” he said, annoyed. My stomach dropped. Would he really go to New York? Too little, too late, Stelle.

“Have you talked to any teams here?” I asked, trying not to show my panic. We’d finally be in the same time zone, and he was considering moving across the country. Again.

“Not really,” he said dismissively. He took my hand casually, draping it between our chairs. He picked up the menu with his free hand. “So what should I get?”

Guy was quiet during lunch, but he laughed often. A lot of it was catching up on set gossip and what everyone was up to. I had an icy feeling in my gut the whole time. Same old shit, different day. Guy taunting me with his presence and perfection while threatening to rip it all away. Again. I focused on my friends, as they were who I came to see in New York.

“Can we all go out after your show tonight? I miss our dance parties,” Tania begged.

“Not sure what we’re going to get into, but I’ll text you,” I told Tania. I needed to cuss Guy out in private first.

As we left the bar, Guy turned to me. “What now? We’re in the Big Apple together again.”

“I’ve kinda got a headache,” I snipped. “I might go back and take a nap.”

“Oh. Okay. Should we stop for medicine?” he asked, forever the energetic puppy determined to have a good time.

“You know what? I’m just going to say it.” I turned to him. I looked around to make sure we weren’t being documented by some onlooker. I hadn’t even noticed anyone the night before, so I was extra paranoid.

“What, Kitty?” Guy asked, genuinely surprised.

I crossed my arms. “Did you come here for me or to court some New York team?”

He cocked his head back, eyes widening. “Birdy, no. I came here for you. They’re just rumors.”

“But you said ‘not really’ when I asked if you’d talked to them,” I went on.

“Well, yeah, I talk to all of them a little here and there. New Jersey was interested for a bit.”

I felt like my head was going to fly off. “You could have been in Newark, but you stayed in Seattle? I would have moved there for you. Jesus, Guy.”

“Sweetheart, no.” Guy reached for me. We’d wandered to the outskirts of a park with a wrought-iron fence. I clung to the fence, picking the peeling black paint. “It’s not like that.”

“How not?” I huffed.

Guy’s eyes went sad. “I couldn’t get traded without ruining my contract. But even then, you were with him.”

Well, that took the wind out of my sails.

“Why were you talking to New Jersey then?” I asked quietly.

It was Guy’s turn to get pissed. He screwed up his face, incredulous. He pinched the bridge of his nose like he was trying to gain his composure, but failed.

“Take a fucking guess, Kitty!” Guy burst out, breathing heavily after the statement. His hands were thrown wide, practically filling the whole sidewalk. His eyes searched mine. “It was for you. Everything, all of it. It’s for you. Every woman I slept with, I wished she was you. I watched your show every week just to see you. Branson made me get help because I was still a wreck over you three years later. I was ready to move here for you. But I realized how crazy it was to run after a woman who was very publicly dating someone else. So I stayed.”

I didn’t know what to say. “Guy.”

He rubbed a hand over his eyes, scratching the stubble on his chin. He looked at me, waiting for whatever I was going to say. I pried his hand off his face and took the other one as well.

“I was a mess without you, too. The first guy I kissed, I cried so hard Mikey thought he’d done something bad to me. Almost beat the poor guy up. And the sex, forget it. No one is you. And no one makes me feel the way you do.”

Guy wasn’t having my shit. His features were scrawled with hurt. “But you had a boyfriend. A serious relationship.”

“I did. I didn’t know if you and I would ever get a chance again. But it’s over now. It’s been over. And I never stopped loving you, all that time. I just didn’t know what to do about it.”

I shook his hands so he’d meet my eyes again.

“I love you, Guy.” Guy’s eyes rounded, brow furrowed. “Like really love you.”

I didn’t have to wonder if he’d remember that those were the words he’d first used with me, and then I used with him. I knew he did. He nodded, a tiny smile curving his lips.

“I know, sweetheart. That’s why I’m here.”

Everything shifted at that moment. He loved me. He knew I loved him. I knew it but had been hiding from it and stuffing it away. He was there to remind me that I loved him. To bring me home to him.

I was stunned.

He studied me for a long time as the realization worked over me, then squeezed my hands. “Wanna go get ice cream?”