Katie's Glimpse (The Glimpse Series) (2 page)

“I’m guessing by
your expression, you didn’t expect to see me here.” I blushed and tried to
reign in my surprise by clearing my throat. He pushed away from his desk and
stood, his two strides eating up the space between us. “Here, let me take your
coat,” he insisted, holding out his hands.

I slipped it off and
handed it over, carefully avoiding his touch. I watched as he hung it on the
back of the door, over another coat.

He turned back to
me, an amused smile on his face. “Have a seat and we’ll talk.”

I moved to one of
the leather chairs in front of his desk and after smoothing my pants, sat down.
He remained standing beside me until I was seated.
Oh my, such a gentleman.
I studied his face as he strode to his chair and sat down. When his gaze met
mine, I thought how unfair it was that he looked as gorgeous as I remembered. I
cleared my head and got down to business.

“You’re right. I
didn’t expect to see you here. I answered the ad in the paper for this job but didn’t
know what the business was until I pulled up and saw the sign. Then I remembered
you said you worked here, but you didn’t say you were the owner,” I said,
struggling to slow my pounding heart.

 “I’m just glad to
hear you remembered me. Sydney mentioned a Katie was coming in but you
introduced yourself as Kaitlyn at the café, so I didn’t put it together.”

I smiled and
shrugged my shoulders.
What did he expect? He had pretty much held me
hostage at the café table.

 “So tell me about
yourself, Kaitlyn, or is it Katie?” he asked with a cheeky grin.

“It’s Kaitlyn Crane,
but you can call me Katie. And I’m currently a freshman at Union studying
business management. I’m originally from Springfield, Tennessee, where my dad
owns a construction company. I worked for him the summer before last doing some
bookkeeping and whatever else he needed.”

 “Did you not work
there this past summer too?”

Oh crap! He just had
to ask me that.

My smile faltered. “No.
I took this past summer off since it was my last one at home for a while,” I
lied.

I thought about the
truth, but knew I couldn’t tell him what I’d actually been doing last summer.

“Are you familiar with
this bookkeeping system?” He turned the computer screen so I could see what he
used.

I smiled when I saw
the program. “That’s the same one my dad uses for his business, so I’d say I’m
very familiar with it.”

His smile told me I’d
given the correct answer. He proceeded to tell me the hours and pay for the
part-time position. It wasn’t much, but it was better than me being a hermit
with no pay.
I assured him all of that was fine, and my school schedule
wouldn’t conflict with the hours of the job.

“School comes first,
okay? So if anything comes up, let me know and we can work it out,” he stated.

“Yes sir,” I
replied.

 He dipped his chin,
his eyes becoming serious. “Please don’t call me sir. I’m just Levi.”

 “Yes
sir..um..Levi,” I stammered out and felt a blush creep up my face.
Good
grief, keep it together Crane. This is your new boss.

He chuckled softly
and stood. “Well, I’ll show you around and tell you a little about what the job
entails. If you’re still interested, then it’s all yours.”

He took my coat from
the door and held it open to me. I rose and turned, slipping my arms into the
sleeves. He ran his hands over my shoulders, smoothing down the wool, before I
could step away. I stilled at his touch, but managed to hold it together. I
turned, giving him a small smile and caught a whiff of men’s cologne. It was a
clean, woodsy smell and I realized it was coming from my coat. The scent was
intoxicating, but somehow I resisted the urge to bury my nose in the collar for
another sniff. Levi turned and lifted the other coat from the door and shrugged
it on.
Oh, that’s his cologne!
How am I supposed to concentrate with
his smell all around me?

He led me through
the building, which was larger than it looked from the outside, stopping at
some of the offices to introduce me to the employees. He opened a large, metal,
double door at the back of a cavernous warehouse, and I had to shield my eyes
against the bright sunlight as we stepped onto the grounds. He helped me into a
golf cart and drove me down aisle after aisle of assorted trees and shrubs. The
property seemed to go on forever. Since it was February, he told me that most
flowers were dormant and their major business right now was the preparation of
the numerous commercial landscape beds and lawns. I was amazed at all the
people scurrying around, watering or tending plants.

We made our way back
to the front counter where Sydney was packing up for the day. She gave me a
quick rundown of what my job would be- answering phones, taking orders, waiting
on customers, entering invoices into the computer, and of course, light
bookkeeping. It was the same type of things I’d done for dad, only a different
product. Sydney told me she could teach me all I needed to know in two days,
and I was ready. She said a quick goodbye before heading out the door.

Levi turned to me
and asked, “So what do you think? Would you like to work here?”

I smiled, excited at
the thought of working at the nursery. “You’ve got a great business, and
everyone I’ve met seems really nice. So yes, I’d like to work here.”

 He smiled, looking
pleased. “Okay, you start tomorrow. Be here at nine. You can fill out the paperwork
and let Sydney get you set up.”

He looked down at my
heels, which were covered in dirt. “I hate to say this because you look very
beautiful, but you might want to wear jeans and tennis shoes to work. I
wouldn’t want you to get your nice things dirty.”

I blushed at hearing
him call me beautiful. “I think I can handle that.”

I started for the
door when he called my name. I turned to look at him. He gave me his beautiful,
dimpled smile and said, “I’m glad you decided to take this job. I think you’ll
be surprised at what you might find here.”

I bit my lip as I
gazed at this amazing man and wished there
was
more I could find here,
but knew I couldn’t even try.

“I’m just looking
for a paycheck and something to fill my extra time, nothing more.” I didn’t
wait for his reply but heard his chuckle before the door closed behind me.

I arrived at my new
job thirty minutes early. I didn’t know what to expect on a Saturday, so I figured
I better get there before they opened. I awoke at seven so I could fix my hair and
apply a little makeup. No use scaring everybody on my first day. I would at
least give it a week before I went back to my ponytails and no makeup. I
dressed in jeans, a gray long sleeved shirt and tennis shoes, as Levi had suggested.
I slipped my coat on and grinned as the woodsy smell invaded my senses.  

I made my drive to the
nursery surrounded by the incredible scent of Levi. There was only one vehicle
visible when I pulled into the parking lot. A fairly new and expensive looking black
truck was parked near the front door. I hustled out of my car, attempting to
outrun the cold. I pulled open the door, stepped inside, and immediately
noticed a large older man standing behind the counter. I watched as his meaty
hands flew over the computer keyboard. He glanced up, noticed me standing there
and frowned. I saw that his eyes were blood shot and sweat covered his face.  

“Who are you?” he
asked gruffly.

I took a step back
and nervously replied, “I’m Kaitlyn and today is my first day on the job.”

The man continued to
look at me, his eyes shifting from my face to the door behind me. He didn’t
speak and quickly looked over his shoulder towards the back offices. His shifty
behavior made me extremely uncomfortable. The hard look in his eyes brought
painful memories to the forefront of my mind, but I wouldn’t look away. I let
out a yelp when I heard a sound behind me. Strong arms came around my waist and
I didn’t need to look to know who it was.

 His smooth voice
was in my ear, his warm breath on my neck. “Hey, it’s just me. You okay?” I
nodded my head but continued to watch the man behind the counter.

“Dad, what are you
doing here?” Levi called out behind me.

Dad??
Taken aback, I squirmed hoping Levi would
release his grip on me. He reluctantly removed his arms and softly asked, “Would
you please go wait in my office?”

 I tried to find my
voice, but my “okay” ended up coming out as a whisper. I rushed past his father
and into the office. I closed the door and took a few deep breaths.
What in
the world is going on?
That
scary guy is Levi’s dad? That’s not
good.

I moved to a chair
and waited quietly for a few minutes. The door opened suddenly, startling me. I
started to scream but clamped my hand over my mouth when I realized it was only
Levi. He hurried over, concern etched on his face and crouched down at my side.
He pulled my hand away from my mouth, and I knew he felt the pulse pounding in
my wrist.

He spoke gently, as
if I were a child. “You’re safe, Katie. Please don’t be afraid.”

 Suddenly embarrassed
at my overreaction, I pulled my hand from his. He stood and edged past me to
the chair at my side and sat, facing me.

 I gave him a weak
smile. “I’m sorry. Your dad scared me a little.”

 He shook his head.
“Don’t apologize. He should
never
have been here. Did he say anything to
you?”

“He asked who I was.
He was doing something on the computer and acted nervous when he noticed me.”

Levi let out a deep breath,
running his hand over his face. “Katie, I’m so sorry he was here. This used to
be his business. He started it when I was a little boy, but his drinking got to
the point where he couldn’t run it anymore, and I had to take it from him. He
has no right to be here and no right speaking to you.”

I didn’t know how to
process his news, but I did know that if his dad was going to be around, I
wasn’t. “Is he going to show up here like that again?”

“He better not. I
had a talk with him. He said he needed some money. I give him an allowance
every few weeks. I told him if he showed up here without speaking to me first,
I would cut him off. Please don’t be afraid because he won’t be back,” he
pleaded, looking into my eyes.

Gathering my
courage, I replied, “Okay, if you’re sure he’s not going to be around, I’ll
stay.”

He reached over and
patted my knee. “Come on out front. Sydney should be here to start showing you
what to do.”

 I followed him to
the front counter where Sydney was waiting with a friendly smile.

“Katie got to meet
my dad this morning,” Levi informed her.

The smile vanished
from her face. “Yikes! You okay, honey?” she asked. 

I smiled halfheartedly
and replied, “Yeah, I’m good now. It’s not what I expected on my first day of
work though.”

Levi groaned,
covering his face with his hand. I reached up and touched his arm. “It’s fine,
really.”

He studied my face,
trying to determine if I spoke the truth. “Okay,” he replied, giving me a small
smile. “Now, enough craziness already. You have things to learn. I’ll come see
how it’s going later. I hope you have a better morning,” he said and turned
back towards his office, leaving me with Sydney.

“What?” I asked,
noticing Sydney’s giant grin.

“I like you already,
Katie, and I don’t think I’m the only one,” she said and snickered.

I felt heat creep
into my cheeks.
What am I getting myself into?

The rest of the
morning went smoothly as I learned their ordering system and cash register. We
were busy with customers and had several phone orders to fill. Sydney helped me
through it all. It wasn’t that difficult, and I seemed to pick it up pretty
fast. She was a nice woman, and we made friendly conversation throughout the
morning.

When lunch time
rolled around, she put a closed sign on the front door and led me to the break room
in the back. I hadn’t thought to pack a lunch, so I made due with a soda from
the vending machine and a granola bar I found in the bottom of my purse. Sydney
offered me half of her sandwich but I refused. I knew how hungry pregnant women
could get, and I was not about to eat part of her lunch. These thoughts caused
my pain and regret to return for a moment. I usually couldn’t go longer than a
few hours before the reality of my life weighed down on me again.

Levi sauntered into
the break room as Sydney spoke about her church. I tried to focus on her words,
but couldn’t help myself from stealing a glance in his direction. He was bent
down rummaging through the fridge.

 “Have you found a
church home yet?” Sydney asked.

 Levi’s head
suddenly appeared over the top of the open fridge door, and our eyes met before
I had time to look away. He grinned, apparently he was interested in my answer.
Crap!! It’s too late to pretend that didn’t happen.

I turned my
attention back to Sydney, who now wore a knowing smile. “Uh, I haven’t had a
chance to visit anywhere yet. I went to a Baptist church with my family back
home. I have seen a few around town but don’t know about going by myself,” I
said hesitantly.

“Well, we’re
Catholic, but you are more than welcome to join us sometime,” Sydney replied.

 I just smiled. I
didn’t think I would feel comfortable going to any church, but I wasn’t about
to say that out loud.

Levi sat down in the
chair next to mine. “I go to the Baptist church on Main Street. It’s a small
church, but the people there are very welcoming. I could come and pick you up
so you don’t have to go alone.”

“Thanks for the offer.
I’ll think about it,” I said and gave him a weak smile. I could not get
interested in this man. I needed to keep him at a distance. He seemed like too
nice of a guy to get mixed up in my life.

“Excuse me,” I said
as I got up and threw my trash away. I needed to get away from him and to the
safety of the bathroom so I could calm the butterflies going wild in my
stomach.

 The afternoon went
by in a blur of customers and phone orders. When Levi came out to check on me,
Sydney informed him I was a fast learner and was already good to work on my
own. He grinned, seeming pleased to hear this, before going back to his office.

Closing time came,
and we gathered our things together to go home. Sydney and I headed to our cars
and said our goodbyes. I hadn’t seen Levi again but that was fine with me. He
was one distraction I couldn’t afford to have.

***

 I arrived at my
apartment and headed straight to the fridge. I was starving, but before I could
decide between left overs or a sandwich, there was a loud knock on the door. I
froze.
Who would be coming to see me?
I didn’t really know anyone from
school yet. I closed the fridge and crept to the front door. I stared through
the peep hole, sighing when I saw who it was.
Why is he here?
I
considered pretending not to be home, but since my car was parked right out
front he would know I was avoiding him. I took a deep breath and opened the door.
With his beautiful dimpled smile in place, there stood Levi.

 “Uh, hi,” I said
hesitantly.

 “Hey, Katie. I was
going to ask if you wanted to grab a bite to eat after work, but you left before
I got the chance.”

I kept my face
unreadable. “How did you know where I lived? Are you stalking me?”

 He let out a
chuckle. “No. I’m not stalking you. Your address is on the paperwork you filled
out. I would have called, but I didn’t know if you would answer a number you
didn’t recognize. I noticed you didn’t eat much lunch today and thought you
might be hungry,” he paused and with a smile added, “and I enjoy your company.”

I studied his face
for a moment. I knew I should be pushing him away, but right now, I just
couldn’t. His eyes looked so sincere, and I could use a friend. I was so lonely
and missed having someone to hang out with.

 “Okay, let me grab
my purse...and my pepper spray,” I said as I turned to go back inside.

 “I promise you,
that won’t be necessary,” he said with a chuckle.

After locking the
door, he led me to a shiny, red four-door truck. He helped me into the
passenger seat before hustling around to his side.

 “Where are we
headed?” I asked as he pulled out of the parking lot.

 “Do you like
Mexican food?”

 Dang it! Why
does even a restaurant choice have to remind me of him?
“Um, not really,” I replied, wrinkling my
nose.

 “That bad, huh?” he
asked, noting my expression.

I took a deep
breath. If we were going to be friends I at least needed to give him some sort
of truthful answer. I mean, he did tell me about his dad being an alcoholic.

“It’s not so much
the food, it’s.....never mind,” I said shaking my head. I was wrong. I couldn’t
go into it.

Levi didn’t push me
to say more. He carried on as if I hadn’t mentioned it. “Tell me what you do
like.”

“Honestly, I love
pizza. It’s my favorite.”

 He glanced at me
for a moment and smiled. “Pizza it is then.”

 We rode in
comfortable silence for a few minutes before he reached down and turned on the
radio. It was tuned to a Christian music station. I smiled, thinking this man
was just the kind of friend I needed.

We pulled into the
parking lot of a local pizzeria I’d never been to before. When I stepped
inside, I wondered if this was the kind of place for me. The atmosphere was
loud, with college kids seated at booths covered in pizza and mugs of beer. Levi
noticed my apprehension and took my hand, leading me to a room in the back
where there were mostly families seated. We found an empty booth, and I sat
down before he slid into the seat across from me.

He waited for me to
get comfortable then asked, “How did you like your first day at the nursery?”

“I really liked it.
I’ve pretty much got the hang of everything up front. Your business seems busy
too, so it will keep me on my toes.”

The waitress bounced
over to take our order. She eyed Levi openly. He smiled politely before
focusing his attention back on me. She understood his meaning and turned her gaze
to me, asking if I wanted a beer. I shook my head. “I’ll have water.”

 Levi requested the
same for him. “You don’t drink?” he asked when the waitress left with our drink
and pizza order.

“No. I’m underage,
but even if I wasn’t, I still wouldn’t drink. It can lead to bad things.”

 His face suddenly
changed, gone was the smile and in its place was a look of confusion. He studied
my eyes, like he was attempting to see the secrets hidden behind them.
Poor
guy, he doesn’t know how much practice I’ve had keeping these secrets locked
away.

I steadied my gaze,
my cool demeanor never slipping. “So what about you?” I asked, my voice
unwavering.

“I’ve seen what
alcohol can do to someone, so I don’t touch the stuff.” He paused and smiled. “I
didn’t realize you were underage. I mean, I knew you were younger than me but
not that much younger. How old are you?”

“I’m nineteen. Why? How
old are you? Wait, let me guess. Hmm....thirty-one?”