Love at First Lie, Chapter Two

The following day went the same as each day before it. Kaitlyn woke, washed up, and went to work. Just as the clock struck noon, she stepped out of her office and onto the square that it fronted, a small smile playing on her lips - which she’d dabbed with rose tinted lip oil that morning.

She sat on the same bench she always sat on, and carefully unwrapped the embroidered napkin that housed her lunch - another sandwich, this time tomato, basil, salami and mozzarella with pesto on homemade olive bread. Kaitlyn didn’t bake often, not wanting to add to the chaos of the busy kitchen of the boarding house she lived in, but the night before she’d taken the time. Though she would never admit it if asked directly, Kaitlyn wanted to make something just a little bit nicer than she would if she was just making lunch for herself.

Kaitlyn ate her half of the sandwich slowly, leaving the other half of her sandwich untouched just in case Darryl was hungry, but as the lunch hour came to a close Kaitlyn realized the truth - Darryl had lied. He was not going to see her today after all. Her shoulders rounded as the nascent hope that had been lifting her spirit ebbed away, leaving her deflated. She dabbed at her lips with the edge of the gingham napkin, feeling foolish. She was too old - a spinster at 36 years of age - to be taken in by such an obvious scoundrel.

As if reflecting her mood, the dark clouds that had been gathering in the sky overhead split. A boom of thunder shook the moss hanging from the live oaks, a staple of Savannah’s picturesque cobblestone streets and squares. Kaitlyn hissed slightly as drops of rain splashed down, covering her head with the back of her hand as she scrambled to get to her feet.

By the time she fled back to the safety of her office, the rain was positively pelting down. The smile that had been fixed to her lips all morning, which had eased into a grimace as the lunch hour ticked by, fell away completely as she surveyed the rain drenched square from the window of her office.

She huffed, turning away from the empty square, a similar emptiness that she’d never acknowledged before, returning in force. It had always been there, but before she’d met Darryl it hadn’t really occurred to her that it was a problem - that maybe her life was lacking something vital. It was a funny feeling, the feeling that she’d lost something which she’d never really had.

“Did you have a nice lunch, Kaitlyn?” Joe inquired as he poked a head out from his office.

He was a young lawyer, with shoulder length blonde hair and a clean shaven face. His wide blue eyes belied the cunning intelligence he displayed in the courtroom. As far as lawyers went, he was nice enough - though, like all of them, he was ambitious to a fault. She’d spent long hours researching cases and writing notes that met his exacting standards - but to his credit, Joe worked those hours with her, not leaving her to languish in the office alone like the old guard generally did.

That said, in many ways he still treated her like the clerk that she was, and before she could answer, he added, “You have that file ready for me?”

“Of course, Mr. Barney.” Kaitlyn replied, lowering her eyes as she scuttled to her desk, which was positioned right at the front so that she could greet clients as they entered.

Joe approached her desk, as she withdrew the file in question from the desk drawer she’d safely stowed it in. His fingers brushed hers as he took the file from her, and he flashed her a charming smile.

“Maybe we could go over this case over lunch tomorrow? I’d love to get your insight.” Joe inquired, catching Kaitlyn off guard. “My treat, of course.”

“Er-well, I suppose that would be…fine.” Kaitlyn sputtered. In all the years that she'd been working in this office, none of the lawyers had asked for her insight directly, and lunch offers had been few and far in between.

“It’s a date,” Joe confirmed with a nod before turning back to his office.

But…was it a date?

Kaitlyn released the breath she’d subconsciously been holding once Joe’s office door closed behind him, and let herself sink into the padded confines of her leather desk chair. It creaked slightly as she leaned back and closed her eyes. She’d just suffered one disappointment, and chided herself - tamping down the hope that had once more tried to lift her heart.

Joe was young, handsome, and well educated - and she was…well, she was just Kaitlyn. There was nothing special about her, unless you counted the ability to stay on top of everything as a special talent. And if that was a special talent, she sure wasn’t being paid like it was.

With a sigh, Kaitlyn leaned forward once more, her mind returning to the tasks at hand. Work waited for no woman’s woes.

Soon the work day came to a close, and the rain petered out along with it. In the flickering light of the gas lamps, the gently sprinkling droplets of water sparkled faintly on the collar of Kaitlyn’s black wool coat. Kaitlyn didn’t notice Darryl push away from the wall of the apothecary next door that he’d been leaning against, focused as she was on locking up the office behind her.

“Hello sweet cheeks,” Darryl said, grinning as she startled - nearly jumping out of her skin.