“Yep,” Jay said smugly.
More seriously Kate asked, “Are you sure? It’s a lot to ask...giving up your comfortable home and everyday life to fit into mine.”
Shimmering emerald eyes locked on cobalt blue. “I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life, love. What do you think?”
Kate’s smile was brilliant. “I think I love you more than anything in the world and nothing would make me happier than to share my home and my life with you. When do you want to move in?”
Jay laughed. “Tonight would be great. But since that doesn’t seem realistic, how about this: you stay with me tonight at my place, since we’ll already be getting in fairly late, and tomorrow I’ll drive you and the first load of my stuff to Albany before you have to get to work. I’ll stay with you tomorrow night, leave my car at your house since I don’t need it in New York, and take the train back to the city Tuesday morning to be in the office at 10:00 a.m., which was when Trish said I needed to be there.”
Kate shook her head in wonder. “Is there anything you
haven’t
thought of?”
“I’m sure there is, but I’ve got another,” she looked at her watch,
“three and a half hours to figure it out.”
Kate entwined her fingers with those of her partner, thrilled once again to note the ring on her finger as it sparkled back at the lovers.
“You’re amazing, have I told you that?”
Jay pretended to consider. “Probably, but feel free to tell me again anytime.”
“We could turn the third bedroom into an office for you, unless you’d prefer your office downstairs, in which case I could either give you mine or convert the library.”
“No, I love the library, and so do you. The third bedroom would be fine, it has a nice view of the backyard.”
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“I’ll have a second phone line installed for you, and we can even forward your phone in the city to that so the move will be transparent to anyone calling you, unless you want them to know you’ve relocated.
What do you think?”
“I think that’s a stroke of genius.”
“And the guest bedroom can be your room.”
Jay looked at her oddly.
“For your clothes and when you need space, goofy. I meant that there would be our room, and then you could have an additional room, okay?”
“Aha. I see. That’s more than generous, Kate.”
“What else would make you feel at home, love? Do you want to bring some of your furniture or anything?”
“No, I don’t think so. Can we shop together to outfit the office?”
“I’d love to. Anything you want, you shall have.”
“I want to be clear.” Jay fixed her with a stern look. “I intend to pay my equal share, nothing less.”
Kate scowled.
“I mean it, Stretch. Otherwise, no deal.”
The older woman was taken aback. “You can’t be serious.”
“Oh yes I can. Ours is a partnership, 50-50. I am more than capable of pulling my own weight. Anything less will make me uncomfortable.”
“Okay, but
fair
share, not necessarily
equal
share: we pay as a percentage in proportion to our income and assets.”
Jay started to protest.
“Ah, ah, that’s more than reasonable and as far as I’m willing to go.
Love, my living expenses are a lot higher than yours, and I won’t have you taking on the burden of paying for my lifestyle. I’ve got more than I need to cover my tab and more on my salary alone, and on top of that my parents made sure that I was well provided for. Please, you don’t know what it’s taking for me even to agree to let you do that.”
Jay chewed her lip. “It’s a start, I guess, but I get the right to re-open the discussion at some point after we’ve had a chance to settle down and see how things are working.”
“You drive a hard bargain.” Kate squeezed the hand she was holding.
“Mmm. And all this negotiating is making me sleepy. Mind if I take a nap and use you as a pillow?”
Kate smiled indulgently, flipping up the armrest that separated the seats and opening her arms, not caring what any of the neighboring passengers might think.
Jay took another sip of strong coffee and stretched. It was amazing how motivated she could be in the morning when the objective was 207
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important enough to her. She had spent several hours after they had gotten back to her place the night before organizing her things and deciding what to bring home in her first carload.
Home
. She liked the sound of that. It was barely 7:00 a.m. and she was in the middle of packing two suitcases full of clothes and sundries, having already packed several boxes worth of stuff. She had decided to leave some work clothes and some play clothes in the apartment just in case, but she was taking the bulk of her wardrobe with her.
Kate was in the living room. An advance copy of that week’s edition of
Time
had been waiting for the writer when they got home, and Jay had given it to the anchorwoman just a little while ago to read. She had fretted about having her lover read the story in her presence, but, in the end, she bit the bullet and gave it to her without comment. And then went to busy herself packing since she was so nervous she didn’t know what to do with herself.
Kate looked at her own image staring back from the cover, her soot-stained face, bloody hands, and torn suit testaments to her efforts following the detonation of the second bomb. It was a gritty picture, one that bespoke dignity, professionalism, and humanity, all without a single word. The title on the cover, in big, bold print, was
A New Breed of
Journalist
. In slightly smaller print below were the words,
Katherine Ann
Kyle of WCAP-TV in Albany, New York
.
Inside was a three-page spread including Jay’s story and four pictures: three of her and one of the capitol building following the explosion. The snapshots of her included one of her anchoring taken on the set, one of her interviewing one of the victims, and one of her working with Gene in an editing room. There was also a sidebar story by another writer debating whether or not journalists should ever take an active role in a story they were covering.
Kate read it all in silence, re-reading portions and staring hard at the pictures. When she was finished she nodded to herself and smiled a private smile of pride for her partner. Then she went into Jay’s office and placed a phone call.
Jay was deep in her walk-in closet when long arms wrapped around her from behind. She tensed, not sure what to expect. A low, sultry voice whispered against her ear, “You are the most talented writer I have ever read. I am so humbled by you, love. You wrote an incredibly insightful, lively, interesting piece under incomparably difficult circumstances. It was balanced, and fair, and remarkably objective; you didn’t let your own personal feelings or knowledge color the content, your approach was fresh and unique, and I am impressed beyond words. Thank you.”
Not knowing what to say to that, Jay turned in the circle of her lover’s arms, her eyes bright with pleasure at the unexpected praise and her smile 208
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big enough to light the city without electricity. She rose up on tiptoes and kissed the waiting lips, murmuring, “I’m so glad you thought it was okay, sweetheart. I think that was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.
Maintaining professional distance and detachment from you was a virtual impossibility. It took me quite a while to decide how to avoid letting my personal feelings for you bleed through.”
“Well, I think you succeeded masterfully, and you should be very proud of the job you did. Now about these pictures...”
They pulled into Kate’s driveway at a little after 11:00 a.m., opening the front door to be greeted by a mass of flying fur.
“Hi buddy. Easy, guy, easy, Fred. Yeah, I’m happy to see you too, baby,” Kate cooed as the excited golden threaded his way back and forth between her legs, talking the entire time even though he had a stuffed animal firmly held between his jaws. When he was finished with her, he gave Jay the same treatment as she scratched him behind his ears and on his haunches.
“How did he get here? I thought you said Peter had him.”
“He did; I called him this morning and asked him to drop him off for us.”
“Wow, now that’s service.”
“Yep, it sure is. I told you, he’s a great friend to have.”
They made their way inside, Fred glued to his mistress’s leg.
“Shouldn’t we get the stuff out of the car?” Jay asked.
“In a minute. First, there’s something I want to show you in here.”
She disappeared into her office, smiling when she saw that her instructions had been followed precisely. She owed Peter big time now.
She walked back out into the entryway. “Close your eyes.”
“Why?”
Kate sighed in mock exasperation. “Do we have to go through this every time about you following instructions, woman? Close your eyes.”
She poked her partner.
“Okay, but last time I did that I ended up in paradise, and you have to be at work in a few hours.”
“Don’t remind me. Come with me.” She took her lover by the arm, guiding her carefully into her office. “You can open your eyes now.”
Jay obediently cracked first one eyelid and then the other. When she opened her mouth to speak, nothing came out. She pivoted and looked at her lover in wonder. “There’s a word processor on your desk, and it’s identical to the one in my apartment.”
“Mmm-hmm.”
“That wasn’t here before, I would have noticed it.”
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“Very observant, Watson.”
“But sweetheart...”
“Listen,” she argued, holding up her hands, “it only makes sense for you to be able to do your work in either place and not have to cart a word processor back and forth. I thought we could set you up in here just until we have time to shop for office furniture for your office. You don’t mind, do you?”
“Mind? Are you kidding me?” The writer surveyed the brand-new word processor, the two reams of typing paper lying neatly next to it, the three pads of legal paper and pens resting nearby. Tears sprang to her eyes as she acknowledged the love and caring behind the gesture. She turned into Kate’s arms and buried her head in her chest. “I don’t know if I will ever get used to being this spoiled, love.”
“You’d better start, sweetheart, because I intend to spoil you for the rest of your life.” She wiped the tears from her lover’s cheeks and replaced them with tender kisses. Before long the caresses turned more ardent, and hands began to wander. Kate backed them out of the office and over to the stairs, managing to lead them to the bedroom without losing contact with her lover’s increasingly more naked body.
“You have to go to work, love,” Jay panted in between kisses.
“Not for a few hours,” came the muffled reply. No more talking was heard for the next little while.
At exactly 2:00 p.m. Kate strolled through the newsroom, finding her desk just as she had left it six days earlier. She smiled to herself as she revisited the intervening time; so much had happened and so much had changed in her life in such a short period of time, it was hard to believe.
Before settling down to business she picked up the phone and dialed a familiar number.
“Hello.”
“Hey, Technowiz.”
“Hey, Anchorbabe. What’s happening? Did I get everything right?”
“You are a prince, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”
“So, does this mean that something is officially going on between you and Jay?”
“Um,” she lowered her voice so that no one else could hear, “I’ve asked her to marry me and she’s moved into the house.”
“You’re kidding me?” Peter sounded stunned. “Way to go, Kate! I’m assuming she said yes, then?”
“Yep, she did,” Kate said with a note of wonder in her voice. “In fact, she’s there now and I thought maybe, if you weren’t doing anything, you could drop by and take her to dinner. She doesn’t know anyplace around 210
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here and there’s nothing in the refrigerator. I’d tell you to call her, but I’m not sure she’d answer the phone yet, since nobody knows she’s here except for you now.”
“Hmm.” He pretended to think. “Am I available to take a beautiful woman to dinner? I’ll have to think about that and get back to you.” He paused for a second. “Kate, I’d love to take Jay to dinner. I can fill her head with all sorts of stuff about you and then...”
“Peter?”
“Yes?”
“Stick to the truth, okay? And don’t scare her too much.”
“Geez, you take away all my fun.”
“Yeah, I’m like that.”
“I’ve got you covered, Anchorbabe, don’t sweat it.”
“Thanks, buddy, I knew I could count on you. And thanks again for getting the word processor and supplies. I owe you.”
“Ooh, I like the sound of that. Bye, Kate.”
“Bye, Peter.”
As she was hanging up the receiver, her producer walked by.
“Hey, woman, you look great. You should go on vacation more often; it obviously agrees with you.”
“Thanks, Phil. Anything big happen while I was gone?”
“You mean locally? Nah, no one’s saying anything much about the bombing except that it appears to have been done by professionals. Other than that, it’s been the usual quotient of fires, murders, robberies, and political shenanigans. You know how it goes. Glad to have you back, kid, we missed you.”
“It’s good to be back.” The anchorwoman turned her attention to her inbox and a stack of telephone messages, immediately re-immersing herself in the job.
Meanwhile, at home, Jay was busy unpacking boxes and suitcases, filling the huge walk-in closet in her room and the dresser drawers, as well. So engrossed in the task was she that she was shocked when she glanced over at the digital clock to find that it was 5:58 p.m. She ran downstairs into the family room and turned on the television just in time to catch her lover teasing the upcoming stories for the 6:00 newscast.
“My God,” she mooned. “She is the most gorgeous creature alive.
And she’s mine.” She shook her head in wonder at her incredible good fortune. “Parker, you dreamed about her for years, and now you’re going to be married to her. Never in a million years...” She shut up as the news came on and she turned her complete attention to the chiseled features that she now knew as well as her own.