Gabrielle had smiled, winking at Katrin. “And di agony, dumplin’? I see it all over your naughty face.”
Katrin had raised her eyebrows, trying not to smile. “Agony, all right.”
“I guess we both in agony now!” And then she had laughed out loud, holding Katrin’s good hand across the table.
Katrin couldn’t help herself and giggled right along with Gabrielle, like a couple of silly high school girls swapping stories of their first dates.
She glanced at her watch again then looked at her injured arm, which appeared as good as new. No more swelling, no more discoloration. There were still moments when it hurt her, and she had to be careful, but she was almost completely back to normal.
She’d gone down once for Wade’s arraignment, and she was grateful to have Erik and Kristian with her as she entered the courthouse. But, her fears had been for nothing.
Wade, who’d already spent some time in prison without bail, was a small, broken man with a terrible road ahead. He was being charged with aggravated assault, assault with a deadly weapon, criminal harassment, trespassing, and public intoxication. He had a long sentence ahead in prison or a psychiatric institution, but he would not be back to bother Katrin anytime soon.
He had given her one sober, sad smile, and even nodded once at Erik. She wanted Wade to serve his full sentence, but she hoped he could rebuild his life—far, far away from her—someday.
Speaking of rebuilding, José was ready to turn the clinic over to the town of Skidoo Bay and move forward with plans to start a new clinic in El Paso. José and Gabrielle were leaving for Texas from his apartment early tomorrow morning. A new doctor had been hired full-time for the Skidoo Clinic and would be moving into the upstairs quarters in two weeks, which left Katrin and Erik two weeks to find new digs.
Much to Erik’s relief, José’s replacement was an older, gray-haired woman doctor. Katrin liked her at first sight and had cheerfully agreed to stay on as the clinic nurse of Skidoo Bay. She felt content with her position and her new boss, but she simultaneously grieved how much she would miss her friends, especially since José and Erik had managed to put their differences behind them and become friends.
As if on cue, Katrin looked up to see José coming out of the clinic. He took a seat beside her on the swing.
“Erik coming home soon?”
“Mm-hm. He’ll be here in a little bit.”
“What are you two up to this fine afternoon?”
“We’re going to check out two apartments he found.”
“Moving in together for real, huh?”
She smiled, nodding. “You two also, huh?”
“Uh-huh. Sure wish you could join us for the start-up in El Paso, dumplin’. We were a good team.”
“We were.” She nudged him in the side with her elbow. “I’ll let you bag me.”
José chuckled, remembering. “Boy that got ‘ole Erik’s back up, no?”
“It sure did.” She shook her head. “You knew what you were doing to him, didn’t you?”
“Aw, I don’t know, dumplin’. Maybe just having a little fun.”
“I’m glad you two will part friends.”
“Well, he did save your life…”
Gabrielle came out of the clinic and looked over at them on the swing. “Look at this. Two peas in di pod.” She took out her keys. “You goin’ back in, dumplin’? I can lock up for now.”
“Nah, leave it, Paca. Erik will be home soon.”
José hopped up, offering his hand to Gabrielle and she took it, then he looked back at Katrin. “Well, I guess this is goodbye…”
Katrin stood up, looking at her friends. “I’ll miss you two.”
She opened her arms and embraced them as a couple. “Text me when you get there, okay?”
Gabrielle took Katrin’s face in her hands and shook her head. “Be happy, dumplin’, my sister, my friend.”
Katrin resumed her seat on the swing, waving to them as they walked down the street together, back to José’s apartment where they probably had some packing left to do before they started for Texas in the morning. As she watched them go, Erik’s car turned onto the street, pulling into the driveway.
Kat leapt up to greet him and he caught her around the waist, kissing her hello.
“Hello, girlfriend.”
“Hello, Minste. Good day?”
“Not half bad. Did I just miss José and Paca?”
“You did. But we can stop by their place later so you can say goodbye.”
“Give me a few minutes to change?”
“Absolutely. Hey…where are these places we’re looking at? Can I see the listings while you’re changing?”
“Hmm. Don’t know where I put them. Just have the addresses. Give me five minutes and we’ll go, okay?”
He kissed her again, then headed inside and she sat back down on the swing to wait for him. She gave herself a good push, tucking her feet beneath her, buttoning her cardigan against the increasing chilliness of the evening.
Katrin had lived with Wade, of course, but it would be ridiculous to compare Wade to Erik. Katrin had come to realize and cherish the deeply satisfying, emotionally visceral, physically mind-blowing relationship that was possible between two mature adults. Living with Erik wouldn’t be playing at being grown-ups, it would be, simply, grown-ups living together, and—she hoped—another step toward a permanent future together.
She tried not to put unnecessary pressure on their relationship, but she knew, beyond any shadow of doubt, that she wanted to be with Erik forever. She didn’t need a fancy wedding or expensive reception, but more and more she longed to make their status official. She wanted to be his wife.
Sometimes she worried that Erik’s original apprehensions might somehow affect what type of commitment he was able to make even now. He had committed to being her boyfriend…but, would there come a time that he could
