with a big question-mark on her face. Judith stood close on the other side of Dave with Sam; both with broad smiles on their faces. Kim looked at them and then back at Dave, who was now on one knee with a beautiful blue box with Tiffany embossed in silver on it held out in front of him. “I know you like it simple and this is as simple as I could make this.” He slowly opened the box and said, “Will you marry me?”
The room went quiet and every eye was on Kim. But instant of the expected reaction of squeals, tears of joy, and nervous laughter, Kim went pale as if the blood had drained from her body. What was Dave doing? Why was he doing this? Kim struggled to clear her mind and the reality of the moment finally dawned at her. Dave was asking her to marry him. Marry him? All of a sudden, the room seemed too crowded and she felt claustrophobic. It finally hit her that she didn’t love Dave, didn’t love him enough to marry him. At least not just yet and maybe never. She finally gathered enough courage to look up from the ring and into Dave’s eyes as hers blurred with tears and Dave knew it was over . And leaving him there in the middle of the room down on one knee and a ring holding an ocean of promises that Kim knew Dave would have kept, she just walked out, locking the door behind her.
CHAPTER 11
“Kim?”
Kim turned to look. She had been in her seat shading her eyes from the sun. The person whom the voice belonged to was unknown to her.
“Yes?” she replied.
“Kim, right?”
“Yes, that’s me. And you are?”
“Jake… Jake Benson.”
“Okay, Jake Benson. Nice meeting you,” said Kim and turned back to face the sea.
“So you have no clue who I am?” said Jake, placing his hands in his pocket.
This annoyed Kim. She clearly didn’t recognize this person who seemed determined not to move. She got up, dusting the sand off herself, picked up her shoes and bags, and looked at him, and then a faint flicker of recognition crossed her face.
Jake saw that, and a mild pang of worry grew within him. Perhaps he realized that jogging Kim’s memory would be like opening a can of worms, but now it was too late. “I am a friend of Sam’s,” he said hastily, “really, just an acquaintance. You might recall I was at your place a few months ago for a dinner party.”
The last few words were softly-spoken, almost mumbled.
“Jake, the art gallery guy?” said Kim, finally recognizing who he was. She hadn’t been able to put a face on the guy, but she remembered the conversation now. She could not remember a lot of that night anyway, but the part that she really wanted to forget had been haunting her since the past three months. Every second of that ill-fated proposal was as fresh as it had happened just minutes ago.
Kim put her oversized shaded on and hunted in her bag for her car keys. “Nice to meet you, Jake,” she said. It was a second attempt of ending the conversation, but she failed again.
“Sam has been helping me set up my exhibition,” continued Jake.
“Well, I am sure she is doing a fab job for you,” said Kim, walking towards her car. But Jake began matching his steps with her. Why is he not getting it that I want to be alone? — Kim thought.
“What are you doing tonight?” he asked, with a smile plastered on his face.
Now, Kim stopped. She looked at him straight in the eyes and said, “Listen, Jake, I don’t know if I can put this without being rude. But, I really don’t know you well enough to have a conversation with you. So, if you don’t mind…”
“I know, and that’s why it will be perfect,” said Jake. The smile still hadn’t vanished from his face. “A few friends and artists are meeting at the Jetty Lounge tonight. Just for drinks, you know. No one really knows anyone who will be coming, so it will be perfect. We are all headed there, but you could come around eightish.”
“And, why am I invited?”
“Just like that,” said Jake as he began to walk away.
The room went quiet and every eye was on Kim. But instant of the expected reaction of squeals, tears of joy, and nervous laughter, Kim went pale as if the blood had drained from her body. What was Dave doing? Why was he doing this? Kim struggled to clear her mind and the reality of the moment finally dawned at her. Dave was asking her to marry him. Marry him? All of a sudden, the room seemed too crowded and she felt claustrophobic. It finally hit her that she didn’t love Dave, didn’t love him enough to marry him. At least not just yet and maybe never. She finally gathered enough courage to look up from the ring and into Dave’s eyes as hers blurred with tears and Dave knew it was over . And leaving him there in the middle of the room down on one knee and a ring holding an ocean of promises that Kim knew Dave would have kept, she just walked out, locking the door behind her.
CHAPTER 11
“Kim?”
Kim turned to look. She had been in her seat shading her eyes from the sun. The person whom the voice belonged to was unknown to her.
“Yes?” she replied.
“Kim, right?”
“Yes, that’s me. And you are?”
“Jake… Jake Benson.”
“Okay, Jake Benson. Nice meeting you,” said Kim and turned back to face the sea.
“So you have no clue who I am?” said Jake, placing his hands in his pocket.
This annoyed Kim. She clearly didn’t recognize this person who seemed determined not to move. She got up, dusting the sand off herself, picked up her shoes and bags, and looked at him, and then a faint flicker of recognition crossed her face.
Jake saw that, and a mild pang of worry grew within him. Perhaps he realized that jogging Kim’s memory would be like opening a can of worms, but now it was too late. “I am a friend of Sam’s,” he said hastily, “really, just an acquaintance. You might recall I was at your place a few months ago for a dinner party.”
The last few words were softly-spoken, almost mumbled.
“Jake, the art gallery guy?” said Kim, finally recognizing who he was. She hadn’t been able to put a face on the guy, but she remembered the conversation now. She could not remember a lot of that night anyway, but the part that she really wanted to forget had been haunting her since the past three months. Every second of that ill-fated proposal was as fresh as it had happened just minutes ago.
Kim put her oversized shaded on and hunted in her bag for her car keys. “Nice to meet you, Jake,” she said. It was a second attempt of ending the conversation, but she failed again.
“Sam has been helping me set up my exhibition,” continued Jake.
“Well, I am sure she is doing a fab job for you,” said Kim, walking towards her car. But Jake began matching his steps with her. Why is he not getting it that I want to be alone? — Kim thought.
“What are you doing tonight?” he asked, with a smile plastered on his face.
Now, Kim stopped. She looked at him straight in the eyes and said, “Listen, Jake, I don’t know if I can put this without being rude. But, I really don’t know you well enough to have a conversation with you. So, if you don’t mind…”
“I know, and that’s why it will be perfect,” said Jake. The smile still hadn’t vanished from his face. “A few friends and artists are meeting at the Jetty Lounge tonight. Just for drinks, you know. No one really knows anyone who will be coming, so it will be perfect. We are all headed there, but you could come around eightish.”
“And, why am I invited?”
“Just like that,” said Jake as he began to walk away.
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