Make You Feel My Love

On Wednesday the following week, Paul left practice and plugged the address Katie had given him into his gps and made the drive to the restaurant they had agreed on. He went inside, asking for a booth near the back of the restaurant and he took a seat with his back to the front. He told the girl who sat him that he was waiting for a friend and texted Katie as she walked away to let her know he was there and where he was sitting. Five minutes later, she slid in across from him.

"Hey," she smiled.

"Hey," he returned with his own smile. "How are you?"

"Good. Busy, but good. You?"

"We won last night."

"I know, I watched."

"You did?"

She nodded. "I haven't watched a hockey game in years; I forgot how much I enjoy it."

"You should come Saturday. I can leave you a couple tickets, for you and your boyfriend."

She laughed. "Boyfriend, that's hysterical. I work too damn much to have a love life."

"You're too pretty not to have someone, Katie."

"Thank you, Paul, but seriously, I'm like married to my shop. It's all consuming."

"You should still find time for yourself, Katie."

"I found time for this," she replied with a coy smile. Paul returned the smile as a waitress appeared to take their order.

As they waited on their food, they caught up on the years since they had last seen each other. He had her laughing as he recounted the one time James had tried cooking for himself in Pittsburgh, nearly burning down his kitchen in the process, before he started showing up unannounced for Paul to feed him instead as their lunch arrived. They ate in silence for a few minutes before Katelyn spoke again.

“So Minnesota...What happened there?”

“I wondered when you’d bring that up.”

“I think I deserve to know what made my boyfriend of three years just up and out of nowhere decide that he no longer wanted anything to do with me.”

“I was twenty two and stupid.”

“That’s it? That’s what you’re gonna go with?”

“It's true though. I knew I was leaving school and signing my first contract with the Devils. I thought I was the shit, and that being bogged down by a girlfriend would be the worst thing I could do to myself. I was wrong, Katie. I was completely wrong and I am truly very sorry for what I put you through. I didn’t want to hurt you, I swear, and I thought in some way I was doing right by you.”

“The sad thing is that I knew that,” she admitted. “But it still hurt. I mean, I was picturing a future, I thought we both were, but you didn’t see me in yours. I was crushed. I cried for days over you and when I thought I was over it, you were on a TV in a bar and I was locked in a bathroom stall in tears. Devastated doesn’t even begin to cover what I was feeling.”

“I’m sorry for all of it. If it helps any, my mom was pissed at me for an entire year.”

“Good,” she laughed. “You deserved that. I wouldn’t want to be on your mom's bad side after all.”

Paul joined in on her laughter. “It’s not a particularly fun place to be.”

They talked about lighter topics after that and Paul paid when they were finished. He walked her to her car and he pulled her into a hug without even thinking.“This was really great, Katie. Thank you for coming today.”

“It was nice; thank you for inviting me.”

“Maybe we should make this a weekly thing.”

“I’d like that.”

He smiled. “I’ll leave you a couple tickets at will call for Saturday; bring whoever you want.”

“Okay. Same time next week?”

“I'm in Edmonton Wednesday. Thursday?"

"I'll be here."