Kathy's World by Shay Kassa (win 10 ebook reader .txt) 📕

Axeman's girlfriend looked down her nose at Mark. “He said his name was Steve.”

“Steve!” Gina laughed. “Steve, Dave or Mark! How are you going to explain that to Kathy, huh?” She took note of his surprise. “Yeah, I found out her name. I think I might just go tell her that last night wasn't a once-off.”

“You're not gonna tell her shit,” Mark snarled. “I got her wrapped around my little finger, bitch, so when I make up some bullshit story about what happened, who do you think she's gonna believe? Her boyfriend or some cheap slut from a shitty bar?”

Kathy had been afraid. She hadn't trusted herself or her feelings, holding onto a vain hope that this wasn't happening. Some part of her wanted it to be a misunderstanding, like he had said in that long oh-woe-is-me letter. The words from his own lips washed away all doubt. The way he talked about her was contemptible, so hurtful; why hadn't she figured out before that he didn't really care about her? The world was not going to return to normal, ever. He wasn’t the boyfriend she had known for a year, and maybe he never had been. She would never trust him again, and the loss of so much was going to hurt for a long time.

The mountain would have to be moved out of her way if she was going to get on with her life. The only way to do it was to make the cut clean. She tapped the button to stop recording, and stepped out from behind Eddie. “I think I know who to believe,” she said.

Mark stared at her in complete shock. Kathy handed Gina's phone back to her, and got a huge grin in return. She glared witheringly at him, daring him to say something in defense of the indefensible, but inside she felt almost empty.

“You set me up!” he shouted, pointing at Gina.

“We set you up, Mark,” Kathy said frostily. “Here's what's going to happen: you're going to leave, right now, and not say another fucking word. I'm going to take all your stuff in my house and put it outside for you to collect in the morning. If you don't pick it up by tomorrow night, I am going to set it on fire.”

He cringed away from her like the coward he was. Kathy nodded at Eddie. “Now you can throw him out if you want.”

Eddie cracked his knuckles loudly. Mark stumbled backwards, falling over his chair in his haste to get away. He sprinted out of the bar as fast as possible.

Kathy sagged in relief as soon as he was gone. It was done. She'd get over it. If the world was going to stay skewed, she'd have to adjust.

She wanted to slump into a chair, but was held up by a bear hug from Gina. “You were awesome! Did you get it all? I will totally send you the file and you can post it online, and that asshole is going to regret fucking with you and me for the rest of his life!”

“Okay Gina, that's enough,” said Eddie, and he pried her off Kathy. “I think I should take her home now, before the band starts up.”

“Hah, sure you do,” she smirked, and patted Kathy on the arm. “I'll come by tomorrow if you want and help you throw his stuff out.”

“Okay, yeah,” Kathy said, feeling too worn down to argue. “Thanks, Gina.”

Eddie took her hand and lead her out through the employee's entrance. Her Prius was where she had left it, but he pointed at the pickup truck. “We can collect it in the morning, don't worry. This place is locked up tight every night. I'll drive, you tell me where to go.”

“Does this mean you're staying with me tonight?” she asked.

He slid a hand around her waist. “Means I think you're owed a good time, what with the shit you've had to put up with tonight,” he said next to her ear, with just enough of that low growl to make her breath catch in her throat. “And I'll deliver, if you want me to.”

“Ah... yeah,” she managed, feeling her knees wavering again. “Yeah, let's do that.”

*****

They pulled up past Kathy's house and parked further down the street. “Don't want to let anyone know you're having company,” Eddie said. He locked up his truck, and she took his hand as they walked back towards her door. It took her a few minutes to dig out the new keys from her pocket.

Eddie whistled as she switched on the light in the hallway. “Wow, this place is really nice. I guess the business analyst thing pays well?”

“Yeah, it does. C'mon into the kitchen, I'll make some coffee.”

“Getting invited in for sex and having coffee instead? Man, that has to be a first.”

Kathy laughed with him, but her stomach was starting to churn with nerves. She went into the kitchen, turned out the coffee grounds from the morning, and set a new pot brewing. Eddie shouldn't make her feel nervous – this wasn't anything serious. It was something to take her mind off Mark, she told herself.

Maybe it was being with someone so very different from him. There was a little fear there. She leaned on the counter and stared at the coffee dripping, lost in thought. Before Mark, she had had a few short term boyfriends in college and not much else. Work took up too much of her time. She had just been lucky that he showed some interest in her when they met at a networking event last year.

She was over-thinking it again. Kathy sighed, and pulled two mugs out of the cupboard.

“You're not comfortable with this, are you?” Eddie asked. He stood in the doorway of the kitchen, watching her with his arms folded. “You know we don't have to...”

She leaned against the counter and