The Hourglass (UNEDITED)

Chapter 13

She was back! Jace had convinced her that she was needed back in Chicago, back at home. Katherine was strong, always held her own. She was sweet on the outside but showed her warrior firm self when pushed around, it was easy to underestimate her strong personality. When people learned that she was not one to be messed with, she earned respect and admiration from her peers, whether or not they liked her. So it begged the question, where did she go wrong with Jace? Why was he not giving her his due respect, even more so that she was his wife?

And why did she not put her foot down at Raw Cove? Being weak was never an option for Katherine, but where Jace was concerned, it was the only option. Like back in Raw Cove where she had been hiding from him in the motel, he managed to find her, maybe buy her and seduce her. She thought of those events as she took the mail and walked into the kitchen. One particular envelope, a purple glittery striped one, caught her attention and she opened it.

You are cordially invited to the annual Enterprise Advertising Ball. Please present this invitation as your ticket to entrance.

Katherine opened a drawer and tossed the invitation inside so that Jace didn’t see it. She was not going to go to some fancy company party, least not with Jace. She then took out ingredients and pans to begin with breakfast. She was famished and so was the little person inside, so a big breakfast was in order.

Cold soft lips press into her neck from behind and she tensed up.

“Relax, baby,” Jace said against her neck before kissing her there again. She relaxed just enough for him to be satisfied and comfortable that she was okay. The plates laid out before her begin to fill up with breakfast as she dished. She pushed one plate towards Jace who was sitting in front of her on a stool now, looking up at Katherine and smiling sweetly at her.

 “You know I had a dream about you when you were away,” Jace said, cutting into his bacon. Katherine nodded not looking up at him. She was busy frying eggs and bacon. Then she started making the flapjack batter.

“It gave me a bit of a scare,” he continued, “but I knew it was just a nightmare, nothing more.” Katherine fought the urge to roll her eyes, so she just nodded, continuing with the breakfast. Jace searched his brains to talk about something else. A fancy purple envelope caught his attention. He reached to take it and have a look and smiled when recognition lit his face.

“I see you got our company invitation, I can’t wait to show you the dress I got for you for the ball, you’re gonna look perfect,” Jace said excitedly.

 “Jace, I don’t want to go. You can go on your own.”

“nonsense! I can’t marry a beautiful wife and not be able to show her off for all to see. People need to know their new CEO has the whole package.”

Oh yeah, by the way, you’re a CEO hip hip hooray for you, Katherine thought cynically. . She began dishing the eggs bacon and flapjacks for Jace, while she had flapjacks into her plate  without the eggs and bacon. Jace smiled and looked up with an impressed smile at Katherine, who ignored him as she drizzled blueberry sauce with a spoon on his flapjacks and then her own.

“I can’t say I’ll be complaining. I do honestly miss your cooking,” Jace said happily, digging into his food, bringing the fluffy portions into his mouth and he moaned with pleasure.

“Baby, this is good,” he said, digging in again. Jace looked up to see if Katherine was enjoying just as much as he was. He was surprised to see her stacking a meat patty between the flapjack that were smeared with peanut butter on each one, then she drizzled bacon fat over the flapjacks, not syrup, before cutting a piece and bringing it into her mouth, chewing vigorously.