Katie's Cafe

31

Things seemed to be looking up, and it was strange how normal life had become. As stressful as everything had been recently, I've started to feel a lot better after reconciling with Tom.

Since then, he'd somehow managed to convince me to start jogging with him at least once a week after we get back from our weekend away, which I wasn't looking forward to.

As previously discussed, we hadn't been having sex either. We've kissed a few times but that was pretty much it, and I hadn't slept over at his house either to avoid any further temptation.

Most nights, we just sit together comfortably to talk about our lives and our feelings without it leading to physical intimacy afterwards. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

I suppose it was a natural instinct that had lead me to have the urge to have sex, rather than open up when it came to my emotions.

Most men that I'd known in the past had paid me to distract them from their own stresses in daily life, and I was just doing what came naturally to me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I was nervous. I'd barely ever been on a day out, never mind a whole weekend away. Not to mention, it will also be the longest that I've been away from Hannah in the past five years.

"Try not to have too much fun!" Hannah shouts as she waves us off.

"I love you!" I shout back to her and wave out of the car window as we start to pull away in Tom's car.

"Love you too!"

Admittedly, I was a little bit disappointed that Max had to stay with a dog sitter for the weekend because the hotel didn't allow any pets.

"Can I confess something to you, seeing as we're being entirely honest with each other now?"

"Go on".

I had to get this secret off my chest before we got there.

"I lied to you before about not being able to swim".

"Really, why?"

"Because I'm terrified of the water. I nearly drowned once and I've been too scared to go back in the water ever since".

"That's nothing to be ashamed of. I'm a grown man with a crippling fear of spiders. I can't stand the bloody things".

"Seriously?"

I can't help myself but laugh at him.

"It's not that funny," he rolls his eyes but I can tell he thinks it's a little funny with that slight smirk on his lips.

"I can't believe that the hotshot Detective Thomas Dalton is scared of something as harmless as a spider," I wind him up.

"Hotshot? Hardly," he scoffs at my remark.

"Well, you helped solve that serial killer case, didn't you?"

They definitely didn't solve a damn thing, but I couldn't possibly say that to his face.

"That's a load of bollocks," he says quietly.

"What do you mean?"

I look at him, confused by what he just said, especially because I don't think I've ever heard him swear before just now.

"We didn't solve the case. She just rang the police station and confessed to all the murders. It still doesn't add up though," he breathes out with disappointment.

"How so?"

"Don't get me wrong, she fits the profile in theory, but..."

"What profile?"

"That woman, the one that fell down the stairs the other night at the bar is a forensic psychologist. She had a whole board full of her theories about the killer".

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't interested to know what that bitch unknowingly thought about me. Maybe she deserves more than the concussion and broken arm I'd already given her?

"What were her theories then?"

"Not to cause any offence to you in any way, but her main belief from the beginning was that the suspect was a former sex worker".

I could hardly be offended by it when it's the truth.

"Oh? Why would she think that?"

"All of the victims had often frequented strip clubs, lap dancing places and brothels over the years. Based on the statements we've taken from other women who work or have worked at those places in the past, they were not well liked".

"Why not?"

"They were known to be aggressive towards women. Even the evidence we found at the suspect's home that connects her to all of them would seem to confirm that fact".

"So what makes you think that something doesn't add up?"

"It's all too perfect, and that doesn't sit right with me. Why confess at all, and why now if she was planning on taking her own life?"

"I don't know, maybe she felt guilty or something?"

Clearly Tom's good at his job. He hadn't just accepted the obvious like everyone else did, and is apparently not letting it go anytime soon.

"I've seen the crime scenes, some of them with my own eyes, and this much I know, the killer felt not even an ounce of remorse for what she did to those men. Confessing seems completely out of character".

It struck me that he'd once told me that he wanted to question the killer himself. It must piss him off a lot that he believes that opportunity is gone forever.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I must've drifted off to sleep at some point during the drive here, because I wake up to Tom giving my shoulder a little shake.

"Sara, we're here".

When I look out of the car window, I can see the hotel we're staying in and it's absolutely amazing. Although, it makes me slightly nervous when I realise it's beachfront.

The weather is perfect today and the water looks really beautiful, but that doesn't stop me feeling any less panicked by it.

Once we've checked in and taken our bags up to the room, it's obvious that he must have paid a lot of money for us to stay here.

"Wow!" the word suddenly leaves my mouth louder than I intended.

"I take it you approve then?" he looks amused.

"This room is amazing. How can you afford all of this? Are you secretly selling drugs on the side?"

"No, this trip was actually a gift from my parents".

"Your parents? Why would they pay for you to stay in a hotel for the weekend?"

"Ah, that would be due to the fact that it's my birthday tomorrow".

Oh crap, I had no idea so I haven't even gotten him anything. What could I possibly buy him when he's used to nicer things like staying in places like this?

"Why didn't you tell me before we came here? I could've got you a present or a birthday card at least".

"Having you here with me this weekend is all the gift I need. It would be really boring without you".

"I'm still nipping out later to get you something, so don't try and stop me".

"Fine. Well, we have plenty of time before dinner, what do you fancy doing do first?"

Those words on his lips made me think about all the things I really wanted to do with him, but I had agreed we shouldn't yet.

"It's warm and sunny today, we could go to the beach if you want?"

"Good idea," he smiles.

Going that close to the water is a sacrifice I'm willing to make if it makes him happy. I'm glad I packed a nice bathing suit and remembered to shave my legs before we came here.