Secrets and lies

III

At the very beginning, it was extremely difficult for her to get used to a new environment and a life she was not used to. Being alone after so long was not at all easy as she expected.

That's why she tried to be constantly occupied with work, and since the cottage where she lived required a lot of work for the sake of a comfortable and comfortable life in it, it was not a problem.

She would spend lonely evenings reading books, taking a sip of wine along the way, absorbing the sounds of music in the background.
It was just what she needed, after so much urban life, this peace came like icing on the cake. She would spend most of her time in the cottage.

Sometimes she would go for a walk and admire the nature that surrounds her, and go shopping as needed. She was not looking forward to the excited saleswoman who would bombard her with questions from the door or share unnecessary gossip with her, about people Katherine didn't even know. But deep down she was looking forward to a potential encounter with the mysterious neighbor.

Although they were separated from each other by a small lake and a few minutes of walk, it seemed as if they were much further from each other. She never saw him in the cafe she frequented or anywhere else, not even in the store. It didn't take her long to realize that this was a very lonely man.

Because of this, she lost hope in anything she imagined. She didn't understand why she was doing it in the first place. It was extremely obvious that he was much older than her. But she seemed to let down her walls only because she lacked male attention, which she desperately needed. She was alone. All alone.
And that led to the creation of frustrations, which she could solve in only one way.

On the other hand, Richard was not the only man in that town. Whenever she went out, she had to be prepared for pushy guys who openly showed interest in her.
In most cases, it would be so over the top that Katherine wouldn't like it at all or make her reason for coming to town end sooner than she expected. Maybe that won't be the case with this one..

In a well-known cafe, where the residents of this town liked to come, today's visit of two people who happened to be there at the same time will be the beginning of something dangerous.

For Katherine, it was a very ordinary morning. She stopped by the city, and, satisfied with shopping, went to treat herself to a good coffee in this nice cafe that she visited often, not even suspecting who she would run into. She walked confidently, smiling and greeting those present who always happily welcomed and greeted her.

In addition to the loud conversation of people, of the waitress taking new orders, the sound of the heels of her boots stood out, indicating that she had arrived. Seeing that the place where she usually sits is occupied, without saying a word and with a lot of consideration she headed towards the chairs by the sledge.

She noticed a man sitting nearby, but she didn't pay attention, instead she sat down on one of the chairs and placed the bag she had with her on the chair next to her.

"Finally, my favorite girl in town, here to brighten our day with her beauty!" '' , exclaimed a young man, who persistently and constantly flirts with Katherine, in order not to win her over with his charm, which he really had. Each of her rejections did not repel him from her, on the contrary, it would encourage him to continue even more.

"Leave the lady her alone." '', another girl interjected, pushing him playfully. Then she turned to Katherine and added:
,, Standard, I guess? '' , she gave her a warm smile.

Katherine laughed at the previous interaction of the two colleagues, then answered the girl with: ,, Yes, please.'', giving them a smile, somehow not noticing the look from the person next to her, until she turned to hang her purse on the chair.

At the moment she turned around, she noticed him, and despite the strong pounding of her heart, she looked calm and composed, just like him.

,, Richard, hello. Sorry, I didn't notice you were there earlier. '', she smiled, looking at him with surprise, considering that she knows that he does not visit this cafe.

"It's fine, don't worry. '', he replied coldly, still not taking his eyes off her.

"Well, I'm glad to see you. Honestly, this is the last place I would expect to see you, but I'm sure glad to. '' , she added, putting her hair behind the bow, leaning on her palms, fully facing him.

,, And why do you think that ? '' , he chuckled deeply, which made her heart beat even more. The book he was reading was now closed in front of him,  his glasses were placed down as well  and he kept looking at her , waiting impatiently for her answer. What he couldn't change was the expression on his face and that cold look of his that never left him, not even in the company of such a beautiful young lady, who really pleased him, no matter how much he denied it.

,, I don't know, you seem like the type who despises people and avoids any interactions with them. And I come here often, I have never seen you here, until now. '', she said, adding sugar to the coffee that was now in front of her, after thanking for it. Richard watched carefully, noticing every little detail on her. Memorizing it all.

Her long brown hair, the curls of which fit her perfectly. Her necklace that elegantly adorned her neck. Her dressing, a bit provocative, which both excited and bothered him, not wanting everyone else to see it. Her demeanor, so confident and glamorous. Her lipstick, which highlighted her femininity and the power she had, drove him crazy. He would find himself thinking about many things, which would include her anyway. It was a strange feeling for him. Something he hadn't felt in a long time. No woman had awakened such emotions and thoughts in him, and many had the opportunity.

,, I guess you are right. The reason I'm here is because I heard the best coffee is made exactly here. '',, he said looking around the cafe.

"Oh really, the best in town!" she exclaimed loud enough for the employees to hear her and give her grateful smiles. But bad thing is  that the wrong person heard it and understood it in the wrong way.

,, Hey you, beautiful lady. '' , he leaned against the counter trying to look seductive.

,, This is the third time you've greeted me within ten minutes. '', she laughed, looking at him curiously, waiting for a next move.

,, Is it? It must be because of that that I lost track of time, because when you walked through that door, everything stopped,'' he said, after which there was silence. An uncomfortable silence. Katherine looked at Richard, then back at the boy in front of her, and burst out laughing. Even more strange was that Richard also smiled a little.

Not because of the stupid babbling, but because of her sweet laughter that filled his ears. He looked at her in delight, melting at the sight before him. And at that moment he realized how much he liked her as a person, that there was no point in denying it, he liked her very much. And that will be a problem.