In Waves -Book 3

Chapter 48 - All the Surprises

For the first time in a long time, life seems calm; it feels like the monsters finally died under the bed, and slowly but surely, they will die away in my head too.

I'm doing well at work, Hobi and I are doing so well, and yes the sex is amazing, and it feels so odd to say that, because let's face it, a year ago the thought of any other man other than Aera's father touching me made me feel like I was the most evil person ever.

Hobi is always the mystery to me, I dont know how the man I hit all those years back and could have easily killed and the man I blamed for everything, has become my safe place, another source of happiness and someone who makes my spine curve in ecstasy because he just knows it all, like he is writing the new updated version of my soon to become middle aged body and he wants me to the be the screaming author and not him.... woo what am I like, these words shouldn't flow out of my brain should they?.

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'I want to surprise him, Fran....like really surprise him...it has been a while since I've seen him,' I said as I rested back in my chair, hoping my missing him would make Hobi just appear like a ball of sunshine.

' You sound like a lovesick teenager Kat and I love it' I heard Fran giggle from her desk on the outside of my office door.

'If I could have the stamina of one ...that would be great...just getting up off the couch...in your 40s... It's an effort' I laughed back.

'Well, what kind of surprise, Kat....I know some cool places for a day out. Frans' infectious energy responded even if she was out of my eyeline.

'The kind that I can't yell through an office door ...because otherwise I will get weirder looks than I already do!' I said short and sharp and heard the inevitable bonk of Frans' brown leather chair against the thin wall in front of my office.

'Oh shit ...right,' Fran said, flustered and tottered into my office, closing the door as she went.

' Yes, I'm a lost adult in the world of relationships ...what do I do ?' I said, looking for some hope from the bouncy young Fran in front of me.

'Well, I don't know how much I can help, I'm still talking to mine online...I'm too nervous to take the leap' Fran said as she sat on the little arm chair I had in my office that was a pitstop for colleagues and also the holding spot for Aera on the rare occasions she came into work and I fought tirelessly to keep the cheese puff smell out of the arms as she decorated the chair with them.

'You sure he is real?... You know how I worry' I said, trying not to sound too much like a concerned mother.

'He passed the verification thing they have, so I know he is real and we talk on the phone and we've sent pictures...but I'm just nervous....I mean, I'm not....I want to meet him..' Fran replied.

'I'm sensing a but?' I responded.

'I don't know...it's just there are so many monsters, how do you know if you've found the prince charming and not some douche bag in tin foil?' Fran said, sounding down.

'Well......Hobi and I, for example....he wasn't someone I liked when we first met, and well, it just happened ...and now....Im trying to plan things to surprise him' I said, wanting to not let the pessimistic attitude I had held onto for large portions of my life sully the idea of love or at least potential love.

'Well .... I'm guessing it is sexy stuff with Hobi, ' Fran said without blushing and almost deadpan.

'Ummm' I mumbled as if our ages had reversed.

'Kat, I'm not a virgin or a prude, no matter how much that ass boil Trevor tries to paint me because I pay him no attention,' Fran said half half-proud.