My Only Love

Chapter 29

       It had already been three months now ever since the time in the garage with Kate where they almost lost themselves in their unreleased passion. But it was never repeated again. Kate was shying away from him, farther and farther away. He knew it was because of Ryan. Her loyalty to him. Nate still hated him maybe even more now as he was taking Kate away. Even from their friendship. Gone were their wonderful times together where he would tease her playfully or try to steal kisses every chance he could get. All Nate felt was rejection. A big brush off every time he came near or tried to show his affection. There was always some excuse not to hold her close. So he stopped. He got the message. If Kate wanted to play it platonic he would grant her wish. She had battered on his ego. He had allowed himself to swallow his male pride all for his love for her. But he had his limits and Nate was all too pained for the big gap it caused on their friendship. There were the Sundays but conversation seemed forced and stilted. Even then he still wanted to see her and just be with her. Those were just the simple pleasures for Nate. But he felt he was losing her little by little and some part of him was dying inside with no control over the situation.

Even the night out with the boys and meeting beautiful girls had lost its appeal. He came home in the wee hours drunk and feeling empty. The girls remain faceless to him all he saw through them was Kate. How he wanted one girl he couldn't have. She chose someone else not him. He was tired and it showed. He stopped the night outs. It seemed so superficial to him. It was fun for the moment but Nate just wanted to be left alone. He needed time to think. The Plan for all its merits and pluses was backfiring. There was no Kate in his arms. No realization that he was the right guy for her. But after every dead tired day it was still Kate he thought of and loved. Fear of losing what they had. The spark and happiness in their friendship and desperately wanting to bring it back.

The only consolation for Nate were his work and his studies. There were the only constant things in his life. Still the work load never seemed to stop but he had the full arsenal now learning all the intricacies of being the best lawyer. Connelly his boss was still as strict and demanding but he gave what Nate needed the best experience and knowledge than he ever dreamed about. He was working himself hard aiming to work for the senior partners in the firm. Connelly was cultivating him. It was his lifelong wish. He could almost feel it now what with the some paralegals leaving the firm.

As for his studies he was proud of his work. He had aced every exam and gained his rightful place. All his years at Harvard he had consistently been on top of his class and still made extra time for school activities. In their special annual event he knew he had made his markthe reaps of all his efforts. This he made through his hard work barely even sleeping sometimes. This was for the future. His and Kate's. But he felt she was drifting away from him and he asked himself sometimes Why was he striving so hard? What for? She had someone else. But Nate had always been positive. In its right time he would get her back. It was not hopeless.

It was a Saturday night and he was starving. He was tired and all his body ached. It had been a gruelling week and all he wanted to do was get his take out and slumped into bed. These were what his Saturday's were like now driving himself to the point of exhaustion with no time to dwell or think but deep inside he was desperately lonely. An ache inside that gnawed at him. He missed Kate and what they had. He sighed out loud when he felt a slight tap on his shoulder.

He turned back when he saw Amanda Carter smiling naughtily at him.

Well, well if it isn't Nate Porter. And alone on a Saturday night. She was teasing him and part of him felt an exhilaration of seeing Amanda. Looking at the way her hazel eyes sparkled fringed with the longest lashes. Or the sexy impish smile she was directing at him.