Peaches and Cream Pt. 02

Thank you everyone for your comments. This part is longer but I know not long enough for some. I am busy on Part 3 which will be a bit longer.

*****

If Catherine had known her world was going to change that day, she didn't know what she would do differently.

She would have still worn that outfit. The black leather jacket had been a steal since clothing racks were now filled with capris and maxi dresses. But the early April frost made it an appropriate choice. The jeans fit her perfectly accentuating the curves she wanted to draw attention to. The Kelly green shirt look fantastic against her pecan colored skin and black jacket. No she had to admit her outfit was on point.

Would she have stayed at work? No her part of the project was done and until Dr. Simpson did his part she spent her days playing Candy Crush. When John had offered to take her to lunch she sent a quick email to her boss and left.

Would she decline's John offer of stopping for a quick coffee before he headed on rounds? The honest truth was she planned to stop by anyway on her way home. She was restless and a cup of tea and a trashy magazine usually rested her mind. No Catherine accepted that the universe, the divine, fate or whatever you call it had put her in that coffee shop that afternoon. And really she only had herself to blame, she prayed for a sign.

Catherine sat listening to John while sipping on her herbal tea and nibbling on an orange scone. He was trying to entice her to go to a conference with him in Santa Fe New Mexico. His argument was sound. It would be nice to go away for a few days to a warmer climate. This spring cold snap made Virginia feel more like Canada than the south. Plus who in their right mind would turn down an all-expense paid trip. A few days lounging by a pool catching up on Chic Lit reading sounded divine. "There is bound to be salsa club in Santa Fe where we could show off our moves." Catherine laughed and rolled her eyes. John loved to dance but the 2 step was a challenge for him. He had taken her line dancing on an early date and injured the man next to him. They stuck to slow dances since then.

But Catherine couldn't say yes. The trip was more than a few days away. It was John's attempt to push them closer. Take their relationship to the "next level". At 43, John was ready to settle down, get married and have beautiful beige babies with her smile.

Catherine took a sip of tea. "John I would love to go, but I don't have a pet sitter. Plus it's the end of the semester, I can't skip class. The final is less than a month away and I haven't written it. " John sighed. He knew she wouldn't go but he had to try. A sane man would have ended this already.

John was a great guy. Everything on paper checked off. They had met at coffee hour after church. Cat usually attended the early morning service but decided to go to the later one. More honestly her hangover helped her decide to attend the later one. And there he'd been, sipping his coffee and reading the announcements on the bulletin board.

John, an orthopedic surgeon, recently accepted a position with a medical practice in town. Catherine was empathetic to his plight. She'd moved two years ago and was still getting her bearings. Conversation was easy between them. They started slowly as church friends then moved on to Sunday brunches and finally Saturday night dinners.

At 6'5"he was a bear of man who made her seem petite in his hugs. He had a gentle demeanor and an easy laugh that made his hazel eyes twinkle. His outgoing personality brought balance to her introverted tendencies. Their relationship was easy. They enjoyed similar movies; both read the Sunday Washington Post and were avid hockey fans.

People assumed that John was the shy one after all he was divorced. She knew the pointed questions he received at last year's Thanksgiving dinner with her family and then again at Christmas with his. People kept dropping hints about her age, 39 and reference ticking clocks. He took it all in stride not wanting people to think less of her. Not wanting them to know that Catherine was stalling. She blamed her parent's divorce, her work schedule and commitment issues for not moving in with him. And she questioned whether children were really in the cards for her.

"Catherine, I think we are at a crossroads. I love you but I want a wife and children. If that's not what you want then maybe it's time for us to part company. "He checked his watch. "I need to do my evening rounds; I can drop you off at your car." He stood up ready to go.

Catherine stood up too and hugged him close. She kissed his temple and nipped his ear. "Forgive me" she whispered. She smiled at him and slowly licked her lips. If emotionally she couldn't satisfy him, she knew physically she could. "The problem is I would be a fool to break up with a woman as sexy as you. Let's be honest where else am I going to find big boobs and a math PHD." He always knew how to make her laugh. She smiled at him. Catherine really did love him. A sensible woman would be wearing his ring and knocked up with his baby. In her quiet moments she prayed for a sign from the universe.

"SHIT!!" Catherine felt a chill run up her spine. No it couldn't be.

"FUCK!!" She would know that voice anywhere and streaming curse words, which was icing on the cake. Catherine turned and there he was. Matthew Walker. And despite the years he looked remarkably the same. He was wearing a pair of worn dark jeans and a hooded sweatshirt. His black hair highlighted with silver strings.

Suddenly a key turned and memories flooded back through her. She felt 21 again and flushed. What was this? Was the sight of him turning her on? She felt like the heroine in a tawdry romance novel. As if pulled by an imaginary thread, Catherine walked over to him.

Yes that was definitely Matthew Raymond Walker. In college, he had been cute with a raw sex appeal. But now at 40 he definitely had that George Clooney thing going: handsome, sexy and a smile that would knock your panties off.

He looked at her. Same blue grey eyes, same dimple in his left cheek. Catherine didn't know what came over her but she started laughing. Laughter was better than what else she felt. "Hey Peach". He stopped dabbing and looked at her.

God she was beautiful, prettier than her picture. And that body. It was she who had turned him on the joys of exploring curves. His eyes drifted down to her cleavage. Was it possible they had gotten better? Her breasts were the story lines of 20 year old male fantasies but what he was looking at now...he didn't have words.

As if reading him mind she smiled. "I can afford better bras now".

"Cat? Everything ok?" John slid up next to her and put his arm around her shoulder, a move that simultaneously unnerved Matt and angered Catherine. It was a play of possession and she was no one's possession. Besides he had just tried to end their relationship 10 minutes ago.

She turned to him with a smile. "John Dixon, this is my old friend Matthew Walker. We went to college together."

John raised an eyebrow, "I thought you went to an all-girls college?"

"All women" Matt corrected. "And you are right she did go to Salem College. I was a few miles away at Wake Forest. We had friends in common." He couldn't help but wink at her with the "friends in common" comment. "Peach was my math tutor. And a hell of a tutor she was. I kept my track scholarship and managed to graduate on time."

John stopped cold...Peach? He had never heard anyone call her that before. He did not even understand how it applied. Catherine was from NC not Georgia. In fact peaches were her least favorite fruit.

In that moment John saw it. Maybe it was the fact that neither made any move to close the distance between them, or the wink he'd given her or the shocked look in her eyes. But in that moment John knew the reason Catherine would not marry him had nothing to do with work, children or commitment phobia. And everything to do with Matthew Walker.