Kate & Alf - Carrie Stone

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her with full force. This was not what she’d been expecting. Not at all.

      ‘Say something…?’ Alf said quietly, growing more and more concerned. He knew Kate well enough to know when she was shocked. But her face was telling him that it wasn’t a happy shock. ‘Look, I know it’s not the Manor next door. I made a wrong turn back there. This stadium is really nice, though. I know you’ll love it – even though it’s not the one where we first met….’ He tailed off, suddenly edgy.

      Looking into his squinting eyes in the dimming evening light, Kate caught his worried expression. She took a deep breath, forcing a light, reassuring tone to her voice. ‘I’m just a little taken aback – it’s not what I expected, that’s all.’ She bit down on her lip, wondering what to say. ‘It’s a lovely idea, though, so thoughtful.’ She was lying, but what more could she do? She felt a lump in her throat and tried to swallow it down.

      ‘You understand the relevance, right? I thought it’d be special. And fun. I thought you’d be excited about it.’ Alf sounded a little dejected and defensive. He fiddled with his seatbelt awkwardly.

      Leaning forward, Kate gently kissed him on the lips, silencing him. She pulled back slowly, noticing that his air of excitement had evaporated. He looked forlorn. She grabbed his arm and linked hers through hers, trying to be upbeat.

      ‘Of course it’ll be fun. We’re together and it’s my birthday. I know tonight is going to be special, so let’s just go inside and enjoy it.’

      Pushing aside the mental images of Pearmont Manor and her dashed hopes, she allowed Alf to lead her towards the entrance of the stadium, with a heavy heart and only one remaining thought. He was the man that she dearly loved, spent every available moment with and had been by her side for over seven years…

      So how could he have got it so very very wrong?

       Chapter 2

      ‘You could have at least warned me,’ Kate whispered, retouching her eye make-up in the bright lighting of the ladies’ toilet. She watched as Megan – who was standing against the hand dryer – shrugged her shoulders uncomfortably and lowered her gaze.

      ‘I’m so sorry, Kate – if Alf hadn’t made me promise then I would have. But he was so taken with the idea and I knew how disappointed you’d probably be, but truthfully, Kate – it wasn’t my place to warn you.’

      ‘But didn’t you try to change his mind?’ Kate asked, exasperated. Megan knew her better than anyone – surely she should have intervened in some way?

      Tossing her chocolate-brown, wavy hair to one side, Megan sighed. She had known from the moment Alf had sent her the email of his proposed venue that Kate would be less than enthused. Annoyed at his suggestion, for a fleeting moment she had wondered whether to call him on the internal switchboard and suggest meeting in the staff canteen of the large corporate insurance brokers they both worked for; but she’d decided against it. Alf had made it painfully clear over the years that he didn’t value her input or appreciate her outgoing personality. She was certain he wouldn’t want to listen to her concerns. Besides, she’d already caught wind of a potentially bigger revelation that was sure to rock Kate’s world if it transpired. The venue was the least of her worries.

      ‘You know as well as I do that if I’d tried to change his mind, he’d have dismissed me without giving it a second thought.’ She gave Kate a wry smile. ‘Anyway, part of me hoped that you’d be so bowled over with the romance behind the idea that you’d forgive him for the awful choice.’

      Kate sighed. She knew Megan was right. Alf wasn’t one to be swayed once he’d set his heart on something – least of all by a woman he didn’t favour. Megan did have a point – the gesture behind his idea was romantic.

      She could hardly believe that seven years had passed – it seemed like a lifetime ago that Megan had persuaded her to attend her summer works’ do. It certainly wasn’t the place she’d wanted to spend her evening, yet events beyond her control had led to her finding herself at a dog stadium in an unfamiliar town.

      It just so happened that she’d been parted from Megan and the other colleagues in a flurry of visitors placing their bets, and a kind, dark-haired man with a slightly crooked smile had asked if she was okay. From the moment she locked eyes with Alf, she’d had a sixth-sense feeling he was going to be in her life forever. And here she was, tearing apart his romantic gesture because she’d expected something more to her taste.

      Glancing into the mirror Megan quickly applied a fresh coat of the clear liquid gloss to her full lips. She’d never been a big fan of too much make-up, but then she’d never really needed it. Satisfied with her appearance, she picked up her purse and tried steering the conversation in a new direction.

      ‘I still can’t believe you spilt nail varnish over your dress. Honestly Kate, you are the clumsiest woman on earth. You have got to get that dress dry-cleaned or something. It’s too stunning to waste.’

      Kate nodded grimly. ‘Yes, I was gutted, but then Alf did make a comment that he preferred me in this dress, which was a bit strange. He said I looked more understated and simple.’

      Spinning around with her forehead furrowed questioningly, Megan tried not to let her disdain be too obvious. ‘Understated? Simple? Are you serious? You looked absolutely gorgeous in that dress.’ She shook her head in disgust. ‘What is wrong with him? Dearie me, Kate, it seems he’d like to keep you as dull as dishwater.’

      Staring at Megan incredulously, Kate angrily picked up her clutch bag. ‘Wow, thanks for that – that’s really cheered me up! Nice to know I’m as dull as dishwater.’

      Despite the tension, Megan laughed lightly. ‘Don’t over-react – you know what I’m referring to. I’ve told you countless times you need to get more of a life and when I saw you in that cream dress, it just reminded me of well, you, the real you….’ She squeezed Kate’s arm gently, noticing a shadow pass across her friend’s face. ‘I just want to see you happy again, you know that.’

      Kate’s expression softened. ‘I know that. But I am happy – Alf makes me happy. Plus it’s my birthday and he has another surprise up his sleeve… I can feel it.’ Her eyes sparkled in excitement.

      Megan wanted to believe Kate’s convincing words, but she knew her friend too well. She’d noticed a vast change in her over the last year and couldn’t help but refer back to the passing comments Kate had made about Alf on various occasions. Whether she realised it or not, she’d been disclosing a side of her partner that Megan saw in its true colour – insecurity. As well as Kate’s growing introversion, Alf seemed to be projecting all of his own issues onto Kate. It wasn’t a healthy situation.

      Wisely ignoring the reference to Alf having another surprise for the evening, Megan smoothed down her tight blue bodycon dress and turned towards the door. She knew full well that Kate had quietly set her hopes on Alf proposing, given their two-year deadline. But her intuition was telling her otherwise. Anyway, if the office gossip that had filtered down from management was true, Alf would have other life decisions to concentrate on. She only hoped that Kate wasn’t going to be too devastated if she didn’t get the proposal she was expecting.

      ‘Right then, enough talking – let’s get out there and get you enjoying your party.’

      Kate followed, feeling more enthusiastic. She could already hear the beat of a song she favoured in the background and she’d noticed so many familiar faces she couldn’t wait to catch up with.

      ‘Oh, just one last thing. Did you decide on the colour theme? Or was that Alf too?’

      Megan looked around and pulled a face in distaste. ‘Do you really need to ask that? I tried to suggest pink, white and silver, but he was having none of it.’

      Kate smiled; she’d thought as much. Pink, white and silver

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