Free Finding Kat by Elizabeth McMahen Page B

and had a hard time corralling the guys into doing what he wanted, the way he wanted. They were good friends and knew him well enough to push his buttons just for the hell of it.
     
    “I may have noticed. Just a little. It’s kind of cute.”
     
    I’d become acquainted with his quirks and habits. He could talk for hours about guitars and acoustics. I understood about half of what he rambled on about but I liked listening anyway. He got so excited about the smallest details.
     
    “I’m a man, Kat. I’m not cute. I’m rugged and handsome, not cute. Never cute.”
     
    “Oh ok. Sorry. You’re so ruggedly handsome and manly. Oh.” I fake moaned. “I just want to bask in your manliness. Please honor me with your presence O’ paragon of mannishness.”
     
    “Maybe one day soon I will deign to allow you to be near me. I know you will be in awe and unable to talk so I will fill the silence with odes to my maleishness.”
     
    “Oh my god. Odes to your maleishness. I wonder what that would sound like.” I laughed.
     
    He then spent at least a minute making up a song describing his “maleishness.” It was hilarious. I really liked his sense of humor.
     
    “You’ve gotta get out to the studio with us soon.” He said after we stopped laughing. “I’ve been dying to hear you play the guitar. It’s so fucking hot that you know how to play.”
     
    “Ugh. I want to so bad! I hate that I’m so freaking busy. I’ll carve out some time for that soon, I promise.” It was hard trying to start something with Cade when I didn’t have the time to see him. I couldn’t wait for things to slow down.
     
     
     
    CADE

     
    My brother and I got together for lunch a few days before the big premier. I had kept him updated about Kat and he watched the episode of Jimmy Fallon. We met at a small sports bar where no one would recognize me, or care if they did know who I was.
     
    “You must like her, at least enough to go find her and meet her again on live TV.” Chris said probing me for information.
     
    I coughed, choking a little on my beer. He was a nosy fucker, and a direct one.
     
    “I’m interested.” I said. I hoped I could give him as little information as possible and change the topic. I’ve always liked to keep things private and whatever Kat and I had going, I wanted to keep it to myself if possible.
     
    “Come on. You’re more than interested. I know that just watching you on TV. You know what Dad always said about Mom. How he knew she was his when he met her, he just had to convince her. I’ve always wondered if it was bullshit he spouted off for her benefit or if it’s possible to know that fast.” I was a little surprised by this speech. He had always laughed off Dad’s claims of love at first sight.
     
    “He believed it, so I believed him. I don’t want to say that he is wrong or right but I did feel something the second I saw her jumping around with Ally in the hall backstage. She looked so happy and carefree. I was intrigued, but I wouldn’t say that I knew instantly she was meant for me or whatever. I don’t think it’s that simple.” I frowned; this was a deeper conversation than I intended to have over lunch and beer.
     
    “I just always liked the idea that when I saw her I would know she was the one for me and that would be it. I know Mom always looked so happy listening to him tell that story. She must have heard it over and over again when she got sick, it was the story she always requested he tell the most.” He trailed off, remembering her.
     
    My Dad was a pretty romantic guy for an engineer. He was into science and building things, finding out how they worked. But when it came to Mom, and love, he believed in things that you couldn’t explain or reason away. It was one of my favorite things about him, that he loved her so much, it’s what made it so hard to be around him after she died. It was as if part of him was gone and he was just waiting for it to be his turn. He