Courting Katarina by Carol Steward Page B

a thundercloud in sight.
    The pop radio station faded as they disappeared into the valley. Katarina hit the scan button in searchof another. The blue iridescent numbers scrolled past, and back around to where they’d started. She switched to another band, finding only small stations with a sad array of music or livestock reports. “I can’t believe I forgot to bring my music.”
    She pulled off at the first exit and began to look for a restaurant. The two local diners were closed, so they filled the car with gas and grabbed some snacks to hold them over till they reached Casper. Alex joined Katarina at the register with his arms full. She looked at him, then at the water, two juices and two sodas in his arms. He looked into her eyes. “Just in case.”
    She splayed her hand on her hip. “In case what? I don’t do ‘just in cases.”’
    He smiled in spite of her naiveté. “Good, you’re welcome to say ‘I told you so’ when we arrive at my place with two full bottles of unused water.”
    She smiled at his challenge. “I’ll do that.”
    “I didn’t know which you’d prefer to drink, so I got a little of everything.”
    She simply stared at him and her eyes misted over, then she spun around and was out the door. He handed the clerk a twenty-dollar bill and pocketed his change, not even waiting for a bag to carry everything in. He followed her outside. “Katarina! What did I do wrong this time?”
    Katarina Berthoff was nothing like the women he met in his line of work. Not that he had any complaints about them, per se. But there was somethingvery different about a soot-covered woman carrying a hundred-pound pack on her back and the equally determined, yet undeniably feminine creature walking in front of him. Watching her, he decided it was no wonder his mind had gone up in smoke the day his brother married her sister.
    Her yellow-and-white-knit sundress fit as if it were made specially for her. Was it the shade of yellow, or the wonderful way her face glowed? Rows of white leather flowers covered the straps of her sandals, showing off her pretty pink toenails. Sunshine. No other way to describe her, he decided.
    Katarina got into the station wagon, closed the door and started the engine. Trying to hurry, Alex hit his head ducking into the seat beside her. He dropped the drinks at his feet, closed the door and took hold of her hand before she could shift into gear.
    “Hold on right there!”
    Tears trickled down her cheeks.
    “Kat,” he whispered. He let go of her hand, placed his fingertips on her chin and gently turned her to face him. “What did I say?”
    “I told you before, Alex, I don’t need you. I didn’t need you to come along to take care of me.” She gasped for air. “I don’t need you to tell me how to drive, or see that I have something to drink.” She carried on, her voice and temper escalating. She’s about to hyperventilate .
    “Cool down, Katarina. You’re taking this a bittoo far.” He opened the bottle of cold water and offered her a drink. “Kat, come on, take a sip of water.”
    She pushed it away. He felt it slipping from his hand and clutched it tighter, spraying her with the icy-cold liquid. Her eyes shot open and she gasped.
    He stared at her, wide-eyed. “I didn’t mean to do that!”
    She took two deep breaths, then another one. “I’ve managed on my own all these years, Alex. I don’t need or want a father to take care of me now.”
    He slammed his palm on the top of the water spout. A father? She thinks I’m trying to replace her…father? Feeling as if he’d just been doused in cold water himself, he leaned his head back. “You don’t have to worry, Katarina.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to understand what was happening between them. “The last thing I want to be is a father figure to you.”
    Just hearing those words made everything crystal clear. Though he hadn’t given it too much thought, he had to admit, he hadn’t totally