When in Bruges (Humorous Romantic Mystery) (15 page)

C
hris and Kirt
were standing in line at Kip Beaumonde’s in the Steen Street, discussing the latest events. As usual, a long line of customers preceded them. Kip, who had in his youth been the local soccer star, was pretty much the most handsome guy in Bruges, and young women from all over flocked to his business to catch a glimpse of the hunk.

The most interesting thing about him was that he was still single, though it was anyone’s guess why that was exactly, for women flung themselves at his feet left, right and center, and had always done so since he’d reached the age of consent, and probably even before.

What was more, Kip was a great guy, easygoing and happy-go-lucky. And he was a fine pharmacist to boot.

“So?” said Kirt. “What happened? I thought Kate was engaged?”

“She still is,” said Chris. “But she’s going to call it off.”

Kirt looked at his friend as if he was Albus Dumbledore and had just performed the most ingenious magic trick imaginable. “How did you do that?”

Chris shrugged. “My natural charm and wit?”

“Bullshit,” said Kirt. He squinted at him. “Did you put something in her drink? Is that why she was acting so weird just now?”

“Weird? How?”

“Kissing you and stuff,” said Kirt.

“What’s weird about that?” said Chris, checking an anti-wrinkle cream. “You kiss, don’t you?”

“That’s different. Lauren actually likes me. But you? Last time I checked, Kate hated your guts!”

“Well, I finally managed to convince her that I did leave her a note that time.”

“That’s great, Chris,” said Kirt, lighting up. Placing a fatherly hand on his friend’s arm, he added, “Did you know that Lauren and I were thinking about staging an intervention?”

“An intervention?”

“You wouldn’t believe how hard it is to see your best friend suffer,” said Kirt sincerely. “And Lauren felt the same way. Though to be honest, we had no idea how to go about it, so it’s just as well that you found your way back to each other on your own.”

Chris felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude toward his friend at these words, and he pressed his hand warmly. “Thanks, man,” he said. “I really appreciate it.”

“You deserve it, buddy. Now go and be happy.”

“You too, Kirt. Lauren’s a great girl.”

“She is,” said Kirt softly.

“What can I do for you gentlemen?” interrupted Kip. It was their turn.

“A pack of condoms, please,” said Kirt. “And the same for my friend here.”

Kip gave them a wink. “Finally getting laid, huh? About time. I thought you boys would never get lucky.”

Kip came back with two packages. He placed one in front of Chris. “Extra large for you, Van Damme.” Then he slammed one down in front of Kirt. “And the extra small size for you, Raisin.”

“Very funny, Beaumonde,” growled Kirt.

“I thought you’d like it,” said Kip. “Now did your daddy explain to you about the birds and the bees? No? Now, look here, boys have a pee-pee, see? And girls have a—”

“Wise-ass,” grunted Kirt, threw down a couple of bills, and stalked off.

Kip sighed. “Young people these days,” he said.

“No respect for their elders,” said Chris.

“What are you gonna do?” said Kip, then stared dumbly as Chris handed him back the packet of contraceptives.

“Hang on to these for now, will you?” Chris said.

“Chris,” said Kip earnestly, “You do know what happens when you don’t use these, right?”

Chris sighed. “It’s complicated, Kip. “She’s still engaged to another guy, and as long as that’s the case, I really don’t— I really can’t— I really don’t think… Oh, hell. You know what I mean.”

Kip eyed him for a long time, then said, “You’re a good guy, Chris. I mean it. And that girl of yours is one lucky lady.”

“Trust me,” said Chris. “I’m the lucky one.”

T
he lucky lady
was at that moment inspecting a bunch of tomatoes in Barbara’s Deli, just a couple of streets away from Kip’s.

“You’re going out with him?” said Lauren, placing a paper bag of oranges into her basket.

“To the movies,” said Kate. She frowned. “Did you know that this is our first real date? Ever?”

“But what are you going to tell Franklin?” said Lauren.

“Franklin said he’d turn in early,” said Kate.

“But you’re going to break off the engagement, right?”

“I think so,” said Kate.

“You
think
so? Honey, you can’t be married to two men, you know. It’s called bigamy and it’s illegal.”

“I know that,” said Kate. “It’s just that…” She sighed. “Franklin has been so good to me these last couple of months, and Chris…”

“Yes?”

“I love Chris, I know that now, but how long have we really known each other? I mean, we spent one weekend together in New York, and it’s only been two days since we ran into each other again over here. So I’ve known him for all of, what, four, five days? Is that really enough to be sure?”

“You still don’t believe him about the note?”

“No, I do,” said Kate. “But before I break off my engagement to Franklin, I would like to get to know Chris a little better first.”

“You think he’s hiding something?”

“That’s not it. I just don’t know him very well.”

“You know that he loves you,” said Lauren. “Even I can see that. Isn’t that enough?”

“I’m not a teenager anymore, Lauren. I’m thirty-one. I can’t go hopping from guy to guy on a whim. I need to think about the future.” Her friend’s exasperation amused her. Lauren appeared an even bigger champion for Chris than she was. “Look, I’m going to break off my engagement to Franklin, but first I want to get to know Chris a little better, okay?”

“I think you’re nuts,” said Lauren. “Here’s this great guy who loves you, and you’re hedging your bet with Franklin, who you’ve never really cared about a day in your life. I think it’s…”

“Prudent?”

“Unfair.”

“Perhaps it is,” mused Kate. “It’s just that Chris has disappointed me once, and I just want to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

“And then what? If he fumbles the ball, you’ll get married to a man you don’t love?”

Kate threw up her hands. “I don’t know, Lauren. Probably not. I just want to give it a few more days before I decide, all right?”

“Unbelievable,” mumbled Lauren. “Now that you finally found the man of your dreams, you’re going to start playing games.”

“Just being careful, that’s all,” said Kate.

Lauren sighed. “Perhaps you’re right. You think I’m rushing into things with Kirt? Perhaps I should keep him at arm’s length for a while, too?”

“That’s different,” said Kate.

“How is that different?” Lauren protested.

“You’re not engaged to be married to somebody else,” Kate pointed out.

“Oh. Right. Forgot about that.”

“I think you and Kirt are really great together. I say go for it. Unless you’re having second thoughts?”

“Not really second thoughts,” said Lauren, wavering. “It’s just that…”

“What?”

“I live in Columbus, Ohio, and he lives in Belgium. There’s an entire ocean between us.”

“Same goes for me and Chris,” said Kate. Which was yet another reason she needed to give this some serious thought before rushing into things. “He could move. Or… you could.” She really hoped Lauren wouldn’t, though. She didn’t want to have to miss her friend.

“We haven’t really talked about that part yet.”

“Well, perhaps you should. It’s important.”

“I know,” said Lauren. “And I will. It’s just that… in case things don’t work out between us, it would be silly if I moved to Belgium.”

Kate chuckled. “You see? You also want to make sure your relationship has a future before you start making the big life changes.”

“That’s different,” said Lauren, blushing.

“How?” demanded Kate.

“Well, perhaps it’s not,” admitted Lauren. She sighed again. “It’s the first time I’ve ever been serious about a guy, you know. I’m in uncharted territory here!”

“Same here, honey,” said Kate. “So let’s proceed carefully.”

“Or simply go for it!” said Lauren, waving her arms, sending three oranges flying across the floor.

Kate grimaced. “Yeah, well. Let’s just see about that.”

I
n spite
of the fact that Bruges has a state-of-the-art cinema complex in Kinepolis Bruges, the town has managed to maintain a couple of smaller movie theaters as well. Though most people prefer the cineplex, enough Brugeans frequent the smaller houses to keep them afloat. It was to one of these, Cinema Lumière, that Chris now took Kate for their first ever date.

“What do you want to see?” said Chris as they gazed up at the marquee. “A depressing romantic drama or a depressing historical drama?”

This particular cinema catered to the artsy crowd, and only played indie movies a little too offbeat for a mainstream audience.

“Mh, tough choice,” said Kate. “Perhaps I’ll defer my choice to you, honey.”

“Think I’ll have to go with the… romantic drama,” Chris said.

“I thought you said you didn’t like romantic dramas?” said Kate.

“Well, that’s the kind of guy I am,” said Chris. “All self-sacrifice and altruism.”

“That’s so sweet of you,” said Kate. “But if I’m absolutely honest, I prefer the historical drama.”

“Then a historical drama it is,” said Chris magnanimously. “I actually studied this time period in college. Never thought they’d turn it into a movie, though.”

Kate wasn’t really paying attention, for the oddest couple had just caught her eye, and she couldn’t help staring after them as they entered the cinema.

“Am I boring you already, honey?” Chris said.

“Did you see that?” she said.

He followed her gaze, and inhaled sharply. “Isn’t that…”

“Gabriel Closet and Jeanie Geyser.” The king and queen of sleaze had just walked into the cinema, arm in arm.

“That’s weird,” he said.

“Extremely,” she agreed. She frowned, an idea occurring to her. “Do you think… they set this whole thing up together? She posing with the candidates, he snapping the pictures?”

“Could be,” he said. “It’s definitely very fishy, those two together.”

It was. Extremely fishy indeed. Coming upon Jeanie removing the mooring pin from the boat that afternoon, it was all highly suspicious. But then she decided not to let it spoil her night. She hooked her arm in his. “Let’s just forget about them for now, shall we? Tonight is about you and me. And no paparazzi or reality stars are going to ruin that.”

“You’re right,” he said.

They’d arrived at the ticket booth, and Chris ordered two tickets for
My Fair Gentleman
. Taking their seats, she admired the plush velvet of her surroundings.

“This is a really nice place,” she said.

“Hasn’t changed a bit,” Chris said. “When I was a kid, I used to come here all the time.”

“I bet you took all the girls here, too, didn’t you?” she teased.

“Just a few,” he said, shuffling a bit uncomfortably.

“Liar. I bet you were a real ladies’ man.”

“Not really,” he assured her.

“How many girlfriends did you have before me?”

His face lit up. “You’re my girlfriend?”

“Of course,” she said. “Now don’t change the subject. How many?”

“I, erm, never really kept count,” he said.

“If you tell me your secrets, I’ll tell you mine.”

“Five.”

She raised her eyebrows. “Only five?” She could hardly believe it. A handsome guy like Chris? She hadn’t really wanted to dwell on the topic, for merely thinking about him with another woman made her jealous, but she still wanted to know all there was to know about him.

“Well, three, actually. The first girl I ever kissed was because of a bet, and the second I only kissed once during a violin concerto when I was like fifteen. Then there was Suzy, my first ‘real’ girlfriend. We went steady for all of two weeks before she dumped me for Harold, a kid in my class who supposedly was a great kisser, though I think he spread that rumor himself.” He took a deep breath. “You sure you want to hear all this?”

“I find it fascinating,” she said. “Go on and don’t skip the details.”

“My second girlfriend was Jacqueline, whose parents were friends of my parents. I met her in the choir.”

“You were in a choir?”

“I was. She was a soprano and I was an alto.”

“Don’t tell me. You fell in love with her voice?”

He grinned. “Not just her voice. She was really pretty, too. We kissed for the first time after choir practice and were together until the school holidays, when she fell in love with an Italian named Luigi while vacationing in Tuscany and dumped me with a long letter explaining she’d just found true love.”

“Ah, nothing like summer love.”

“Tell me about it. Now, were was I?”

“Girlfriend number two.”

“Right. Girlfriend number three was Veronica. We met in college and stayed together for a couple of years. What about you?”

“Hold it, mister. You’re skimming over this Veronica awfully quick. Tell me more.”

Chris sighed and rolled his eyes. “What’s there to tell? We fell in love, then she fell out of love, and then she fell in love again with some other guy. End of story.”

Kate smiled. “You really loved her, didn’t you?”

“I did.”

“And she broke your heart?”

“She did. Now can we talk about you?”

“I have a better idea,” she said as the house lights were doused. She leaned in and whispered in his ear, “Kiss me.”

He turned to her, and before she knew what was happening, their mouths connected. The movie started playing on screen, but neither she nor Chris paid any attention. The moment their lips touched, they were transported into another world, a world occupied by two people only. First soft and gentle, their kiss quickly evolved into something deeper, as a volcano of passion seemed to erupt between them.

Surrendering herself to their embrace, Kate put her heart and soul into the kiss, her mouth exploring his as they devoured each other without restraint. Whereas before she’d held back, now she gave herself to him fully, and before long, she was lost in a torrent of heat and love.

And as love touched her heart, tears sprang to her eyes.

“Chris,” she suddenly sobbed.

“What’s wrong, baby?” he said, worried.

“I love you so much,” she whispered.

“I love you, Kate,” he said, and kissed her again.

“I missed you so much,” she breathed against his lips.

“I missed you too, honey,” he said. “But now we’re together again, and that’s what counts.”

“Oh, Chris,” she murmured. “My love.”

She felt so much love for him in that moment. And when she gazed into his eyes, she found the same feelings reflected in them, and she cried again, releasing emotions pent up for so long, she hadn’t even known they were there.