Chapter Fourteen
I needed to right my world. My “date” with Nick last night had me in a tailspin. I needed research and coffee. Serendipity’s it was. I’d missed my normal Saturday visit there anyway thanks to him. There was great irony going to the place where I met him for the first time, but it was my place. And it had the self-help books I needed.
I purchased a stack of books, everything from, How to Maintain a Professional Relationship with Someone You Are Attracted To, all the way to Why Smart Women Make Stupid Choices and How to Stop. I wasn’t messing around.
I ordered a large coffee in their café and sat crossed-legged on one of the chairs in their reading nook and started with Narcissist or Self Centered. Maybe I had missed something.
I spent my morning deep in research and making notes in my notebook. One of the big questions on my mind was, was Nick empathetic, meaning was he willing to change his behavior once he was called on it? Or was he accommodating because he knew it would be best for his image?
The biggest question on my mind, though, was why, after everything I knew about him and despite him breaking most of the rules on my list, couldn’t I stop thinking about him? Worse, I was his relationship manager and I was having thoughts—lots of thoughts. Thoughts that went way beyond him kissing my cheek. I rested my hand where his lips had been.
I took a break near noon to rub my tired eyes and people watch. My favorites were always the children, their innocence and excitement when someone read to them or when they could read the book for themselves. I loved to watch parents help their children sound out words. There was a little boy there with his father. His dad was making all the sounds, from a choo choo train to an airplane. The boy clapped with delight. Small chubby hands were the cutest. I wanted one to hold. Some days I wondered if I would ever get the chance. My parents had mentioned adoption. It was an option. They’d even offered to pay for it. They were ready to be grandparents, and thought they would be by now. My miscarriage was a loss for them too.
But I wasn’t sure I wanted to do it alone. I wanted a partner to share it all with, whether we adopted or had a baby together.
I was about to get up and get a refill on my coffee when my people watching got interesting. Two of the most beautiful people ever headed my way. One with an air of self-regard, the other wishing she was somewhere else by the look of her pouty lips. I did take note, though, of the way Nick put his arm around his daughter and whispered something to her to make her smile.
Why was he here? In my place. Our place? I couldn’t think like that. But he had remembered.
I hastily closed the book in my lap and tried to shove the rest in my bag, but I was too late. He was upon me.
“I thought I might find you here.” He sounded so pleased with himself.
I looked up and bit my lip. “You were looking for me?”
“What do you think?”
I ignored the chill that gave me and focused on how conceited that was. I chose not to respond to him but acknowledged his daughter. “Hello, Skye. It’s nice to see you again. You look very pretty today.” Did she ever in a coral sundress with her hair pulled back.
“Thank you.” She seemed surprised by the compliment, which surprised me.
“Are you guys just out and about today?” I babbled, trying to keep this all aboveboard and light.
Nick held up a leather laptop case. “I needed a good place to write and Skye,” he gave her a meaningful glance, “wanted to . . . get some books.”
Skye gave him a forced smile. Why did I think Skye didn’t want to get books? Most kids read everything digitally now. And did he really need to write in a bookstore?
“What kind of books are you interested in?” I asked Skye, playing along.
Skye looked at her dad, not sure what to say.
Nick brought out his acting skills and smoothed it right over. “I thought you might have some recommendations for her.”
“Is that why you were looking for me?” Skepticism littered my tone.
“One of the reasons.” He had a much different tone. One he shouldn’t be using around me.
“Right.” I focused back on Skye. “I have some recommendations if you’re interested.”
Her face soured. She obviously wasn’t. “Okay,” she resigned herself to her fate.
I shoved my notes in my purse before standing up, thinking that was the safest course of action. I needed to get away from Nick. “We can head to the teen section or the classics.” I spoke only to Skye. Her dad wasn’t invited.
She gave her dad a look like you owe me.
“I’ll save your seat and write while you ladies peruse,” Nick said while perusing me. I was super casual in shorts and a T-shirt. I wasn’t expecting visitors at the bookstore, especially not him. He was dressed, as always, to break hearts, in tight jeans and a T-shirt that showed how lean and muscular his arms were. I was surprised he hadn’t been accosted yet by a fan. Even I wanted to pet his arm. I seriously needed to stop that line of thinking.
I brushed past him, rolling my eyes. It was better than petting him.
He grabbed my hand.
Oh, no. That was not part of the package.
I held very still, like unnervingly still, telling my ovaries this was not what they wanted even if my body was singing a loud chorus of YES YOU DO.
“Thank you,” he whispered intimately.
“You’re welcome,” I could barely breathe out. I pulled away from him.
Skye waited for me and studied me. I hoped she didn’t think there was anything going on between her dad and me.
“Where would you like to head?” I asked her.
She shrugged.
“How about the teen section?” I suggested. It was the farthest away.
She didn’t say anything but followed next to me.
I didn’t have a lot of experience with teenagers other than having them as patients. I wasn’t sure exactly what to say, but I knew teenagers liked to talk about themselves.
“Are you enjoying your summer?”
“Yeah, kind of. I like being with my grandpa, but I miss my friends and my pool.”
“That must be hard. Do you have any friends here?”
Her cheeks pinked. “Sort of.”
“Sort of?”
“I know this one guy, Liam. We’ve known each other since we were little.”
“That’s fun.”
She twisted her hands together. “He’s a few years older than me and I don’t know if he likes me anymore.”
I stopped to take a good look at her. “I can’t imagine him not.”
She blushed again. “Maybe. He’s acting weird around me now.”
I grinned. “That’s not surprising.”
She stiffened. “Why?”
“Well, I don’t know for sure, but I would say his feelings for you now that you are both older are no longer only friendly.”
“Do you really think so?” Her face was all alight.
“I take it you would like that.”
She nodded. “But don’t tell my dad. I don’t know if he would like it.”
“Most dads don’t. Your secret is safe with me.”
There was more of a skip to her step while we headed toward the teen section.
“Are you more of a romance, fantasy, or dystopian kind of girl?” I asked once we arrived at our destination.
“I’m not much of a reader unless it’s for school assignments.”
“Huh.” That was a shame, but I didn’t mention it. Maybe I could change her mind. “I could recommend some books I read as a teen that are probably too cheesy now, but one of my patients loves this new YA fantasy romance about dragon shapeshifters.” She’d told me it was all the rage now. I promised her I would look into them. I guess now was a good time.
Skye looked mildly interested. “I might read something like that.”
“Let’s see if we can find them.”
She gave me a dazzling smile. “I like you, Kate.”
I tilted my head. “You do?”
“Yeah. It’s nice that you don’t throw yourself at my dad. I never know if someone is being nice to me because they want to get to my dad.”
Ouch. That made my heart hurt. “I can’t imagine how difficult that is.”
“Where we live, you kind of get used to it. Everybody wants a big break or to hand you a resume and a headshot. Or they want to be my dad’s next girlfriend.”
“You don’t have to worry about that with me. I don’t like your dad like that, or at all.” I gave her a wink.
She giggled. “I think that bothers him.”
“Oh, really?”
“He told my grandpa that he doesn’t know what to do around you. My grandpa said that was a good sign.”
“A good sign for what?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know—I turned up the volume on my phone.” That sounded like typical teenage behavior.
“Let’s go get those books.”
It took us no time to find the books and make our way back to her dad, who was helping himself to my books, smirking as he read my copy of How to Maintain a Professional Relationship with Someone You Are Attracted To.
“I thought you were writing?”
He looked up from the book, amused. “I couldn’t resist.”
I swiped the book out of his hand.
“Are you attracted to someone at work, Kate? I noticed Todd seemed to have an eye for you.”
“He does not. And the answer is no.”
“Then perhaps it’s one of your patients.”
“Perhaps I should go.”
“Wait.” He sat up straight. “Where do you have to be?” He was so blunt.
“Not that it’s any of your business, but I was thinking of grabbing some lunch and going purse shopping.” I was treating myself for enduring him all week.
“Ooh, I love to purse shop.” Skye beamed.
Her dad and I both turned to her. She was too sweet to be his.
Don’t ask me why, but this came falling out of my mouth, “You wouldn’t want to go with me, would you?” That was too bold. She hardly knew me and I’m sure Nick wouldn’t like it, as he was so protective of her.
“I would love to. Anything but hanging out here.” Skye’s gorgeous green eyes owned her dad. “Can I, Dad?”
I peeked at Nick to gauge his reaction to his daughter’s reaction. The tender smile was one he obviously reserved for her.
I took a deep breath and threw more caution to the wind. “I would love the company, if that’s okay with you, Nick.”
That tender smile hit me too, and I had to look away.
“Please, Daddy?” Skye flashed her own brilliant smile.
“Okay,” he easily gave into her. “But why don’t we all do a late lunch together after you’re done shopping?” Nick’s presence drew me back to looking right at him. “We could head to Jack’s. My dad would love to see you again.”
Skye bent down and kissed her dad’s cheek before I could agree or process.
“What say you, Kate?” Nick was doing that thing again where he was looking not at me but into me.
What did I say? I say I was in over my head.