Chapter Twenty-One
After hearing the whiny blonde who couldn’t keep her hands off Nick while they were shooting their scenes say, “We want to give you the first kiss of the last person you date,” a hundred times, and “Isn’t it time you started dating by design?” I found myself at Shasta’s, the famed ice cream place Meg, Zander, and Kenadie always talked about.
I knew it was a Friday night tradition for the Marshall and Grainger clan, along with Nan’s two best friends, Adelaide and Cissy—aka the Nanettes. But Jack suggested we all go out somewhere to celebrate. He couldn’t take his eyes off Nan. Nan suggested we go for ice cream. I think her motivation was showing off Nick and being in her comfort zone. Don’t get me wrong, she seemed to like the attention from Jack, but I don’t know that she had dated all that much—or ever—after the passing of her husband. I watched them as they sat next to each other and it was cute to witness the little flirtations and touches between the two. Jack knew how to work it and he made Nan the center of his attention. He used those enigmatic Wells eyes to captivate her.
The ice cream shop placed two tables together to accommodate the twelve of us. None of my other colleagues but me had been invited. Thankfully, I didn’t think anyone else knew this soiree was taking place.
I sat between Meg and Skye with Lana across from us while the Nanettes went crazy over Nick. They were petting him like I’d seen them do with Zander.
“Looks like you’ve been replaced,” Meg teased her husband.
“Darlin’,” he kissed her, “I’m not worried.”
That gave me some comfort. Nick didn’t live in Georgia. Someday he would leave. Hallelujah. Unless . . . What if he fell in love with a Georgia woman? I knew he said he wasn’t going to, but like I’d said, he wouldn’t be the first person in that “nothing serious” category to find true love. Plus, his dad lived here. I had to think positive thoughts. He was going back to California.
“I hear you guys are looking to build a house,” I mentioned to Meg and Zander.
Meg gave a coy smile. “We’re thinking about it.”
“Maybe,” Zander cut in.
Meg rolled her eyes. “I don’t think a baby and a bachelor pad go together.”
As soon as she said baby, the Nanettes shifted gears and surrounded her. “That’s right, a baby.” Cissy and Adelaide attacked Meg and Zander.
“It’s about time one of you had a baby.” Adelaide gave Kenadie a serious stare.
“Your momma deserves a baby, Kenadie Anne,” Cissy wagged her finger.
“Maybe Rick and Renee will have one,” Kenadie sassed back.
Lana’s eyes went wide with that news. Kenadie, who sat next to her, gave her a squeeze. “Don’t worry, sugar, your daddy isn’t having another baby.”
“Now who said that?” Nan was deeply offended by the notion.
While everyone argued about babies, I watched Nick for a few seconds taking pictures with the staff working on a Tuesday night in the small town of Flowery Branch. And, of course, any patron who knew of him. It didn’t take long for me to get my fill.
I focused on Skye sitting next to me. “I’m loving the book. How about you?”
Her pretty emerald eyes lit up. “Love it. Kieran is so hot!”
“Are you talking about the Dragons Unleashed series?” Lana asked.
“Yes.” Skye fanned herself. “Kate and I are reading them together.”
Lana sighed. “They’re so good. My stepmom and I read them. My daddy makes fun of us.”
“My dad says he’s heard they are optioning the series for a movie,” Skye informed us.
“Really? That would be amazing,” Lana responded.
The two girls went on to talk about which of their favorite actors should play Kieran. I’m going to admit I didn’t know one. The more I was around Skye, the older I began to feel.
Nick was released from the clutches of his admirers and wouldn’t you know it, he made his way over to me. I mean Skye. You don’t know how glad I was there wasn’t any room on either side of me. The only seat left was on the end.
That was, until Skye took a breath and noticed her dad.
“I bet you want to sit by Kate.” She moved over without missing a beat in her conversation with Lana.
She was a traitor.
Nick didn’t waste any time taking his daughter’s vacated seat. “Don’t think I forgot you promised to have dinner with me,” he said low enough so only I could hear.
“Don’t you mean with your family? Besides, ice cream is perfectly acceptable for dinner. I have many college roommates who will back me up on that.” I plucked one of the menus from the middle of the table hoping to distract myself and him.
It was no use.
“This is not how I envisioned this night.” He brooded next to me.
I scanned the menu and spoke into it. “How did you picture it?”
“There were a lot less people involved.”
I turned toward him. “I thought you loved a good crowd.”
“This is why we need to get to know each other better.” He leaned closer. “You think you know me, but you have me all wrong.”
“I read your profile.” Several times.
“Like I said, you don’t know me.”
I tried to ignore the electricity that singed between us. Instead, I looked around to see if we were the center of attention. I was surprised to see everyone talking and laughing like we weren’t there. And for half a ridiculous second, I wished we were alone. If we were, I could peer into his eyes that were drawing me in. I could dissect him piece by piece. I could work him out of my system.
“Why do you want me to know you?” I whispered.
He rested his warm hand on my bare knee under the table. That connection was back and coursing through my soul. Why? How did he do that? Why could only he make me react like that?
“Because your lips say you despise me, but your eyes tell another story. I want to read the entire book and see how it ends.” He removed his hand and turned toward Skye like he hadn’t just upended my world or made me want to give him a library card with free access to my thoughts.
What was I thinking? I shook my head. Did anyone else witness our exchange? If anyone did, they weren’t reacting to it. It was like the world had gone on without me. It had felt that way for a long time. I’d stood back after Douglas and watched the world. Being in the world meant real living and getting hurt.
I kept to my status quo and observed. Meg and Zander lived and breathed each other. Between kissing Meg, Zander kept saying they should head home. I ached to have a relationship like that. One so affectionate with visible passion.
Kenadie and Jason weren’t quite as gooey-eyed as they had been, but they were still each other’s main focus. Kenadie was thrilled about the commercial and spoke of all the doors it might open. Jason gave his wife his full attention and even suggested spending more money on advertising. Kenadie never smiled so wide at her supportive husband.
Nan and Jack laughed and talked about the good old days when life was simpler, when music and movies were better. I had to agree with them there. Cissy and Adelaide couldn’t keep their eyes off their best friend and part of their trio of meddlers. From their bright eyes, they seemed to be on board with this new development.
Kenadie and Nick both snuck glances at their parents. Uncertainty, maybe even some melancholy, marked their countenances. I imagined it would be hard to see a parent, no matter your age, taking steps toward a romantic relationship again. Especially since both Jack and Nan had beautiful relationships with their spouses.
When Nick wasn’t casting glances at his dad, he was being the ever devoted one to his own daughter. He was happy to give Skye and Lana some of the inside Hollywood scoop, like who he heard may play Kieran. Again, some actor I didn’t know, but both girls squealed. Nick let Lana ask any and every question she could think of about all her famous crushes. I think Nick may have disillusioned her some when he revealed how those nice boys on screen were anything but.
And what did I do? I ordered a large hot fudge sundae.