Page 11 of Big Nick Energy

I took a step closer, listening more intently.Could it bemyNick?

“Jason,” Nick said his name with exasperation.

My stomach flipped.

It was him. It was definitely him. After our interaction at the hotel and hearing him on the panel, I knew it was him.

“I’m not looking for you to line shit up for me,” Nick continued. “You worry about you. I’m good.”

“This is your first homecoming as a single man in a long time,” Jason reminded him. “I think you forgot how to do this. And besides, Tara asked about you.”

“I’m good. I’m not interested in her and I’m not here for all that. After the bullshit that just happened, I don’t even know if I’m going to be at the kickback for more than fifteen minutes. I’m just going for the meeting.”

Jason exhaled loudly and dramatically. “So, you’re telling me that you can’t take one for the team?”

“That’s exactly what the fuck I’m saying. I know you didn’t follow me up here to ask me that. I know you didn’t.”

“You don’t even gotta do anything with her. Just entertain her for ten minutes so I can get Leslie alone.”

“I’m not doing that shit. If it’s not about business, I don’t talk to anybody I don’t want to talk to.”

“Well, ask her something about business! Damn!”

Nick, Jason and a third male who had yet to be identified all burst out laughing.

“Get your shit together and talk to Leslie yourself,” Nick instructed.

My phone vibrated and even though it wasn’t loud, I scrambled backward a few feet. I didn’t want it to seem like I was listening if they came around the corner too soon. I pulled out my phone and checked it.

Paris Brown: Tuck asked me to ride with him to make a run for the kickback.

Asha James: Go! I’ll meet you there!

Even if I had to play it like I was there to pick Paris up, I was going to be at the kickback. Grinning, I slipped my phone in my bag as the guys were all talking at once. It seemed like they were getting closer, and I could hear that the third voice had a distinct accent.

“Maybe you could just lie and…” His voice trailed off as I started humming softly.

I pretended to be completely oblivious of them as I walked to the cove balcony.

“You didn’t hear that, did you?” the accented voice that I knew didn’t belong to Nick or Jason questioned.

I glanced over my shoulder, pretending to be surprised by their presence. “Hm?”

I recognized Nick immediately and Jason looked familiar from his social media page—the page that confirmed to me that Nick was single. But the third man, an attractive man I’d never seen before, was the one who stepped forward.

“Hi, I’m Mitchell Lee,” he said, extending his hand. When I shook it, he continued. “Please forgive anything you might’ve heard. What brings you up here?”

“I didn’t hear a thing,” I told them with a knowing smile. I jutted my thumb over my shoulder toward the balcony. “And I like the bird’s-eye view.”

“What’s your name?” Jason asked, checking me out as he moved toward me.

“Asha,” Nick answered for me. Stepping forward, he reached for my hand. “It’s good to see you again.”

His hand slid across mine and a tingly feeling ran up my arm and throughout the rest of my body. Our eyes locked and the air left my lungs.

“Hi,” I breathed.

“You two know each other?” Jason wondered, looking back and forth. “Because I could use an introduction.”

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