Page 57 of One More Time
Brandon smiled softly. ‘It could be, Luce.’
Lucy suddenly had the uncomfortable feeling that therapy had made Brandon psychic as well as introspective.
‘Thanks,’ she said, hoping to end the whole weird conversation.
‘Forgiven?’ Brandon asked.
For Lucy, the pain between her and Brandon had been just the memory of an old ache for years. Still, she’d gotten into the habit of pushing on that healed bruise in preparation to meet Brandon and his ever-simmering anger. It would be nice to just exist around him, instead of posturing on a constant state of alert, waiting to react to whatever rancor he might throw her way.
‘Nothing to forgive,’ Lucy lied.
‘Someday we might have to be together in the same room as grandparents.’ He laughed.
‘Oh, shit!’ Lucy exclaimed. ‘We could be grandparents!’
‘Fucked up, right?’
‘Jesus, I barely have this parenting thing figured out.’
‘Tell me about it,’ Brandon said, his eyes following the path Jenna had taken.
‘I bet it’ll be easier this time,’ Lucy said.
‘You think?’
‘Sure,’ Lucy lied again – a kind, gentle lie – for old times’ sake.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
NICKY
As they slowly meandered down the hotel hall toward their suites, Nicky heard Lucy sigh heavily. A weary-to-the-bone sort of sigh that he felt himself, but probably not for the same reasons.
He wanted to be near her, to keep her with him. They had agreed on four more days. Till Sunday evening when her plane took off. If that was all he was going to have, he didn’t want to miss a minute of it. He should probably take her to her suite. Tuck her into bed and leave her to it. But Nicky was selfish, and his door was the first they came to. He headed for it, pulled her gently forward by their intertwined fingers.
‘Am I coming over?’ she asked.
‘Yes.’ He opened the door.
‘I just really want to get into some sweatpants and take a nap,’ she groaned.
‘Okay,’ he said, closing the front door and pulling her toward his bedroom.
‘My sweatpants are about fifty yards that way,’ she trilled, pointing.
‘You can borrow some of mine.’
She smiled. ‘But mine are right there.’
Nicky went to his dresser and pulled out a black T-shirt and gray joggers, handed them to her in a bundle.
‘Just sweats. No funny business,’ he said with a wink. ‘Change in the bathroom to keep me honest.’
She rolled her eyes, but did as he instructed and headed for the en suite.
When Lucy emerged, he was lounging on the couch in the living room in another pair of sweatpants. He’d considered the bed, but was pretty sure that he wouldn’t be able to getfunny businessoff his mind if they were anywhere near it.
Only a sliver of desert sunlight peeked through the closed living room curtains. It was cool, dark, and cozy. Nicky reached for the TV remote and patted the seat next to him.
