Page 78 of Flippin' Cowboy
He caught himself just in time. Kegan didn’t need to know that particular word existed. Not yet, anyway.
“That herexcould come onto my project and mess withmydesigns!” Nick continued, as a fresh wave of frustration andbetrayal washed over him. “I mean, you know what he did to her!Andto those houses he supposedly ‘restored’ in Seattle.”
“So, you’re telling me that you’d rather be right than happy?” Kelsey shook her head in disbelief and went to pour herself another cup of coffee. “Sheesh.”
“But Iamright,” Nick muttered.
Still, Kelsey had a point. Was being right worth more to him than being with Winnie?
∞∞∞
When he arrived at the inn, he’d barely stepped out of his Jeep before the door to Karla’s trailer flew open.
She marched towards him, snow crunching under her boots. “Nick. We need to talk!”
She did not look happy.
“Okay.” Pretending an ease he didn’t feel, he leaned against his Jeep and crossed his arm. “Shoot. What can I do for you?”
She halted in front of him. “You can stop being such a butt-hurt baby,” she said acidly. “This has gone on long enough.”
“What do you mean?” Nick asked defensively, though he knew exactly what she meant.
“It’s unfair to blame Winnie, of all people, for what happened with Geoff Schaefer and Mike Milonis. And you know it!”
Nick’s frustration boiled up. “If you guys had just done me the courtesy of asking—” he began.
“You would’ve called Geoff a dickweed to his face and pissed off Donna Morris so badly she canceled this show,” Karla interrupted.
Nick couldn’t deny it, but it was deeply annoying to have someone read him so well. He scowled at her.
“C’mon, Nick, we both know that diplomacy isn’t one of your strengths,” she said, sounding apologetic now. “You’re a straight shooter, which is good…mostof the time. Just not when dealing with network execs.”
“I still should have gotten a vote on whether I wanted to work with Mr. Dickweed,” Nick said stubbornly.
“You should begratefulthat Geoff’s intrusion into this project is going to be limited to a single room downstairs and possibly a few décor pieces,” Karla shot back.
Then she sighed and studied Nick’s face for a long moment. “Look, Nick, I know this isn’t easy for you. It isn’t easy for Winnie, either. We’ve worked together for nearly five years now, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned about her, it’s that she’s a very kind and loving person.”
“I know,” Nick said quietly. His chest ached with unspoken emotions.
“I’ve watched her shatter once already,” Karla continued. “You’re a better man than Geoff Schaefer. Act like it. Don’t break her heart.”
“I don’t want to hurt her,” Nick said. He took a deep breath. “I—I’m crazy in love with her, Karla. And I know I haven’t been thinking straight… that dickweed brings out the worst in me.”
Nicholas Evans never asked for help. None of the Evans men did. It was part of their code of manhood.
And maybe it’s not working anymore.
Was Winnie worth unbending his pride a little?Hell, yeah.
“Help me out,” he begged Karla. “I don’t want to lose Winnie. How can I make it up to her?”
His producer’s face broke into a smile, banishing the invisible but angry clouds that surrounded her. “Let me give you some tips…”
Chapter 25: Turning Tide
Maybe I should’ve stayed in bed, after all,Winnie thought two hours later.
