Page 92 of Keep My Heart
‘Well, apparently he couldn’t wait that long.’
‘I’m so confused. Does he like me or are we just friends?’
‘I think you two need to have a talk this weekend and figure that out.’
The doorbell rings.
‘I’ll get it!’ Leah yells.
As Diane and I walk to the door, my heart nearly stops when Isee him. He has on dark jeans and a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up. There’s a thick layer of stubble on his face and his hair looks kind of messy, like he ran his hand through it. He looks so damn hot. I’ve missed him so much.
He hasn’t noticed me yet. He’s leaned down to Leah, listening to her talk and smiling at whatever she said.
‘Hey, Nick,’ I say, feeling breathless.
‘Lyndsay.’ He slowly rises to standing, his eyes not leaving mine. ‘It’s good to see you again.’
‘You too.’
Leah turns to me. ‘I told him if he kisses you, he’s your boyfriend.’
‘Apparently it’s a rule,’ Nick says, smiling. ‘I’d never heard that one before.’
‘Me either.’
‘I’m not sure I’d trust a seven-year-old on that,’ Diane says.
‘Hey, Diane,’ Nick says.
‘Hi, Nick,’ she says in the same protective tone she uses with her kids. She likes Nick, but she’s worried he’ll break my heart. But he’s already done that, and it wasn’t his fault. It was mine, for imagining something that wasn’t there.
‘You ready to go?’ Nick asks me. ‘Sawyer’s waiting in the car.’
‘Yeah.’ I hug Diane. ‘I’ll call you tomorrow.’
‘Me too!’ Leah says, holding her arms out to me.
I hug her. ‘Goodnight, sweetie.’
Nick and I go outside to Sawyer’s car. Nick opens the door for me and I get in the back seat. Nick slides in beside me.
‘What am I .?.?. your chauffeur?’ Sawyer asks, glancing at Nick in the rearview mirror. ‘Why are you sitting back there?’
‘So I can talk to Lyndsay without straining my neck. Just shut up and drive.’
‘Hi, Sawyer,’ I say. ‘Thanks for the ride.’
‘Anytime.’ Sawyer pulls out of the driveway and heads down the street.
‘How was your flight?’ I ask Nick.
‘Uneventful. I slept for most of it.’
‘Sounds like you needed the rest after all the hours you worked this week.’
‘Yeah, it wasn’t a good week,’ he says with a sigh.
‘But you got good news. That’s exciting!’
