Page 27 of Meet You in the Waves
“You know, when we were growing up, Dad used to always be on my case.Why can’t you be more like your brother, he’d always say to me. I think that’s why Mum and I became so closebecause she’d always stand up for me. I think she could see something in me that maybe my dad couldn’t.”
“You’re lucky you have her,” I told him.
“I used to think Dad just saw me as a fuck up too,” Nick sighed. “I never got the grades in school that came so naturally to Dane but that was never really my thing. Mum got that.”
“And that’s fine too,” I replied. “Academics is not for everyone. And nobody could say you’re a failure, Nick. You have a year to go on your apprenticeship and then you’ll be a fully qualified builder. That’s amazing.”
“Eleven months.”
“What?”
“Eleven months to go on my apprenticeship,” Nick smirked at me. I grinned back, knowing I had the Nick I knew and loved back in the room. I mean,lovedin the generic sense of that statement. Notlovedas in romantically or anything. Notlovedlike I wanted to kiss him or anything like that. Of course not.
“See? Nailing it,” I returned, knocking my knee against his which was easy seeing as we were all but pressed up together on the sofa.
“Quite literally,” Nick returned, pumping his eyebrows at me. I laughed, the feeling warm and welcome after the events of this morning. Nick sighed heavily. “Thank you,” he sighed.
“For what?”
“For caring enough to check up on me,” he returned, a small tilt to his mouth. “When really, I should be the one making sureyou’reokay.”
“I’m fine, Nick,” I replied because I really honestly was.
“I was proud of you by the way,” he said. My chest swelled at his words and I tried to hold back the smile from spreading across my face. “I’m sorry again for my role in the whole thing.”
“Again, stop with the apologies,” I huffed with an exaggerated eye roll. “It’s not your fault Kira couldn’t resist all of that,” I added with a sweep of my hand down his body.
Nick caught my wrist in his fist, holding it tightly as he looked down at me. “Ajay, when will you get it into your gorgeous, perplexing head that you are fucking amazing as you are? Honestly, and I speak with some authority on the matter here, you, Ajay, are fucking perfect. So stop comparing your already irresistible self with me. This is just another example of the different ways I choose to spend my free time when absolutely nobody who has heard you sing and play your guitar wouldeveraccuse you of not using your time in far better ways.”
I sucked in a sharp breath at Nick’s words, the seriousness and genuineness in them as he gave me the nicest telling off I had possibly ever had. I think I’d forgotten how to breathe at some point, his words ramming themselves through my head, right into my consciousness. Did … did that mean Nick thought I was attractive? Inthatway?
Nick was still looking at me, his grip loosening on my wrist as I let his words wash through me. He had a point, I knew he did, but all I could focus on was him using words likeperfectandgorgeousandirresistible.
Nick dropped my wrist and I pulled it closer to my body, my skin feeling hot all over.
Nick cleared his throat. “Now, I believe you owe me a drink,” he said a little breathlessly, back to his casual self as though he hadn’t just called me perfect.Or gorgeous. Or irresistible.
I blinked, shaking myself from the thrall he had placed over me. It wasn’t the first time he had done it either. Probably wouldn’t be the last.
“I believe that was the agreement,” I finally managed.
“Good. You want to get out of here then, Tassie boy?” Nick asked, that sunshiny glow back on his face.
“I really do,” I returned with more earnestness than I had wanted to admit. Nick smiled at me, that big, broad grin that covered his entire face, that had my heart pounding a little loudly in my chest.
“Then let’s go.”
CHAPTER 11
nick
“Do you seriously expect me to get on that?” Ajay was saying while I rifled through the cupboard in the garage for a spare helmet for him. Hopefully one that wouldn’t ruin all those gorgeous curls.
“Ah, yes, that would be the plan,” I replied, trying to hide my smile at the worry on his cute face as he stood looking at my motorbike. Seriously, it was a Yamaha Super Sport, one of the safest on the road. Believe me, I would not risk Ajay’s safety on anything but the best.
“Don’t you have a perfectly good, brand new Jeep Wrangler around here somewhere?”
“I do but have you tried to drive through the town at this time of year?” I asked, turning to face him. He looked so adorably cute in his bright blue boardshorts, a pair of black Vans and a green t-shirt that made his big brown eyes look even more soulful. As if that was possible.
