Page 56 of Big Nick Energy
‘I’ll time it,’ Sofia says, looking at the stopwatch on a phone on the table.
‘So is this your first tattoo, madam?’ he asks, as we wait and I smile. He’s trying to joke again. Maybe he took his time to thaw with me. He’s at home here and I get to watch him in a habitat where he is so loved and feels comfortable; I am seeing him in another light. Damn that light. His hand still rests on mine as we both try to ignore the contact. Is this also intense for him? Why am I sweating around the collar of my t-shirt?
‘I actually have a tattoo that I got done when I was travelling,’ I say.
‘I’ve never noticed it before?’ he says.
I blush a little. ‘It’s because it’s above my hip bone.’ He widens his eyes. ‘It’s a dolphin.’
‘I LOVE DOLPHINS!’ Sofia squeals, and I’m grateful she broke up that slightly awkward moment.
‘So I was looking at the schedule for the book drive. You’re a bit mad, eh?’ he says, changing the subject and reaching over to get one of my flyers that he’s scribbled things on.
‘I prefer the term “ambitious”,’ I say. ‘If it’s too big a favour to ask for transport then please say so.’
‘I didn’t say that. But were you really going to do this all on your own?’ he asks me thoughtfully.
‘Back when I had a working car maybe, but a grumpy man in a truck in the rain told me I might need to take on some help.’
I hear Zita laughing from her countertop. ‘I like this one, Uncle Nick. He’s very grumpy, all the time.’
‘Zita…’ Nick mutters moodily.
‘It’s a busy time on the farm. The twentieth, I can only make the morning… we’d need to do two deliveries on the twenty-second. But I can make myself available for everything. I’ve ensured the vehicles are available and rearranged a few things.’
‘Really?’ I say, mildly surprised.
He looks up at me, his green eyes earnest, searching. ‘Yeah. I’d do it for?—’
‘The good of the book drive…’ I say abruptly, interrupting him.
He chuckles under his breath. ‘Of course.’ He looks down at my arm.
‘Well, what do you think, Sofia?’ I ask her. ‘Is it ready?’
She nods and Nick slowly peels back the paper to reveal a pretty red and pink candy cane with a green bow on my arm. ‘Get yours out, Uncle Nick.’
I can hear Zita and Nate laughing from the other side of the kitchen but Nick puts his arm next to mine and we glance at each other for a moment, grinning. Look at us, matchy matchy.
‘Is the lady happy with her tattoo today? If you are, make sure you leave us a good review on Yelp.’
‘Most certainly. Thank you… and to you Sofia for the artistic direction.’
She smiles then turns and shouts across the kitchen. ‘IS MY PIZZA READY?’
‘Man, you are bossy. Come on then,’ Zita says, and Sofia jumps off her uncle’s lap.
‘I’m sorry,’ Nick says. ‘It’s bedlam here sometimes. You didn’t have to come in and stay for pizza. Sorry about the twenty questions. I don’t often have friends visiting.’
‘You’re telling me you have no friends?’ I joke.
‘None that are…’ He puts a hand out, pointing to me.
‘Book ladies,’ I joke. And I snicker and blush and look at him curiously because I see those teens nudging each other in the chest so I suppose I have come up in conversation. They know about me. But what do they know? Is it because I’m a novelty in this house or because Nick has said something to them, about me specifically?
‘You may need to leave before my mum and sister get here though. You think this lot are bad.’
‘I heard that, Uncle Nick. Don’t worry – I texted Aunty Nell already. She’s on her way,’ Zita shouts across the kitchen.
