Page 78 of The Summer Show

“I guess we won’t be seeing you in platform shoes anytime soon.”

Holy cannoli. I’d just tried to crack a joke while Nick was pouring his heart out to me.

But if he was offended, it didn’t show. He laughed and reached forward, and before I knew it I was back in Nick Merrick’s lap again, this time facing him.

“That’s why you freaked out when I tried to climb that ladder.”

“I didn’t freak out.”

“You definitely freaked out, but after what you just told me, it’s completely understandable. Are you in therapy?”

He shook his head. “I’m Greek. We don’t do therapy. My doctor gave me a prescription to help with anxiety.”

“If you and Ana have the same dad, and I know you do, you’re half American, and we Americans definitely do therapy.”

“It’s just not my thing.”

“I get it,” I said. “There used to be a stigma, and I guess there still is a bit, which is just nuts. But mental health is no different to physical health. If you had sore knee you wouldn’t waste any time going to a knee doctor, right? Right now you’re hurting, and there are people who can help with that. That’s what they do.”

He raised his eyebrows. “A knee doctor?”

“Just roll with it, okay? It’s better that way.”

“I’ll think about it.”

I leaned away so I could get a better look at him. “Will you?”

“When I get home. First I’ve got a show to win.” He looked around. “And I need to do something about this roof.”

“Do you really?”

“Thea Irini One won’t let me live it down if I don’t get it done.”

“Realistically, what’s she going to do?”

“Have you met my aunt?”

“Yes, and I can barely understand her, so I’m not nearly as scared of her as everyone else.”

He shuddered. “I’m not scared of her. I just remember what it was like to be a kid.”

“Well, it’s good that I’ve got a plan to make her happy and keep you on the ground.”

“Nobody can make my aunt happy. She’s incapable of joy.”

“In that case, my plan will give her nothing to complain about. Okay, she’ll probably complain, but she’ll look like an ass if she does. I’m going to hire somebody to fix the few bits we’ve got left to do.”

“You mean a contractor?”

“That’s precisely what I mean.”

When he chuckled, his chest vibrated in a way that reminded me of a cougar. Like the big cat, he was dangerous, at least for someone like me, but that didn’t stop me from wanting to lean into the purring and luxuriate in him.

“Okay. She’ll hate it, but she won’t be able to complain about it because I’ll be paying.”

“Excuse moi? Who will be paying? Consider this your early birthday gift,” I said.

twenty-nine

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