by Baird, Ginny
“Well, how did you leave things?”
“With Jack?” Nikki asked. “Oh, we left them just fine. We’re going out to lunch tomorrow.”
“As friends.”
“Of course!”
“O-kay…”
“Ma, you’re not to breathe a word of this. To anyone. All right?”
“Breathe a word of what?”
Nikki looked up as Tony entered the room, a backpack slung over his shoulder.
“Hey, hon,” her mom said, “how was school?”
But Tony’s gaze was on his big sister. “Does this have something to do with Jack?”
What? Did someone post a news bulletin around here? “Jack?” Nikki laughed lightly. “Don’t be silly!”
“Oh, okay,” he said with a shrug. “I just thought maybe you were discussing that mega-crush he’s had on you since you were my age.”
Nikki folded her face in her hands and lowered her head to the table.
“Sweetheart?” her mom asked. “Are you all right?”
She returned a muffled reply without lifting her head. “Fine, Ma. Just fine. Thanks for the motherly advice.”
She heard a chair scrape the floor, then felt her mom’s hand pat her back. “You’re welcome, dear.”
Nikki was inexplicably nervous about meeting Jack at the Burger Barn. She didn’t know why. They’d eaten here lots of times before, and the food was always tasty. They even had a veggie burger on the menu, which was why she let Jack talk her into coming to this place. It was one of his favorites.
“Can I get you something to drink, miss?” the waitress asked. She wore a red-and-white-checkered apron with the face of a cheery cartoon cow on it. Seriously. What kind of cow would be happy about getting served up with fries? Certainly not Big Mama. Nikki heard a faint thumping against the table and looked down to see she’d been drumming it with her fingers. She slid her hand in her lap. “Just water for now. I’m waiting on someone.”
As the waitress left, Nikki noticed a totally hot guy come in the door. He had a hunky build and rugged face with one of those crazy three-day beards like Hollywood actors wear. His head was covered in a knit cap dusted with snow. It hadn’t stopped pounding since New Year’s Eve. Good thing the city knew how to handle it. The waitress passed by him, telling him to sit anywhere. But as she scooted by, she stole a glance at the guy’s behind. Really! Ogling—the guy pulled off his hat—Jack? He caught her eye and grinned, and something stirred inside her. Maybe it was nausea or indigestion. Or heartburn. Yeah, that. She should have nixed that third cup of caffeine.
Jack strode toward her with the self-assurance of a tiger. A tiger in a jungle he commanded as his own. Female heads swiveled in his direction, sharing appreciative glances. One woman scrawled a number on a paper napkin and held it toward him as he passed by. He snagged it without looking at her and tucked it in his pocket. No way! Her mom was right! He walked right up to Nikki and pinned her hand to the table with his leather glove. It was still damp from the snow outside.
“Been waiting long?” he asked, leaning toward her. His voice was a whiskey whisper, his dark eyes centered on hers.
“Just five minutes,” she said with a squeak.
Nikki swallowed hard and stared down at their hands. She’d been doing it again. Tapping the table. Jack released his grip, and she wiped her damp hand with a napkin. He unzipped his parka and sat. “Parking was murder out there.”
“New coat?”
Jack gripped the inside edges of his parka and fluffed it out. “What do you think? Is green my color?”
“Just like a jungle fern,” Nikki muttered softly.
“What?”
Nikki blinked hard and pulled herself together. “I said, that’s nice. What’s it called? Desert Fern?”
Jack narrowed his eyes at her. “They have ferns in the desert?”
“Why sure,” she said breezily. “Why not?”
The waitress appeared with Nikki’s water and took their orders. “So,” Jack said when she left. “Did you do your homework?”
“Are you growing a beard, Jack?”
He chuckled and stroked his chin. “Naw, just getting lazy. But, I don’t know. Hmm. What do you think?” He cocked his chin from one side to another. “Should I keep it?”
“I think it looks…nice.”
“Okay.” He smiled and tucked his napkin in his lap. “I’ll shave when I get home.”
“Are you okay?”
“Great! How about you?”
“Good. I’m good, thanks,” Nikki said unsurely.
“So, how about that research,” he asked. “Did you do it?”
“I, uh…” Nikki felt totally lost, as if someone had changed the room on her but had forgotten to tell her about it. But that was nuts. They were still in the Burger Barn. Weren’t they?
“Are you feeling sick or something?”
“I’m fine. Just fine.” Nikki took a long swallow of water. “I was just thinking.”
“Well, don’t let it take too long. I’ve only got half an hour.”
“What?”
He leaned toward her and whispered, “Meeting Angie for coffee.”
“Who’s Angie?”
“She’s a florist down on—”
“Right. I remember.” Nikki felt lightheaded. Probably from low blood sugar. She hoped their food would arrive soon and took comfort in the prospect that it would. Service was super fast here. She reached in her purse and pulled out the list.
“So what did you learn?”
“Jeremy and Kurt are still in the area.”
“That’s good.”
“But Peter’s in Rhode Island.”
Jack massaged his chin, apparently liking the feel of all that stubble. “We can probably swing that for a day trip. Who else?”
“I couldn’t find Brett through online searches at all.”
“Not even in the White Pages?”
She shook her head.
“That’s weird.”
“Yeah.”
“Anyway!” He smiled breezily. “We’ve got three to start with! How about Gordon?”
“I checked with Lanie, and Gordon’s married.” Lanie was an old work friend of Nikki’s who had introduced her to her very attractive brother. He was in med school at the time but had since finished and married a fellow intern.
“See what happens when you let grass grow under your feet?”
“Grass?”
“You snooze, you lose.”
Their food arrived piping hot, and Jack sank his teeth into his burger. “Hmm. Extra jalapenos, just how I like it.”
Nikki, on the other hand, suddenly lost her appetite.
“What?” he asked her. “Not hungry?”
“Starved,” she lied, picking up her veggie burger. She took a bite, but it was tasteless, something like cardboard served on whole wheat. That was odd. She’d always liked the food here before.
Jack polished off his burger while she watched him, forcing herself to nibble on hers.
“So?” he asked between chomps, “who’s that leave?”
Her face fell in a frown. “Herbie McLondon.”
“We’ll save him as a backup.”
His cell buzzed, and he checked it with a grin. “I hope you don’t mind,” he said, standing already. She suddenly realized he was leaving. Leaving her to go be with the flower girl. She’d probably decorated her bed in rose petals and lay there waiting for him in a negligee.
“No, go! Go on. Have fun!”
He pointed his finger at her as he backed toward the door. “Let’s meet up on Saturday, your place, nine o’clock!”
Nikki nodded numbly.
“We’ll tackle Jeremy then!”
“Jeremy, right!” she called, feeling her face flush.
Then he pulled his hat back on and whooshed out the door.
Jack stepped onto the street, noting a light spring in his step. A cold blast of air hit him square in the face, yet it was refreshing. Yes,
indeed. Everything was looking brighter now that Nikki was out of his system. He didn’t know why he’d wasted so much time pining for her. Sure, she was great, and dynamite to be around. But that didn’t mean she was marriage material. It was as if a whole new world had opened up for him. For the longest time, he’d viewed the female populace as one great candy store: so many flavors to sample. The trouble with candy was you could only take so much of it before you had to rein yourself in. Things were different now. Jack had set aside his sweet tooth for more substantive pursuits. The ladies were now like a big, steaming buffet. Poached salmon… Rare roast beef… Garlic mashed potatoes. Things you could take your time with and linger over. Just the thought of it made him hungry, but Jack wasn’t in the mood for food. He had a date with Angie, someone cute and funny and who obviously adored him. And, boy, didn’t that feel good.
Chapter Six
Nikki stood outside Jeremy’s apartment, the golden knocker looming ahead. Its swinging part was shaped like a musical note you lifted to bang against a treble clef plate. “Are you sure we shouldn’t have called first?” she asked Jack, who stood behind her.
“Element of surprise. This is perfect.”
“I don’t know, Jack. Things didn’t work out so well with Dean.”
“That’s because he knew you were coming.”
“I thought it was because he was married.”
“You’re stalling.”
She spun on her heels and stared up at him. “This isn’t right. What am I supposed to say?”
“He’s a rocker, right?”
“No. Peter’s the rocker. Jeremy conducts the symphony.”
“Same diff. Tell him you made beautiful music together.”
Jack’s cell buzzed in his pocket for the fifth time in the last ten minutes. Someone was texting him nonstop. “Can you turn that thing off?”
He checked the number, then silenced his phone. “Girl’s crazy about me.”
“You didn’t shave,” she said, noticing it for the first time.
“Angie thinks it’s sexy.”
“How do you do that? Get it to look the same?”
“Three-day setting on my shaver.”
“There’s a three-day…?”
He laid his hands on her shoulders and spun her back around. She was feeling overheated in her puffy white coat. The super of this building kept the halls unusually warm. Hers was such a cheapskate; she had to wear her coat around in her apartment—when the heat was turned on.
Nikki blew a hard breath that sent a loose lock of hair flying. Jack reached past her and pulled back the knocker, then let it slam. “Jack!” she hissed as he scurried toward the elevator. “Where are you going?”
He clasped his hands behind his back and started whistling. His eyes were fixed on the lighted numbers above. “Just waiting on the lift.”
“You don’t say lift,” she whispered. “You’re not Brit—”
Jeremy opened the door with a smile. “Brit? No. Quite American, darling. Nikki!” he said, extending his arms. “What a delight!”
Nikki glanced at Jack, who still pretended to wait on the elevator.
Jeremy gave her a perfunctory hug. “Well, for heaven’s sakes. Come inside!”
Then he tugged her in the door and shut it at her back.
“I probably should have called.”
“Nonsense! It’s always a pleasure to hear from old friends.” He strolled to the bar and lifted a bottle from a bucket. “Sherry? It’s ice cold.”
“Sure, thanks.” She unzipped her coat and removed it, thinking he looked a little different somehow. His hair was really done. As in done done. Like he’d blown it dry, then styled it with a curling iron to set those wisps in place. “Did you change your hair?”
“Yes.” He fingered the waves. “Do you like it?”
In truth, it looked a little weird. Like he’d worked way too hard. “Love it,” she lied, still holding her coat.
“Just lay it over there,” he said, indicating an armchair.
Nikki noticed the table in the next room was set for two with candles burning and everything.
“Oh gosh, you’re expecting company.”
“Yvonne won’t mind.”
“Yvonne?”
His cheeks took on a rosy glow as he motioned for her to sit. She sat on the cushy beige sofa, noting he’d had it recovered. She stroked the nubby fabric, savoring its texture. “Nice.”
“You and I always had that in common,” he said with a smile. “An appreciation for the finer things.”
Nikki took a sip of her sherry and found it dry and crisp. It was likely expensive too.
“What brings you to the neighborhood?” he asked her.
“Why don’t you tell me about Yvonne?” Nikki redirected.
“Oh well. She is fabulous.”
“Yeah?”
“Super lovely. You’ll see when she gets here.”
“Oh no, I couldn’t… Can’t stay.” Somehow, this was all wrong. Jeremy wasn’t how she’d remembered him at all! Plus, he obviously had a new girlfriend. “I was just passing through this part of town, and I said to myself, I did. I said, Nikki, remember that fun guy you used to date?”
Jeremy preened like a peacock, toasting her with his glass.
“Maybe you should drop in and see him? See how he’s been getting along.”
“Isn’t that the sweetest? Why, thanks, love.” He laid his free hand on his chest. “From the bottom of my heart.”
“How did you meet Yvonne?”
“She’s in the orchestra. First violin.”
“How great!”
“Nice hat,” he commented. “Did you knit that?”
Nikki realized she’d failed to remove it and quickly took it off. “I, uh… Yeah.” She fingered the scarf around her neck. “Matches this and my mittens.”
“Mittens?”
“They’re in the pockets of my coat.”
“Well, it’s a pleasure seeing you again. Such an unexpected pleasure.” He took another sip of sherry and eyed her in an odd way. A little tingle raced down Nikki’s spine. And not the good kind. “I have a feeling Yvonne will take pleasure in you too.”
“Excuse me?”
“She’s opened up a whole new world to me.”
“Yeah?”
He lowered his voice and wiggled his eyebrows. “Delightfully wicked. Threesies and such.”
Nikki sprang from her seat.
“Darling?”
“I just remembered I have an appointment!”
“Appointment?”
“With the podiatrist.”
“What… Why?”
“Bunions,” Nikki said, hobbling a little for effect. “Really, really bad ones.”
“Oh no!”
“Yes. I can scarcely stand from the pain.”
“You can’t stand the pain?”
“That too!” she said, scooping up her coat.
“But this is so sudden,” he said as she hurried for the door. “You’ve only just arrived!”
“I know! And it’s been great!” She downed her last bit of sherry and set the glass on the table by the door. “Thanks for the drink!”
And then she slipped out the door and closed it as Jack turned to her in surprise. “What happened?”
“Let’s go!” She stared at the elevator button. “It still hasn’t come?”
A door creaked open, and Jeremy’s voice called, “Oh, Nikki…?”
“Quick!” she said quietly. “The stairs!” Then she bolted for the exit with Jack trailing after her. How could she ever have loved that guy? Maybe she’d been flattered that he was older. Had found him worldly at the time. Jeremy got around much more than she knew!
“Slow down, will ya?” Jack said, nearly tumbling down the stairs. “Was he really that bad?”
“I’ll tell you when we reach the car.”
Jack was laughing so hard he couldn’t get the key in the ignition.
“Will you stop it,” N
ikki said. “It’s not that funny.”
“No,” he said with a chuckle. “It’s hot. Way hot. Whoohoo, baby! Sizzle. Who knew that old croaker had it in him?”
“He is not that old, Jack.”
“Oh yes he is. Pushing forty.”
“Well, okay. So he’s mature.”
“Is that what you liked about him? I always wondered.”
“I don’t know what I liked, okay? The important thing is, it’s over. There’s no turning back with Jeremy.”
“And Yvonne.”
“Stop it.”
“Maybe she’s pretty. How do you know you wouldn’t have…?”
Nikki soundly slapped his arm.
“Ow!”
“Shut up, you didn’t feel that.” His parka was at least an inch thick.
He finally inserted his key and cranked the engine. “Well, that didn’t take long.”
“It took long enough.”
“Did he give you something to drink?”
“Why?”
“I thought smelled sherry.”
“You’re so suspicious.”
“It’s ten in the morning, Nikki.”
“Okay, fine! I had one. I would have had two if I’d known what he was setting me up for.”
“No wonder he was delighted to see you.”
“Just drop me at work.”
“Okay,” he said, reaching in the glove box. He handed her a tiny white tin. “But first, you’d better have a breath mint.”
Nikki entered the darkened department store, feeling disconcerted. Only the dim lights were on, with makeup girls busily checking the stock behind their counters. She breezed through the fragrance area, holding her breath. Thank goodness the men’s department was in the back of the store. Her allergies couldn’t take this constant assault. Even without customers present to spray sample bottles, the air was clogged with cloying scent. Nikki coughed and beelined for the back. She didn’t know which was worse, gagging on old perfume or facing Marilynn.
“Good morning,” Marilynn said, passing her with a clipboard. She’d probably been doing another one of her inspections. Marilynn delighted in invading employees’ work areas when they weren’t there, to write up their perceived infractions. She once scolded Nikki for creating a safety hazard by leaving a fully loaded pincushion on her sewing table. Seriously? It wasn’t like she was watching toddlers back there. Who was going to get into them? Roger? He already had enough body piercings, thank you very much. Marilynn insisted he remove the rings while working, but she didn’t know about all of them. Roger took silent pleasure in his secret rebellion.