I hit him. “Are you serious? You are so not the stalker type.”
“You’re right, but I bet your sister would have helped me.” Fresh tears are in my eyes as I process what this means. He says, “She said I was yummy.”
“Because you are.” Alex does love to stir things up. But she knew I’d be happier with him around, and I’m grateful she planted the seed. “But what about dev team? There isn’t a mountain close enough for you to teach. I’ll be lucky to get ten days in next winter.”
“Just because you can’t ski doesn’t mean I can’t. Dev team is about traveling. Maybe I can transfer to the East Coast division and be on their dev team.”
Nick’s face is full of the joy I feel. I ask, “Did you research this?”
“I may have asked a few questions at dev team tryouts. But if I can’t, so what? Megan, nothing matters without you.”
I recall Gretchen’s words. She’s a smart one, and I’ll have to make sure to tell her. “You haven’t really thought this through. Please tell me you haven’t quit anything yet.”
“Nope. But you can’t back out now.” Nick lifts me up and sets me on the counter. “You just asked me to come with you, and I am.”
Nick kisses my neck, but I push him away. “Okay, how about this. Come with me for the summer, and if you find out that you hate New York, you can come back next year.”
Nick grabs my wrists and holds them behind my back with one hand as he hooks a finger in my shirt and pulls it down. His breath is hot on my chest as he leans close and says, “I won’t hate New York if you’re there.”
“You have no idea what it’s like.” I arch up to his greedy mouth.
“To live the life of the rich and famous?” Small shock waves of pleasure roll through me as he releases my breast and flicks my nipple with his tongue. “I think I can take it.”
My breathing is quick as I say, “It’s not as glamorous as television makes it out to be.”
Nick pulls back and lets go of my hands. “I know that. But how can I hate the lifestyle if I haven’t tried it?”
“You’re sure you can be happy without skiing?” I pull his shirt up, and he grabs the hem to lift it over his head.
“Yes.” He tosses the T-shirt out of the kitchen, and it thuds on the hall floor softly. “I love the sport, but not nearly as much as I love you.”
His chest flexes under my hands as I press against it and lick the strong lines of his pecs. I pant out. “Same.”
“Then it’s settled. I’m coming.”
I slide my hand into the front of his jeans to grab him and say, “That’s the plan.”
Chapter 11
Preparing to move in less than twenty-four hours is a monumental feat even when all you own can fit in a shared car. But I’m so overcome with the joy of not losing Nick, nothing else matters. His final bag bounces back as I try to shove it in the Subaru. He sold his car for half of its worth to some guy in ski school, and Casey and Lori are dealing with the household items that didn’t come with our furnished apartment.
I told Nick I’d buy him whatever car he wants if he decides to come back. He teasingly suggested he’d need a Land Rover like Christian and Dannika each have, and I seriously said if it was what he wanted, it was his. I’m not sure he’s wrapped his brain around how much money I already have.
The one glitch in our new plan is I’m supposed to sign the paperwork on the day of my twenty-sixth birthday, which is two days away. We’ll be doing a three-day drive in two. I slam the hatch door down quickly before the bag tries to jump out. I sigh as I lean against the car. The chill of the metal seeps through my shirt, and I shiver as I glance at the mountains. The ominous white peaks jut into the pale morning sky as puffy clouds float slowly east as if they’re leading the way.
I don’t turn when the door of our apartment slams, and Nick’s feet pound quickly down the wood stairs as he calls out, “That’s everything.”
Nick grabs my face in his hands, and his calloused fingers are rough on my cheeks. He kisses me quickly. “God, I love you.”
“I love you too. Now let’s get this show on the road.”
The Subaru bounces down the dirt street toward town, and I start to process the fact that this part of my life is over. But I haven’t lost the best thing in it. I glance over at the man I love driving us off to our new life, together.
On the way out of town, toward the interstate, we pass familiar cars and trucks as employees drive to work at the mountain. The next time I come here, I’ll be looking at this place with the eyes of a visitor instead of a local. My nails click on the glass face of my phone as I pull up the map. “Only thirty hours and forty-two minutes to go.”
Nick groans. “You’re not going to be one of those people, are you?”
“Hey, at least I don’t have to ask are we there yet. I used to drive my mother crazy wanting to know how much longer. I think that might be why I got a phone and she taught me how to navigate by the sixth grade.”
“Good. Um. Do you have to go to the bathroom?”
“Nick Merrill! You have to pee, and we’ve been in the car for fifteen minutes?”
“I forgot to go before we left.”
I sigh as if I’m annoyed, but I’m not. “Fine. But just so you know, every stop requires a snack.”
He grins at me as the blinker ticks for us to turn into a convenience store. “What are we getting?”
“Hmm, salty or sweet? How about coffee and a pastry?”
“Works for me.”
Cold air blasts at me when I get out to run into the store. Nick is in charge of pumping the gas.
I return with two coffees and a bakery bag in my hoodie pocket. The sack rustles as I hand it to him.
He opens the bag to peer in, and a big grin forms on his face. “Jelly donuts.”
I reach in and lift one out. I glance at him as he takes a huge bite. His words are muffled when he speaks with his mouth full. “You do love me.”
I reach over and swipe the bit of jelly that fell on his chin. It’s sticky on my fingers, and I say, “More than you know.”
* * *
After a twenty-hour drive and a few hours of sleep in a town past Cleveland, Ohio, we hit the road again for the final stretch. I’m driving first, and Nick’s breathing is indistinguishable in the seat next to me as he naps. My phone rings, and I grab it quickly before it wakes Nick.
“Hello, Mother.”
“I’m not sure what you’re thinking by bringing along a boyfriend.” Her voice is curt.
Fine thanks, how are you? “Just crossed into Pennsylvania. Don’t worry, I’ll be there in plenty of time.” Nick stirs.
“I don’t think you understand what your new position requires. You aren’t going to have time for him.”
I bite my tongue to avoid saying something nasty in return, because I don’t want to get into anything right now. “I’m about to pull over for gas. I’ll call you back.”
The sun is just rising, and the orange glow over the horizon makes me flip the visor down and grab my sunglasses. The plastic is cold on my nose when I slip them on, and they fog up. I know my mother is upset because I cut the deadline so close, and because I haven’t had a thing to do with the company I’m about to take over. I’m not prepared, and nobody is more stressed about it than I am. Although, Alex loves to take charge, and she did a good job of sending the right materials to study. Surprisingly, I’m excited, because I’ve discovered a few areas we could expand to keep Bellae relevant in today’s cosmetics world.
Nick lets out a small moan, and I glance over at him. God, I’m the luckiest woman in the world. I’m so grateful he’ll be with me this summer as I learn to adapt to my forced-upon-me life.
Nick yawns and raises his seat back. His voice is husky as he asks, “Where are we?”
“Pennsylvania. How are you feeling?”
“Like I need a bathroom, coffee, and cake. In that order.”
I noticed a rest area sign a few miles back and
answer, “Can do. You only have to hold on for about five miles.”
“How’s my birthday girl? Are you tired?”
“Not bad. The hotel coffee worked.” I pick up my travel mug and swallow down the lukewarm remnants.
“Did I hear you on the phone earlier?”
“Yeah, it was my mother, but I cut it short so I wouldn’t wake you.”
“That’s sweet, she called to wish you a happy birthday.”
“Actually she didn’t, she just wanted to know where I was. And to let me know she knew about you.”
“Megan.” Somewhere in Colorado, I explained that my family dynamics are a bit hostile, and Nick gave me a how-to-get-along-with-difficult-people lecture.
I sigh. “I know. People react to the way you treat them.”
“Good girl. I know your relationship is strained, but if you want this to go smoothly, you’re going to have to try.”
The steering wheel plastic is hard in my hand as I grip it tight. “Okay. Call her for me?” The best way to avoid an argument is to make her follow social etiquette. “And put it on speaker phone.”
White lines dance by on the gray asphalt as I wait for my mother to pick up the phone.
“Megan.”
“Hey Mom, you’re on speaker phone.”
“Lovely, I do so enjoy the background noise. It’s as if I’m on the road with you.” I roll my eyes at her sarcasm, and Nick places his hand on my arm to remind me to be nice.
“Nick and I should be there before dinner.”
“The distraction is named Nick?” I can see her mouth purse in annoyance, and she’s probably gotten up to pace.
“My boyfriend. And I told him you’d be thrilled to have him.”
“Right.” Her voice is strained, and now I’m sure she’s pissed that I called her on her social graces, but she hides it well. “Hello, Nick. It will be a pleasure to meet you.”
Nick says, “Thanks for having me, Ms. Russo.”
I thank myself for remembering to tell him what Mother likes to be called, and I say, “I’ll call if we get held up in traffic.”
“Thank you, that would be appreciated,” says my mother. There is a moment of silence afterward as I wait to hear words I know won’t come.
When the pause is too long, I say, “Bye.”
She doesn’t reply and ends the call. I sigh. It’s not that I care that my mother didn’t wish me a happy birthday. She’s painfully aware of what day it is. What bothers me is that Nick is seeing a piece of my life I’m not proud of.
He reaches over and takes my hand. “You okay?”
Please. This is nothing. “Just fine.”
The blinker ticks as I slow to exit at the rest area.
He takes my hand again when we walk to the building, and I lean against him as he says, “She’s not thrilled about me coming, is she?”
“What? No. She was upset I didn’t tell her, because now she has so much to do to get ready for you.” I swing his hand as I try to make light of it. “She’ll have to use a lot of words to give orders. It’s so exhausting. She’ll be over it by the time we get there.” And she will. My mom can be quick to anger, but she’s also quick to move on.
Nick holds the door open for me, and we enter into the aroma of coffee and fried food.
Nick and I switch off driving every few hours, but when we get close to New York City, I make him stop so I can drive the rest of the way to Long Island. As we crawl over the George Washington Bridge in traffic, he looks grateful. The stench of exhaust and filth seeping through the air vents is culture shock for us both. Graffiti and drab buildings line the highway, and I say, “This is an unfair representation of the New York you’re going to live in. Wait until we get to the Hamptons. It’s pretty, even if it’s a nightmare to get there. You’re going to love being near the water.”
“Tell me about your house. Or should I say mansion?”
I glance at him quickly. “Estate. The house is big, but not huge. It’s the acres of land and what’s on them that make up the bulk of the investment.”
“So I won’t need a map to find my room?”
“No. We have three floors and eight bedrooms. Not sure how many bathrooms.” I flash him a grin. “I’ll give you the whole tour. I think you’ll like it.”
His voice gets lower, and he asks, “Do you have a boat house or something where we can get sweaty?”
I chuckle. “You watch too many bad movies. But you bring up something I hadn’t considered. We won’t be free to get naked whenever we want.”
A horn blares behind us, and I scan the tightly packed cars ahead of us to avoid getting stuck in the slow lane. Nick asks, “Are you planning on us living with your mom?”
He’s sitting up and holding the panic bar above his door. My Colorado boy probably hasn’t done much city driving. I answer, “Honestly? I haven’t thought about anything. I was too busy avoiding the situation.”
“Well, you’ve got me to help. I can find us something close to wherever it is you work.”
I dart my eyes from mirror to mirror, preparing to make a lane change. I whip the wheel to the left to swerve in the small space between two cars. “Babe, I’m sorry. I haven’t told you much at all, have I?”
Nick has a hand on the dash now too. But as the car in front speeds up, leaving a window of space, he relaxes and sits back. “Not really, but none of it matters. I’m looking at this as an adventure.”
“Good, because that it will be.” We get on another bridge, and the white toll tag I stuck on the dash at the beginning of the trip comes in handy. Nick whistles when he sees the amount we just paid for access to the Verrazano Bridge.
I say, “I’ll be working in the city. I don’t see you being happy there.” I sigh. “I won’t be happy there. Let’s get through the summer at my mom’s house, and we’ll figure it out.”
It occurs to me Nick has nothing to do this summer. He’s going to want a job, even if he won’t need money. Because I’ll be working so much, our time together will be limited. The traffic has thinned, and I reach over to take his hand. “Thank you again. Having you with me makes this so much better.” I’m not sure he realizes the sacrifice he’s made, and I vow to keep my man happy so he’ll stick around.
Chapter 12
The farther we put the city behind us, the less congested Long Island becomes. I crack open the windows when we’re close to our destination. “Smell it?” I take a deep breath and blow it out. “Isn’t it glorious? I forget how much I miss the ocean until I come back to it.”
Nick inhales too but doesn’t react with the same glee. I chuckle at the way he’s crinkling his nose like a little boy who has to eat Brussels sprouts.
“What?”
“You’re wrinkling your nose, and it’s cute.” The sky roof cover thuds when I slide it back, and the hum of the window as it opens is drowned out by the rush of air. “Once we get past the mud flats, you’ll like the smell better.”
A seagull swoops down close, and Nick reaches for the bag of chips that is open between us. “Those damn birds steal food.”
“Bad experience with a seagull?”
“Yeah. When I was a kid, we took a vacation in the Carolinas. I lost a whole lobster roll to one of those thieves.”
“Aw, poor little Nick. We’ll have to get you another.”
“We sure will. I’m going to eat seafood every day.”
The sides of the road are now adorned with the fresh pale green of spring. “It does smell better now.”
“That’s the lilacs.” I flip the blinker and pull off to a side road to travel more slowly. Home.
When I was a toddler, my father left my mother. She had me and my sister, who was just a baby, to take care of at the time Bellae was just taking off, and I suspect my father was the sacrifice that made it happen. But Alex and I never felt neglected. Perhaps my mother learned a lesson from her divorce, because she made enough time for us that we grew up feeling loved. And capable.
It was
driven into us that we were smart and able to run the world. Or a company like Bellae. But I wanted nothing to do with business and majored in psychology to become a domestic violence counselor, while Alex couldn’t get enough and went on to get an MBA. I’m not exactly sure when my mother decided I should be the one to take over, and it’s almost funny that for me it’s punishment when for Alex, it would be a reward.
I pull up to a black box that is window height and open it to reveal a keypad. “Can you find the text from my mom with the code?”
Nick reads off the numbers, and the keys beep as I push them. The wrought-iron gate slides open with a low mechanical hum. The entry to our estate is framed by neatly trimmed hedges, and once we get past them, a vast expanse of land is before us, with a white house in the distance.
It’s impressive, and Nick says, “Wow. You own enough land for an entire neighborhood.”
I glance at him quickly. “This area used to be for horses, but my mother doesn’t like them. She had an Olympic-length pool installed where the barn stood.” As we rise over a ridge, another building appears. “That’s the guest cottage. If you look past it you’ll see my pool—” I stop because I realize what I said. But this is Nick, so I relax and try to make light of my privileged upbringing.
“I’m about to sound like a princess. You know I was a nationally ranked swimmer in college. When my mother realized I was good, she built me a pool so I could get more training in.”
I slow the car to a crawl and study Nick’s face. He just nods, and I wonder what he’s thinking.
“Do you have lots of visitors come to stay?”
“No. But if they do and my mother doesn’t like them, they can stay here.” He doesn’t laugh, and I think he must be nervous.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah. This is kind of overwhelming. What if your mother hates me?”
“Babe, my mother is nice. We may have our problems, but most people like her. And she’s going to love you.” I stop the car to take his hand. “You’ll see.”
Pulse: Sport Romance (The Boys of Winter Book 6) Page 6