He ordered a coffee plus an apple cider and pumpkin spice donut and sat at a table close to the window. The way he looked at it, he’d already worked off more than two breakfasts.
He sipped from the mug and smiled thinking about his morning. After last night, he hadn’t expected to make love to Ashley. And then this morning, when he made her come, he’d only wanted to show her what was between them wasn’t a result of alcohol.
That she’d never had another rewarding sexual experience both saddened and flattered him. She cared about him. He knew she did, otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to give herself freely.
After making love a second time in the shower, he hoped she could see they had a shot at making things work.
They would go slow. Regardless of their newfound intimacy, they had to be careful not to hurt Sean. It was why he’d agreed to keep their involvement a secret from their families, a challenge that was going to test him later at Sunday dinner.
A banging near the rear of the store caught Nick’s attention. Gina burst out of the kitchen, tucking the tails of her purple D&D T-shirt into her short black skirt. When the older woman, Maggie, said something to Gina, her gaze snapped to his then slid away.
Nick had interrogated criminals who looked less guilty than her.
Were her lips swollen?
That in combination with the straightening of clothes and mussed-up hair told him his daughter had been doing God only knew what in the kitchen or beyond. Not a thought Nick was ready to have today—or ever.
With a coffeepot in hand, Gina made her way around the room, refilling coffee for those who requested it.
“Hi, Dad. More coffee?”
“Perfect timing.” Nick nudged his empty cup toward her. “Just the girl I was hoping to see. Can you sit a moment?”
“I don’t know.” Gina looked back at Maggie. “I just came off break, and Maggie can be a bit of a taskmaster.”
To Nick, it sounded like Maggie was keeping his daughter on a short leash. Something long overdue.
“Let me clear these tables, and I’ll check.”
After a few minutes, she returned with hot chocolate and donut and sat across from him. “I can sit unless we get a mad rush.”
“Has it been busy?”
“It’s been crazy all morning. Uncle Jamie helped us out a little earlier but went upstairs with coffee and food for him and Aunt Vicky.”
“That was nice of him.”
Gina pointed to one of the donuts on his plate. “What do you think of the pumpkin spice donut?”
Nick bit into it and was surprised by the light pumpkin texture and sugary coating. “Mmm.” Nick finished it in another two bites. “I may like it better than the cider donut.”
Gina smiled—something she hadn’t graced him with in a longer than he remembered. “I made them.”
“Aunty Vicky trusted you with her recipe?”
“I took her cider donut recipe and made a few changes and voilà.” She held up the donut. “Pretty good, right?”
Nick raised an eyebrow. “More than pretty good. I’m proud of you, peanut.”
Her eyes sparkled with something else he hadn’t seen in a while—interest. Maybe working with his sister was exactly what Gina needed.
“What else have you created?”
“A pumpkin mousse, but I’m still working on it. It’s hard since Mom doesn’t let me use the kitchen.”
“Why not?”
“She doesn’t want me messing up her perfect house. Joey and I can’t do much of anything.” She widened her eyes. “Please don’t tell her I said anything.”
What the hell?
“What do you mean you can’t do anything?”
“It’s not like we literally can’t do anything. It’s just…there are parts of the house that are ours—kid-friendly, they call it—and other parts we can’t go in unless we’re all clean and dressed nice. Danny entertains people from his work and on those nights, we’re not allowed to be noisy or make a mess.”
“Sounds like a boarding house, not a home,” Nick said.
“We have our bedrooms plus the entire finished basement we decorated the way we wanted. It has a widescreen TV, game system, ping-pong table, and games galore. It was fun at first, but now it’s kind of boring. I miss my friends.”
“Can’t they visit?”
“Sometimes, but they get all weird because the house is fancy. It doesn’t feel like me.”
Franny’s new lifestyle didn’t seem to suit anyone except Franny.
Nick reached out for her hand. “Why are you just now telling me this? I’ll talk to your mom. Maybe you can have a sleepover at my place or at Grandma and Grandpa’s. We don’t care how loud or messy you get.”
She shrugged. “I don’t want to upset Mom. You know how she gets.” She paused. “Sometimes I wish…oh, never mind.”
“You wish what?” He’d always told her he’d move heaven and earth to get her anything within reason.
“I miss the way it used to be before. You know, before you and Mom separated.”
Nick’s heart broke. He had dealt with his own grief at the end of his marriage. Not being around his kids every day was hard to deal with. Now listening to Gina come clean with how the divorce and move was eating her up just about did him in.
“I miss seeing you and Joey and hearing about your day. Hell, I even miss helping out with school projects and homework.”
“We all used to do stuff together, as a family. Now it’s just Joey and me. Mom only cares about Danny and my dancing.”
“What would you like to do?”
She furrowed her brow. “I want to go to a hockey game.”
One side of his lips curved up. “Really? A Flyers game. You’d be into it?”
Her face lit up and for a brief moment, he saw his sweet little girl.
“Heck, yes.”
“Okay. We’ll do it. Just you and me?”
She nodded.
Some father-daughter bonding was long overdue. Without realizing it, Gina had given him insight as to how to find his way back to his kids.
“How are Thanksgiving and Christmas going to work this year? Last year, we were away for Christmas, and Joey and I hated it. He cried himself to sleep every night.”
Nick had never known. He cursed himself for allowing Franny to take them away. He’d been so worried about losing custody of the kids, he’d allowed her to dictate their first holiday apart. Thankfully he’d gotten a new lawyer, who devised a plan he could live with.
“Since you spent Christmas with Mom last year, you’ll get to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas morning with me.”
“We’ll get to go to Grandma and Grandpa’s for the fish dinner on Christmas Eve?”
“This year it may be at the restaurant.”
“Cool.”
“And Thanksgiving?”
“You’ll be with your mom for dinner, and I’ll pick you up for dessert. You’ll stay over my house at night, unless you want me to take you home.”
She shook her head. “I want to stay. The next day, Aunt Vicky promised she’d show me how to make her gingerbread for the houses.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
“What about him?” She fidgeted in her chair. “You know, Sean.”
Good question.
“I haven’t spoken to Sean or Ms. O’Neil about it yet, but I’m hoping they’ll participate in as much as they’d like. Can you handle that?”
“Would you not include him if I couldn’t?”
He had to tread carefully.
“That’s not a fair question. You and I have been together since you were born. I’m just getting to know Sean. He and Ms. O’Neil have lived a very different life, one without a lot of family. I think our family is pretty awesome, and I’m hoping you’ll find it in your heart to be able to be civil.”
She glared at him, and he saw the conflict raging inside her.
He grasped her other hand. “I love you, G. Nothing, and no o
ne, will ever change that.”
One solitary tear spilled out of an eye and trailed down her face. She wiped it away and stood. “I need to get back to work. I’ll think about what you said, Daddy.”
As he watched her run behind the counter, he thought they’d taken one small step forward in the large journey they had to traverse.
Would it be enough to get his little girl to trust him like she used to?
****
Late Monday morning, Ashley closed her notebook following the meeting Patty had at the school with all the speakers for the Teen Life workshops, which would be starting tomorrow.
While Patty finished talking with a couple of the speakers, Ashley checked her phone for messages.
No texts.
More specifically, no texts from Nick.
Ashley hoped he’d come to the school meeting, but someone named Rodriguez had shown up instead. He’d be working with the technical support team as his cover.
Even though she’d made love with Nick—twice—it didn’t mean things needed to change between them. Maybe she sucked at sex, and he didn’t want to do it again.
More likely, he was busy with work and setting up the undercover operation.
Still, how much time would it have taken to text her?
She wouldn’t have thought anything about it, except he was distracted yesterday afternoon at his parents’ house. Sure, she’d asked him not to tell anyone what happened between them, but she didn’t think he’d close up. No, something else was going on.
“Penny for your thoughts.” Patty closed the door after the last person left.
“I want a donut,” Ashley said and stepped toward a white bakery box on a side table. She studied the purple and white sticker on the lid, remembering the last time she saw a box with the same marking—in the park with Nick. “You got these from Decadent DeLites?”
“I stopped there this morning.”
“Isn’t that out of your way?”
Patty smiled. “Not from Damon’s place.”
Ashley raised an eyebrow. “Really? Guess I don’t have to ask what happened after I left the bachelorette party.”
“We’ve texted a few times since he took me home after the Randy-Tanya incident.”
“And you didn’t tell me?”
“There wasn’t anything to tell. We made tentative plans to bike yesterday. It was pure chance—or maybe karma—we met up at the bachelorette party,” Patty said.
“And?”
“And we’re taking it slow.”
It was good to know Ashley wasn’t the only one who felt moving slow was a smart decision.
“Yet you spent the night together,” Ashley said.
“Two nights.”
“Hence the donuts.”
Patty pointed to the box. “It’s a good thing I don’t live closer, or I’d be five pounds heavier. There’s a pumpkin spice donut in here to die for.”
Ashley’s stomach growled at the mention of food. She’d barely eaten anything that morning.
Patty removed the donut and handed it to Ashley on a napkin. “Try it.”
Ashley bit down and sighed. “Wow,” she said after chewing. “Vicky has the hands of a genius.”
“Just like her brother.”
Ashley choked and sipped from her bottle of water. “Why would you say that?”
“Trying to gauge your reaction, and you failed. I want the full story of what happened after you left with Nick Saturday night.”
Ashley felt her cheeks heat but maintained her composure. “Nothing happened.”
“Give me a break. Even I can tell you’re more relaxed. Did you sleep with him?”
As much as she loved Patty, sometimes it was frustrating having a friend who read her so well.
“He took me to his apartment, and I passed out,” she said, intentionally leaving out the details.
“We did have a lot to drink.”
“I had a headache when I woke up yesterday, but nothing as bad as it could have been,” Ashley said.
“You still haven’t answered my question. Did you sleep with him?”
Ashley sighed and nodded. “Sunday morning. Twice.”
“Ha! Damon, Jamie, and Vicky’s cousins each owe me ten bucks.”
“You bet on whether we’d have sex?”
“Not whether but when. We all agreed it was going to happen, but they thought it would be Saturday night. I knew it wouldn’t happen until the next morning.”
“I’m glad to have entertained all of you.”
“It’s about damn time, too.”
Ashley agreed. She’d spent so many years fantasizing about being with Nick again, she’d been a little nervous the real thing wouldn’t live up to her memory. Not only had it, but it exceeded it tenfold.
“Don’t get your hopes up, though. We’re taking things slow, too. I don’t want either of our families to know.”
“It’s not like hot, multi-orgasmic sex is a crime. It was multi-orgasmic, right?”
And how.
Ashley nodded.
Patty squealed and hugged her. “I’m happy for you. I have a good feeling about you two.”
“There are still a lot of obstacles to overcome.”
“Don’t give up when things are getting started.”
“I know, I know. It’s just…” Expressing her fears had never been Ashley’s strong suit.
“What?”
“Every week I’m getting more invested in his family. Yesterday, my dad joined us at his parents’ house for Sunday afternoon dinner.”
“That’s wonderful. Was there a problem?”
“It went well, thankfully. It’s just the more we get pulled into their perfect family, the more it’s going to hurt if things don’t work out between Nick and me. I mean, Sean will always be part of the family, but I’m an outsider.”
“You’re Sean’s mom, and that connects you to Nick’s family. Don’t let your fear of a relationship with Nick prevent you from getting close to his family. You got along with Kate and Vicky. They’re welcoming you into their family. You should accept what they’re offering.”
She knew Patty was right, but fear of rejection had always prevented Ashley from fostering close relationships, even when she wanted it more than anything.
This time it felt different and was more important.
“Something was off with Nick yesterday afternoon.”
“How?”
“It was as though something was on his mind other than the chaos going on at dinner. I asked him about it, but he brushed me off. I thought he’d text me later last night, but he didn’t.”
“You could have reached out to him.”
She told herself that a million times and had even started to text him twice. Each time, she lost her nerve and deleted what she’d written.
“I’m not sure how this is supposed to work, or what I’m supposed to do—or not do.”
“There are no rules. If you don’t do anything because you’re afraid, then why bother? No relationship is perfect. You’ll both make mistakes and fight. If you want things to work, then you’ll find a way.”
Logically, Ashley knew her friend was right.
“Text him now.” Patty tapped her upper lip. “Invite him to lunch…at your house.”
“What?”
“Answer the door in your underwear…or better yet, naked.”
A laugh bubbled up in Ashley’s chest. “That’s crazy.”
“Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.” Patty reached onto the table for Ashley’s phone and handed it to her.
“What say you?”
****
Nick parked behind Ashley’s sedan. He’d planned on texting her to see if he could come by after his shift, but lunch plans worked even better. Ever since his conversation yesterday with Gina, thoughts of the upcoming holidays weighed on his mind. Maybe he could use today to mention his idea to Ashley.
He grabbed the paper deli bag from the passenger seat and locked the
car.
While he waited for her to answer the door, he ran through reasons for them spending the holidays together. This would be his first Thanksgiving and Christmas with Sean, and Nick wanted to make it special. Of course, it would be more special if they could spend it as a true family. He didn’t want their secret relationship to linger too long. Hadn’t they had enough secrets?
When the door opened thoughts of the upcoming holidays vanished, as did his power of speech. Ashley wore her hair down. She’d done something to it because it was messy, like she’d just gotten out of bed—or was ready to get into it. She wore a peach sweater held closed by one button and revealed her flat stomach along with the fact she wasn’t wearing a bra. The points of her nipples were pronounced against the fabric and shot a jolt of heat to his groin that had him hard in seconds.
So it was going to be a booty-call lunch. He could work with that.
He smiled and held up a white bag. “Lunch delivery.”
“I didn’t know members of Philly’s finest made house calls.” Her voice was husky, and she crooked a finger at him and stepped aside to let him inside.
“This one does.” He dropped the bag on the table by the door.
Her body was warm and pliant, her mouth already reaching for his when he hefted her against him. The kiss was hot and urgent, and she met the thrust of his tongue with long, deep strokes. God, he’d never wanted anyone as badly as her.
Thoughts of taking things slow vanished when her arms circled his neck, pulling him closer and angling to kiss him deeper. A rumble passed through him, and he reached for her sweet bottom and pulled her against his hard erection. She moaned, and he walked her back until she was pressed against the door.
“I’ve wanted to do this since you left yesterday.” He pressed open-mouthed kisses along her neck.
“You have?”
“I got off last night and this morning thinking about you.” He hadn’t meant to say that, but it was true.
Her knees buckled, and he anchored her more securely against him.
“Oh my.”
“It drove me crazy not being able to touch you yesterday at my parents’,” he murmured.
“You understand why I want this kept between us, right?”
“I do, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.” He reached for the button between her cleavage and flicked it open, pleased when she sucked in her breath. “I hope you didn’t go to work like this.” He slid his fingers up her stomach to cup her breasts, the points of her nipples pebbling up harder.
Awaken My Heart Page 24