She thought of her recurring dream about her father when she relived the pain. Did Nick do the same? “Has it made you less brave?”
“I don’t think I am brave, but I wanted that story. I believe adrenaline kept me going.”
She eyed the big cup. “Or too much caffeine.”
He chuckled. “This is my antidote for jet lag. Are we going inside, or shall we conduct our meeting out here in the hallway?”
Serena opened her door and they walked into her office. She placed her briefcase down on her desk and hung up her jacket. Nick put his cup on her desk, also hung his jacket on the coat stand, and rolled up the sleeves of a dark green flannel shirt. Serena forced her eyes away from Nick’s strong arms. Obviously colored shirts, jeans and the black leather jacket were his favorite gear. “I’ve got the script for the first series.” She opened her briefcase.
Nick chose a deep leather chair, pulled it closer to her desk and sat down. Behind Serena, heavy rain pounded against the window. She felt stifled in her office with Nick, as if they were the only two people on the entire earth. To make sure that they had a disturbance, she reached for the phone to call Jen, her assistant, to order coffee. Then stopped.
“I can’t order more coffee. I don’t have an assistant anymore.”
Nick sank deeper into the chair. “That’s okay. You were right. I’m on a caffeine high anyway.”
Serena watched the spread of his muscular legs, the tug of denim on his thighs, and knew why she didn’t want him for a co-host. He was far too attractive. She shoved the pages forward. “Have a look at this.”
Nick reached forward and lifted the pages. He didn’t bother reading much of the first pages. He leafed through them. Serena shifted uneasily in her chair, feeling rather like a kid handing in her first essay to a teacher.
Finally he flung the pages on to her desk. “How far have you gone with this, other than a pretty good title, City Streets?”
“We interviewed a number of street people and some politicians. I figure we have enough for three weeks.”
Nick shook his head. “It’s not powerful enough for the first show. Maybe we can slot it in later in the season, when we’ve pulled the viewers. But not to begin with. We need something much more exciting. What else did you have on tap?”
“That was it for now.”
“You weren’t very well prepared, were you?”
He did annoy her no end. She felt her insides prickle. “John wasn’t very lively for the past few months. I guess he was ill. I didn’t know.”
“But surely you have some ideas? You weren’t leaving it up to John?”
She thought about the guitarist on the street the other day. She did have that idea. “There’s something I came up with, but I hadn’t discussed it with anyone.”
Nick shifted his feet. “All right. Let’s hear it.”
Serena leaned her elbows on the desk. “I went to university with a woman whose brother went to prison. When she visited him she met another inmate who was alleged to be in for murder. She fell in love with him and this intrigued me. How could a woman love a man who might have committed murder? I’m interested in why women would love men who are so obviously wrong for them, and I think it could work because it’s a dark subject, and Don wants dark subjects, hence the title Neon Nights. What do you think?” She held her breath.
His mouth thinned. “Sounds feasible. How does Don work with proposals? And what about Cam? Where does he fit in when it comes to story ideas?”
Nick hadn’t really answered her question about whether he liked or disliked her idea. She wished she hadn’t pushed it forward. The idea was precious to her and she didn’t want it wasted.
“How does Steel TV work?”
“Don doesn’t run a huge staff. We have to get our hands dirty, which means we can write our own material. But for this program Don wants us to pitch our new ideas to him. If he approves, then Cam will take over the production process. Cam has no input in the actual ideas.”
“Did Don like the homeless thing City Streets?”
Homeless thing. Serena felt she should stay loyal to John. “He went for it because John’s quite canny, and in some ways his work appears flatter on paper than when actually presented.”
“So it’s a go?”
“Well, we haven’t got much time for anything else, have we? Unless there is some world shattering event. Did Don mention that we have to be ready any time to go on air with breaking international or national news stories when they happen?”
“I’m not sure he did mention that. Therefore, what it amounts to is that we have a schedule of programs we can shift aside and reschedule for news breaking stories?”
“Exactly.”
“Great. So why not the first week present an introduction to the program? We should give the viewers an indication of what they might expect. Maybe we can go out on to the streets and interview people and ask them what they want to see. Then we can lead in the following week with your murder/love piece. That would give us another week to work on it. I agree with the overall idea that the stories need to be darker to correspond with the title.”
I agree.
“Have you discussed any of this with Don yet?”
“No. I just thought about it last night and came up with how I would like the show to feel.”
I would like.
“How about my view on this?”
“You’ve given me your view in your idea about a woman who loved a murderer. Very dark, very heavy. It’s excellent.”
Even if he’d taken his time before telling her of his reaction, Serena couldn’t stop the flush of pleasure from heating her face. “Thank you.”
For a second he didn’t say anything, just stared at her flushed features, then he smiled. “You don’t need my approval. You know you’re good, don’t you?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t done a show like this before. And I don’t think I have as much confidence as you do.”
“I’m not confident. I haven’t done anything like this before either. But fear helps us do it better. Don’t you agree?”
Nick admitting that he was frightened made him more human and kept him down at her own level. “Yes. Probably.”
“Believe me. It does. So we’ll meet on Monday to give Don our ideas on the first few programs. Is that okay?”
“Sounds fine to me.” At least Nick didn’t waste time. Serena liked that. John had been so laid back, full of too many maybes. Nick was positive, and the energy was there in every word and action. She’d just need to keep herself aware of what was going on around her.
Nick stood up and stuffed his hands into the back pockets of his jeans. “Do you want to take off?”
His abrupt departure from the subject stunned her. “What do you mean?”
“We don’t have to meet Don until tomorrow for the commercial. Why don’t we go out for a while? Clear our minds.”
“We’re supposed to be having a meeting, Nick.”
“We’ll continue our meeting somewhere else.”
“Why? All we need to know is what’s going to happen next Thursday evening when we’re on air.”
“We discussed it. We’ll take the team out on Monday and do whatever. Hit the streets, turn up the volume on some loud alternative music group and pitch our wares to everyone.”
Serena laughed. “Sounds like fun news. Not your style?”
“It won’t be fun news. But the draw into the program will feel like fun. It’ll be hard work, so let’s take a break today.”
“No, Nick. I can’t. We have to work together, not take off together.”
“We’ll need to eat lunch.”
That was true. Serena didn’t know what to do. She didn’t want to go to another restaurant and sit opposite him and wonder what to say to a man she felt so uptight with. Walking in the fresh air with him might be okay, she supposed. She couldn’t dismiss him when they had so much left to discuss between them about the show.
“All r
ight,” she said, and tugged her rain jacket from the hook.
•
The rain had stopped, the air clean-smelling, unlike other more squalid cities Nick had been in over the past few years. Did he really prefer ducking snipers to being home? Or was he getting old enough to appreciate home? Would he actually have made this change to his life if he hadn’t distantly yearned for it? Of course he still had his parents to visit. They were the main reason he was home in the first place. So far he’d put his job before them, but later he’d have to face the music.
“You’re a restless type, aren’t you?” Serena said.
He glanced at her. Her features were like the landscape after rain. Clear. Sparkling. Yet there were depths in her that hinted of her father. Nick thought she was pretty lucky to have a father as prestigious as Redding Brown, even though she didn’t seem to think so. She hadn’t mentioned a word about him. Nick wasn’t going to mention a word either. He found it quite a fascinating little game to see how long she would hold out, and how the facts would eventually present themselves when she finally did let him know. He eased his fists into his jacket pockets. “Yes. I’m the restless type. I’m also the hungry type. I denied myself the monster squishy donut that came with that coffee on a special this morning.”
“I ate a good breakfast. Grapefruit, a boiled egg and toast.”
“My, aren’t we the picture of health. All I had was some dried-up cereal as I haven’t had a chance to get any groceries in yet. And my instant coffee is down to sort of a lump of brown stuff.”
She chuckled. “Poor you. You should have given yourself a couple of days to get adjusted back home. You didn’t have to fortify yourself with coffee and meet me this morning.”
“Oh, yes I did. We’re in a bind. Remember?”
“How could I forget? But don’t worry too much, Nick. I’ve been at Steel for nearly six years. I have learned to wing it so Don doesn’t even notice.”
“I know how to wing it. But you’ll have to teach me how to hide the gaffs from Don.”
“Just watch me.”
Oh, he would. He knew then he couldn’t sit in a public restaurant with her. He just wanted to be completely alone with her. “How about we pick up some groceries and eat lunch at my place? I don’t feel like a restaurant. Probably because I’ve been on the road a lot lately.”
“Okay,” she said. “I should know where you live, I guess.”
“Absolutely.” He led the way to his home.
Chapter Four
Serena had expected Nick’s apartment to be no more than a sterile place for Nick to hang his hat if he ever got home to Toronto during his time in the field. Instead, the street was up-scale residential, with lots of big trees and flower gardens. His apartment, he told her, urging her with a hand on her shoulder to look upwards, was the penthouse perched above an ancient, well-preserved six story brick block. “But first we’ll go to the store,” he said.
On the corner was a variety store that catered to people like Nick, who purchased his needs on the spur of the moment. There was even an in-store bakery.
Nick gathered four pots of chrysanthemums from the display tumbling across the sidewalk and added them to a crusty loaf of olive bread, cheese, eggs, milk, fruit and plenty of packages of coffee.
Carrying the bags of food and the flowers, they rode the elevator together. When Nick smiled at her Serena felt his smile move through her body in a rather sensual way and wondered if she’d been wise to come here with him. Not that she expected him to pounce on her. However, she was very attracted. If he did make a move she might succumb.
There was only one door in the sixth floor hallway. Balancing the groceries and flowers in one arm, Nick inserted the key and pushed the door open with his back.
“Go in.”
She walked in first and liked what she saw at once. A spacious room with a high ceiling and wood flooring displayed Nick’s sleekly designed furniture. He closed the front door and led the way to a black and silver kitchen. They stood the groceries and the flowers on a small round table.
“There are some pots outside on the roof garden where we can plant the flowers,” he said.
Serena thought they should keep this time together light. “So that’s why you invited me here. You wanted me to be your gardener.”
“Ah.” He beckoned her to the living room, where he began unbolting a single glass door. He opened the door. “Come and see the view.”
She passed him in the narrow doorway. But as soon as her body brushed his, she felt a pounding in her chest. Nick’s hand touched her hip to urge her forward and she almost stumbled onto the roof garden. She walked to the iron railing and made herself stare at the view. Some taller buildings obscured Lake Ontario, although she glimpsed a patch of water between the walls.
Nick came to stand beside her. “I’ve lost some of my view.”
She glanced down to the street. “It’s still neat.”
“Yeah. I forgot how much I liked it.” He turned his head slightly and she was forced to face him.
“Do you want some lunch?”
She had to stop herself from moving to make their arms touch. “Sure. That bread looked delicious.”
He left her to fetch the meal. The sun was shining and pouring a lot of heat down on the roof. Serena removed her jacket and hung it over one of the green iron chairs. She wondered if she should go in to help Nick. Maybe not. She might not be able to bear being that close to him in the kitchen. She tucked her arms along the top of the railing and looked at the view once more. Sex-starved her girlfriend Rita often said she felt, when the attractive redhead found a man she wanted. Serena had always felt she was above such crude sentiments. But right now she felt sex-starved. She wanted Nick with a lusty intensity.
Nick returned. This time without his jacket and carrying a tray. He put the tray down on the iron table and looked at her. “I have one bottle of beer. Do you want to share it? I’m not even sure how old it is. I could put on coffee if you’d rather.”
He seemed bigger out here on the roof. Maybe she hadn’t realized before how well-proportioned his body was. He wore his jeans and shirt with such easiness. And his hair was sleek like a raven’s wing in the sunshine.
“Beer is fine,” she said.
They sat down on the chairs opposite one another. Nick had placed bread, cheese, grapes and slices of apple on each plate. He poured the beer into the two glasses.
He lifted his glass. “Cheers.”
Serena lifted her glass. “Cheers.”
Nick began tucking into his food, so Serena did the same. They didn’t say much, but they looked at one another often. Occasionally they would smile across the table. On the street below sometimes a horn would honk or voices would be heard.
“Aren’t we supposed to be discussing the show?” Serena asked.
Nick laughed. “Yeah, I suppose, but the sun is making me kind of sleepy.”
“You must be feeling the time change?”
“I must be.”
He looked lazy and handsome, sprawled in his chair and holding the glass with the remains of his beer. Serena pushed aside her plate. “What about your flowers? Are you going to put them in those pots?”
“Yes. Do you want to help?”
“Of course. I love gardening.”
It didn’t take them long to plant the flowers in the big clay pots. The floral display made the roof garden look bright and inviting. Serena washed her hands at the kitchen sink while Nick went through the refrigerator contents. She used a piece of paper towel to dry her fingers.
“I definitely need some more beer,” Nick said. “I’m going to run out and get some. Okay?”
“I don’t need any more. I think I should go now.”
He closed the fridge door. “You’re rushing off. That’s no way to establish a friendship.”
She crumpled the towel she’d dried her hands on and disposed of it in a corner wastebasket. “We will, in time.”
“Why not sta
rt today?”
She wondered then if he was talking about plain friendship or something more. So what if they did make love? Would it cool her attraction for him? Or would she want more? Would she become like her mother with her father? Reeva used to pace the floor waiting for her husband to appear, and when he did they were in bed as soon as they could put Serena down for the night. Serena used to hear them. She couldn’t bear to be a woman with such basic needs and wants. She couldn’t live that way.
She glanced through the kitchen window. This view was completely obliterated by another building, with concrete walls and many windows glinting in the fresh sunlight. “We can’t.”
“Can’t what?”
She turned around and knew she was looking at a man with similar traits to her father. A man who reveled in war and disaster. A man who could love a woman one night and then walk away with the same coldness he displayed in his work. “Can’t be too good of friends.”
“I don’t get that. Why not?”
“Because we have to work together. Don’t we? So we have to be friends with conditions attached.”
“What kind of conditions?”
“We have to retain a distance.”
“Are you telling me not to make a pass at you?”
Had he guessed how she felt and what she was really saying? “No. I’m not even thinking that.” Liar. “What I mean is that if we get too close, too friendly, then if we have a disagreement over work we might not be able to keep the discussion business like enough.”
Feeling she’d made her point clear, Serena returned to the roof garden. She lifted her coat off the chair and carried it back to the kitchen. She picked up her purse from the table. “Thank you very much for the lunch.” She walked into the living room. Nick followed her. “Besides, I need to get back to the office to work on my story. The one about women who fall for the wrong men.”
He pushed his fingers into his front pockets. “That says it all about you, Serena. You want to know why women love the wrong men?”
He seemed to be able to nail down her insecurities. “And what’s wrong with that? It’s true. Most women fall for the wrong men.”
Heart in the Field Page 4