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Chapter Seven
Nick
My nephew and namesake, Nicky, climbs into the backseat and buckles his seatbelt, chattering away nonstop about the movie we just watched. At least it was a superhero movie so I wasn’t bored to death, but I probably have Tetanus or some kind of plague judging by all the coughing and sneezing I heard. Kids are little infectious petri dishes, I swear.
“What was your favorite part?” I ask him, pulling my phone out and unmuting it.
His excited response about explosions fades to the background when I see a text from Samantha. My tongue darts out to lick my lips as I open it.
She wants to talk.
Thank fuck because I haven’t been able to get her out of my mind all week. I’ve been regretting my reaction. Maybe I moved too fast, but the way she talks, I don’t think I would’ve gotten a better response if I’d have waited another month or two.
Still, this isn’t going to work if I pressure her into something she doesn’t want. At this point I don’t know what she wants. I guess I’m about to find out. Instead of texting or calling her back, I’m going to her place, after I drop Nicky off.
“Oh, and Uncle Nick? You were wrong,” Nicky announces.
I glance at him in the rearview mirror for a moment as I’m driving. “I was? What was I wrong about?”
“Kissing a girl does not make you grow a ponytail out of your butt.”
Laughter shakes my body. “How can you be sure, though?”
“Cause Hannah L. kissed me right on the mouth at recess last week. And my butt is fine.”
Chuckling, I park in front of my sister’s house. “Right on the mouth huh?”
“Yeah, it was gross!” He clambers out of the backseat. “Bye Uncle Nick! Thanks for taking me!” He runs up the walkway to his mom who has just opened the front door. I give her a wave before driving away.
Even my six year old nephew has girl problems.
My own difficult woman looks like she’s seen a ghost when she opens her door and finds me standing there. “Nick! Hi…I didn’t expect you.”
“I was close by. I just got your message. My phone was off while I was in the movie theater.”
An odd, almost stricken, expression crosses her face, and she nods.
“You want to talk?”
“Yeah.” She joins me outside, and we sit on her steps.
Silence reigns for a minute before she says, “I’m sorry. I made a mistake.”
Sighing, I slide my hand into hers. “You aren’t the only one. I shouldn’t have pushed you. I was disappointed because I thought you felt the same as I do.”
“I do. I do have feelings for you. That’s just…something I’m not used to. I’ve always avoided relationships.”
We watch as two kids run past playing tag. “Why?”
“They change people.” Her gaze meets mine but the next words to come out of her mouth make no sense. “I don’t want you to end up singing on the lawn wearing a horrible tuxedo while I scream and throw things at you.”
“I.” My hand rasps over my beard. “Babe, I have no idea what that means.”
She cracks a smile and the story she tells me definitely lightens the mood. “Is there video of this by any chance?”
“I don’t think so,” she chuckles.
“Well, I can promise I will never do that.” Her eyes glint in the late afternoon light. I tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. “I can’t promise we won’t ever fight. That comes along with any relationship, Sam. But we’re both calm people. I’m sure we can work things out and talk without any flying slippers.”
