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“I thought he was still living upstairs,” Nikki repeated for the twenty-fifth time.
“I’m sure he doesn’t think you did this on purpose,” Zara pointed out. “It was obviously an accident.”
“Yeah,” Nikki said, not sounding as convinced. “It’s just,” she turned to face Zara. “I worry about him, you know. We’ve been friends forever and now that I’m married, and Steiny and Al are gone, he’s all alone. And it feels like my fault.”
“I’m the one that knocked the wall down,” Zara pointed out.
“But I handed you the sledgehammer and said, ‘let ‘er rip.’”
They both chuckled.
“Oh man,” Nikki pressed her palm to her forehead. “What am I gonna do? He can’t sleep on the couch at work!”
Zara opened her mouth but closed it because she couldn’t just make an offer. She had to check with Cas first. And she was trying to get away from being the type of person who gave and gave and gave to those who really didn’t care about her at all.
But she had an enormous house that was well-furnished. It had several unused rooms and the girl that grew up in Jersey saw that as a waste.
Instead, she said, “I’ll help you think of something.”
“This has been his home foryearsNikki said softly. “I am theworstfriend.”
“Oh, my goodness,” Zara said. She grabbed Nikki by her shoulders and looked her in the eye. “You are not the worst friend. This is a terrible set of events and we can solve this, yeah?”
Nikki nodded sadly. “Yeah, okay.”
“Maybe he can rent a room from me,” Zara said despite her earlier reservations on sharing that idea. “I have the space.”
Nikki’s blue eyes turned wary.
“I’ll have to run it by Cas before I mention it to him, obviously.”
Her security would have a fit.
They’d crawl so far up Asa’s ass that when he brushed his teeth, he’d be brushing Cas’s too.
Zara crossed one arm and rubbed her chin with the opposite hand. “I am the one who swung the hammer that destroyed his bed,” she pointed out. “It’s the least I can do. It’s not like you can invite him to stay with you and André.”
“No,” Nikki agreed.
André and Nikki lived in a loft apartment. It was the perfect size for two people. But then they’d added baby Amber. Which was why they were pushing to finish the house. So, it could be a home for them.
Nikki’s gaze sharpened on her. “He’ll want to know why you’re sticking around.”
“Probably.”
Nikki sniffed a laugh and shook her head.
“I’m surprised you haven’t told him yet,” Zara teased. Nikki was known for talking too much. But Zara liked to think of it as “chaotic sharing.” She loved the freedom with which Nikki lived. Flat out and full of heart.
Zara needed more of that in her life.
“Oh, I probably would have by now if he’d asked.” Nikki shrugged.
Meaning Asa didn’t care enough to ask.
Why did that make Zara a little bit sad?
CHAPTER NINE
