“Nick.” I shake my head.
“Have dinner with me. It would be an honor to catch up.” His voice is casual, but his eyes say so much more.
I cross my arms over my chest. “You’re serious?”
“You’re the only person who’s tried to check on me this year. And I’ll have plenty of wine.” He leans forward slightly. “Come on, Little Red. When’s the last time you did something just for fun?”
Little Red.He gave me that nickname the first night we met at Bookers. It’s a sports bar, and the Cowboys were playing the Eagles. It was a random night full of nothing but conversation that I’ll never forget.
“Pfft. I have fun every day,” I tell him.
“Outside of work.” He licks his lips. “You can love your job, but there’s more to life than this.”
My heart thuds because it doesn’t know better. I try to remember the last time I had a good time, and it was with him, when we talked all night about nothing and everything. I thoughtI’d never see him again until he showed up at Autumn’s house. That was when I learned he was Zane’s stepbrother and ex–best friend.
He grins like trouble as I replay memories of sharing my deepest secrets with him. I thought I’d never see Nick Banks again.
“You can’t just show up nine months later, after completely ghosting me, and expect me to be receptive to your invites.”
He gives me a look, almost like I struck a nerve. “I knew it was a risk, asking you, but I took it anyway. The truth is, I wasn’t ready to have any new friends.”
His words catch me off guard.
“And you are now?”
He smiles. “Now I have nothing to lose.”
“What makes you think I don’t have plans?”
“Do you?” he asks with a brow lifted.
The coffee shop suddenly feels too small, too warm, too full of possibilities I can’t afford.
“I might,” I say.
“Cancel them.”
“Cocky as hell,” I whisper, finding him too hot to handle.
“I wanna see you, Jules. Finish our conversation.” He heads for the door, pausing to look back. “Wear something you don’t mind getting wine spilled on. I’m professionally clumsy when distracted.”
“What’s going to distract you?”
His eyes do a slow sweep from my face down and back up. “Mmm.”
Nick pushes the door open and strolls toward the Range Rover. My head and heart swim.
Moments later, Blaire walks back to the front and glares at me. “Holy shit.”
“What?” I ask.
“If you don’t date him, I will.”
I burst into laughter. “Shut it. He’s not dateable.”
“Is he fuckable? Because I’d be his blowup doll.”
I’m wheezing. “Stop.”
