“Yeah. And you were perfect. Squeaky but fierce. I’d say it was adorable, but I’m afraid you’ll climb on a chair and throat punch me. No way I’m messing with you.”
I fought the smile tugging at my lips. “If you’re finished, there’s work to be done. You said so yourself.”
“I did.” He nodded as we assembled the rest of the booth. “And, for your information,” Nick whispered as he leaned closer. “I’d earn dollars, not cents, in a kissing booth.”
“You think so?” I folded my arms and glared at Nick.
“Don’t worry, little lady. For some, I could negotiate.” He winked, and my cheeks heated for a whole different reason.
Susan was spot on when she said the school would clean up.
“Nice of you to give up your Friday night for something like this.” I gathered the unused nails after we finished the last booth. Jack and the other boys were done a long time ago and were running back and forth. I was so thrilled he was having fun; I only told him to slow down twice.
Nick laughed and shook his head. “I’m not really giving up anything other than dinner at my sister’s, who’ll be working registration that night. The wild life of a bachelor.” Nick sighed.
“What brought you back to New York? Usually, people move to Florida and stay there. I know I would.”
Nick’s eyes fell to the floor. “My dad was sick. He wouldn’t tell us how bad, but my sister insisted on going to the doctor with him one day and found out he had lung cancer.”
I gasped and leaned back against the wall. “I’m so sorry. Was he a smoker?”
Nick frowned and shook his head. “No. After nine-eleven, his entire firehouse spent days at Ground Zero searching for survivors and believed the bullshit they were told about the air being clean. A few of the guys became really sick over the years. It’s not something you can easily prove, but we’re all pretty sure the cancer came from all that time inhaling God knows what as he dug through the rubble.”
“How is he?”
Nick swallowed as he looked away. “He’s . . . gone. Once he was officially diagnosed, he went pretty quickly. I came for him but stayed for my sister, my nephew, and my grandmother. Family is important to me. I try to be there for everyone, and after I lost him, I didn’t want to waste time with anyone else. I just wish he would have told me sooner so I could have come back faster.” He shrugged as he looked away.
I grabbed his wrist and gave it a squeeze. “I’m sure your dad loved having you back and appreciated that you came.”
Our eyes locked and I took my hand away, doing my damnedest to fight off the undeniable attraction I didn’t want to feel.
“What about you?” Nick asked with the smile returning to his face. “Giving up any hot dates to work the sand art booth Friday?”
I burst out laughing. “No. I don’t date. Other than this stupid app my sister and Paige forced me to download.”
Nick’s brows pinched. “If you don’t date, why do you have the app?”
“To keep them quiet.” I shrugged as I swept the dirt into a dustpan and dumped it into the trash. “The one guy that I almost considered meeting asked me for a picture of my feet. After that, I don’t take any of it seriously.”
Nick’s chest rumbled with a laugh. “Your feet? I’d at least have waited until I met you to ask.”
“Yep, that’s the pool of sickos I have to draw from.” I craned my neck to where Jack and the other boys were sitting cross-legged on the floor.
“Well, you don’thaveto.” Nick’s voice took on a soft tone as he stepped closer. “A beautiful woman like you should have no problems finding normal, non-foot-obsessed guys to date.”
Reflex made me step back, the memory of when Nick first called me beautiful floating to the surface. “Well, like I said, I don’t date. I go through the motions to appease my family, but . . .” I tried to convey what I meant without words. When Nick pursed his lips and nodded, I knew I got through.
“Don't worry about me. I’ll stay on my side of the friend zone and promise not to veer over the edge, no matter how much I want to see your midget feet.” A smirk twisted his lips as I jabbed his arm.
“My midget foot could kick your giant ass.”
Nick crossed his arms and grinned. “I have no doubt.”
“This was so much fun!” Jack ran over to me and beamed at Nick. I brushed the hair off his sweaty forehead and laughed.
“I’m glad, buddy.” Nick squeezed Jack’s shoulder. “See you guys tomorrow night. Thank you!”
I nodded as I mouthed, “No, thankyou.”
