“In the meantime, I’ll tell everyone to save the date.”With that, Lacey hurried off to talk to as many crew members as she could.Michael and Eli joined her.
Alone with Claire, the magnitude of the moment hit Nick like a fall of rocks.
His own show.
A new location every episode.A fresh start.
This was awesome.The kind of awesome that didn’t come around every day.
He was one lucky dude.
“I hope I didn’t overstep my bounds by offering to host the party,” she said.
“You’re doing a really nice thing by hosting, but please take Lacey up on her offer.I’m sure she’ll get the network to cover the catering.After all, it’s a lot of mouths to feed.I could help too.”
“Nope.Off you go.”Claire put her hands on his shoulders, turned him around and gave him a light push.“We’ve got this covered, Nick.You go home and rest…or whatever it is you do on a Friday night.”
Lately, not much.He’d done more avoiding than socializing recently.Would Claire have noticed his tense exchange with Eli a few moments ago?He hoped not.“What areyouplanning on doing tonight?”Why did that come out sounding like a come on?Hadit been a come on?He wasn’t even sure.
“Oh, you know.I’ll brush the cats, catch up on my game shows, finish up my crossword puzzle and turn in early.Just a regular Friday night.”
Nick froze.She’d said it with such a straight face.
“That was a joke, TV star.”She grinned and he breathed a sigh of relief.“The widow is still capable of cracking jokes.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
“To be honest, my plans are kind of exciting.”She put her hands on her hips and stood tall.“Tonight, I’m going to conquer an Ikea dresser.”
“Wow.This is a big moment.”
“It really is.”Claire huffed in amusement.“Right before he passed, Arthur ordered this dresser for me.He used to accuse me of encroaching on his drawer space.In fairness, I did.I always shoved my stuff in his drawers when I ran out of space.Anyway, he started putting it together for me, but never got a chance to finish it.And, um, it’s still sitting in the same spot in our bedroom, taunting me.”
Nick didn’t say anything.He couldn’t tell from her tone if the unfinished dresser was a simple annoyance or something more.
“I figured with all the other changes going on, I should take the bull by the horns and finally put that damn dresser together.”
“Claire, do you want me to give you a hand?I’m a whiz with an Allen key.”
“Oh.I didn’t say all of that to get your sympathy.I wasn’t trying to get your help.”
“I know.”
“Because I can assemble the dresser.I just…it hasn’t been a priority.”
“I hear you, but Ikea furniture can even mess with the experts.In my experience, it’s always good to have a buddy nearby.Together, we could get it done in no time.”
Her lips compressed as she considered his offer.Nick wasn’t trying to intrude.There was just something about her that made him want to help, to smooth out the creases in her life.
“I mean, if it’s your special project and you’d rather tackle it alone…”
“No, I appreciate it, but it’s been a long week.You’re not too tired?”
He winked.“I don’t get tired.”
As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he regretted them, because Claire’s cheeks turned cranberry red.
Flirty Nick wasn’t dead, apparently.Although he hadn’t meant the innuendo.He’d only meant to assure her that he was energetic enough to get the job done.He cleared his throat.Dumbass.
