Which posed a whole separate problem. Apparently, John had finally convinced Jane to kiss him, and had sent no less than three requests for a letter that would ensure she climbed into bed with him, next.
Nick couldn’t even think about that right now. He’d written back last night, citing a bout with the flu and promising a letter by next week. Then he’d promptly spent the next hour on Google, tracking down David Ballard’s address in Brooklyn.
The idea that had followed was stupid. Totally unhinged. But somehow, Aubrey MacLean shattered all his internal logic, and had for seventeen years. He would do anything for her, no matter how dumb, no matter how desperate.
That included hopping in his truck and driving to New York, at which point nothing would stand between his fist and this Ballard guy’s face. Then, once he forced the asshole toconfess, Aubrey’s company would reinstate her. She could return to New York if she wanted. Ride off into the sunset with Gallant, if she liked.
She’d have choices. She’d have everything she’d ever wanted.
Meanwhile, he could return to his quiet life. Work, gym, Paige.Notliving out his worst fucking nightmare by turning into his home-wrecker dad.
With that decided, he set his jaw. The remainder of the shift passed in a tumult of heat and sweat. When he finally clocked out, he hung his protective equipment in his locker and waited for Jackson outside the mill’s gates.
His best friend emerged into the frost-touched parking lot and puffed out a single word. “Gym?”
Nick stuck his hands in his coverall pockets. “Yeah.”
He absolutely needed it, though he didn’t know where he would find the energy required. Fatigue weighed down his limbs while every step hammered a new ache into his soles. But the alternative involved driving across town, banging down the door of that old Victorian, and begging on his knees.
“Hey,” Nick said. “Do you think you could do me a favor? A big one?”
Jackson paused. “You never ask for favors.”
“Yeah, well. I don’t like bothering people with stuff I should be dealing with myself. But I have to go to New York this weekend, and I was wondering if you could come.”
Jackson cocked his head. “Really? What’s in New York?”
“A guy. Who needs a little... redirecting.”
Jackson thought about that. “The kind of redirecting that involves fists?”
Nick scuffed a boot on the iced gravel. “Maybe. Maybe not. We’ll see how it goes. But I don’t expect you to help with the redirecting part. I just want you to make sure I go throughwith it. Keep me from doing something stupid, like turning my truck around and going to Aubrey’s house.”
“Huh. Yeah, all right.”
That was it. Nolet me think about it, orare you sure this isn’t the kind of thing that’ll get us arrested?Just ready acceptance, and Nick had to restrain himself from hugging his best friend until somebody’s ribs fractured.
“But,” Jackson said, “if I go, I have a favor to ask, too.”
Nick frowned. “Yeah?”
“Yeah. I’ve never been to New York, and there’s something I’ve always wanted to do there.” Jackson rolled his hulking shoulders and cracked his neck. “We have to go see a show. On Broadway.”
“A show? Like... with singing and shit?”
“Yeah. With singing. Andstuff. And by stuff, I mean I want it to have dancing, too.”
Nick stared. “I tell you I might have to rearrange some guy’s face, and you want to go see fuckingCatsafterward?”
“Hey, man. Don’t judge. I’m not. And I’ll splurge for the tickets. That way, you don’t have anything to explain to Tansy, afterward.”
Nick threw his hands up. Whatever. He’d go see Disney on Ice, if that’s what Jackson wanted. “You know what? Sure.”
Jackson stepped close and clapped him on the back. “Hey, thanks. It’s not every day I get to cross something off my bucket list. You book tickets, I’ll pay you back. When’re we leaving?”
“Saturday. I gave my shift to Carl. I’ll pick you up at six a.m. We won’t be back ’til Sunday night, so pack a bag.”
“Okay. Sounds good. Meet you at Wilder’s in five?”
