“I know you like to sing Britney in the shower.”
Wes blanched. “You heard?”
Her smile was huge. “Your rendition of ‘Piece of Me’ is a classic.”
Humiliating.
Then she added, “I like it. When you come out, you smell like that lemony shampoo, and you’re smiling. It cheers me up.”
He moved so they were almost touching. “As for what we don’t know, we can change that. I like to go to farmers markets and buyoverpriced bread and cheese to eat sitting on a bench.”
She hesitated, then pressed against him. “I like walking around the city for hours watching people.”
He grinned. “I do the same thing but on the Queen streetcar. I own two irons and a steamer.”
“I bet you have one of those little tools to defuzz sweaters.”
“I do!” Amy had bought it for him from the As Seen on TV store.
“I hate the winter.”
“I hate being cold,” he said. “So I also hate winter.”
She turned to face him. “I’m worried about work.”
“I’m also worried about work,” Wes said, matching her shift.
He could hear the depth of her next breath. “I’m worried this story will bury me if John Wilson decides that’s what he wants.”
His turn. “When Tyler questioned me earlier, it made me think part of the reason they sent me back to Lifestyle was because he’s better at big investigative stories.”
“I keep second-guessing myself,” she said. “I lost my confidence. I triple-check every fact and then worry that I have it wrong.”
Wes reached out his hand and waited for hers to cover his. Her palm was sweaty, and it should have been gross, but Wes held it tightly as they silently sympathized with each other’s concerns. There was no need to reassure each other or talk each other out of it. It was enough to hear them out loud.
Nadine said, “I have one more question left. I want to use it.”
“Okay.” He wasn’t sure what it could be, but he steeled himself for anything.
“Do you remember the night when we were at the same house party? Our last year in school. I tripped in the hallway.”
“I caught you.”
She glanced up and he went on.
“That couple was making out, and she lifted her foot right when you passed. You were wearing a green dress that tied at the side.”
“You do remember.”
“You know I have a fantastic memory,” he said and laughed when she poked him. “Here’s what else I remember. I remember you were so beautiful I couldn’t take my eyes off you. I remember your hair was parted on the side, and it fell a bit over your face, and I wanted to push it back so I could see your dimple if it came out. I remember holding you and that I’d never had a moment so perfect in my life.”
“I remember you were in a black sweater, and you were leaning against the wall,” she said. “I remember you smelled like some spicy citrus, and when I went to the store, I sniffed all the testers to figure out what it was. I remember your hands came up behind my back when you pulled me in, and I wondered what would happen if I kissed you the way I wanted.”
They were facing each other now. Wes felt his heart hammering. “I have one more question left too,” he said.
She nodded, and he took his courage in hand.
“It’s more of a comment than a question, to be honest.” He could do this. “This friends-with-benefits thing. I thought I could do it, but I don’t think I can.”
