Nick folded his arms across his chest. “I’m not giving her anything anymore. We’re not together.”
Alessandro sighed. “That’s a shame. I really liked her.”
Nick turned back toward his uncle and said, “I do, too. In fact, I fell in love with her, but that’s not why I’m here. We need your help.”
With a bold wave of his hands, Alessandro said, “Anything. What do you need?”
“My mother has threatened to share certain photos of Rena and me in compromising situations. There is nothing I can say to stop my mother, but I’m hoping there is something you can.”
Shaking his head, his uncle stepped back. “I haven’t spoken to your mother in years.”
Nick advanced and said, “But you knew her well when she was younger, didn’t you? There has to be something she doesn’t want people to know about her. I used to go crazy asking myself why my mother was the way she was. I don’t care anymore. All I care about is protecting Rena from her. If you know something, Alessandro, you have to tell me.”
Alessandro leaned back against the stone railing and seemed to be weighing something in his mind. Finally he said, “What happened to your mother is not my story to tell, but I will speak to her. You’re right. There are things Patrice doesn’t want anyone to know and it’s time she discovers that someone does. Tell Rena she’ll have nothing to worry about when it comes to Patrice. I should have stepped forward and confronted Patrice years ago, but I had no idea how dark her heart had become.”
Nick grabbed his uncle’s arm. “You’re honestly not going to tell me?”
Alessandro laid his hand over Nick’s. “There are truths that bring families closer together, and there are others with the potential to tear them apart. This is one that finally needs to be put to rest—but not before it stops your mother. I promise you that.”
Before Nick had a chance to ask another question, his aunt joined them. “So this is where the two of you are hiding. Are you hungry, Nick?”
Chapter Eighteen
Before heading back to work, Nick stopped at Skal. It wasn’t open yet, but he merely had to say four-one-one to the man guarding the door to be let in. It was Serge’s little joke. Four-one-one meant: For your information, I’m someone you open the door for without question.
He found Serge behind the bar counting bottles.
Serge saw Nick and exclaimed, “Where the hell have you been? I’ve missed you.”
Nick sat down at the bar and accepted the club soda Serge poured him. “Working.”
“So, how is being a big businessman? Better than the party life?”
Nick swirled his drink and considered both before answering. “You know, I won’t lie to you, being wild and carefree was definitely easier. But I feel good about what I’m doing, and happy—even though half the time I don’t know if I’m doing any of it well.”
“You’ll get there, Nicky. Should I ask about . . . you know who?”
Nick took a drink of his soda. “You were right and you were wrong, Serge. I did end up wanting the house and kids. Ridiculous, right? Me? What I didn’t count on was, when you’ve built up a reputation for not taking love seriously, it tends not to take you seriously back.”
Serge put a bowl of nuts in front of Nick. “There will be other women, Nick. There always are.”
Nick picked up a nut, tossed it in the air, and caught it. “I don’t think so, Serge. This was the one.”
“Did you sleep with her sister?”
Nick laid the nut down on the bar in front of him. “She doesn’t have a sister.”
“You know what I mean.”
“No, I was completely faithful.” Nick pushed the rest of the nuts away. “I’m not even attracted to other women anymore. I mean, I still know they’re beautiful, but there’s only one woman I want to be with.” He spun the peanut before him.
“Have you tried telling her that?”
Nick slammed his hand down on the nut. “Words mean nothing, Serge. People lie every day. I could buy her flowers and talk her back into my bed, but I want more than that. I want her to believe in me. And she doesn’t. Words can’t change that.”
“You really love this woman?”
“I do.”
Serge picked up a handful of nuts. “Then you need to believe in her, too.” He popped the snacks in his mouth. “She’ll come around.”
Nick looked up and smiled. “That’s pretty optimistic for a jaded old coot.”
Serge shrugged. “Get back to that office of yours. I’ve got a business to run.”
Nick stood. “Thanks, Serge.”
Serge picked up Nick’s glass and wiped a cloth over where it had sat. “Whatever. Go on, get out of here.”
Nick paused outside the building to look at it in the harsh light of the day. He’d gone there for more years than he could remember. Once he would have said it was the quality of the music and the free-flowing booze that kept him going back.
Amazing that neither had been there during this visit, and it hadn’t made one damn difference to how good he felt when he left. He didn’t want to return to the life he’d once lived, but it was nice to know that some of his friendships from that time would remain.
Right there on the sidewalk, he rang his mother.
“Hello?”
“Hello, Mother.”
“Nick, I was hoping you’d call. I’ve missed you.”
A wondrous feeling washed over Nick. He wasn’t confused anymore. “Mother, I want you to know that Alessandro Andrade will be coming to see you. I sent him.”
“I don’t understand what you’re talking about, Nick. Why would you send your uncle here when you know how badly he’s always treated me?”
“He’s coming to give you a chance, Mother, your last chance to stop. I know what you said to Rena.”
His mother sputtered, then said, “I don’t know what lies that woman told you . . .”
“It’s over, Mother. We see you for who you are. All you have left is whatever goddamn secret Alessandro respects you too much to tell us. But if one photo of Rena leaks out, if I hear that you called her or even said her name, I will not stop until I expose you and that secret to the world.”
“Nick, you need me. Who is going to look out for you? You think your brothers will?”
“I know they will. You know why? Because they’re Andrades, and to an Andrade, family is everything.”
“You can say that to me? Nick? Your mother? Even while you’re threatening me?”
“I can. You’re a Stanfield. You always have been. You never wanted to be one of us. Now you won’t be.”
“I am half of who you are, Nick.”
“Yes, Mother, and that’s exactly why you should be afraid of me. Don’t call me again. We’re done.”
***
It was late afternoon when Rena rounded a corner at Cogent and walked straight into Nick. He steadied her with a hand on either arm, then released her. “Sorry,” he said.
Everything Rena had planned to say to him flew out of her head. She studied his face. He looked tired. She wanted to ask him why, but she wasn’t sure how. There was so much she felt she had to say before that. “Nick.”
“Yes?”
“I—”
A man from marketing walked by, stopped, and asked, “Mr. Andrade. I wanted to thank you for giving me credit for the social media campaign idea I had for Easton. It landed me a promotion.”
Nick clapped a hand on the man’s back. “You came up with the idea, Ben. I’m glad it worked out for you.”
The man shook Nick’s hand. “Anytime you need anything, I’m right downstairs. I even have an office now.”
Nick nodded. “I’ll make sure to drop by.”
After the man had left, Rena couldn’t help but say, “Looks like you’re building a loyal following here.”
Nick shrugged and leaned in. “He told me his idea while we were in the men’s room a few weeks ago. Thankfully, it was while we were washing our hands. He w
as a nervous wreck, but what he said made sense. We had been trying to break into the Easton area, and public opinion about our project improved after we made the campaign more personal. It was a good idea.”
Rena froze. The feel of Nick’s breath on her ear sent her thoughts scattering again. She wanted to turn her head and kiss him with all the emotions swirling within her. She dropped the folder she was holding, causing its contents to scatter across the floor.
Nick bent and began to gather them. She did the same. The two of them almost knocked heads as they reached for the same paper.
“Thank you,” Rena said as she stuffed everything back in the folder.
Nick held her eyes as if waiting for her to say something. Should I start with an apology? she asked herself in a wild panic. Tell him I missed him? Beg him to forgive me?
“You don’t have to worry anymore about the photos of us coming out. That problem has been dealt with.”
Rena rushed to reassure him. “Thank you.” Oh, my God. Rena chastised herself. That’s the best I can do? All I’m going to say? “Nick—”
Nick waited.
Another coworker stopped to ask if Nick had seen the specs he’d sent and if they were what he’d wanted. Nick told him they were on his desk and that he’d email him before the end of the day. The man walked away, and Rena decided the office was not the place for what she had to say.
Before she lost her nerve, she blurted out. “Nick, would you go out with me tonight?”
Nick’s expression didn’t reveal his thoughts. “It’s Monday.”
Rena’s eyes misted up, but she sniffed back the tears angrily. “There’s a movie playing I’ve wanted to see. I’d really like to see it with you.”
“Are you asking me out on a date, Rena?”
Rena smiled and sniffed again. “I am.”
“You know what dates lead to? Actual relationships.”
Clasping her cold hands in front of her, Rena said, “That’s what I’m hoping.”
After a long moment, Nick said, “Okay. I’ll see you tonight.” He leaned forward like he was going to kiss her, then stopped, and with his lips hovering just above hers he asked, “Where do you want to meet?”
“At my house?” Rena asked breathily.
A slow grin spread across Nick’s face as he straightened. “Maybe we should meet at the theater. It’s not good to put out on the first date.”
Rena laughed in surprise and swatted at him. Her heart was pounding so hard in her chest she wondered if he could hear it. She said, “You’re such a jerk,” but she was still laughing as she said it.
Nick feigned a serious expression and said, “I don’t want you to think I’m easy. I want you to respect me.”
Rena’s laughter fell away, and she heard the question behind his joke. “I do, Nick. More than you’ll ever know. I was scared, and I was wrong.”
Nick pulled her to him for a passionate kiss that left them both shaking and clinging to each other. He hugged her to his chest, and Rena heard his heart beating as wildly as her own.
With his usual dry humor, he said, “I’m sure I’ll think of a way for you to make it up to me.” Then he kissed her briefly one last time and walked away.
Rena floated back to her office in a warm daze. Everything that had seemed so hopeless earlier now felt possible.
She sat at her desk and dreamily rested her chin on her hands.
Gio picked up the folder in front of her and said, “I’ll finish the Lyndon report, Rena. Don’t strain yourself.”
Rena waved at him wordlessly. Her body was still at work, but the rest of her was halfway home, deciding what to wear on her first date with Nick.
Chapter Nineteen
The following Saturday afternoon, Rena paced in her living room as she waited for Nick. He hadn’t told her where they were going so she’d changed three times already, finally settling on a simple sleeveless blue dress. She didn’t know what to expect. The past week had been wonderful and confusing.
Monday night they had snuggled at the movie theater, eaten their weight in popcorn, and whispered to each other enough to annoy the people around them. Afterward, they had held hands and walked the High Line through Chelsea. They’d caught a cab, and Rena had blissfully snuggled against him the whole ride back to her house. He’d given her a passionate good night kiss and, much to Rena’s shock, left her at the door.
On Tuesday, he’d sent her one red rose and a note asking her to meet him for lunch. They’d skirted off together to a local art museum, where they’d spent an hour pretending they knew more about the paintings than they did, and calling bullshit each time they caught each other spouting blatant fiction. They had laughed so hard their sides hurt and others had shushed them, which had only made them laugh harder.
Early Wednesday, Nick had met her at Central Park and they’d gone for a jog together. They’d raced to landmarks, chased a few pigeons, and lay in each other’s arms, talking, before each heading back home to change for work. They’d both been late to Cogent that day, but no one had said a thing.
On Thursday they had laughed their way through the realization that there was nothing romantic about the pottery class Nick had chosen for their date. Their very strict instructor had chastised them for trying to use the same pottery wheel, and although they had both talked a good game, neither had successfully created anything but a mess. It didn’t matter, though. Nothing mattered to Rena besides the joy of being with Nick. That night, just as he had on Monday, Nick had kissed her soundly and had left her on her doorstep completely confused.
By Friday, Rena couldn’t imagine being happier. She and Nick had found a small restaurant in SoHo where they’d eaten off each other’s plates and talked until the restaurant closed. By the time Nick had walked her to her door, it had been one in the morning.
Saturday morning.
Rena had been positive he’d come inside with her. After all, Saturday had always been their special day. She’d been disappointed when she’d opened her door and he’d made no move to follow her inside. It hadn’t made sense to her. They’d never been happier together. Rena had asked him if he wanted to come in, but he’d said he’d be back that afternoon. He had a surprise for her.
When he came to the door, pulling her out of her reverie, he was, surprisingly, dressed in a suit, Rena felt glad she’d chosen a dress suitable for many situations. He’d also brought along a driver for his town car.
“Where are we going?” Rena asked when she settled into the backseat beside Nick.
“Home,” he said vaguely, then silenced her next question with a kiss.
Their car headed over the Brooklyn Bridge. Rena watched the city disappear behind them and was filled with curiosity. “Did you buy a house, Nick?”
He gave her an infuriatingly vague look. “You’ll just have to wait and see, won’t you? I’ll give you a hint—it’s not a hot air balloon ride.”
Rena smiled. “Hey, that turned out well.”
He tucked her into his side and kissed her forehead. “I remember.”
Rena leaned back so she could see his face. “Just tell me if this is the kind of Saturday we used to have, or a date like the kind we’ve been going on all week.”
Her question gained her a lopsided grin in response. “Which would you rather have?”
Rena ran a hand along Nick’s thigh and squeezed it. “Do I have to choose? They were all amazing.”
He laid his hand on hers, then brought her hand to his lips. “I agree.”
Rena turned his face toward hers. “You’re not going to even give me a hint?”
“I did. Home.”
Rena sighed. “You’re killing me.”
Their car pulled over to a small park on the beach. The driver handed Nick a blanket and a small basket. It was a cool early-autumn evening and the beach was deserted. Nick led her to the edge of the water and laid the blanket down. Rena shivered and Nick took off his jacket, placing it around her shoulders before they both settled
on the blanket.
Rena joked, “We’re a little overdressed for a day at the beach.”
Nick took one of her hands in his and said, “I thought of a hundred different ways to do this. Some of them included jetting you off to Europe. I even started to research one here in the city, I was going to pay off the night guard at the Natural Museum of Science, and he was going to let us have a few hours alone in the woolly mammoth display case. I pictured a sort of caveman-cavewoman theme.”
“What are you talking about?”
Nick looked out of the ocean and said, “Don’t rush me. I’m nervous.”
Rena’s breath caught in her throat. Nick wasn’t the nervous type. She squeezed his hand and waited, even though she thought she might pass out from the anticipation building inside her. He couldn’t be about to ask what she thought he was, could he? “Why are you nervous?”
He turned toward her and took both of her hands in his. “This is important. I don’t want any more misunderstandings. I didn’t come from a family like yours, Rena.” He stopped and looked down in frustration. “I probably don’t have to explain that to you. You know my family.”
Rena gave his hands a squeeze and said, “It’s just me. You don’t have to choose your words carefully. Just say it.”
He looked up and met her eyes. “I’ve been looking for something my whole life. I didn’t know what it was, but I do now. I want a home, Rena. Not a big empty house where people live but don’t actually talk to each other. I want somewhere full of love and laughter. A place where I can be myself and know I belong. And that’s what you are to me, Rena. You’re home to me.”
Tears welled up in Rena’s eyes and started running down her cheeks. She would have wiped them away but Nick was still holding her hands. “You’re home to me, too, Nick. When I’m with you I feel like I can finally be myself. Like I’m finally free.”
“I love you, Rena. Say you’ll marry me, and I’ll spend the rest of my life proving to you why this is the right choice.”
Although Rena was tempted to simply throw her arms around him and chant yes a hundred times, she felt a playfulness when she was with Nick that she could not suppress. She looked up at him from beneath her long lashes and asked, “Will we still have our Saturday dates? Because I’ve never had sex with a caveman.”