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It wasn’t that he’d lied. He questioned and doubted everything, and that was as neutral as he could get. It might not be the most illustrious claim a guy could make, but he would never pretend to agree with something and then write something else. Still, he was guilty of clinging to his biases. And the way he’d responded had also shut down any budding trust.
When I try to express my thoughts and feelings, you slap them back in my face.
Jordan flinched at the memory. Getting Nicole to open up might be impossible now. As for saying she’d gotten into a snit? Blast it all, she was right. He would never have said that to a man, and probably not to another woman. Instead he’d reverted to sophomoric behavior. Given Nicole’s sex appeal and the average man’s libido, he was likely just the latest in a long line of idiots she’d encountered. As consolations went, that wasn’t much, but it was all he had.
Well, no point in whining over his mistakes. He glanced at his watch; it was past twelve. He’d get the information from Chelsea about the career fair and make the necessary call, then grab lunch and wait for Nicole. When she headed for her car, he’d ask her to let him ride along. He could attend the career fair on his own, but it seemed diplomatic to go with her.
She might agree, though considering how angry she’d been, it was a good thing she didn’t have an ejector seat.
* * *
A WHILE LATER Jordan opened his eyes and glanced out of his car window, which he’d left down to catch the breeze off Lake Washington.
What? Nicole’s car was gone. He fumbled for his phone to check the time and saw that he’d slept through the afternoon.
He frowned. There was a sticky note on his side-view mirror.
Jordan,
Lack of sleep interferes with cognitive function and/or social ability. Good to see you’re catching up.
Nicole
Groaning, Jordan rubbed his face. He gulped what was left of the coffee in his cup, even though it would probably inhibit him getting to sleep that night.
When Nicole got back to the agency he’d have to eat crow, or something equally hard to stomach. As he sat ruminating on the forthcoming recipe, his sister came out and locked the agency door, then headed in his direction; she carried an express box from the post office, her handbag laid over it.
“Hey, Jordan,” she said, peering through the window. “I’ve been watching you out here all afternoon. At first I was going to check to see if you were okay. But Nicole said you were taking your kindergarten nap, whatever that means.”
“She has an unusual sense of humor. When does she expect to be back?”
“Not tonight. She has plans for the evening.”
Despite having no reason to think Nicole had arranged a romantic interlude, his mind immediately went in that direction.
“So,” he said to Chelsea, “would you like to eat dinner with your brother?”
“That would be nice, but I’m busy, too.”
Great. He was supposedly a carefree bachelor with an active social life, yet he was the one without any plans that evening.
“In that case,” he said, “have a good time.”
“Thank you.” Her expression seemed strained, but he had a feeling she wouldn’t admit anything was wrong.
He watched her drive away before starting his car. Nothing about the day had been good. He felt like going home, putting on a hockey game and opening a bottle of beer. And why shouldn’t he? Well, maybe not the beer since he avoided drinking alone, but the game might be a way to finish the day on a more neutral note.
It would be nice to watch something for which he had no responsibility. A small break would be even better than having a beer. And perhaps he could briefly forget the way he kept thinking about Nicole. At the oddest times he found himself remembering things she’d said, her smile, her intelligence and gentle humor. He didn’t feel the way he was supposed to feel about the subject of an article. That might explain his complete incompetence in dealing with her.
CHAPTER TWELVE
NICOLE HAD DECIDED to join a planned video conference with her partners from home, rather than going back to the agency.
When the conference ended, Nicole sat back in her easy chair. At some point she’d have to create a home office, but right now she kept the computer in the den. It was the only furnished room in the house aside from her bedroom.
