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Nicole knew this wasn’t the answer he wanted. She moved between his legs, rubbing his chest soothingly with her hands. “I’m not saying I’ll never marry you, Colin. I’m saying not right now.”
He frowned down at her, frustrated as hell but understanding her reasoning. He wrapped an arm around her waist, using the other to cup her cheek. “I suppose a maybe is better than nothing.”
~ ~ ~
Nicole was in the kitchen fixing them dinner when the phone rang. She moved to grab it as she stirred the pot of tomato sauce. “Hello?”
“Who is this?” an irate voice demanded.
“This is Nicole. Can I help you?”
“He’s with you again? Every time I turn around, he’s chasing after you. Is your vagina plated with gold?”
Nicole dropped the phone on the counter. “Reece!” she yelled.
He came in from the deck, a look of sheer disbelief on his face at her screeching tone. Her face was flushed. He didn’t think it was from the heat of the stove. “What’s wrong?”
“The slime-ball is on the phone. How he tracked down this number I’ll never know, but I’m going to block him as soon as you hang up,” she ranted as she stomped out of the kitchen, slamming closed the sliding glass door behind her.
Reece walked over to the counter, picking up the receiver. “Hello?”
“What in the bloody hell are you doing? You walked out on a scheduled event then cancelled all your other planned appearances. Why haven’t you returned my messages? Where are you?”
Bugger! He pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m on a sabbatical, dear brother. I needed some time to myself.”
Marcus’s tone was full of derision. “You’re with her?”
“Yes, I am. What the hell did you say to her?” His voice rose in anger. “You have no right to insult her.”
“I have every right. I own you.”
“You don’t own me, Marcus. You may be my brother, there’s nothing I can do about that, but I’ll fire you if you ever disrespect her again. Do you understand me? We’re going to have a nice long chat the next time I see you.”
There was a small silence on the other end of the line. “Where are you?” his brother asked in a calmer tone of voice.
“That’s none of your business.”
“It is when I need to send you the script for a new movie.”
Reese sputtered. “What new movie? I didn’t sign on for anything.”
“I signed you. Tell me where you are?”
“Piss off, Marcus. You’re not going to swoop in here, ruining my reunion with Nicole. If you must, send the script to her publisher’s office. Her editor will forward it on to me.”
“So, everyone else in the world knows where you are, but not your brother.”
“If you were only my brother, I would tell you, but since you’re also my interfering manager, I’m not giving you any information.”
“How am I supposed to handle your career?”
“I don’t know, Marcus. You’re the manager, you figure it out.” He hung up, following Nicole outside. Bloody hell!
She wasn’t on the deck. He scanned the beach but didn’t see her. Just then, he noticed an odd smell coming from the house. He turned back inside to see the kitchen filling with smoke as the tomato sauce scorched to the bottom of the saucepan. He flicked off the burner, moving the ruined pot to the sink and running water into it to soak.
Tugger whined, scratching at the door. He let him out, the dog high-tailing it around the side of the house. Reece had no idea where the animal was going but followed him in case he decided to chase cars.
He found both Tugger and Nicole, sitting on the driveway beside her car. Her back was resting against a tire, and her knees were drawn up to her chest with her face buried under her crossed arms. She was sobbing dejectedly. He wished his brother was standing in front of him. He wanted to punch him in the mouth.
