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He lowers his head and kisses her, as sweet a kiss as I’ve ever seen them share. I have to will myself not to look at Nick as I glance away from Tasha and Tony to give them their moment. I know if I meet Nick’s eyes now, my misery is going to be written plainly in my face.
I miss him as if we’re not even in the same room now. I miss him as if the space that’s opened up between us earlier tonight is becoming impossible to cross.
In the awkward quietness that’s settled over us all, Tony’s mother clears her throat. “Why don’t I make everyone some tea?”
Without waiting for our answers, she shuffles over to the stove and busies herself with putting on a pot of water.
Nick holds his hand out to Tony. “I’m Nick, by the way.”
“Oh, sure. Right. Good to meet ya.” Tony nods vigorously as the two men shake hands. “I figured you were Avery’s new boyfriend when I saw that sweet M6 you drove up in.”
I immediately feel awkward, both for the reference to Nick belonging in any way to me, and because I didn’t think to make introductions. Neither of the men seem to notice or care.
“Can I get you a beer, Nick?”
“No!” Tasha and I both say in unison.
Then, just like that, all of the stress and tension from Tasha’s ordeal tonight is lifted as she and I look at each other burst into laughter.
“No beer for Nick, Tony,” she admonishes her husband.
Nick glances between us and his eager host. I subtly shake my head at him in warning, but all it earns me is a questioning look. “Actually, I’d love a beer.”
Tony grabs a couple of homebrews from the refrigerator while his mother serves tea to Tasha and me. The older woman doesn’t join us at the kitchen table, instead bids us all goodnight and takes her laundry off to another room.
Nick takes a seat across from me. With a murmured thanks, he accepts his opened beer from Tony, who drops into the chair at the head of the table for six, next to his wife.
“You doing okay, babe?”
She nods. “Better now that I’m home.”
Nick lifts his bottle to take a drink, but pauses when his phone chimes with an incoming call. Saved by the bell. He glances at the screen. “Will you all excuse me? I need to take this.”
He steps out of the kitchen to speak privately, and I’m half tempted to knock his full bottle of beer off the table while he’s gone, if only to spare him from actually tasting it.
Tasha nudges me after Nick’s out of earshot. “What’s going on with you two? I can’t tell if I’m feeling massive sexual energy or a cold war brewing between you guys.”
I let loose a defeated sigh. “Some of both. I think I’m messing things up with him, Tasha.”
“Well, cut it out. He’s really into you in case you haven’t noticed.”
“You think so? Even now?”
She rolls her eyes. “Duh! Every time he looks your way, I can feel the air crackle with heat.”
Tony tugs one of her brown curls. “Kinda like us, eh, babe?”
This time, Tasha doesn’t come back at him with a smartass quip or a dramatic eye-roll. Turning to her husband, she tenderly strokes his cheek. “Yeah, baby. Just like us.”
Nick walks back into the room as they share a sweet kiss. “Sorry about that.” He slips the phone into his pocket. “A business matter I needed to tend to.”
Tony grins at him. “You buy another hotel over in London or Dubai or something?”
“Tony!” Tasha smacks his biceps. “That’s none of your business.”
“It’s all right,” Nick says. “Nothing like that this time. Something more local.”
I eye him, picking up on his cagey answer. And I know him too well to miss the faint glimmer of amusement in his eyes.
