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“See, that’s funny,” Nick informed the table, “because Calvin is implying I’m not a gentleman.”
“He seems to know you well,” Mel said, and Hayley laughed.
Cal rewarded Mel with his most dazzling smile. “My name is Cal,” he said, “and I volunteered to be your server this evening just so I can make sure the music man doesn’t ruin your experience.”
Hayley rolled her eyes. “Should’ve figured he’d find an excuse to sing for you.”
“Sing?” Cal looked from her to Nick. “Our boy can sing?”
“Don’t,” Nick warned him. “Don’t you dare.”
Cal innocently started listing drink specials, as if the entire Vivez crew wouldn’t hear about Nick’s talent by the time the show started.
Food was ordered along with the drinks, and it was easy to chat over pizza and chips and salsa and fried pickles and mozzarella sticks. Nick felt obligated to make sure everybody had a good time, but he was soon feeling silly for worrying: It took all of two minutes before Hayley and Mel were laughing like old friends. Hayley had a way of inviting people into her happinessand making them feel valuable because they’d been invited. He’d been the exception to the rule, of course. Nick remembered that first night at the Squeaky Lion and how painful it had been just to have her sit across from him. How damaged was he, to have ever been incapable of enjoying this woman?
“So, how did you two meet?” Hayley was asking the Becketts.
Mel, mouth full of pizza, delegated to Gavin with a look.
“Seventh grade,” he said. “Choir practice.”
“He showed up to save me from this one,” Mel added, nodding toward Nick.
Hayley turned to Nick, feigning shock. “Were youhittingon Mel?”
“Of course not.” Nick sipped his beer. “I was introducing myself.”
“Introducing,” Hayley teased. “Right.”
“I’ll back him up on this one,” Gavin said. “I showed up to help Nick carry his books, and there was the new girl in town, all red hair and attitude.”
Mel beamed at her husband. “These two could wander the halls whenever they wanted, so long as they said Gav was carrying Nicky’s books.”
“It was not that bad,” Nick objected. “I was allowed to leave a little early to beat the traffic between classes, and the teachers thought it’d be a good idea if Gavin helped me out.”
“Okay,” Mel pressed, “but how much extra time and help did you actually need?”
Nick and Gavin looked at each other and started laughing. “It’s more about the journey than the destination,” Gavin said.
Hayley laughed. “Is book carrier something you have to interview for?”
“We’ve been goofing off since kindergarten,” Gavin said. “No one in the world is more qualified to be Nick Freeman’s aide-de-camp.”
“I don’t even know what that means,” Nick joked.
“Nicky.” Hayley tested out the name. “I like it.”
“Nope,” he said. “Nicky Freeman stayed in high school.”
“Then why can she call you Nicky?”
Nick pointed at Mel with a mozzarella stick. “She’s earned it.”
Hayley looked at Mel, eyebrows raised. Mel shrugged.
“They’re my boys,” she said simply.
Nick nudged Hayley. “Looks like the chef wants to say hi.”
