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“Yeah.” Kevin sat down next to him. “Did I say something wrong?”
Nick struggled to pick an answer. “I’m not a babysitter, is all,” he said. “And she sure as hell doesn’t need one.”
“Of course not.” Kevin chuckled ruefully. “Shit, you thought I was insulting her. How’s that for irony?”
Nick had a feeling the situation was more ironic than Kevin knew.
“Hey, I know you have a life,” Kevin said. “I’m just saying she likes you. And she doesn’t have anyone to hang out with when I’m here.” He stood up and stubbed out his cigarette in the concrete ashtray nearby. “Don’t tell her I asked or anything. But I would really appreciate it.”
So Kevin wanted him to be Hayley’s friend. Hayley wanted the same thing. And granting a reasonable request from a caring boyfriend was as close as Nick was going to get to what he wanted.
“She has my number,” he said.
14
Hayley stepped out of the noise of the party into the night air. She closed her eyes, savoring the scent of rain that had come and gone.
“Taking a break?” Nick asked.
Hayley opened her eyes. “Looking for you. But it’s too nice out here to go back in.”
“Do they need me inside?”
She strolled over to him. “No one’s forgotten about you, and I’m sure they’d all love to chat.” She sat next to him and crossed her legs. “But you could stay here for another hour and not feel guilty.”
Hayley loved the look on Nick’s face—disconcerted, amazed, relieved she’d known how to give him the answer he wanted instead of what he’d asked for.
“That was impressive,” he said.
“You’re not the only one with superpowers.”
He chuckled. “Cal could’ve picked a different song.”
“I know. And you would’ve still found a way to entertain.”
“What makes you so sure?”
“Because you get better under pressure. Performing in front of a bunch of people wouldn’t be any fun if you couldn’t fail.”
He blinked; she’d brought him up short again, and he was considering his response. She liked surprising him into being genuine.
“You’re right,” he said finally. “Wow. I hadn’t thought of it that way, but you’re absolutely right.”
“You don’t have to act so surprised.” She laughed, waving off any apology. “You and Kevin, you both have this ‘come at me’ thing going on. You know how good you are, but you have to test it.”
“Right again.”
She watched him. “He’s really impressed with you, you know. That doesn’t happen a lot.”
He shrugged. “We found a movie we both like.”
“And there’s room enough for both of you.”
Nick laughed. “Yeah, we talked about that.”
She didn’t see anything funny, and she wasn’t sure Nick did either.
“Is it that you’re so similar?” she said. “I can see how that’d be annoying.”
