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“We did.”
She moved into the kitchen, where a large take-out bag sat on the counter. “I can warm this up.”
“I figured you might want to sleep a little, so I waited to order. Food arrived about fifteen minutes ago. It should be just right, temperature-wise.”
“Even better. I’ll go ahead and get the plates.”
“First cabinet, left of the refrigerator.”
Nova found the plates where he promised and took a shot that the silverware would be in the drawer below. Rewarded with the correct answer, she pulled out what they needed and closed the door with a hip bump.
And realized just how long it’d been since she had been in any kitchen at all, preparing to eat dinner.
It was a stray thought. A reminder that even little things proved how much her life had changed.
Shaking it off, unwilling to dwell too long, she took the plates and the silverware over to the table. Nikolas had already cleared off his computer and made a place for them to eat.
Within a matter of minutes, they had a feast set out before them, and Nova was helping herself to a precut slice of lasagna. “This smells like heaven.”
“I think you said that about fish and chips earlier today at lunch.”
“I might’ve said that.” She tried valiantly, but the smile peeked out anyway. “Okay. Yes. I did say that today.”
“Nothing wrong with an appetite.”
“I’d like to blame it on the baby, but honestly, I’ve always loved to eat. Ferdy used to say—” She broke off, shocked that her ex-boyfriend’s name had come out of her mouth.
“Ferdy?”
“Yeah. Just a guy I used to know.”
“Is that what we’re calling him?” Nikolas’s words were careful, but she didn’t miss his point.
“Call him what you will. He is a guy I used to know.”
“Right. Fine.”
They each finished serving themselves, the easy atmosphere between them gone. Even though the awkwardness couldn’t stem her hunger, Nova found the Italian food to be delicious, yet strangely empty of...something.
Unlike at lunch, when they had spoken throughout the meal, dinner conversation was quiet and stilted. She tried to ask him about his afternoon, and to his credit, she got decent enough answers. But something had been quelled when she shut down telling him about her ex.
Empirically, she knew she had a right to her private and personal thoughts. More, she was protecting herself. For all the tentative trust that she’d built toward Nikolas Slater, she still didn’t really know the man. And he couldn’t know what a problem Ferdy was.
Or potentially open things up if he decided to investigate so that her ex became a more direct threat.
“Would you like anything more?” Nikolas had moved in the kitchen to pour himself a second glass of wine and held up a pitcher of filtered water he left on the counter.
“Sure. That would be great.”
He came back to the table and placed his wineglass down before pouring her water. Thinking he had finished, she lifted her hand, accidentally colliding with his. The motion was just enough to push him off kilter and water spilled everywhere as the pitcher faltered in his hand.
Nova leaped up, grabbing whatever she could off the table to mop up the water. “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.”
When the few napkins they had had with their meal did little to pick up the water, she raced to the kitchen to get paper towels, a supportive hand under her heavy belly. The combination of rushed movements, distended belly altering her center of gravity, and the unfamiliar kitchen, all were enough to throw her off base.
She slammed into the entryway, pain ringing from her shoulder to her elbow and back again as her body connected with the doorjamb.
“Nova!” Nikolas ran to her, pulling her close. “Are you okay?”
