Misty Reigenborn Romance Boxed Set (81 page)

"If you are rude to either woman Carson, I swear I will never let you borrow my place when I'm out of town again."

"It ain't my fault my place sucks and yours doesn’t.”

"My rent is a lot more expensive than yours.  You sure you don't want to move in with me Carson?"

"Hell no," Carson said.  "I'd never get laid with you around."

Ami stifled a laugh.  Nick gave her a lazy grin, showing off a gorgeous pair of dimples and straight white teeth.  "You don't mind riding with us do you Ami?"

"No." She felt like kicking herself again when the thought that she wouldn’t mind much when Nick was around popped into her head.  What was wrong with her she thought?   Just because Corin was dead, it didn’t mean she could safely jump into bed with the first hot guy she met.  She had a son to worry about. 

"We're not picking up the pregnant chick are we?" Carson said.

"She lives right down the road.  She's meeting us there."

"Good.  I don't want to be stuck in the backseat with a fat chick while you get to sit up front with Ami."

"Shut the fuck up Carson," Nick said, giving him a tight smile.  "We'll see you around six then Ami?  If my moronic friend hasn't convinced you otherwise."

She smiled at him, wondering what might have happened if she hadn’t told them she had a boyfriend and wanting to kick herself again.  "I'll see you at six."

As she walked towards the stairs she heard Carson say "I'd like to see a lot more of that one."

Then she heard him say "Ow.  Nick you're a fucking asshole."

She stifled a laugh as she walked up the stairs, and then frowned to herself.  There was no way she was going to let herself feel what she had a feeling it would be all too easy to feel for Nick.

She glanced at the clock.  It was almost five o'clock.  She lit a cigarette and sat back on the couch.  Wondering if it wouldn’t be a much better idea to stay home, she pulled out her laptop and booted it up.  She tried not to think of Nick while she waited, but it wasn’t working.  He was too damned good looking.

She signed onto her internet connection, and checked her email.  There was a long drawn out letter from her mother.  By the time she had sent back a reply that she hoped didn’t sound too cold, she glanced at the clock and saw it was 5:45.

She jumped up from the chair, used the restroom and changed into jeans and a long sleeved t-shirt.

She wondered what Nick would be wearing, and wondered again why she was choosing to put herself through this.  Why was she going to subject herself to spending hours with a guy she already found very attractive?

She'd never considered herself boy crazy, even when she was in junior high and high school.

Guys had been asking her out since she'd turned thirteen but she'd turned them all down.  Until her first short lived real boyfriend, and then Corin.

She was debating whether or not to bring a light jacket when there was a knock at her door.

Chapter 4

She opened the door to see Nick was standing there, looking almost shy.  He was dressed the same way she was, in jeans and a long sleeve t-shirt.  The breeze coming in from outside was still halfway warm so she figured she could skip the jacket.

She smiled at him.  He gave her a smile that lit up his whole face.  He was so good looking that she had to try very hard to push the thoughts that kept trying to pop up in her head back down where they belonged.

"You ready?"

"Yeah."

She thought she must have had a funny look on her face because he said "You sure you want to go?  You don't have to.  I just thought it would be nice for you to meet some new people.  Alicia, too.  She's new in town, she's six months pregnant and her boyfriend took off on her."

"That's too bad.  I'm fine.  Is Carson still in a bad mood?"

He laughed as she shut and locked the door behind her, following her to the stairs.  "He's always in a bad mood when he knows he's not going to get laid."

"I guess that could do it.”

She followed him to the parking lot.  His car was a black four door sedan.  Carson was slumped in the back seat, pouting.

He shrugged when he saw her looking at the car.  "Not very manly I know.  But it runs good and I got it cheap."

“Cars don't matter to me.  As long as mine runs I'm fine."

"A woman after my own heart."  He gave her another killer smile.

He opened the door for her and she said "You mind if I smoke?"

"Go ahead."

She needed a cigarette to calm her nerves she thought.  He was making her feel like a teenager on her first date with the best looking guy in school.  It didn't matter that it wasn't a date technically.

The drive to the bowling alley was silent, save an occasional sigh from Carson in the backseat, which finally ceased when Nick told him to shut the hell up.

Nick held the door for them when they got to the bowling alley.  It was small and noisy.

Nick made his way over to a tall, beautiful woman with bleached blonde hair and the grayest eyes Ami had ever seen.  Her eyes were striking and obviously pregnant or not, she was one of the most beautiful women Ami had ever seen.

Even Carson looked impressed as she gave Nick a quick hug saying "It's good to see you Nick.  Introduce me to your friends?"

She smiled at Ami and Carson in turn.  Ami wanted to laugh at the transformation in Carson.

He had been utterly sullen when they walked in the door, then once he got a look at Alicia, he had brightened a little.  But when Alicia had turned her smile on him, he went to looking like a man in love, or in lust.  Sometimes it didn't seem to Ami like there was much difference between the two.

Nick smiled at the look on his friend's face.  "Ali, I'd like you to meet my friend Carson and our new friend Ami.  She just moved into Carson's building."

"Nice to meet you," Alicia said.  She had a soft, silky voice

"You guys want to get something to eat?" Nick said.

Alicia shook her head.  "All of that stuff gives me heartburn."

"I can have the kitchen make you a sandwich or something," Nick said.

Alicia smiled.  "I can get it.  You're so sweet Nick."

"I'll get it," Carson said.  Ami could see that he was the one he wished Alicia was calling sweet, no matter whether he really was or not.

Alicia turned her smile on him again.  "Why thank you Carson.  Do you guys want something to drink?"

"I'll take a beer but I can get it Ali," Nick said.

"Carson and I will get it.  How about you Ami?"

"Diet soda please."

Alicia made a face.  "Yuck."

Ami shrugged.  "Old habits die hard."

Alicia laughed.  "My ex-boyfriend is one of those I think."

Ami laughed.  She was suddenly alone with Nick at the table.  She thought Carson looked like an eager puppy following after Alicia.

Nick chuckled.  "I knew he would like her.  Her on the other hand, I don't know.  Then again all it takes is a good woman to set a man straight.  You mind nachos and hot dogs or do you want to get something from the kitchen too?  They have really good burgers here."

"The buffet is fine."

She followed him over.  It was set up with a nacho bar, a steaming tray of hot dogs, buns and toppings.  She made herself a small plate of nachos, and debated on whether or not she wanted a hot dog.  Finally she decided to have one, and squirted ketchup on it.  Nick had filled his plate with a large portion of nachos and two hot dogs, covered in ketchup, relish and mustard.

Carson and Alicia were back at the table when they returned, chatting.  Carson was hanging on every word Alicia said.  Nick shared an amused glance with Ami.

A pretty girl delivered their drinks a few minutes later.  "Hey Nick."

Ami thought that she looked like she frequently had the same kind of thoughts about Nick that Ami had been having since she'd met him.

"Hi Penny.  How are you tonight?"

"Not bad.  It's not too busy.  You coming in tomorrow?"

"Yeah.  Today was my only day off.  There's probably a shitload of work waiting for me too.  I was hoping we could snare Ami before she got another job, but it's already too late.  She's starting at Gabe's tomorrow."

Penny's pretty face twisted up into a scowl.  "Between Gabe and Eric, no woman is safe working there.  Except Candy of course.  Have you heard how their baby is doing?  Last I knew the doctor said she'd probably be on bed rest in a couple of months."

"I haven't heard anything.  She's going to go crazy at home."

"She'll find something to do.  I think I'd have plenty to do if I was engaged to Rick." She blushed.

Nick turned to Ami.  "I'm sorry Ami.  Penny, you know Ali and Carson." He looked briefly at the two who were still involved in a hushed conversation and smiled again.  "This is our new friend Ami.  She just moved into Carson's building, what was it yesterday?" Ami nodded.  "Ami, this is Penny.  We work together."

Penny laughed.  "It's nice to meet you Ami.  But Nick is pushing it a little when he says we work together.  I'm just a sometimes waitress, mostly a cashier.  Nick's the assistant manager."

"We still work together Penny."  Nick gave her a smile.  Ami got the feeling that he felt much more brotherly toward the girl than she felt sisterly towards him.  "I really wish that Carson had told you we were hiring before you went to Gabe's.  We really need the help and the last thing that Gabe needs is a girl like you to play with, boyfriend or not."

"There's supposed to be a girl coming in for an interview tomorrow I think.  Didn't Bobby tell you?" Penny said.

"He didn't, but he forgets to tell me things all the time."

"He's got a lot on his mind these days.  He just found out his wife's having twins.  Can you believe it?  I think there's something in the water around here." 

Penny glanced at Alicia, then back to Nick.  She looked a little wistful.  Ami had a feeling that she was wondering what it would be like to be pregnant with Nick's child.  Ami also had a feeling the poor girl was never going to find out.  Then again, neither was she, she thought.

"It's always like that in small towns," Nick said.  "Everyone's always pregnant, or trying to get pregnant, or trying to claim they didn't get somebody pregnant."

Penny laughed.  "I guess I'd better get back to work.  You guys have a good night."

"Thanks, Pen."  Nick gave her another killer smile.

Penny walked away.  Ami wondered if she was the only one that heard the soft sigh that escaped Penny's lips.  Nick didn't seem to notice at least because he turned to Carson and said, after kicking his friend under the table.  "Why didn't you tell Ami we were hiring asshole?"

"She didn’t ask."

Nick scowled at him.  "You still could have mentioned it."

Carson held up his hands.  "Sorry man.  She's a big girl.  I'm sure she can handle him."

"Someone needs to handle him," Nick said.

"Who is this guy?" Alicia said.

"You've never had the pleasure of meeting Gabe, huh?" Nick said.

Alicia laughed.  "I'm not exactly in a position to go into a bar and I don't need a job since I work from home."

"You stay away from that guy.  He's nothing but a prick with too much money that tries to take advantage of vulnerable women and all too often succeeds." He looked thoughtful then. 
"Besides hiring Candy because of Rick, he doesn't usually hire women who look like they've even sort of got it together.  You look pretty together to me Ami.  I wonder why he hired you." He added under his breath "Besides the fact that you're incredibly beautiful."

Ami hid a smile.  She didn't consider herself all that together, hadn't in six years, but then again maybe she was too together she thought.  It had to say something about a person when all their possessions could fit in the trunk of a car and you had what you yourself called your running money tucked away in a lock box.  Her almost smile faded then and she said "I'm probably not what you think I am Nick."

"Even if you're not, you at least look like you don't have any habits worse than cigarettes.  Most of the girls he hires are good friends with liquor bottles, and needles and various pipes." He gave her an appraising look.  "Unless you just hide it better than they do."

Ami shook her head.  It was a personal question, but she didn’t mind answering.  "I was never interested in drugs." She wasn’t going to tell him that Corin was the reason she hadn’t been, though.

"Good."

Alicia, whom Ami assumed was trying to turn the conversation in a lighter direction, decided to explain her job to them then.  She'd been working from home for about two years, doing tarot readings over the phone and made decent money at it.  She was disappointed for more reasons than one that her boyfriend had taken off.  They were renting a house and her income though decent, was barely enough to cover the rent.

Nick offered to let her move in to his spare bedroom that his roommate had moved out of a few months before, ignoring the totally dirty look he got from Carson, but Alicia turned him down, saying that she'd figure something out, go back to the phone sex that she'd been doing before she'd turned to the card readings if she had to as a second job.

Nick then turned to Ami and asked if she wanted to bowl.

She looked at him.  "No thank you.  I'm really bad at it."

He laughed.  "That's okay.  We don't have to keep score."

He took her hand then, helping her up from the table.  Though the contact was brief, she felt an almost electric tingle.  No way could she work with Nick she thought.

She followed Nick over to the shoes, which he insisted on paying for and then over to the lanes, letting Nick help her select a ball.  She hadn't bowled since she'd been in high school, first in PE then at the sort of field trip her gym class had made to the bowling alley.

She wasn't very good at it, especially not compared to Nick, but she had fun.  Nick was easy to talk to, and funny and kind.  He didn't even laugh at her when she threw two gutter balls in a row.

When they were finished and had returned their shoes, they went back to the table and found Carson and Alicia making out.  No one was paying attention, because their table was in the back corner, but it made Ami uncomfortable. 

She thought that Nick must have sensed it, or even felt a little uncomfortable himself, because he said "You want to go have a cigarette?"

She nodded; feeling relieved, and followed him outside.

He leaned against the building.  Again she caught just the briefest glimpse of his chest as his t-shirt slipped from the waist band of his jeans.  She quickly turned away, feeling like she'd been spying on him in the shower because that brief glimpse led her imagination to so much more.  She was beginning to feel like she was going crazy.

"Do you have family here?" Nick said.

"No.  My grandparents are about six hours away and my mom and her husband and their kids are halfway across the country.  How about you?  Do you have family here?"

He shook his head.  "Nah, my parents are about six hours away too, though my Dad would prefer if I was right there working alongside him in the shop."

"What does your dad do?"

"He's a mechanic, never imagined that his only son would be anything but.  I went to school for it, though what my dad taught me growing up was probably more than what most of the guys I went to school with will learn in a lifetime."

"Do you not like the work?"

"I know cars like the back of my hand.  My dad's had me working on cars since I was old enough to see under the hood standing on a foot stool.  There are a lot of reasons that I took off two days before I was supposed to start working full time at the shop.  My dad will tell you one, but I'll tell you the truth or my truth anyway.  My dad is a good man, but he's been tied to that damn shop since before I was born, and he was paying back the loan on it until I turned eighteen.  I don't want to be so tied to something that nothing besides the grave will take it away.  And I had another reason that my dad is almost as happy about as he is about me walking away from the shop.  I was engaged to my high school girlfriend at the time.  We'd been engaged since the day after graduation.  She stayed home, worked at some crappy job instead of going away to school.  I came back from school, my dad was good enough to let me take the summer off to unwind, at least just working part time at the shop.  Pretty soon Cammy turned up pregnant.  We'd been talking about it, or she'd been talking about it since I got back.  We were renting a house then, and the guy who was renting it wanted to unload it, so we were thinking about buying it, too.  Everything seems good, seems like my life should be on track right?  I'm gonna marry the girl I'd been in love with since I was fifteen.  We're getting a house.  I'm going to have a stable job because no matter how much my old man and I knock heads, he's not going to fire his own son, right?  But then I start to wonder, step back and take a closer look at things.  Sometimes, when I was at school Cammy would ignore my phone calls, my e-mails, for days on end, and then she'd pop back up and say she was busy at work, or hanging out with her friends, helping out with their kids.  Kinda makes sense I guess.  She worked her way up to manager of that shitty video store, and between her three best friends from high school they have like twelve kids.  I'm sure they can use the help.  But you have to understand Cammy.  She was always clingy in high school.  One of those girls who would shoot daggers at a girl for looking at her man, always had to wear my letterman jacket, had so many layers of tape and string wrapped around my class ring just to make sure that it would stay put on her finger.  She always made sure that everyone knew who I was with.  And that was okay.  I didn't want anyone besides her anyway.  I never really had.  We were sixteen when she finally decided
to go out with me so I'd been with a couple of girls, but they didn't mean anything.  It was always her.  So anyway, I come home and she starts acting secretive.  She's out hours after her shift ends and she won't tell me where the hell she's been.  I called up her friends at first, trying to figure out what the hell was going on."