Nickels (33 page)

Okay, so she still didn’t feel all that comfortable with
this whole praying thing, but she’d keep trying.

At a quarter ‘til nine, the meeting reminder for her daily
status meeting popped up.  She snapped the lid of her laptop shut and picked up
the still warm coffee from Kyle, smile gracing her lips.  She was the first one
in the conference room.  She sat in her usual spot.  Todd was the next to
enter.  She smiled and greeted him.  He ignored her.  So that’s how it was
going to be.

The meeting went well.  Doug finished loading their updates into
the simulator prior to the meeting.  Kyle was ready to start the simulator run
at nine thirty.  All was well.  When Todd concluded the meeting, he stopped her
before she left.

“A word with you, Niki,” Todd said.  He waited until the
rest of the team left the room before shutting the door.

“I have recommended that you be removed from this project,”
he stated without preamble.

“On what grounds?”

“That you are personally involved with one of our staff
members and it’s affecting your work.”

“That’s insane!”

“I tried to warn you that I wouldn’t tolerate your
behavior.  But you didn’t listen.  Your boss is supposed to call me back by the
end of the day.  I imagine he’ll be giving me the news I want to hear, especially
after I told him about this morning’s little incident.”

Niki wanted to knock that smug look off Todd’s face.  This
really could not be happening.  One innocent encounter mistaken for something
more could land her out of her dream client.  Worse yet, she had no reasonable
argument against it.

“In the meantime, don’t you have a simulation to attend?” 
Todd said, holding the door open for her.

She hugged her laptop close and tossed the empty coffee cup
in the trash.  She hurried down to the simulator room, wishing she had time to
call Brian and give him her story.  But she didn’t.

As she stepped into the simulator observation room, she
heard Kyle’s voice over the intercom.  “Is Niki there yet?”

Doug pressed the speaker on.  “Yeah.  She’s here.  Let’s get
started.” 

Doug vacated her chair.  She sat and opened her laptop. 
Kyle’s voice came over the speaker again as he started the simulated
maneuvers.  She held her breath with each maneuver, hoping they hadn’t missed
anything.

Throughout the entire simulation, her mind seesawed between
reassurance and self doubt.  By the end of the exercise, her nerves were
stretched thin.

Thankfully, everything went as planned.  No issues were
reported.  All was well.

When she got back to her desk, she checked her phone for messages. 
Three from Brian.  That’s not good.  She searched for an empty conference
room.  She would not call him back at her desk and chance anyone overhearing
her half of the conversation.

“Brian,” she greeted as he picked up the call.

“Niki, I’ve been trying to reach you for hours.”

“We were in the simulation room.  I didn’t have my phone on
me.”

“Oh.  How did it go?”

“Perfectly.”

“Listen,” he said, “I got a call from Todd this morning.”

“I know.”

“You know?”

“He told me he wants me gone.  Look—”

“So, do you know what he’s accusing you of?”

“Why don’t you tell me?”

“He’s saying you are sleeping with Kyle and that your
personal relationship is spilling over into the office, causing an
uncomfortable environment.  He said you aren’t focused on your job.”

Her blood boiled.  “How exactly would he know if I’m
sleeping with Kyle or not?”

“Are you?”

“Brian!  First off, I’m not.  Second, it would be no one’s
business if I were.  But I’m not.”

“Okay, okay.  I didn’t think so.  I know how good you are at
keeping business, well business.  Everyone knows you don’t date clients.  I
just had to ask.”

For once, she was relieved to have her own words thrown back
at her.

“What about this incident in the break room this morning?”

“This morning, I went to make some coffee.  The packet
exploded all over me just as Kyle happened to enter the break room.  He was
helping me clean up when Todd walked in and started making assumptions.  Very
incorrect assumptions.”

The phone was silent for a minute.

“Your story jives with Kyle’s, but then…” Brian’s voice
trailed off.

“I’m in a bit of pickle here.  I’ve got Kyle and Alan
singing your praises while Todd is always bringing up issues with your
performance.”

She sighed.  She was going to get pulled off the project. 
She could feel it.

“Are you sure you don’t want to go to Global Axis Systems?” 
He was offering her an out, on her terms, sort of.

But she didn’t want to jump ship today any more than she had
last week or a month ago.  She wanted this project.  She wanted to make it
succeed.  This was her time to shine, not run and hide from the face of
adversity.

“I’m staying here—as long as you’ll let me stay.  I’ve given
a hundred and ten percent, and I’ll continue to do so.  I don’t know what Todd
has against me, but I’m kicking butt here and you know it.  You said Kyle and
Alan both agreed.  So, you just tell Todd that he’s crazy or whatever.  I’m
staying.”

Silence.

Had she pushed too far?  Was Brian going to take her off
anyway, despite the good work she’d done?

“You can stay,” he finally said.  “I’ll smooth it over.”

“Thanks, Bri—”

“Don’t thank me yet.  Niki, you’ve got to put some distance
between you and Kyle.  Make sure your professional relationship leaves no
question in anyone’s mind about your dedication to this project.”

“I understand.”

“And, if anything else goes wrong, I’m out of bargaining
chips.  You’ll be out.”

A hard pill to swallow, but she’d have to if it came to
that.  “Got it, boss.”

The line went dead.  He was really unhappy.  She knew he was
going out on a limb for her.  She would not waste his efforts.  That meant, at
some point this weekend she needed to have a conversation with Kyle—one she
didn’t want to have.

Chapter 30

Saturday evening and Niki still hadn’t bumped into Kyle. 
Nor had she called him.  She was putting it off.

What would she say, anyway?  She thought as she folded her
laundry.

Speaking to her empty room, she rehearsed, “Um.  Kyle, I
know we’re not really dating or anything, but could you not…”

Not what?  Look at her with those darling eyes in a meeting? 
Not be nice at work?

She tossed the folded t-shirt on her bed.  This was stupid. 
She had done nothing wrong at work.  Neither had he.  Even if they did decide
to date, neither one of them were the type to let it interfere with work.  But,
for whatever reason, Todd was bent on getting her out of there—no matter how
unjustified.  Maybe she should just go to Global and make everyone happy. 

Everyone but herself.

The tinny
ding-dong
of the doorbell invaded her
thoughts.

It was probably Kyle.  Who else would show up unannounced at
her house?  She smiled when she opened the door and saw him standing there.  He
was dressed to the nines—fancy suit, crisp white shirt, stylish blue tie,
polished black shoes.

She leaned against the doorway, folding her arms over her
chest.  She crossed one leg over the other.

“I’m sorry sir.  The insurance salesmen interviews are down
the street that way.”

“Funny.”

“I’m pretty sure you have a phone, right?  Cause I’ve called
it before.”

“Can I come in, Niki?”

“Maybe you should try calling first.”  She waited a second
to let him sweat in the unbearable heat.  Then she got the key and let him in.

“So, can you be ready in twenty minutes?” he asked.

“For what.”

“It’s a surprise.”

“I’m guessing I should change?” she asked, looking down at
her “princess” shorts and ragged t-shirt.

“You do own a nice dress, right?” He scrunched up his nose
in mock worry.

“Yes, sir.”  Leaving him standing there, she walked back to
her room, his teasing floating down the hall.

“Twenty minutes, princess.”

She was definitely throwing those shorts out.

Eighteen minutes later, Niki emerged in a black knee length
scoop neck sleeveless dress and black pumps.  She refreshed her makeup and
curled her hair.

“Is this what you had in mind?”

“Better,” Kyle said, leaning forward to kiss her on the
cheek.  “You look stunning.”

He held the door open for her and led her out to his truck. 
Then he walked around to the driver’s side and slid behind the wheel.

“Aren’t you lucky I wasn’t busy tonight?”

“Okay, I get it.  I should have called.”

“Thank you.”  She smiled sweetly.

Kyle merged into traffic onto the 101 headed north, then
onto the 202 westbound, to I-10 towards downtown.

“Where exactly are we going?” she asked.

“It’s a surprise.”

“What’s the occasion?”

“It’s a surprise.”

“Nice.  I see why you have top secret clearance.”  She was
getting annoyed.  She wasn’t very good flying blind and letting someone else
take control.  “Is this part of your lessons on fun?  Just go with it?”

“Something like that.”

She watched the miles of freeway go by.  Finally, Kyle
turned off the freeway and zig zagged through downtown, going north on
Central.  The setting sun shimmered off of the tall glass covered buildings. 
When he pulled into an alley and parked behind a small building, Niki wasn’t
sure what to expect.

“Welcome to Durant’s,” he said as he led her through the
kitchen to where the host stood.

She had heard about this place, a very swanky upscale
steakhouse—with an odd entrance through the kitchen.  Legend had it that the
Rat Pack used to dine here back in the 1950’s.  Old black and white photos of
famous people adorned the maroon walls.  Niki looked around at the private high
backed leather booths and elegantly set tables.

Kyle gave his name to the host and they were promptly seated
at one of the secluded booths.

Her heart pounded out a heavy rhythm.  What was he doing? 
This is not the type of place you just take a gal for fun.  This is the kind of
place where you go to propose or celebrate an anniversary.  It wasn’t a “just
because” kind of place.

The host shook out the napkin in front of Niki then laid it
across her lap before repeating the action for Kyle.  Then he handed them each
a large leather covered menu and an extensive wine list before quietly
disappearing.

Then their server—server seemed such an inadequate word for
someone so elegantly dressed—came to take their drink orders.  “Would you care
for some wine?”

Kyle started to suggest something and Niki interrupted, “I
don’t drink.”

“Two diet sodas, then.”

Feeling nervous at her declaration, she explained, “It’s
just that… My parents were killed by a drunk driver.  I really don’t drink.  I
mean—”

Kyle reached across the table and took her hand.  “It’s
okay, Niki.  You don’t have to justify it.”

She laughed nervously as the heat of his hand on hers warmed
her heart.  She thought he might release her hand, but he didn’t.  Instead, he
fingered her bracelet—the one from Jack. 

Tilting it towards the light, he read it.  “Nickels?”

She smiled.

“Jack’s nickname for me,” she said, removing her hand from
his.  “I guess when I was a toddler, I went around claiming everything as my
own.  Nicole’s ball.  Nicole’s toy.  Nicole’s blanket.  Only it sounded more
like ‘Nickels’.  The name sort of stuck—at least with Jack.  I don’t ever
remember my parents using it.”

Kyle’s face lit up as he laughed softly.  “Nickels.  I like
it.”

“Don’t get any ideas.”

He winked at her, as the server set the diet sodas in front
of them.

“Would you care for an appetizer?”

This was the first time—ever—that she hadn’t looked at the
menu and been prepared to order the second the server asked.

Kyle ordered a shrimp appetizer for them.  When the server
left, he suggested the Delmonico steak for her.  She decided to go with his
suggestion—another first.

“How’d you find out about this place?” she asked, hoping to
get some hint about why he brought her here.

“Mom suggested it.”

“Your mother knows we’re here?”

“Yup,” he said taking a swig of his soda.  He shifted in his
seat, some of his confidence fleeing.

“And does your mother know why we’re here?”

Kyle cleared his throat.  “I… Um…  I was wondering if you
might bend your rule and let me date you.”

And there it was.  The words her heart wanted to hear, but
her mind warned her to run from.  Stalling, she took a sip of soda.

“I know you don’t date clients.  But, I really care for
you—have for some time.  And I think you care for me, too, or I wouldn’t even
be saying anything.”