Nick snatched the coffee from her hands, but didn’t bother to answer her. “Start talking, why the hell did you showed up on my doorstep last night?” He snarled as he took the first sip of the piping hot beverage.
Erica sighed, stepping back, putting some distance between them. “Look, I’m not here to start trouble for you. I came here because I tried calling you a thousand times and when you ignored every call I had no choice. I don’t know where else to go.”
Nick swallowed another sip of his coffee and studied Erica. He had ignored her calls, just like he had with his father’s. Between the both of them his phone hadn’t stopped. He hoped that they would get the hint, not show up uninvited.
“Your father said he will fire me if I don’t bring you back to close some deal. I don’t even know the details of the deal, just that the closing of this deal relies on you.” She stared up at Nick. “I don’t know why he thinks I have any kind of hold on you. I know better.” She said looking away.
Nick nodded shortly. “I still don’t get why you’re here.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Erica, you and I had a good run, we had some fun times together, but that’s it. I’m not going to put everything I have on the line for you. No offense.”
“I guess your father figured that since you were the reason I stayed in Seattle and you were the reason he gave me a job, maybe you would be the one to save my job.” She put her head in her hands for a moment. “Nick I have nowhere to go. I can’t just pick up and come back home like you did. I can’t make a life here anymore.” She dropped her hands from her face and peered up at him her eyes pleading.
“I know you don’t owe me anything. I know that I don’t mean anything to you, but there was a time when we both turned to each other to get us through the rough times. You turned to me, and I never turned you away. Not once. No matter how much I should’ve.” She shook her head disgusted with herself. “God, Nick I was Sam’s best friend. I knew how much she cared for you and I still didn’t say no to you.”
Nick looked at her for a moment, remembering the nights when he reached for her instead of a bottle to fill the lonely nights. She never denied him and never asked for much in return. He had used her, and never once had he felt guilty. Not until now. “I never twisted your arm, Erica. You made your own decisions.” He said, needing to clarify that more for himself than her.
“You’re right.” She sighed. “Look, I had to come here. I had to try. I didn’t know that you and Sam had found your way back to each other or that she had known about us at all. I didn’t mean to cause any trouble for you or her. I really just needed you to help me out with your father, to help me keep my job and the life I built in Seattle.”
“When does the deal close?” Nick asked, not committing to anything, but at this point, maybe getting away from here would give Sam time to cool off and be ready to talk. He had been having trouble trying to come up with ideas, to get her to listen to him, disappearing wasn’t sounding so bad right now.
“I think by the end of the week they expect to close. I know the investors are due into the office by Wednesday.” She said as she took in a sharp breath.
“That’s tomorrow.” He said as he reached around to grab the back of his neck. “Fine, I’ll do it. Book us on a flight, I want to be there by Wednesday and meet with the investors myself.” He watched the smile bloom on her face. “Erica, I’m doing this, this one time. I have a life here now, and I’m not looking to escape it or have someone help me forget it.” Her posture straightened and he peered at her sternly. “I’ll close the deal.” He said confidently. “But if my father doesn’t secure your job, that isn’t on me.” He stared at her. “Do we have an understanding? This is a one shot deal if it doesn’t work…” He shrugged his shoulders. “I’ll still be on a plane back here Saturday, regardless.”
Erica tried to contain her smile, still the edges of her lips curved. “I understand. Thank you, Nick. Thank you so much!” She exclaimed happily and debated whether or not to hug him.
He nodded. Turning toward his truck he gestured for her to step aside from the driver door she had been blocking. “Work on getting the tickets, I have to get to work.”
Deciding not to go in for the hug, she sidestepped allowing him access to his truck. “Okay, I’ll call you and tell you what time the flight is.”
Another nod accompanied by a grunt, then Nick got in his truck, peeling out of the parking lot, leaving Erica standing there with a grin on her face. She reached into her purse and quickly found the contact she needed and hit send. The recipient of her call answered right away and her grin widened. “Mission accomplished. Now I need tickets back home, A.S.A.P.”