“Nicholas Wilder… you sure know how to turn the charm on.”
He smiles, and I can tell that he wants to kiss me so badly. I want him to. But I pull away. I’m not ready yet—the masquerade kiss was different. It was anonymous. I’m not sure that I’m ready to admit that this is really happening.
“So… we’re still going on a date?” he asks quietly.
“You made a very convincing argument, Nick. Pick me up tomorrow at six,” I say, as if I’m not going to see him tomorrow, though I know we’ll spend the day together. But it’s nice… work and life separation. It keeps things interesting.
I don’t look back as I walk back to my room, dripping wet.
But I know that Nick is happy.
And that makes me happy.
Thirtysix.
Evianna
We stay on the beach the whole next day, and I can’t deny the electricity in the air between Nick and me. It feels good, so good, and I can’t stop myself from smiling at the prospect of seeing Nick in “dating” mode. He’s only ever been in “boss” mode around me, though when I think about it, that’s not entirely true. When I stop and really think about it, his feelings for me have been pretty clear since day one, but I just don’t think either of us was ready to admit it.
Around four, once I’m nice and tanned, I head inside and get ready. I panic slightly, because the hotel restaurant is nice, and I only brought shorts and tank tops. Luckily, I remembered to pack one long skirt that can be turned into a nice outfit. I shower slowly, singing along with the iPod stationed in my room, and dry my hair. I leave it down, but I pull one section behind my ear and pin it.
My cheeks are flushed from the sun, and I find that I don’t actually need makeup—I just put some moisturizer on and dab on some tinted lip-gloss and mascara. My eyes are bright against my now-tanned skin, and the freckles on my nose are much more prominent. I could get used to this.
I throw on a basic black spaghetti strap shirt and the olive green maxi skirt. I finish the look up with my leather sandals. It’s too warm out for a sweater. The sun starts to set, and I sit on the edge of the bed, waiting for Nick. Around five forty-five, I hear a knock on his door, and a woman’s voice echoes through the walls. It must be his doctor friend.
I wonder if she’s pretty. I wonder if she knew Isabel.
I wonder if she knows Nick is taking the nanny on a date.
At six exactly, I hear a knock on the door separating my room from Nick and Bria’s room. I go to open it.
Nick is standing there in khaki shorts and a short-sleeved white button up. He’s wearing tan loafers, and he’s carrying a single, large, pink dahlia. He looks so good. Tan, lean, clean-shaven, and his hair is even smoothed a bit instead of his usual mop of crazy hair.
“Daddy, why can’t I go?” I hear Bria whine behind him before either of us gets a chance to say anything. Nick turns around slowly and crouches down.
“Because, sweetie. It’s a grownup dinner tonight. I’m sorry, princess. I promise you, when we get back to Seattle, I will take you out to dinner. Okay?”
I hear her quietly assenting, and then she pops her head around Nick’s legs.
“Evi, you look tho pretty,” she says and comes over to hug me. I bend down.
“You’re going to have so much fun with your special friend tonight, Bria.” She hugs me tighter. A woman appears behind Nick.
“I’m Flavia,” she says, and yes, she’s stunning—dark hair, dark eyes, tan…
“Hi, nice to meet you,” I say, and Nick stands up straighter.
“Flavia was in med school with Isabel and I.”
“Isabel was a doctor, too?” I ask, and they both laugh. I don’t know what’s so funny, and now I feel ten times worse.
Of course Isabel was a doctor!
As if I needed another reason to not compare to her in the slightest.