Chapter 26
26
Nora
“ Y ou are in so much trouble,” I told Rene.
It was funny. The idea of seeing him ever again used to cause me panic attacks. Now, looking at him in the back seat of Peter’s car, I couldn’t believe I’d ever found him attractive.
He was the definition of Euro cliché with his slicked back hair. A cigarette pinched in his fingers.
“I did not mean to ever hurt you, cherie,” he said in his heavy accent, but I refused to speak French with him. It felt like a betrayal of something I loved. “You know I am a lover, not a criminal. I only…how you say…borrowed from you.”
“Oh really? Then give it back.” He took a long drag of his smoke. “You’re a thief.” I said bluntly, then turned back around in my seat to make sure Peter was, in fact, taking me back to the garage. “How could you, Peter? How could you for one second believe I would have anything to do with him again?”
“I wanted to put you both in a room and see if I could get you to talk it out. I told you, I need both your stories.”
“I thought you gave up on that book?”
“I already accepted the advance,” he said, looking pale. And sweaty. “Without your story, they want the advance back. Apparently, no one is interested in what Rene has to say.”
Oh. What a poor dummy. I would have felt bad for him if he hadn’t kidnapped me. Both his hands were on the wheel and he kept glancing between the speedometer and his watch, because Nick had put the fear of God in him. We passed the Dumont Hotel heading back into town, so I felt confident Peter wasn’t planning on any tricks.
“Cherie,” Rene said, poking his head between the two seats. “There is a so much money. We can split-”
“I don’t care about the money,” I said between clenched teeth. “I want never to see either one of you again.”
We were approaching the town square and I could see the shop across the way. Nick would be there waiting for me. I was certain of it. I wished I had put that agent’s number in my phone so he could meet us there too, but the card was in my bedroom at home. Should I get them to drop me at home? Would the trail run cold by the time I was able to get the number and call them?
This honestly looked so easy in the movies.
“With the money,” Rene said, still with his head between our seats like an overzealous Golden Retriever. “I could…how you say…pay you back?”
“What about the other women you stole from? Whose lives you ruined? That woman you left stranded in Morocco?” I wrestled with my seatbelt to glare at him. “You’re a bullshit con artist Rene, I wouldn’t help you if it was the last thing I did.”
“Look,” Peter said. “If you could just convince your caveman boyfriend not to do anything stupid-”
Nick was standing in the driveway leading to the garage doors of his shop. In nothing more than jeans, Tims, and a henley shirt, he was the opposite of Rene. Nothing flashy about him, all stability, responsibility and loyalty.
I couldn’t love him any more in that second if I tried.
“Money, fame and adventure are nothing compared to love.”
“Ouais, this is true,” Rene said, and I could have murdered him with my bare hands.
Nick looked murderous, and even I was worried about the two idiots in the car with me.
“Tell him not to kill us,” Peter whispered.
“Kill as in death?” Rene asked.
“Kill as in hurt you quite a lot. I make no promises.”
Peter pulled up his rental in front of the garage and I popped out, ready to show Nick I was fine. Physical retribution was not required.
“Hey,” I said, running up to Nick, who wasn’t looking at me, but at the car behind me. “I’m good. No worries. We need to get to my parents’ house so I can get the card for the FBI agent. Then it’s in their hands.”
I could hear the squeal of tires and figured Peter was making his getaway.
“Now, Nick, we need to go-”
I turned to see an old Chevy truck parked parallel in front of Peter’s rental.
“Is that Wyatt?” I asked, looking at the driver.
Peter put his car in reverse, but a large black Bronco pulled up behind him, blocking his retreat.
“Get inside, Nor. We’ll handle this,” Nick told me.
“Hey, Nora!” Liam said, poking his head out of the window of the Bronco. “We’re here to rescue you!”
“Thank you, but I’m fine. Just let them go and let the police handle it.” I glanced up at Nick. “Seriously, we don’t need the trouble.”
“Too late for that,” Nick said, still glaring at Peter, who was holding his hands in the air like it was a car-jacking. “Inside the office. Please, babe.”
“I don’t want any violence,” I insisted. “That will only bring trouble down on us. It’s not worth it.”
Nick nodded like he was agreeing with me. “I get that. It’s okay, Nor. Look, Liam’s not allowed to punch anyone because he’s in season and can’t risk his hands. Wyatt doesn’t want any bad publicity to rub off on Syd with her new album coming out. They’re blocking him in because we needed some extra time.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. Good. Reason was going to prevail. “You called the FBI.”
“Nope. I called someone better.” There was something in his smile that filled me with a dark suspicion.
“Nick, tell me you didn’t.”
There was the sound of screeching breaks as a familiar truck pulled around the corner too fast.
“I did. I called your dad.”
Roy Barnes slammed the truck door behind him and marched over to Peter’s rental car.
“Which one of you fuckers is Rene?” my dad growled.
Rene’s cigarette dropped from between his shaking fingers.
This wasn’t going to be pretty.
I patted Nick on the arm. “I’m going inside the office to get ahold of the FBI. Try not to do anything that will get you in trouble.”
Nick beamed at me. “I’ll keep that in mind, babe.”
“Look at your knuckles,” I hissed, as I wrapped the towel I’d been soaking in ice water around Nick’s hand.
We’d had to reschedule all his appointments for the day, and instead, spent hours answering questions from the Feds.
Nick did all of this without complaint, but when we came upstairs to his place after the questioning, I forced him to let me see his hands. Now I was sitting on the kitchen counter while he let me fuss with freezing towels and his swollen, bloody knuckles.
He wore the same stupid smile he’d worn answering the officials’ questions. It was the same smile my dad, Wyatt and Liam had all worn too. Like they were all John Dutton administering western justice.
Not long after my dad had arrived on the scene, Mom had followed with ice packs, aspirin and the FBI agent’s card. Together we’d called the Feds from Nick’s office.
When it was all said and done, both Nick and Dad’s hands were a mess.
Thankfully, Liam and Wyatt had been able to go home without bloody knuckles.
“And you were wrong, by the way,” Nick said, kissing my forehead. “It was so worth it. Your Dad,” Nick shook his head. “Absolute legend.”
Peter had been restrained by the two hockey players, but otherwise didn’t have a scratch on him. Rene, on the other hand, had been on the receiving end of some payback inflicted by Nick and my dad.
“You’re both insane.”
“Yeah, but you love us,” Nick said. I was about to slide off the counter when Nick put his towel wrapped hands on either side of my thighs, holding me in place. “Hey, I want to call my parents.”
“Now? We can wait,” I said. “If you really want.”
“We’ve waited long enough.” He pulled his phone out and set it on the counter. “It will be three in Cali, so before dinner service at the restaurant. A good time to call.”
I knew what he was doing. Letting down all his guards. Opening up his entire heart.
He pulled up his contacts and called Birdie.
His mom. The one who loved him so much sometimes it scared her. I could relate.
She answered on the first ring. “Hey, Nick. What’s wrong? Did you break something? Is it the house? Did it burn down? Are you in the hospital?”
Oh, man, I saw why Nick worried about her worrying about him. It was a lot, like my Dad, but with more words.
“Where are you? At the restaurant? Is Antony there with you?” Nick asked.
“Yes. Why? Oh no. This is serious. Do I need to get him? I’m getting him. Tony! It’s our son. He’s in trouble.”
“I’m not in trouble, Birdie. I just need to tell you both something.” He kissed my cheek. My neck.
“I love you,” I whispered, running my fingers over his face.
“Who’s there with you? Did I hear a woman’s voice?”
“What’s going on, Nick? You’ve got Genevieve in a panic. Tell her now you’re not in a hospital.”
“I’m not in a hospital,” he said in the direction of the phone, even as he pressed his body between my legs. “But I am with someone. I wanted to let you know I’m dating someone. It’s pretty serious too.”
“Really?” I could hear the confusion in Birdie’s voice. “You’re calling us to tell us about your dating life? What’s happening right now? Is this really Nick? You’re going to need to prove it. What’s your favorite thing I make?”
“Geez, Gen. Let him talk.”
He took both my hands in his bruised ones and pressed them against his cheeks. He looked directly in my eyes.
“It’s falafels. Now, listen up, while I tell you about this woman I’m dating. I love her. I’ve always loved her, but now it’s different and very real and not like anything I’ve ever felt before. I was having a hard time telling anyone about it, even admitting it to myself because I was afraid of how big it was. But I’m not afraid anymore. Because feeling this way…it’s not as scary as I thought it would be, so you shouldn’t be scared for me. Okay? In fact, it’s pretty fucking great.”
“You’re so brave,” I mouthed.
He smiled and pressed a gentle kiss against my lips.
However, there was silence from the other end of the phone.
“Hello? Tony? Birdie? Did I lose you?”
There was a gasp. Or maybe a sob.
“I’m just so…so…happy for you.”
“Oh, Birdie, don’t cry,” I said.
“Nora? Is that you? It must be…there’s only one person I know he’s ever really let himself love. It’s you, isn’t it?”
“Surprise!” I said into the phone.
That’s when the waterworks really started. Sobbing and big gulps and broken sentences.
“Oh…he was so sad when you left...We didn’t know if you would come back…Za said she always knew it would happen, it would just take time.”
Antony cut to the chase. “Does Roy know?”
“He does. He gives us his blessing,” I said.
“He owes me fifty bucks,” Antony said.
“You were on the bet, too?” I asked.
“And you bet for us?” Nick asked.
“ Son, it was obvious from the start you two were meant for each other.”
“Tell them the other thing,” I prompted Nick.
“There’s more? I don’t think I can take anymore,” Birdie wailed.
“My ex showed up and was an asshole, so Nick and his half-brothers, Wyatt and Liam, came to my rescue,” I told them.
“You’re talking to the Locke Brothers? That’s good, Nick. It’s what I wanted for you. Having more family doesn’t take away from our family. You know that, right?” Antony said . He really was a cool voice of reason.
“See, I told you they would be happy,” I said to him very smugly.
“You were right,” he whispered. “Yeah, Ant. Wyatt and Liam…well, they’re okay. And it looks like both of them are going to be sticking around Calico Cove for the foreseeable future. I was thinking, maybe, we could invite them for Thanksgiving.”
“Of course we’re inviting them for Thanksgiving! Tony and I will cook. Oh shit, Tony, we’re going to have to cook for Sydney Malloy and professional hockey players! I think we’ll start with a big ham. We’re going to need a million pounds of potatoes!”
“Okay, we’re going to go now, because Genevieve is already crafting a menu.”
Nick and I chuckled. But I could already see it unfolding. Up at Antony and Birdie’s house on the cliff. All my family. All his family. All his new extended family. Perfect.
He disconnected the call and his smile turned pensive. He pushed my hair behind my ears, mimicking my old nervous habit.
“What’s wrong?” I asked him.
“When you called me from Peter’s car, when I had five seconds to think that they might actually take you away or hurt you…I’m not going to lie, babe, that probably shaved a few days off my life.”
“I’m sorry you were scared, but I knew neither one of them was capable of hurting me. It was so obvious seeing Rene again why I’d fallen for his bullshit.”
Nick pulled his head back. “Why?”
“Because he was the opposite of you. When I thought it was never going to be us…when I thought I broke everything by showing up at your place on my birthday…I ran. I left the town, then the state, and when that wasn’t far enough, I left the country. Every guy I went out with was the opposite of you. Because if I couldn’t have you, I didn’t want second best. So I ended up with the worst.”
“If you wanted to go back to France, I would go with,” he said.
“No, thank you. I only want to be here. With you. For as long as we can be.”
“I’m thinking about a hundred years or so,” he said, even as he began pressing kisses against my neck in that way he knew drove me crazy.
“I don’t know if that’s physically possible, but let’s give it a shot,” I sighed and rolled my head back, giving him more access to my neck.
“Good,” he said. “Now get off the counter, walk back to our bedroom and get naked. It’s time you took your punishment like a good girl.”
“Punishment?”
“You’re going to get spanked, hard, for even getting in Peter’s car.”
Immediately, I went gooey between my legs.
“Worth it, then,” I said as I hopped off the counter and gave him a flirty wink. “Come get me, Nicky.”
“Always. And don’t call me Nicky!”