Chapter Eighteen #3
Michael glanced over his shoulder at Nick. “Ready, little brother?”
Nick sat up straight, nodded and smiled. He was ready.
* * * *
The forty-five-minute set was over before Claire knew it.
When Michael announced their last song, a rock rendition of an eighties pop song that drove the audience wild, Claire couldn’t believe it was over.
She’d had such a great time watching Nick play with his brothers.
Not only were they really talented musicians, they seemed to love being on stage with each other. The brothers were completely in sync.
Although Nick had been nervous at the start, he’d loosened up after the second or third song. The lines in his face had changed, and even though he continued to concentrate, the joy had returned to his eyes.
Spying that joy had made her so happy, she’d been bouncing in her place all night long.
After the set, Nick headed over to Claire. Something shifted in her body, a thrum of anticipation.
Mia elbowed her. “A club full of people, but Nick Zorn is making a beeline for you. Interesting.”
“Ssh.”
Mia and Adele laughed.
Despite Nick’s beeline for Claire, it took him a few minutes to reach her, due to all the people in the audience who tried to snag him on the way. Several people stopped him to wish him well and high-five him. Even though he nodded and smiled, Nick’s gaze kept slipping toward Claire.
Every time it did, her chest warmed.
Everyone wants him, but he wants me.
She chided herself silently for even thinking it.
She’d been silly to think her whole friends with benefits plan could ever work.
When he finally approached, his face pink and a bit of perspiration near his hairline, he seemed to absorb all the air in Claire’s corner.
Or at least, she forgot how to breathe. He looked really good tonight.
He always did, but there was something about his appearance that just worked with the whole rock-god persona.
Maybe it was because his biceps had never entranced her as much as when he hammered out a beat.
Then again, maybe it was those beads of sweat dampening his hair.
Whatever it was, it worked on her in a big way.
She wanted Nick to take her home and pound her the way he’d pounded his drums.
Adele leaned over. “Close your mouth, Claire. You’re drooling.”
Claire snapped her mouth shut.
“Kidding. You were just mentally drooling.”
Nick pushed past the last couple of people and joined them. “Ladies, I’m so glad you could all come.” He reached for Claire’s hand and pulled her to him. “Hey, you.”
“Hey, yourself.” Claire stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. She wobbled on her toes, her sense of balance deserting her, but Nick steadied her with a hand around her waist.
“Don’t fall now,” he said, his mouth close to her ear.
“You’re my rock.”
Nick looked at her as if there was nothing he wanted more in the world than to be her rock.
In that moment, it hit her.
On the floor of that crowded bar, as voices shouted and laughed around them, as people moved past them, their drinks hoisted high in the air, Claire was in her own little bubble with Nick.
And she knew.
She was falling for him.
How could she not, when he was searching her eyes like that? How could she avoid falling in love when his own face reflected the same emotion?
She’d been on the verge of saying so when he’d shown her the cat play place that he’d built. She’d been so moved by his thoughtfulness, and the words had almost poured out of her mouth.
Until she’d stopped them, of course.
He’d known it too. It had been obvious when the light had gone out of his eyes for those few seconds.
She was growing weary of extinguishing that light. She wanted to brighten his world, to be a part of it.
But did she know how?
Mia cleared her throat with the showy finesse of a Broadway actor commanding a theater. “Nick, you guys were awesome tonight.”
“Yeah,” agreed Adele. “I loved the tribute to the Shame Flowers.”
Nick laughed. “Thanks. It’s Bernie’s favorite band. Eli put that in there for her.” He craned his neck. “I assume my brothers have wandered off to find their wives.”
Claire wrapped her arm around his. “You were incredible. I’m so glad I got to hear you play.”
“Thanks, beautiful. I did it for you.”
Claire’s eyes stung, but she blinked back the emotion welling up inside her.
“You kept me on the straight and narrow, Claire. Without your support, I don’t think I could have done it.”
“You give me too much credit.”
“No, I mean it. You’re my inspiration.”
Upon hearing Nick’s serious tone, Mia and Adele extricated themselves from the conversation and went off to find the others.
Nick moved Claire further away from the people huddled nearby. “Seeing your face in the audience made all the difference. You helped me conquer my fears. Again. What would I do without you?”
For just a few seconds, Claire imagined her days without Nick.
She didn’t like what she saw.
“You inspire me too, Nick. I’m happy your evening went well.”
He grinned. “I love my job. It’s my passion, but I missed playing with the band.”
His job’s his passion. Imagine that.
She used to have a passion.
Every time Claire had attended a class on photography, she’d gone to it with utter eagerness. When she’d graduated college, she’d planned out her life and career with enthusiasm. When she’d taken all those photos of Arthur, she’d viewed him through a passionate lens.
The past few years, she’d forgotten all about it. Somehow, it had gotten lost in a haze of kibble and kitty litter.
She didn’t regret a single moment with Arthur and the sanctuary, but she’d lost track of her own goals and ambitions.
Was it really too late to start over?
“Claire.” Nick touched her chin, lifting her gaze to his. “Is everything okay?”
“Hearing you play tonight, hearing you talk about the music you love…you’ve lit a fire under me, Nick. I think I might want to start exploring my options in photography.”
“Awesome!” He hugged her tight. “You can do it, Claire. You can.”
“We’ll see. I doubt anyone in the business would hire me. There are some serious gaps on my resume.”
“You could run your own photography studio,” he suggested. “You have plenty of experience with running a business. You could start selling your photos of abandoned buildings. I can think of at least a couple of art shows in the city that bring out photography fans. Your stuff would fit right in.”
“Maybe…”
“Listen, it can be done. We’ll find a way. Let me help you.”
She slowly nodded. “I’d like that.”
Nick brought her up against his body and slanted his head to kiss her.
All at once, a male voice shouted at them. “Hey. It’s the HashtagNicksDick guy! Dude, how’s it hanging tonight?” Then the man laughed.
The sound of that cruel laughter grated on Claire’s last nerve.
Luckily, the bar was loud enough that not everyone heard, but several people in the vicinity stopped what they were doing and turned toward Nick.
Nick tensed under Claire’s hands. “Fuck,” he murmured.
Claire whipped around, her body coiled with rage. How could that consummate douchebag do it? Why would some idiot troll spoil a perfectly good evening with his nasty comments? When she got a hold of that loser…
She took a step but Nick stopped her. “Claire, it’s okay. I’ve got this.”
Nick pulled himself up to his full height and walked over to the man. The guy had been chuckling, but his chuckles stopped when Nick approached. Only then did he seem to realize the handyman had about five inches on him.
Nick stopped in front of the man. “Did you have something to say to me?”
The dude put up his hands. “Nah, man.” He looked to others in the crowd for support, but was met with stern faces.
“Because I’d prefer if you said it to my face,” said Nick.
“You’ve got it all wrong. I was really just goofing around.”
“Goofing around. Right. Here’s the thing, friend. Words have impact. You should think about that before you speak next time.”
It may have been Claire’s imagination, but the man shriveled.
Confronted by Nick’s calm and powerful demeanor, he had no choice but to retreat.
“Sorry about that. Won’t happen again. Good show, dude.
” When the guy realized others were staring him down as well, he left the bar as quickly as he could.
As Nick made his way back over to Claire, a few people clapped and patted him on the back.
But his smile was all for Claire.
This man…her heart raced for him. It flip-flopped and somersaulted and danced.
Not long ago, she’d thought her heart had forgotten how to sing.
Now, it belted out a new melody.
He pulled her into his embrace, and she snuggled up against him. She couldn’t get close enough.
“You were awesome, Nick. You are awesome.”
He kissed her on the nose. “Come on. Let’s get a drink. I want to show you off to my friends.”