Chapter 5
Chapter Five
K at scurried into the bakery to meet Mia. For once, she was the one with some spicy news.
“Looks like you survived Christmas with your folks. I don’t see bruises or scars,” Mia commented as soon as they were settled at their table. The two of them had a standing weekend date at their favorite bakery near the studio space they shared with several other artists.
Kat laughed. “Survived is right.” Still, it wasn’t all bad. She practically bounced in her seat, ready to burst with the news of Nick, but Mia would read too much into it if Kat spilled the beans first thing. She took a sip of her tea.
“How’s Nana doing?”
“Pretty well. Was great to see her. She’s not moving real fast, but her apartment is nice. She has lots of new friends and activities. And guess what? Nana wears your bracelet all the time. She loves it, and she wants you to come to the center and do a trunk show for her friends.”
“Seriously? Are you sure trunk show is the right term? At a retirement home?”
“We’re talking Nana here. And it’s a senior living community. I know she’d put together something super classy. If she couldn’t, she wouldn’t do it at all.”
“Okay, get me some more details. Maybe we could find some cheap flights. I’d love to see her again.”
Mia had joined Kat and her family for dinner in Chicago the night before graduation and met Nana then. “We probably couldn’t pull an event together in time for Valentine’s Day. Maybe Mother’s Day.”
Mia gave Kat a long, speculative look. “I’m glad you had a nice Christmas, but I hope this doesn’t mean you’ll go home for every holiday.”
“Not a chance,” Kat assured her. “I’m just thinking of gift-giving occasions. Speaking of, how are things at the store?”
Mia worked on the merchandising team responsible for the trendy window displays at Bloomingdale’s. The job paired well with her flair for the dramatic.
“Fine. Almost pulled an all-nighter to get Christmas torn down and Valentine’s Day up.”
“Can’t wait to see them.”
“Stunning, if I do say so, myself.”
“As always.” She held up a hand for a high five. “Hey…there’s something else.”
Mia’s brows rose.
“Mom’s doing some more remodeling. She wants the house to be in this big homes show. It’s a benefit thing. Aaaand…I met an interesting guy, one of her potential contractors. He does custom woodworking, mantels, bookcases and things like that.”
Mia perked up. “Oh, really? Do tell.”
Kat shrugged. “Unfortunately, that’s about all I know.
Except that he’s gorgeous and talented, and he’s coming to New York later this week to interview for some TV spot.
We’ve texted a few times.” Kat struggled to keep from constantly checking her phone for messages.
“We’re supposed to go out while he’s here. ”
“Hmmm. Sounds intriguing. But he’s from Colorado?”
“Yes. I got out of Colorado, moved to New York, and now I meet this cool guy from Colorado. Can you believe it?”
“Too bad. But maybe he’ll land something here and want to move. Or…” Mia grinned. “Maybe he won’t land something here but will fall madly in love with you and move anyway just to be close to you.”
“Lady, you do have a vivid imagination. More likely, working with my mother will scare the bejesus out of him, and he’ll bolt in the opposite direction from both of us. Anyway, I can’t think about that yet. I can’t let anything distract me from my show.”
“Actually,” Mia drawled. “You might be a little too focused on the show.” She leaned closer. “I’d say a distraction is exactly what you need.”
“Not yet. Come on, let’s get this party started.”
They bundled up and refilled their drinks before heading to the studio in an old warehouse a few blocks away. The gray of the sky matched the concrete sidewalks and buildings that surrounded them. Kat tugged her hand-woven scarf up around her ears and quickened her pace against the chill wind.
The studio space, shared by six other artists, was raw but affordable and a convenient place to store materials.
Sometimes Kat preferred to work alone, and she kept a small easel in a corner of her apartment.
But she enjoyed the co-op as well. It was nice to see what others were doing and to commiserate with them or celebrate their successes.
On any given day, they’d probably do some of both.
They got energy and encouragement from each other. Kat considered it cheap group therapy.
Inside, she gathered the supplies and unfinished piece out of her locker and set up at one of the workstations next to Mia, who sat at a table sculpting exquisite pieces of jewelry with silver and semi-precious stones. Only a few other members were already there.
“Where is everyone?” Mia asked of no one in particular.
“No idea. Maybe they’re all hung over from a big party last night that we weren’t invited to or something,” one of the other women suggested.
“Wouldn’t surprise me a bit, the fun suckers,” Mia responded with exaggerated disgust.
Kat laughed. Mia always managed to liven up the place.
The friendly banter continued for a while, but soon they were each engrossed in their art.
For Kat, that meant she was in her own world of color and texture.
Her favorite media were pastels and watercolors.
Today she mixed them in a vibrant landscape, a purple sky dissolving into shades of blue.
Excitement hummed through her as she mentally ticked through her finished pieces and placed them in the gallery, the big, whimsical mountain scene front and center.
Mountains…with a little catch in her heartbeat, her thoughts took an abrupt turn—to Nick Summers. Again.
A moment later, she caught herself comparing shades of green to the color of Nick’s eyes. It was crazy to be this excited about having dinner with someone she barely knew. But those eyes… Too bad she couldn’t hibernate until Thursday.
* * *
Kat was waiting in the foyer when Nick arrived at the restaurant Thursday evening. When he smiled and waved, she caught her breath. “Hi!” she managed.
Oh. Get. Out. He was gorgeous. He wore a black shirt and black coat with khaki slacks that perfectly fit his solid frame.
Everything about him said sexy and confident.
And Kat wasn’t at all sure she could handle the power he was giving off.
Her heart pounded so furiously, she wondered if he could hear it.
As he stepped closer and kissed her cheek, she laughed nervously.
“Hey.” His voice was low and husky. “You look beautiful.”
“Thanks.” So did he. What was a guy like this doing in Colorado Springs? He definitely had city style.
With the hostess leading the way, Kat was aware of Nick’s presence behind her. Feeling a little lightheaded, she gratefully dropped into the chair he pulled out for her at their table.
“How are you doing in this weather?” he asked. “Seems colder here than in Colorado.”
“Well, I don’t love it,” Kat told him. “But I do like to wear sweaters and scarves. I just hope it doesn’t go into April, you know?
” She so hoped for a nice weekend for her show opening and for Nana and her parents to visit.
It’d make it much easier for Nana to get around and one fewer thing to irritate her mother—if she even showed up.
“Yeah. I’m not a big fan of long winters, either.”
Kat ordered a lemon drop martini then settled into her surroundings, enjoying the dim lighting and soft music—and the fact that she was sitting in a nice restaurant with a handsome, intelligent guy.
It’d been a while since she’d been on a real date.
She was determined to put the fact that it could go absolutely nowhere out of her mind and simply enjoy the moment.
When the server returned with drinks, she picked up her martini. “Cheers.”
“Cheers.” He tapped his glass to hers then lifted his menu. “What do you recommend?”
“Oh, I always get the same thing—grilled chicken and roasted vegetables. You might want something more substantial.”
“Actually, that sounds great.”
When the server returned, they both ordered the dish. She hoped he wouldn’t be disappointed. “Are you ready for your interview?” she asked.
“Ready as I can be. Probably run through my slideshow one more time in the morning.”
“Is it just a presentation? No actual demonstration?”
“As far as I know, just the presentation. I only get thirty minutes.”
“Ouch. You came all this way for thirty minutes?”
He shrugged. “And I get to spend a few hours in the company of a lovely woman. I’m not complaining. Besides, it’s worth a shot. It’s an incredible opportunity for the winner.”
Kat’s face warmed. He gave the compliment matter-of-factly, but she felt it inside as heat rushed through her veins. Apparently, she was his bonus in coming to New York. Just as he had been an unexpected highlight of going to Colorado for Christmas.
“Is the prize a one-time thing?” she asked, letting his remark pass.
He sat back in his chair and swished the wine in his glass. “Not sure. They billed it as being featured on HomeBuilders. I suppose that leaves the door open. Not sure I’d want it to be a long-term thing, anyway. I’ve got commitments and jobs to finish up at home.”
Kat heard the fondness in his voice. “Have you always lived in the Springs?”
“Yep. Born and raised. What about you?”
“Born and raised in Denver, but no desire to live there now.”
Nick shifted, his brows raised. “Tell me about your family.”
“My family?” She took a long sip of her drink before meeting his eyes again. “What do you want to know?”
“You don’t come home often. Why’s that?”
The direct curiosity caught Kat off guard, and she hesitated. Not that she wanted to hide anything, but he’d be working with her mother—spending time in their house, her childhood home, probably talking with her parents. There was something awkward about that.
“I don’t know, maybe it’s best if I don’t air the family’s dirty laundry since you’ll be working with my mom.”