Chapter 6 #2
Still smiling, she reached up and wound her arms around his neck at the same time his hands slid to her back, their heat spreading up her spine. One hand settled on her waist as his lips brushed hers, then moved slowly, the kiss deepening until Kat felt drugged.
“Good luck,” she whispered minutes later.
* * *
Nick awoke with the afternoon foremost on his mind rather than the events of the morning.
He checked his phone, relieved to find no text from Kat saying she couldn’t get the time off.
In his head, plans for their afternoon together were already taking shape.
Throwing back the covers, he spied the in-room coffee service.
Get a grip , he told himself. First things, first. Coffee, then the interview, then Kat Andrews.
Forty minutes later, he joined throngs of people on the sidewalks and walked the short distance from his hotel.
He arrived at the HomeBuilders headquarters in downtown Manhattan with a few minutes to spare—exactly his plan.
He shrugged out of his coat and adjusted his tie before approaching the receptionist, who greeted him with a wide smile.
“Charles will be right out,” she told him. “Please have a seat.”
While he waited, Nick looked around the lobby area.
No question that a high-end design team had done the job.
Clean and tasteful modern furnishings gave an upbeat feel, while dozens of glass lights hung from the ceiling projected a warm and almost playful atmosphere.
Good vibes. He’d wondered whether he’d get a glimpse of his competition.
He wouldn’t mind seeing who and how many others he was up against, but no other candidates lingered in the area.
He stood when a man dressed in khaki slacks and a slightly crumpled plaid shirt opened an inside door.
“Hey, Nick, I’m Charles. Come on back.”
Nick liked the casual feel already, glad he’d opted for shirt and tie without the jacket.
Inside a glass-walled conference room, he met a panel of three other HomeBuilders reps, and admitted to a few nerves heating his collar as he opened his computer to begin the presentation.
This was it—the chance of a lifetime. Would it bring a fast-track launch of his career or a return ticket to Colorado?
Time to step up to the plate. He thought of his assurance to Kat last night, the bravado he’d voiced. His lips twitched as her good-luck kiss also came to mind. He just had to get through this then he’d be on his way to see her again. That was all the incentive he needed.
With a deep breath, Nick squared his shoulders and cleared his throat.
Smile. Speak confidently and clearly, but casually.
Make eye contact. All the public speaking rules he’d ever learned flashed through his brain as the first slide appeared on the overhead screen.
For fifteen minutes he took his audience on a visual tour of his studio from sawdust to finished pieces, highlighting details of craftsmanship from raw wood all the way to installation.
The presentation ended with a close-up of his favorite mantel, which he left on the screen while he wrapped up.
“What other questions can I answer for you?” He noted the smiles and nods around the table.
He answered questions for another ten minutes and asked a few of his own.
“Congratulations, Nick,” Liza, the only one in the group wearing a power suit, practically drawled. “I can’t tell whether you’re nervous or not.”
“That’s big, bro,” one of the others said with a loud clap and a grin.
Bro? Before Nick could respond, Liza continued. “Have you ever been on television before?” She began leafing through the papers in front of her, which, of course, held the answer to her question.
Nick nodded toward the table. “Just the things I mentioned in my résumé. A couple of short news spots for my business and the arts council in Colorado Springs. Some podcasts.”
“Yes, well, why don’t we head to the studio and give it a shot for real?”
As soon as she stood, so did the others. “Absolutely,” Nick told her. He closed his computer and shoved it into its travel shell.
In the hallway, Liza fell into step beside him. “So, tell me. Are you? Nervous, I mean?”
Nick had the distinct impression she wanted to see if she could make him that way. Part of the test. If he said no, would he seem cocky? And if he said yes, would she nit-pick his every move? “I’m pretty comfortable talking about my work,” he said simply.
Liza let out something between a laugh and a cough. “Yeah, I’ve never met a man who didn’t like to talk about himself.”
Okay, not the right answer . “That’s not exactly–”
“Here we are.” Charles opened the door, and Liza ushered Nick into a production room full of various lighting, monitors and other equipment—and a stage set up as a mock living room complete with tables, lamp, and a small sofa.
“Have you ever used a teleprompter?” Liza asked.
“Nope,” Nick told her, trying to keep a casual, friendly tone. “This’ll be a first for me.”
“No worries.” She handed him a piece of paper. “You can set your things down here. Take a moment to look at this, then we’ll get started.”
Nick glanced over the short script. Seemed straight forward enough. A younger woman took his arm and steered him toward the stage area. “We need you over here. Stand on the blue tape, and just relax.”
It was obvious to Nick that Liza was the person he most needed to impress, and he glanced at her during the teleprompt piece.
Her arms were crossed, eyebrows drawn in as she intently studied the screen in front of her.
He noted a few nods, some whispers to the man standing beside her.
Shooting for nonchalant, Nick continued reading as smoothly as he could, which he thought was pretty damned good, but also reminded himself that he had nothing to lose.
If he didn’t get the spot, he simply resumed his career as it was—not a bad thing.
“Looks like that’s another homerun renovation.
Thanks for joining us today on HomeBuilders.
” He finished the piece with a smile and made eye contact with Liza, who immediately began rapid-fire questions.
“What tools do you use to carve the details or install inlay? What’s a plane?
How do you miter a corner? Our audience may not be familiar with these terms. Give us short, easy explanations. ”
Hard to do with no product or visual aids, but with a few hand gestures, he thought he did all right.
Finally, Liza waved a hand. “That’s good.”
“And that’s a wrap,” a guy called from behind another screen.
Liza spoke to the other members of the team then slipped out the door before Nick had a chance to grab his computer and thank her for the opportunity. He had no idea what to make of that. Maybe she was just a busy lady.
He shook hands with the remaining interviewers, and Charles escorted him back to the reception area.
“Thanks for coming in,” Charles said. “We’ll be in touch, probably by the end of next week.”
“Sounds good,” Nick told him. “Thanks, again.”
And that was it. He left the office with zero indication of where he stood.
Fortunately, he had the perfect antidote to provide a diversion.
After a nerve-jarring stop-and-go cab ride, Nick arrived at the Museum of Modern Art and texted Kat.
Minutes later, she appeared at his side. “Hey there. How’d it go?”
His heart tripped at her wide smile and bright eyes. “I think it went well, but I guess I’ll find out next week. How are things here? You sure you can take the time?”
“Definitely. In fact, my boss told me to go and have fun because we’re starting a new project on Monday. That’s code for get ready for a couple of weeks in hell.”
Nick laughed with her, appreciating her attitude. She didn’t seem to mind working a little overtime. Or maybe she just enjoyed her work, which was also a good thing. “All right, then. Let’s follow orders and have some fun. Where to?”
Kat glanced at her watch. “Do you want to run through the museum while you’re here? We could eat in the cafe. Or there are lots of other places close by. We don’t have that much time since you’ll need to get to the airport by four-thirty.”
In that moment, Nick knew he wasn’t getting on that flight. He’d be a complete fool to miss out on spending time with Kat over a cancellation fee. “Right.” He stalled for a few seconds, then ran his hand down her arm. “Listen, what’ve you got planned for the rest of the weekend?”
She twisted a lock of hair then pushed it behind her ear and looked upward, presumably consulting the calendar in her head. “Umm…nothing much tomorrow. Laundry, grocery store. Sundays are my day at the studio. Why?”
“Would you consider having dinner with me again tonight?”
Her brows pulled together as her eyes met his. “Wha–”
He knew she got it as soon as her mouth dropped open then switched to a shy smile. The smile widened, and Nick’s pulse went crazy.
“You’re canceling your flight?”