Chapter 16 #2
Kat returned to her cubicle to find a stunning floral arrangement in shades of yellow, pinks and coral combined with interesting twists of greenery on her work surface.
With a soft gasp, she sank into her chair.
She reached for the card and let out a shaky breath, her thoughts ping-ponging from the interview to Nick.
Whew . It’d been a long time since she’d had Valentine’s flowers.
“How’d it go?”
Kat had barely sat down when she looked up to find Cassie hovering in the hallway.
Kat gestured her inside and gave a half-hearted laugh.
“I have no idea. It was short and sweet. I can’t help wondering why it all seems so rushed.
I mean, sometimes filling a job opening takes months. This seems to be on the fast track.”
“Yeah, I get the feeling there’s going to be more movement and reorganization coming. They probably want to get things settled before the tourist season hits.”
“I guess that makes sense. Did you see that Amy had Blake from Boston in earlier this week?”
“I did. She brought him by and introduced him.” She blew out a long sigh. “He seemed like a decent guy, but I hope you get the spot.”
“Thanks, Cassie. I’ll keep you posted.”
“Nice flowers, by the way.” Her voice pitched up in question. “I didn’t know you were seeing someone. These are…a Valentine gift? From a guy?”
“Yeah. Aren’t they fabulous?” She assumed they were from Nick, at least.
“Fun. We should double-date sometime.”
“Sure.” The chances of that happening were slim, though. She and Cassie were work friends and, so far, didn’t socialize outside of work. Maybe that would change when they no longer saw each other every day.
“I’ll catch up with you later.”
As soon as Cassie turned away, Kat opened the card. “These flowers remind me of you—bright and beautiful. Got you on my mind today. Can’t wait to see you.”
Tingles shimmied up her spine. She could hear his rich voice in her head. She pressed the card to her chest. Deliveries, cards, texts, and video were nice, but such poor substitutes for the man. An unfamiliar longing tugged at her. It was almost enough to send her racing to the nearest airport.
Unfortunately, she didn’t have time to indulge in daydreams today.
She grabbed a protein bar and hurried out the door.
Considering how much overtime she’d worked in the last few weeks, she was taking a long lunch to get to the frame shop.
The delivery service was due there around two o’clock.
After a short bus ride, she practically skipped inside the shop.
“We’re about ready to wrap them up,” the man behind the counter told her. “Over here.”
Kat held her breath as she followed him to the back of the store. In two rows, her paintings lined the hallway. A giddy sensation washed over Kat. It was a moment she had to share. She pulled out her cell phone and tapped Nick’s number.
* * *
Surprise mixed with a buzz in his veins when Nick saw his phone light up with a call from Kat at mid-morning. He opened his video chat to find her smiling at him.
“Hi there.”
“Hey, I’m looking at my framed pieces before they get shipped over to Loft. Want a tour?”
The excitement in her voice and on her face was unmistakable. He set aside the notes he’d received from Todd and Sherra on his initial submission. He had to get through their comments, but he wasn’t missing this time with Kat and the chance to be part of her big event. “I sure do.”
“Okay, but first, thank you for the flowers, Nick. They’re absolutely gorgeous.”
“I’m glad. I had you pegged for something different than roses. Did they hit the mark?”
“More than. They’re stunning.”
“As are you,” he said.
She held his gaze a moment and a soft flush stained her cheeks. He hadn’t meant to fluster her, but it was nice to know he had that effect on her.
“Show me your paintings.”
“Okay.” She gave a breathy laugh. “Here goes.”
She held out her phone and moved along the rows of paintings.
As they appeared on the screen, Nick let out a slow whistle.
The colors were bold and striking, and he could almost feel the movement on the canvases.
In one, a blue stream seemed to be rushing over rocks and spilling beyond an old stone bridge flanked by colorful wildflowers and grasses.
She had a gift for capturing the light and motion of nature in her own unique style.
“Kat, these are spectacular. Have I ever told you how talented you are?”
Grinning, she fanned her face. “Now, now. You’ll have me swooning, and you aren’t here to catch me.”
“Sadly,” he told her. “Can’t wait to see them in the spotlights, babe. Can’t wait to see you in the spotlight.” Not to mention getting her in his arms again.
“Thanks. I think they look pretty great. So now they get wrapped and crated then shipped over to Loft.”
“That’s exciting. It’s getting close now. You look amazing by the way. Tell me about the interview.”
She tossed her free hand in the air and shook her head. “No real feedback. You’re a strong candidate, blah, blah, blah. We’ll let you know. Unfortunately, my current boss wasn’t part of the interview. I guess she’s already out of the picture.”
The light in her eyes from the earlier excitement over her paintings died, and for the first time, Nick saw an expression of vulnerability cross Kat’s face. It touched him deep inside.
“You know what I hate?” Kat said. “That this is so out of my control. I can work hard and stay late and go above and beyond, and it might not count for anything. All that effort might not make a bit of difference. This huge decision that affects my life is totally up to other people.”
Nick sucked in a deep breath and wished he could pull her close.
Kat’s hard work and ambition were admirable, but patience wasn’t one of her strengths.
But that’s not what she wanted to hear right now.
She wanted reassurance. “You’re right about one thing,” he said.
“It’s out of your control, so you can’t let it get to you.
No one gets that kind of control over their life.
But all those things do make a difference.
You can feel good about your own contributions.
You can feel good knowing that you gave your all.
You can be proud of your input. Your work ethic is impressive, and that’s not a bad reputation to have. ”
He was rewarded with a wide smile.
She sputtered a laugh. “Thanks for the pep talk. Guess we’ll see.”
“Hey, guess what else we’ll see soon? I’m installing your mom’s mantel on Monday.”
Kat closed her eyes and pushed a hand through her hair. “I hope it goes smoothly. I’m so nervous that she’s going to do something terrible. You’ve done such an amazing job getting it finished. And it’s beautiful. The whole wall with the bookcases and panels is going to be gorgeous.”
“Don’t worry.” He reassured Kat with more confidence than he felt.
That Kat didn’t trust her mother was a little unsettling, but he was ready to complete the job.
He could manage one more day of Rebecca Andrews even if it required some acting skills to be in her presence.
“You know, it’s going to be noisy getting everything set, so maybe she won’t hang around much. ”
“Fingers crossed. Speaking of hanging around, I better get back to work. That strong work ethic and all.”
Nick ended the call and pride swelled inside him. She bounced back quickly. And stirred feelings that took him into new territory.
That evening, a package from Kat arrived at his door.
He opened the small card tucked inside first. For My Valentine, it read in her own elegant calligraphy.
Inside, she’d written a short note— “I love going to sleep every night with your smile on my mind. Can’t wait to see you again.
” When he opened the box and pushed aside the tissue paper, he laughed out loud.
He’d wondered if someone would force one of these shirts on him eventually.
He scrunched the shirt into his hands. No, he didn’t love New York, but might he love someone in New York?
* * *
On Monday morning, Nick arrived at the Andrews house at nine sharp with Ryan, the assistant he’d hired to help with the installation. Rebecca answered the door with a cordial hello.
She latched the door so it would stay open then stepped back. “Everything’s ready,” she told them. “Please watch the floors and furniture.”
“Will do,” Nick told her. The floors were already covered with tarps and the path to the fireplace was clear of furniture. “This is great. Thanks for getting it all set up.” Nick offered a friendly smile with an all-business tone. That was the best he could do under the circumstances.
Over the next three hours, Rebecca breezed in and out a few times.
Every time she walked in, Nick stiffened and held his breath.
But he made a point to make eye contact with her and give her the opportunity to interrupt.
As far as he could tell, she was simply monitoring the progress. So far, so good.
By noon, the wall panels and bookcase doors were set.
They broke for a quick lunch then returned to place the mantel.
He’d built the heavy structure in two pieces for easier installation.
The blue and white tile against the deep tones of the wood created a stately but fresh European feel.
Not his style, but Nick had to admit, it looked good.
Rebecca stood watch for the final placement of the mantel top.
It fit together beautifully. Nick nearly whooped. No scratches or dings or touch-ups to deal with. At least he didn’t see any. He stood back and gestured to Rebecca. No doubt, she’d give it all a thorough inspection.
“What do you think?” he asked.
She stood a moment with a hand to her chest. “I– It’s–
Wait, she was speechless? Nick raised his brows.
“Very nice, Mr. Summers. It does make a statement.”
“That it does.” He reached into his pocket for his cell phone. “You don’t mind if I take a few photos, do you? I like to document the work for my files. And this, I’d like to have in my portfolio as well.”
“Of course.”
Nick snapped several photos then motioned Rebecca forward. “Please, feel free to get up close. I want to make sure you’re one hundred percent satisfied.”
She moved closer to the wall and ran her hands across the smooth wood. She opened and closed the doors on the lower sections of the bookcases.
Nick began to gather the plastic sheeting and other materials. He’d get it all in the truck and give her a minute of privacy. But he’d come back inside for final payment.
After the last load was removed, he left Ryan in the truck and stepped back into the house with Rebecca’s invoice.
She had her checkbook in hand.
“I hope you’re pleased with the result,” Nick said. He handed her the invoice. “I think it looks fantastic.”
“Yes, thank you. It’s nice to have this piece done.”
Hmm. Was she worried? Pretty funny considering he was worried about her stiffing him.
She tore a check from her checkbook. “Have you been to New York recently?” she asked.
Whoa, that was unexpected. Nick tensed but kept his attention on the papers in his hands.
He knew that wasn’t an innocent question and had nothing to do with his HomeBuilders job.
Careful, he told himself. The goal was to get the check and get out of there.
For good. He was so close. “No, have you?”
“Not for a while,” she said vaguely.
Yeah, right. Disgust rolled through Nick. Define a while. “Might be going soon, though.” He met Rebecca’s eyes. “I could look in on your daughter if you like.”
“Oh, thank you, but that won’t be necessary.” She handed him the check. “We’re going to see her in a few weeks.”
Nick nodded. Same . He smiled inside, thinking ahead to the surprise in store for Kat’s mom.