Drew couldn’t quite figure out what caused Nikki’s discomfort. It seemed to come and go as they spoke, and right now it was definitely here.
“What? You don’t think you could tell me how to decorate? I’ll bet you could.” He gestured at his sweater, which never looked so good as it did on her. The light-blue made her warm brown eyes look darker and more soulful. And the layers of her long brunette hair waved loosely around her shoulders in a casual yet somehow perfect way. “You have such a cool style about you, Nikki, and you said yourself you’ve been in plenty of fancy restaurants and homes to have a good idea of what works where.”
“Thanks, but I’m too busy working for Harvey.” She glanced at her watch. “As a matter of fact, we should probably wrap up the evening so I can get back.”
“It wouldn’t be a full-time thing, though.” Drew signaled to the server for the check. “Just come by and talk to me about what you envision. I’d be willing to pay for your time.”
“Oh, no, I couldn’t charge you.”
“Then you’ll do it?”
She frowned and released an exasperated—and exasperating—sigh. “Let me think about it. Okay?”
“Sure. You just let me know. In the meantime, I’ll start looking for sales on pink flamingos and velvet Elvis paintings.”
After she gave him that smart smile again, she seemed to relax.
When they got outside to his car, he stepped ahead of her to open her door. He didn’t mean to cut her off, but she came close to bumping into him before she realized what he was doing. She righted herself, but he helped by taking hold of her. He couldn’t have planned it better if he’d tried, and now the two of them were mere inches from each other. He would have to pull away just to see more than her eyes. He found he had no desire to do so.
“Sorry.” She spoke softly, and he was unable to answer her. Before he could change his mind, he bridged the short distance and kissed her.
He knew she would have soft lips. They had distracted him all evening.
She pulled back just slightly and seemed to think for a half second before she kissed him back.
Until then, he had been unsure whether this attraction was mutual. He smiled at her when she pulled away again, and she suddenly looked embarrassed.
“That was awfully forward of me,” she said. “I don’t usually…”
Now it was his turn to speak softly. “I’m going to take that as a wonderful compliment.”
They talked of everything but romance on the short drive back to Harvey’s.
“Are you going to church tomorrow?” She didn’t look at him, as far as he could tell when he glanced in her direction.
“No, I’m going to have to lean on a simple at-home Bible study, I’m afraid. I have too many things to do at the house, especially since my week promises to be hectic at work.”
“Problems?”
“Nothing out of the ordinary. There are just a number of different crews there right now, and I’m usually needed in ten different places at once at this stage of a building project.”
“Who are those people you go to church with? That couple. I’ve noticed them before. He’s kind of hard to miss, and she’s so tiny next to him.”
He laughed. “Yeah, that’s Phillip and Gigi. Phillip and I work together. He’s the one who told me about Cary Community Church.” He refrained from telling her that Gigi had done reconnaissance on Nikki’s relationship status, which proved to be unnecessary, thanks to their meeting again near Harvey’s home. “Maybe next time I could sit with you instead.”
There was a pause before she finally answered.
“I’d like that.”
He looked at her, and in the passing light of the street lamps, he was sure he saw her smile.
But her smile vanished when they drove up Harvey’s driveway. There was a police cruiser at the front entrance.
“Oh no.” Nikki jumped out of the car the moment Drew stopped.
He pulled on the hand brake and jumped out after her. “Nikki, wait. You don’t know what’s happened. Let me check that it’s safe before you—”
A policeman and a man of about fifty walked out the front door.
“Edward!” Nikki ran up the porch steps, and Drew followed.
The policeman said a word or two more to Edward before tipping his hat at Nikki and Drew and heading to his cruiser.
“What’s wrong? What happened?” Nikki looked from the departing officer to Edward. “Is everyone all right?”
“Yes, I think so. Don’t worry. Harvey took a fall.”
“Oh no.”
Drew wanted to put a comforting hand on her shoulder or something, but he didn’t want to intrude.
Edward gave him a distracted, polite smile, so he extended his hand. “Drew Cornell.”
“Edward. Edward Shannihan. Mr. Fennicle’s valet.” He looked back at Nikki. “They took him to WakeMed in an ambulance.”
Nikki gasped as Drew asked, “WakeMed? That’s the local hospital?”
“Yes, sir.” Edward did what Drew wanted to do. He rested his hand on Nikki’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, Nikki. He seemed to be all right. His doctor just didn’t want to take any chances. Harvey was conscious and didn’t appear to be in much pain.”
“Much pain? He was in pain?” Tears sprang to her eyes. “What happened?”
Edward shrugged. “As far as I can tell, he went down to the kitchen for a late-night snack. I think he tripped over Riley, because the poor little rascal looked so concerned and guilty. Anyway, that’s what I think Harvey said before Jackie and Laura got involved and started making calls and fussing over him. He was able to get up and sit in a chair with my help. So don’t you worry.”
But Drew could see more than worry in her eyes. Apparently Riley wasn’t the only one struggling with guilt.
“I’ll leave you two now. Nice meeting you, Drew.” Edward walked back into the house.
Nikki wiped away tears. “I should have been here. He doesn’t usually want anything like that at night. I thought… Oh, I should never have gone out. I should have checked back when my top got dirty.”
“Nikki, this wasn’t your fault. From the sound of it, even if you hadn’t gone out, do you think Harvey would have summoned you to—?”
“This is exactly why I’m with the live-in staff! I’m supposed to be here whenever he needs me.” She frowned at Drew. “And he doesn’t summon me. He’s sweet and gracious and—”
“Hey, I didn’t mean anything by that. I just think you need to not take this burden on your own shoulders. You can’t control every—”
“Oh, is that what I need to do, Drew? Thanks for that advice.”
Uh-oh. He had just done exactly what Isabelle always cautioned him against. “I’m—I’m not trying to tell you what to do. How…” He was clueless. “How do you feel?”
She looked at him as if he were crazy. “What? Why are you asking me how I feel? This isn’t about me.”
Women. He needed to leave so he could go home, have Freddie jump up on him, push Freddie down, and flop onto the couch, rather than navigate these eggshells.
“Right. Okay, well, I’ll leave you to it, then, unless there’s something you need.”
She barely seemed to hear him. She nodded and turned away.
He was at a loss. She seemed crestfallen and prickly at the same time. It was almost as if she included him in whatever guilt she had embraced with regard to Harvey. As if they were complicit together in leaving him unattended. Good thing he hadn’t tried to physically comfort her. And as nicely as their drive home had started, clearly, a good-night kiss was out of the question.