“PINK EYE?” NYCHELLE plopped down onto her kitchen stool. “MJ has pink eye?”
“Can you dig it?” Martin sounded harassed and annoyed. “Woke up with it this morning—on the first day of summer vacation, to boot.”
“Oh, no. What about Leighann?”
“So far, so good, and we’re doing everything we can to stop her from contracting it. Jennifer’s been running around with antiseptic wipes all morning. Martin Tremaine Girvan Junior!” Martin suddenly shouted, the bellow only slightly muffled by what Nychelle suspected was him pointing the phone at his son. “Do. Not. Scratch. Your. Eye. Mom will be back in a minute with some drops to make it stop itching.”
Nychelle chuckled, suppressing it when he said, “He’s driving us crazy—alternately whining, rubbing his eye, and threatening to infect his sister. We’re supposed to be going on vacation in ten days, but if Leighann gets it we may have to cancel.”
“Hopefully that won’t happen.”
“From your lips to God’s ear,” Martin grumbled. “Just coordinating a vacation with our schedules is hard enough. And, speaking of canceling, I was planning to take you and David out on the boat today, but I can’t risk taking MJ anywhere. Not fair to leave Jen here to suffer by herself either.”
Nychelle stared out the window, biting her lip as a combination of disappointment and relief swirled through her. “Well, it can’t be helped. Taking care of your family is the most important thing. We’ll go out another time.”
“I don’t want to disappoint David.”
There were a few more moments of muffled shouting, and Nychelle figured the phone was clasped to her cousin’s chest this time, so she wouldn’t hear the threats he was making to his son.
“Sorry about that. This boy is a menace.”
“He’s eight. What do you expect? At that age you were a pain too.”
“I was not.”
Nychelle chuckled at his lofty tone.
“I was a perfect little paragon. All right. All right.” He interrupted her laughter to get back to what he was saying. “We can’t go out on the boat, but I went ahead and bought two tickets for you guys to take the river taxi. It’ll be a good way for you to show David more of the city without having to think about parking.”
“I’m sure he won’t mind if you have to cancel—”
“I already talked to him and told him you were willing to go.”
“What? Without talking to me first?”
Martin obviously wasn’t listening to her. If he had been he surely would have heard the outrage in her voice and put even a hint of remorse into his reply. Instead, he just said, “I knew you wouldn’t mind. I’ll email you the tickets, and he’ll come to pick you up at ten.”
Nychelle clenched her teeth to hold back her instinctive refusal. Would she never get away from this man? Well, maybe that was too harsh. David was the one man she both craved and was afraid to be around. How many times had she decided it would be best to avoid him, only to end up in his presence almost immediately thereafter?
“It’ll be fun.” Ironic to have Martin quoting her own words back at her. “He seems like a nice guy. Don’t you think so?”
“Yes, he’s a nice guy.” Resigned to her fate, she sighed. “It’s fine. Take care of the family.”
“Awesome. Thanks, Nych. Call me later and let me know how it goes.”
“Okay. Will do.”
Almost before she’d finished speaking Martin was hollering at MJ again as he hung up.
Putting the phone down on the counter, Nychelle rubbed her suddenly aching temple.
Two days before, she’d finally given in to the need to speak to someone about David and told Aliya what had happened between them.
“The timing isn’t optimal,” her cousin had said. “But I guess the real question is, what do you want to do about it?”
“I don’t know,” Nychelle had confessed, tears welling. “I’m confused.”
For two people who claimed to want to be friends, David and she constantly seemed willing—no, determined to put strain on their relationship. Making out like teenagers. Blowing hot and cold. Hiding from each other instead of coming clean.
Well, okay, that last one was all her. And, while she’d agreed that it would be wise for them both to forget what had happened in her office, she found herself thinking and dreaming about making love with David all the time. Then getting angry with herself.
Since meeting him she’d been a mass of contradictions and seesawing emotions.
Which was why she knew she had to stop seeing him.
“You have feelings for him.” Aliya hadn’t asked, simply stated it as a fact. “I know you, and you wouldn’t have been making out with him if you didn’t.”
“I—” She’d wanted to disagree, but the lie wouldn’t pass her lips. Instead she’d concentrated on not sniffling, hoping Aliya wouldn’t realize she was crying.
“Don’t tell me you don’t. I won’t believe you.” Then her cousin’s voice had softened. “Listen, best-case scenario is he has feelings for you too, and won’t care that you’re pregnant. Worst-case is that he does care, and his feelings aren’t strong enough for him to see past it. But the only way you’re going to know what will happen...”
“Is for me to tell him.” Abandoning her attempt to hide her tears from her cousin, Nychelle had blown her nose. “I know I should—but it’s all happened so suddenly. It feels as though I’m making more out of the situation than I should.”
“Have the conversation, Nych. Whichever way it goes, at least you’ll know.”
Aliya was right, of course.
Now restless, Nychelle got up and wandered over to the sliding glass door. Looking out at the verdant greenery in her backyard usually calmed her, but today it didn’t. In less than half an hour she’d be thrown into David’s company again. Just thinking about it made her body tighten and heat. No other man had ever had this effect on her—not even Nick, who she’d thought was her forever guy. Despite telling herself it was hormones, deep down she knew it wasn’t. This attraction was too intense, too multi-faceted to dismiss.
If it had just been the physical attraction, she probably could have ignored it, but what she couldn’t disregard was how deeply she liked and admired him too. Long gone were her fears about his character. Everything she’d seen about him told her he was trustworthy, and a genuinely wonderful man. It wouldn’t take much to push her over into falling for him completely.
So, yes, she was going to have to deal with it...
But not today.
This chance to spend time with him was, in a way, a gift. She was going to take advantage of the opportunity to simply take pleasure in his company without strings or overanalyzing.
It’ll be a last hurrah.
The decision was calming, soothing, giving her permission to enjoy the day without giving too much weight to what would happen next.
Buoyed by that thought, she went to finish getting ready, excitement tingling over her skin.
* * *
David glanced over at Nychelle as he steered the car into the river cruise parking structure. She looked relaxed, and that made his trepidation wane.
Bearing in mind their encounter in her office, he hadn’t known what to expect, and when Martin had explained the situation his first impulse had been to suggest they postpone their outing until the whole family could go. But Martin had insisted Nychelle was expecting him, and David hadn’t wanted to sound churlish, or make a big deal out of it when she obviously didn’t care.
There had been a hint of tension in the air, but after a slightly stiff greeting at her door it had mostly dissipated.
“The riverfront area is nice to walk through. Good restaurants and shopping, if you’re into that kind of thing.”
She’d been acting like a tour guide, pointing out various places of interest, like the Broward Center for the Performing Arts and the Museum of Discovery and Science, along with a Jamaican restaurant she said was amazing.
While he parked in an empty space she continued, “I prefer to go there when it’s a little cooler. Somehow the heat isn’t as bad when you’re on the water.”
She didn’t wait for him to open her door, but got out immediately and, closing the door with a firm snap, gestured toward the exit.
“Let’s go find us a water taxi.”
When he rounded the back of the car she’d started walking, but then suddenly she stopped and turned to face him.
“Listen,” she said. “I know we should talk about what happened between us. It’s the adult thing to do. But can we shelve it for now and just enjoy the day?” Her hands fluttered between them. “I just need some more time to get things straight in my head, okay?”
He should be thankful—and a part of him was. Rubbing the back of his neck, he once more contemplated just how confused and contradictory his feelings were when it came to her. Even though he’d repeatedly told himself the best thing they could do was pretend none of it had happened and maintain the status quo, the urge to push, to find out exactly what she was thinking, was strong.
Yet this was an opportunity to simply be with her, without worrying about what his emotions meant or what to do about them. So, accepting her request to put it all aside for the day, he nodded. “Okay. So where do we go from here?”
Nychelle looked around, choosing to ignore the less literal interpretation of his words.
“This way,” she said, pointing down a pathway.
“Do we need to buy tickets?” David asked as they approached the riverside restaurant where apparently they’d board the taxi.
“No, Martin got them online and I printed the vouchers. I thought about booking one of the guided tours,” she told him, leading him into the restaurant. “But this way we can get off and on the taxis whenever we want, without being tied down to a specific route.”
“Wow, this place is...colorful.” David looked at the ceiling, where all manner of nautical gear and beach-themed tchotchkes hung.
A large wooden mermaid caught his attention. When he raised his eyebrows at her suggestive pose, Nychelle giggled.
“It’s a true tourist spot,” she told him, petting a plastic parrot with an eye patch and still chuckling. “But although some these things are just kitsch, many things are real equipment used on boats in the past.”
David smiled at that, his mood lightening even more with her laughter. “You don’t have to tell me.” Pointing at his chest, he went on, “South Carolinian, remember? I recognize the glass fishing globes and old-school breathing apparatus.”
“Darn it.” She added a pout to her disgruntled tone. “You’re spoiling my tour guide spiel!”
“Okay, I won’t say another word.”
David mimed zipping and locking his lips, then throwing away the key. It was silly, and not something he’d usually do unless he was around his family, who knew and understood his lighter side, but it felt natural to show this aspect of himself to Nychelle.
“You nut.”
Nychelle swatted him on the arm, and he hoped their easy camaraderie would last for the whole day. It felt so right.
“Do you want a drink before the taxi comes?” she asked.
“Mmph-mmm-hmm-mmm.” Keeping his lips pressed together was hard, with a grin trying its best to break through, and when Nychelle swatted him again David couldn’t hold back his laughter. “Hey, I promised not to say another word.”
“Oh, you...you...”
“Careful, Nurse Cory.” He gave her a stern look, knowing his twitching lips gave away his amusement. “Let’s not sully that sweet, professional disposition everyone talks about.”
“Ha!” Turning up her nose, she replied, “At least no one at work calls me names like Dr. Heat.”
“Argh!” He was still smiling, but embarrassment made warmth spread across his face. “One of the other doctors told me about that and I thought he was kidding.”
“Nope.” She was giggling so hard she could barely get the word out, and she took a couple of hitched breaths before she continued. “In the nurses’ lounge it’s all, ‘Dr. Heat said this...’ and ‘Dr. Heat is so dreamy...’ It’s a wonder your ears don’t burn all day long.”
“Now you’re just being a brat.” He lifted her hand and nipped the knuckle of her index finger. “Stop that.”
“Ow.” She pouted again, and tried to pull away. “Just because you don’t appreciate being sexualized it doesn’t mean you can be nasty when it’s pointed out.”
“‘Sexualized?’” He groaned dramatically. “That’s what I get for going out with a psychiatrist’s daughter? Big words and overanalyzing?”
She opened her mouth, as though to make a scathing rebuttal, but instead broke out in giggles again.
David couldn’t maintain his air of indignation either, and soon cracked under the strain of their combined silliness—so much so that when the water taxi drew up to the dock they practically reeled toward it, rather than walked.
The crew member who checked their vouchers grinned at them. “You folks look like you’re already enjoying the day.”
“It’s a gorgeous one,” Nychelle replied, and David nodded his agreement.
Watching her face, her brilliant smile, had him thinking the perfect, cloudless day was nowhere near as beautiful as she was.
They made their way to one of the seats in the shade, near the bow, and he settled onto the padded bench beside her, appreciating the breeze coming off the water. Around them the boat filled up, a cacophony of diverse languages filling the air as different groups came aboard.
“Do many locals use the river taxis?” he asked.
“Not really,” Nychelle replied. “It’s more of a tourist thing—although bar-hopping along the waterfront using the taxis as transportation can be fun. It’s easier than trying to find parking if you want to go to the beach too.” She chuckled and shook her head. “But most people are so used to driving they don’t remember it’s available.”
David tipped his head back to catch more of the breeze. “The tourists have it right. I’d rather do this than drive in circles looking for a parking space.”
“Me too.” Nychelle was still smiling. “There’s always a little wind to stir the air when you’re on the water, so it really is a nice way to travel. Far nicer than being in an air-conditioned car.”
“Ha!” He snorted. “Don’t knock the air-conditioning. I’ve really come to love Florida, but the heat and humidity takes some getting used to.”
“I’m sure it does,” she replied. “Especially after being in Chicago.”
As they chatted about the hazards of winter, and how different it was in the south, the boat pulled away from the dock and the captain set a leisurely course down the New River.
“Have you convinced your parents to come visit yet?” Nychelle turned sideways on the seat, so she was facing him to ask the question.
“Not yet.” He gazed toward the north shore, his amusement waning. “I’ve got my sister working on them too.” Thinking about his no-nonsense little sister made him smile again. “Of course, Mary-Liz says if they won’t come she and the kids would be happy to take their place.”
“Of course!” Nychelle chuckled, shifting to put her arm up on the bench cushion behind her. “Why don’t your parents want to come?”
Again, not something he’d usually discuss, but talking to her was so easy. “They haven’t traveled much, and just thinking about navigating through airports makes my mom break out in hives.” She nodded, and he liked it that she showed no amusement about their fears. He continued, “Dad would never admit that’s the case with him too, but he doesn’t have to. I know the truth.”
Glancing down at the hand lying casually in her lap, he wished he had the right to take it and hold it. Instead he looked out over the water again.
“He has heart problems, and I’m a little worried the strain may bring on an angina attack, so I’m not pushing too hard.”
As though reading his mind, Nychelle gave his hand a quick squeeze. When she let go, he immediately missed the contact.
“Have you thought about going up and then having them fly back with you? Or, if they really don’t want to fly, driving them down? It’s about nine hours from Atlanta to here. How long a drive would it be from where they live?”
Emotion rushed warm and sweet through his chest and he couldn’t help staring at her as he replied, “About the same.”
Nychelle lifted a hand to smooth her hair, the gesture uncertain. “Why are you looking at me that way?”
“Why didn’t I think of that?” He shook his head. Then, throwing caution to the wind, he reached out to thread his fingers through hers, and was ridiculously happy when she didn’t tug her hand away. “You’re incredible.”
“Don’t be silly.” She dipped her head, as though shy, and the warmth in his chest spread out into his belly. “You would have thought of it sooner or later.”
“Probably not,” he replied, tightening his grip on her hand when she gently tried to pull it free. She stilled. “It’s the kind of solution only someone with a completely empathetic soul would come up with straight off the bat.”
She looked at him and said quickly, “By the way, keep an eye out for manatees. They’re the reason the boat has to go so slowly, and every now and then you’ll see a tail pop up out of the water.”
“Okay,” he replied, but his gaze never left her face and he felt no inclination to look away.