Chapter Three

When Wil knocked on Nicole’s door, he had had no plan in mind. He only knew he had to see her again. He now needed to work on wearing down her resistance toward seeing him. Helping her out with the snake seemed like a perfect non-threatening way to spend some time with her.

“I hope I’m not keeping you from anything,” Nicole said.

“Don’t worry about it,” he responded with a smile, keeping his eyes on the road. “How long did you say your son will be away?”

“Six weeks.”

Wil’s eyebrows rose. “What are you going to do with all your free time?”

“Why does everyone assume I have so much free time on my hands now that Josh is gone? I do work, you know.”

Wil glanced down at her exposed leg, wishing he could rest his hand on her thigh. He gripped the steering wheel tighter. “You have your nights free.”

“I plan on catching up on a lot of reading.”

“No boyfriend?”

“I’m a single mother. When would I have the time to date?”

“Now,” he said.

She eyed him warily. “I have plenty of things to keep me busy while Josh is gone. No need to complicate my life, because as soon as he comes home, it’s back to business as usual with no time in between.”

Wil slipped into a parking space in front of the pet store. “Sounds boring,” he said as he got out of the car. Actually, she sounded like a woman who had been hurt and now wore protective armor to keep the bad guys at bay. Or in her case, all guys at bay. It made him feel strangely protective of her. He came around to her side and opened the door.

“In case you haven’t noticed, Wil, I’m not twenty.”

She took the hand that he offered to help her out of the car and he had to resist the urge to pull her to him.

“Oh, I’ve noticed all right,” he said, without letting go of her hand. “That’s the problem.”

****

Once they were inside the store, Nicole’s insides clenched when the talk turned to snake feeding.

“Live or pre-killed?” asked the bulbous-headed sales boy, whose name tag said Chad. Her blank look must have said it all because he turned to Wil. “How big’s the snake?”

“About that size, dude,” Wil told him, pointing to a snake nearby.

“My advice is to go with pre-killed rodents,” Chad said. “Live ones may turn and bite the snake if the snake doesn’t get a good strike. However, there’s nothing like watching the live kill.” His eyes glistened as he said this, giving Nicole the creeps.

Wil moved closer and put a reassuring arm around her waist. “I think we’ll do the pre-killed.”

“I’ll give you a good supply,” Chad said, as Nicole and Wil followed him to a freezer. “Keep ’em frozen til you need ’em.”

“I’m feeding the snake a frozen mouse?” Did it come packaged like a Lean Cuisine—mouse on a bed of rice with a side of mixed vegetables?

Chad gave her a look that clearly said, If there was a dumbest customer wall, your picture would be on it. “You gotta thaw ’em at room temperature first. Whatever you do, don’t microwave ’em. Hot spots and all.”

“Got it, babe?” Wil said.

She nodded absently, not sure of what dazed her more: housing mice in her freezer or Wil calling her “babe.”

Once they were back in Wil’s car, Nicole put her hand on his arm before he started the engine. “Look, about that kiss last night…”

“Actually, I was thinking it was time for another one.” He leaned forward and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, letting his fingers trace the lobe.

“That’s the problem,” she said, without moving her head away. “I can’t kiss you again.”

Wil caressed her cheek, then ran his thumb along her lower lip. This time Nicole pulled back. “I can’t. You’re—” just a boy, she wanted to say, but didn’t for fear of insulting him. Instead, she said, “I don’t even know you.”

He was thoughtful for a moment as he started the car. “If you knew me better, would you consider going out with me?”

She ignored the question. “There must be a hundred young girls dying to go out with you.”

Wil pulled out into traffic. “Maybe I like them old,” he said, patting her knee. She raised her eyebrows at him. “Er,” he quickly added. “Older.”

“Nice save. Look, nothing personal, but I don’t date younger guys. Actually, I don’t date period. No time for it.”

“Right, you have that full-time job. Where did you say you worked?”

“McGraw Advertising, but that’s not—”

“Do you own the company?”

“No. I’m an account executive.”

Wil exited the freeway and they didn’t speak again until he pulled up in front of her condo. Wanda’s voice sang inside her head: “He’s perfect for a summertime fling.”

If only she were mentally ready… “If only I were ten years younger.”

“Then I probably wouldn’t be attracted to you.”

Nicole laughed in spite of herself. “Thanks for all your help with Sammy.”

“Speaking of…don’t forget your mice.” Wil grabbed the bag from the back seat while she stepped out of the car.

She tried to hide her grimace as she took them from him. “Thanks.”

He looked at her for a long moment before letting out a disappointed sigh. “See ya ’round the neighborhood,” he said as he pulled away from the curb.

She gave him a slight wave with the hand that wasn’t holding frozen rodents, absolutely certain that at some point down the road, she’d be kicking herself with four-inch heels over this missed opportunity.

****

Instead of feeling rejuvenated after sleeping late on Sunday, Nicole felt as if a truck had run over her—twice. The lack of Josh’s presence in the house was almost physically painful and the irony of it was too much to bear. She had been waiting years for some uninterrupted time to do all the things she’d put on hold for so long, yet now she had zero inclination to do anything. When Josh was here, they had a routine, expectations, a schedule. She didn’t seem to function very well on her own anymore.

Nicole hauled herself out of bed and went downstairs to make some coffee. Her thoughts immediately turned to Wil. Had she really told him she needed to catch up on her reading? She couldn’t come up with anything better than that? All she needed now was a pair of knitting needles and a bottle of Geritol.

What might have happened if she hadn’t pulled Wil’s hand out from underneath her dress Friday night? Nicole leaned against the kitchen wall and closed her eyes, imagining it was the wall in the alley, outside the club. She imagined Wil pinning her arms above her, while his other hand explored her body, his breath hot on her neck. She felt him grab her bare ass and push himself into her—

The alarm to the coffeemaker went off, startling her. An unfulfilled ache pulsed in her groin. Maybe Wanda was right. Maybe she should have a summer fling with Wil. Forget a relationship. What was wrong with a passionate affair just to get the juices flowing again? If her own imagination was able to get her this aroused, just think of what the real thing might do.

As she was beginning to thaw to the idea, Nicole realized something else had thawed. Sammy’s mouse on a paper plate less than a foot away. Ugh. She put on her industrial strength rubber cleaning gloves and tried not to gag as she slid the mouse from the plate into Sammy’s tank. “Bon appétit, snake.”

Her body froze when it heard the doorbell. She hoped it was Wil. Then she looked down at her rumpled cotton pajamas, faded and stretched from years of wear.

Well, if my pj’s don’t scare him off, my morning breath will.

“Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?” Annie chirped the second Nicole opened the door. She sailed inside, looking well-caffeinated and crisp in a cream-colored linen suit. “I’ve already been to the gym and shown two houses.”

Nicole gaped at her. “Can you tone down the perkiness a bit, Superwoman? I haven’t had my coffee yet.”

“Are you alone?”

Nicole snorted. “What do you think?”

“I think you were looking mighty cozy at the bar with our drink benefactor on Friday night.”

“Just thanking him for the round he sent over. Coffee?”

Annie shook her head. “Already had my limit for the day. How about something cold?” She was already reaching into the fridge and pulling out a carton.

“Help yourself. Glasses are in the right cabinet.”

“So that’s it, then? Thanking and nothing more?” She opened the freezer door. “Ice?”

“Check behind the frozen mice. Do you know something I think you don’t know?”

Annie gave her a confused look. “Frozen mice?”

“Don’t ask.” Nicole inwardly shivered. “I thought you left the club early.”

“I did.” She plunked two ice cubes in a glass and poured herself half a glass of lemonade. “Paulina told me.”

Nicole’s left eyebrow cocked. “Told you what, exactly?” She waited while Annie sat down on one of the bar stools and took an excruciatingly long sip.

“Mmmm, this is good lemonade.” Annie licked her lips.

“Annie, what did Paulina say?”

She shrugged. “Just that she saw both of you leaving together.”

Nicole shook her head. “We didn’t leave together. Wil walked me outside so I could get better cell reception.”

Annie seemed disappointed. “Oh.”

They passed a few moments in silence. Nicole poured herself some coffee while Annie drank her lemonade.

“All right, he kissed me,” Nicole finally said.

“I knew it! Now we’re getting somewhere.” She leaned forward. “And?”

Nicole filled her coffee mug to the brim with half-and-half, took a loud slurp, and then turned to face Annie. “And nothing. That’s all that happened. Stop grinning at me like a demented Cheshire cat.”

Annie leaned back, obviously pleased. “I can’t be happy for you?”

“He’s a boy, Annie.” Wil’s dark eyes flashed before her. “Albeit a very sexy one”—the number twenty-eight popped up—“but a boy nonetheless.” She frowned and took another sip of her coffee. “Say something, please.”

Annie sighed in exasperation. “What do you want me to say?”

“You, of all people would tell me not to waste my time with someone who was completely inappropriate.”

“Nobody’s telling you to marry him, Nic. We’re all just happy to know there’s a man walking upright that you actually noticed.”

Nicole’s right eye began to twitch. “I’m glad to hear you’ve all discussed my non-existent love life without me.”

Annie’s expression softened. “I just want to live vicariously through you. Lately, my dates haven’t been anything to write home about. Remember Ron the banker? I found out he still lives with his mother. He’s forty-six, for God’s sake! What the hell’s the matter with him? And forget Paulina—she’s a closed book under lock and key, and Wanda’s having married sex. Who wants to hear about married sex?”

“Sorry to disappoint you,” Nicole said, “but Wil and I ended before we began. I won’t be seeing him again.” Except around the neighborhood.

“Too bad, because he is one hot tamale.” Annie stood and drained the last of her drink. “You’re right, though. Too young.” She set her glass down with a definitive thud.

“What’s on the agenda for next ladies’ night out?” Nicole asked, walking Annie to the door.

Her eyes lit up. “Does that mean you’re coming with us?”

“Sure, why not? Look how the last one went.”

“Well, it was Wanda’s turn to pick where we go this time. She chose some restaurant called In the Raw.

“Do we have to be naked?”

“Worse. Nothing is cooked. Everything is raw. I just know I’m going to want an In-N-Out burger afterwards.”

“Think of how clean our colons will be,” Nicole said.

“Oh, and there’s also a psychic who comes around to each table—”

“And tells you what to order?”

“Supposedly she reads your energy and then makes one statement based on what she sees.”

“What do you mean, ‘one statement’?”

“One sentence only, I think.” Annie kissed Nicole on the cheek. “Gotta run. I’ll call you with the details.”

One sentence to sum up her entire being? How about: over-forty single mother needs to get a life.

****

Wil tried to concentrate on what the girl in front of him was saying, but all he could think about was Nicole. He wished she were with him at this club right now, instead of the bottle blonde talking his ear off.

“I thought about going to school for cosmetology, but then this photographer came up to me in the mall one day and said I should be a model,” she droned on.

Wil studied her smooth, unlined face. Where’s the experience, the character, the uniqueness? He found himself comparing every woman he met now with Nicole and they all paled.

“So I got my boobs done and the rest is history.” She thrust out her chest and gave Wil a dazzling smile. “I was wondering if you might have some work for me.”

Wil glared at Mike sitting next to him. He was lucky he was Wil’s closest friend. Why else would Wil endure this kind of agony just so Mike could get laid?

Mike coughed into his hand. “I might have mentioned to Tammy and her lovely friend here that there was the prospect of a job in the near future.”

Wil started to explain that they weren’t the right demographic the clothing line needed at the moment, but their blank looks indicated they had no idea what the word demographic meant. Mike gave Wil a pleading look.

“Why don’t you send a headshot—” Wil started to say.

Both girls jumped up. “We have headshots in the car,” the blonde said. “Wait right here.”

After they had gone, Wil slouched in his chair and sulked.

“What’s the matter with you, dude? These girls are hot,” Mike said.

“I’m not interested.”

Mike stared at him, dumbfounded. “You getting the flu or something?”

“No, I’m just not…” Wil stopped himself. What was he supposed to say? That all he could think about was one particular woman who wouldn’t even give him the time of day? That he was intoxicated by some mysterious force that even he couldn’t explain, and it was making him insane? Mike wouldn’t get it.

Wil touched his forehead. “I think you’re right, man. I am coming down with something.”

Wil stood as the two girls returned, carrying portfolios. “I’m going to have to excuse myself for the night, ladies,” he said. “Give your photos to Mike. He’s in charge of all casting decisions.”

Mike threw him a grateful look as both girls squeezed next to him and opened their portfolios.

Wil strode out of the club, his mind working a mile a minute. Action causes reaction, he told himself. And he definitely needed some reaction from Nicole or else it would be a long time till he got a good night’s sleep again.

He needed more information on her. She had said she was an account executive at McGraw Advertising. Since he had never heard of the agency, he assumed it must be pretty small. Wil drove to the twenty-four hour convenience store near his house and got a large cup of coffee, even though it was almost one in the morning. He planned on staying up for as long as it took to find out everything he could about her company.