Page 34 of Perfect Together
Those troubles revolved around Tyler. Thanks to a phone call from Macy, who had apparently appointed herself Tyler’s escort around town and Nicole’s go-between, Tyler had informed her he’d taken a room at the Serendipity Inn for an extended and undetermined period. And Nicole still had that awful feeling his presence here was tied to everything she’d left behind and still hadn’t decided how to handle it.
She pushed the thought out of her head and focused on the reason she was here tonight. Sam. The man filled out his softball uniform, his thighs tight, his ass spectacular. Her sex clenched just watching him, a new and exciting reaction to just watching a man.
Three innings into the game, Erin realized she’d forgotten diapers in the car and took Angel with her to go get them. Nicole didn’t mind being left alone, as she was already invested in the game. The cops were up by two runs, and she couldn’t take her eyes off Sam, his muscular arms flexing as he pitched, and the intense concentration on his face holding her transfixed.
“Do you mind company?” a familiar masculine voice asked.
Tyler. Nicole stiffened. “Umm, I don’t think that would be a good idea.”
She looked up and was grateful to find Macy standing beside him. Her presence took much of the pressure off Nicole. She didn’t feel bad turning him down.
“Come on. You’ve got the best seats in the house,” Tyler said, coming up beside her.
Resigning herself to the unavoidable, she waved her hand. “Have a seat,” she reluctantly said, but she refused to let their presence dampen her enthusiasm for the game.
She did her best to ignore Tyler and cheer Sam through an erratic pitching period, relaxing when he settled into a rhythm once more. Up at bat, he drove in two runs, and when he hit what looked to be a grand slam, Erin, Macy, and Nicole yelled their loudest as he rounded the bases for home plate.
Nicole was aware of Tyler sitting beside her, a scowl on his face.
“You don’t have to be here,” she reminded him, no longer keeping her tone gentle or worrying about hurting his feelings. She’d made herself clear. He was choosing to ignore her request for him to go home.
“Yes, I do. Until you come home with me, I’m staying.”
“Iamhome.” With each day that passed, she felt more and more sure of her decision to settle in Serendipity.
Tyler grunted in reply.
None too soon, the game ended, the cops won, and they all stood, folding their chairs and blankets. Erin, who had the baby hanging from a sling around her chest, managed well, but everyone insisted on helping her carry things to the car.
“Thanks,” the auburn-haired woman said with a genuine smile. “I’m going home. Hopefully, Cole’s finished working by now. He had a conference call with a new client and said he’d be a while.”
“Drive safe,” Nicole said as Erin buckled the baby into the car seat in the back of her truck.
“Always. Precious cargo in here.” She shut the door and turned to face them. “It was fun. Let’s do it again next week,” she said.
“I’m in,” Macy said automatically.
“Same,” Nicole added, hoping she wasn’t beaming because Erin had extended such an easy invitation.
She thought about her friends at home and the posturing that usually accompanied each invitation, nothing ever being what it seemed. Either there was a fundraiser where someone wanted to one-up the other with clothing, a date, or an amount donated, or there was behind-the-scenes bickering that turned Nicole’s stomach.
So different from the genuinely simple life here. No wonder leaving had been so easy. Her friends hadn’t been sincere, but she was finding out there were better people in the world. People she liked and who liked her. In Serendipity, she was discovering friends and filling empty holes. Except now Tyler had arrived, bringing Nicole’s old life here to confront the new. She didn’t know how to make him go away, and even if he left, she was all too aware that he wouldn’t be taking her most pressing problem with her.
Maybe once she and Sam settled things, she could consider confiding in him... She immediately shook her head. He was a police officer, sworn to uphold the law. If she told him her father’s firm was laundering mob money, he’d be forced to report the information—and if that was the route she decided to take, she certainly wanted time to talk to Tyler and her father first. Assuming she felt comfortable enough to think they weren’t involved brought her full circle and had her insides cramping again.
“Hey, I’m starving. Let’s go get something to eat,” Macy suggested.
Tyler nodded, his gaze briefly meeting Macy’s before landing on Nicole’s—and lingering.
“Umm, you two go. I’m going to wait for Sam.” They had a date, and Nicole didn’t plan on making it a double.
Tyler ran a hand through his neat hair, and Nicole recognized the sign of frustration. She glanced at Macy. “Show him a good time?” The imploringpleasedidn’t need to be said out loud.
She knew she was imposing further on her new friend, but she needed this night with Sam, and she’d make it up to Macy. Who, Nicole suddenly realized, was smiling and not looking all that put out by the request.
“I think I can manage to keep him busy,” Macy said. “Come on, big boy. Let’s go get dinner. And maybe dessert.”
“Macy, let’s see what everyone else is doing first.”