Page 49 of Finding Happily Ever After
“Not for this guy.” Nick shook his head. “Amelia’s all I need. Besides, who has the time? I’ve been thinking, too, that maybe it’s time to think about a project of my own. Like you have Lynx Creek.” He tipped his head in consideration. “And I haven’t really had anything to focus on business-wise since the microchip with Damon. It could be fun.”
“It could be fun. Would you hire some help for Amelia then?” She spoke carefully because it was a sensitive topic for Nick. For reasons that Steph could not even begin to understand, her friend insisted on doing everything and being everything for the little girl ever since she was dropped on his lap—literally. Even after he confessed to her that the baby wasn’t likely his blood relation, he’d insisted with a ferocity that he didn’t want or need help. It was more than a little concerning for Steph. So if he was willing to hire some help, that was a good sign. For sure.
“Maybe. If the right person comes along.”
“Sounds almost the same as dating.” She winked, and he only shrugged and looked away. “Wait.” She sat up. “Have you met someone?”
“Yes. No.” He shook his head. “I don’t know. Maybe.” He stood to leave. “I should get going.”
“Whoa.” Steph jumped up after him. “You can’t just drop that on me and take off.”
Nick laughed as they walked to his SUV. He unstrapped Amelia and handed her to Steph to say good-bye before putting her in her car seat. “It’s nothing,” Nick said when he was finished buckling in the baby. “I just met her, and I don’t really think she’s in the space to date anyone yet anyway. It’s just—”
“Charlotte Davis.” Steph nodded. She’d seen the way they’d hit it off last month after the showcase forBombshell. The womanhadbeen through a lot, fleeing a destructive relationship, and Nick was right—she was probably not at all in a position to date anyone yet. But then again, Nick probably wasn’t either. The friendship could be good for both of them. “I don’t know her very well,” she said. “But she seems great.”
Nick nodded and tried to look casual. “Like I said. I barely know her either, but being new to town, it might be nice to get to know a few more people.”
“Absolutely.”
Nick leaned in and gave her a kiss on the cheek, the way he always did.
She squeezed his arms and waved good-bye as he drove away. It was only after he’d driven out of sight that Steph turned and saw the glimpse of movement in the trees by the main building.Travis?
She took a step forward and narrowed her eyes, trying to see, but couldn’t see anything more than the pines and the smaller leafy trees that were just starting to come back to life after their winter slumber.
Maybe she’d been imagining it. But she didn’t think so. And moreover, she hoped she hadn’t.
“You’re not avoiding me, are you?” Stephanie asked Travis point-blank a half hour later when she went searching for him. If he wasn’t going to come to her to give her the update she needed, she’d find him. Either way, she wanted all the information before she left to go back to work.
He turned slowly, a hammer in his hand. “Not at all.” His words came slow and heavy, like honey off his tongue.
It sent a chill through her, and she wrapped her arms around herself so she wouldn’t shiver under his gaze.
“You were busy.”
“I was?”
“With your boyfriend.”
Boyfriend?
Stephanie shook her head, but Travis turned around and back to his work without further explanation.
“My boyfriend?” She moved so she was in front of him.
He glanced up at her, but didn’t stop his work, pulling nails out of an old board and dropping them into an old coffee can.
“Oh…Nick?”
Travis tipped his head to the side in a slight, sharp gesture. He made a noise that Steph could only describe as a grunt.
Nick? Was he jealous of Nick?
She couldn’t help it. A snicker escaped her lips. A hand flew to her mouth as he finally stopped working and looked up at her.
“Something funny?”
Steph couldn’t stop the full laugh that burst from her mouth at the same time that she shook her head. “No. Nothing’s funny.”
