She tossed her free hand in the air and shook her head. “No real feedback. You’re a strong candidate, blah, blah, blah. We’ll let you know. Unfortunately, my current boss wasn’t part of the interview. I guess she’s already out of the picture.”
The light in her eyes from the earlier excitement over her paintings died, and for the first time, Nick saw an expression of vulnerability cross Kat’s face. It touched him deep inside.
“You know what I hate?” Kat said. “That this is so out of my control. I can work hard and stay late and go above and beyond, and it might not count for anything. All that effort might not make a bit of difference. This huge decision that affects my life is totally up to other people.”
Nick sucked in a deep breath and wished he could pull her close. Kat’s hard work and ambition were admirable, but patience wasn’t one of her strengths. But that’s not what she wanted to hear right now. She wanted reassurance. “You’re right about one thing,” he said. “It’s out of your control, so you can’t let it get to you. No one gets that kind of control over their life. But all those things do make a difference. You can feel good about your own contributions. You can feel good knowing that you gave your all. You can be proud of your input. Your work ethic is impressive, and that’s not a bad reputation to have.”
He was rewarded with a wide smile.
She sputtered a laugh. “Thanks for the pep talk. Guess we’ll see.”
“Hey, guess what else we’ll see soon? I’m installing your mom’s mantel on Monday.”
Kat closed her eyes and pushed a hand through her hair. “I hope it goes smoothly. I’m so nervous that she’s going to do something terrible. You’ve done such an amazing job getting it finished. And it’s beautiful. The whole wall with the bookcases and panels is going to be gorgeous.”
“Don’t worry.” He reassured Kat with more confidence than he felt. That Kat didn’t trust her mother was a little unsettling, but he was ready to complete the job. He could manage one more day of Rebecca Andrews even if it required some acting skills to be in her presence. “You know, it’s going to be noisy getting everything set, so maybe she won’t hang around much.”
“Fingers crossed. Speaking of hanging around, I better get back to work. That strong work ethic and all.”
Nick ended the call and pride swelled inside him. She bounced back quickly. And stirred feelings that took him into new territory.
That evening, a package from Kat arrived at his door. He opened the small card tucked inside first. For My Valentine, it read in her own elegant calligraphy. Inside, she’d written a short note—“I love going to sleep every night with your smile on my mind. Can’t wait to see you again.”When he opened the box and pushed aside the tissue paper, he laughed out loud. He’d wondered if someone would force one of these shirts on him eventually. He scrunched the shirt into his hands. No, he didn’t love New York, but might he lovesomeone inNew York?
* * *
On Monday morning, Nick arrived at the Andrews house at nine sharp with Ryan, the assistant he’d hired to help with the installation. Rebecca answered the door with a cordial hello.
She latched the door so it would stay open then stepped back. “Everything’s ready,” she told them. “Please watch the floors and furniture.”
“Will do,” Nick told her. The floors were already covered with tarps and the path to the fireplace was clear of furniture. “This is great. Thanks for getting it all set up.” Nick offered a friendly smile with an all-business tone. That was the best he could do under the circumstances.
Over the next three hours, Rebecca breezed in and out a few times. Every time she walked in, Nick stiffened and held his breath. But he made a point to make eye contact with her and give her the opportunity to interrupt. As far as he could tell, she was simply monitoring the progress.So far, so good.
By noon, the wall panels and bookcase doors were set. They broke for a quick lunch then returned to place the mantel. He’d built the heavy structure in two pieces for easier installation. The blue and white tile against the deep tones of the wood created a stately but fresh European feel. Not his style, but Nick had to admit, it looked good.
Rebecca stood watch for the final placement of the mantel top.
It fit together beautifully. Nick nearly whooped. No scratches or dings or touch-ups to deal with. At least he didn’t see any. He stood back and gestured to Rebecca. No doubt, she’d give it all a thorough inspection.
“What do you think?” he asked.
She stood a moment with a hand to her chest. “I– It’s–
Wait, she was speechless? Nick raised his brows.
“Very nice, Mr. Summers. It does make a statement.”
“That it does.” He reached into his pocket for his cell phone. “You don’t mind if I take a few photos, do you? I like to document the work for my files. And this, I’d like to have in my portfolio as well.”
“Of course.”
Nick snapped several photos then motioned Rebecca forward. “Please, feel free to get up close. I want to make sure you’re one hundred percent satisfied.”
She moved closer to the wall and ran her hands across the smooth wood. She opened and closed the doors on the lower sections of the bookcases.
Nick began to gather the plastic sheeting and other materials. He’d get it all in the truck and give her a minute of privacy. But he’d come back inside for final payment.
After the last load was removed, he left Ryan in the truck and stepped back into the house with Rebecca’s invoice.
