Bad Boys of Red Hook [2] You're the One
Page 32
Bree kissed the top of Nicki’s head again, released the little rascal, and then reached for a bagel for Nicki. Cutting it in half, Bree stopped just short of slicing her hand. The damn man made her nervous.
“Good morning, Nicki.” Storm sat at the head of the table while Nicki piled her bagel with lox. He took up more room than any man should—all spread out, as if he didn’t have a care in the world.
“That’s Pop’s chair.”
“Yeah, well, you’re sitting in mine.”
Nicki snorted. “Doesn’t have your name on it.”
Bree watched as Nicki sized up Storm. He looked loose and comfortable, as if his father weren’t in the hospital; as if he hadn’t been away for more than a third of his life; as if he ate breakfast with her and Nicki every day.
Storm set his coffee on the table and sat straighter in his chair. “What grade are you in?”
Holding her bagel with both hands, Nicki continued to eye him. “I’m going into fifth grade.” She took a big bite of her bagel and struggled to keep it in her mouth.
Bree stopped herself from telling Nicki to take human bites. The girl didn’t eat food; she inhaled it.
“So that makes you how old?” Storm asked, either not noticing Nicki’s lack of table manners, or ignoring them.
Bree pushed Nicki’s juice toward her. “Ten.”
When Nicki finally swallowed, she shook her head. “Ten and a half.”
Bree snuck glances at Storm as she fixed what was left of her bagel. Licking the remnants of schmear off the side of her finger, she lifted the bagel to her mouth to lick what had escaped.
She caught Storm staring. She remembered that look; no matter how many times she’d tried to forget it, it returned to her in her dreams. It was the same look she’d seen in his eyes right before he’d shut down and run away from her all those years ago, leaving her naked and needy. Fidgeting in her chair, she crossed her legs before wiping her fingers on her napkin, and tried to erase it from her inner hard drive.
Bree saw Nicki goggling at Storm. God only knew what would come out of Nicki’s mouth next. The girl was not only perceptive, but she said whatever went through her mind. “Nicki, why don’t you run and get dressed. Don’t forget to wash your face and brush your teeth. You can take the rest of your bagel with you and eat it on the way to the hospital.”
Nicki looked at her plate.
“I’ll wrap up the leftovers so when we come back, you can make another bagel to bring down to the restaurant if you want.”
“Okay.” Nicki rose, still looking longingly at her half-eaten bagel, and then swiped her tongue across the schmear.
Bree cringed—as if anyone else would eat it. “Just leave it. I’ll put it in a sandwich bag for you. And don’t forget to bring a sweater. It’s always chilly in the hospital.”
Nicki did the patented teenaged eye roll and headed to her room, muttering, “Bree, I’m not a baby.”
Storm turned the full wattage of his smile up a few degrees and aimed it at Bree. “The kid’s still protective of her food after three months? I’m surprised she didn’t spit in her juice.”
“Like you never backwashed your Coke. At least she doesn’t hunch over her plate anymore.” She picked up Nicki’s bagel. “Are you going to eat anything?”
“I guess I should. She didn’t lick anything else, did she?”
“You should be safe. She’s had all her shots.”
He fixed a monster bagel while Bree made another for Nicki and grabbed a juice box.
“Where’d Pop find Nicki?”
Bree shrugged and pulled out a few sandwich bags. “You need to talk to Pete about that. All I know is one day Nicki was here. Pete said he’d known her mom years ago and that she couldn’t care for Nicki anymore, so she signed over all parental rights and left Nicki with him.”
“Who’s her mother?”
Bree stashed the food in the fridge. “I don’t know, but it doesn’t matter. Right now, it’s more important for Nicki to know she has a real home where she’s loved and wanted.”
Storm’s straight dark brows drew together as if he didn’t believe her. Well, that was his problem. She didn’t owe him anything, but she owed Pete her life. Pete had been her father’s lifelong friend and partner on the force. He’d taken her under his wing after her dad’s death, loving her and supporting her like a surrogate father. Pete gave her a safe place to escape her mother, he gave her guidance, and eventually he gave her a job and a home. She’d do anything to protect Nicki and Pete.
At the thought of Pete, she realized Storm was going to have one hell of a shock when he saw him.
Bree stopped what she was doing. “Storm, Pete’s changed a lot. He’s aged. He’s not the same big guy you saw six years ago.”
“People don’t change that much.”
“They do after open-heart surgery.”
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