Her words hung in the air, and Nikki felt full to bursting. Nate’s expression had relaxed; the corners of his mouth lifted slightly, his eyes encouraging, as she finished the sentence.
“I love you,” she said, and then he crushed her against the railing. Nate’s mouth captured hers in a flash; his kiss melted the tension from their bodies as they clung to each other with something akin to desperation. Nate pulled back a little and studied her face as if to make sure he’d heard her right.
“I love you,” she repeated, adamantly.
“I love you too,” he vowed, his voice filled with emotion. “I love you so much, Nicole, and I don’t want to lose you.” Nate kissed her lips again, gently this time, letting his words sink in.
“You’re not going to lose me; I’m not going anywhere.” Her confidence grew with each heartbeat. Knowing that her feelings were reciprocated brought such a sense of relief that Nikki felt like shouting with glee (or doing something equally embarrassing).
Nate tucked her windswept hair behind her ears and cupped her face with his large, warm hands. “Come to L.A. with me. I want you with me. I want the whole world to know that I love you.”
Nikki’s toes tingled, and it wasn’t from the cold. The way he looked at her, the way he held her with such reverence, and the words that flowed out of his mouth so freely…
“Nicole? I need to hear you say yes.”
“Yes,” she said, practically shouting. “One hundred percent, absolutely, positively, without a doubt, yes!”
Another couple had joined them at the end of the pier, but Nikki was so fixated on Nate that she hadn’t noticed them until now. The woman giggled, and the man gave Nate two thumbs up before turning away to give them privacy.
It dawned on her that the couple probably thought they had just witnessed a marriage proposal. That idea used to scare her, but right now, she felt nothing but pure elation.
Nate pulled her in for a hug and whispered, “A simple yes would have been fine.”
Nikki felt like a lovesick teenager for the rest of the day. She couldn’t stop smiling, and it was the same with Nate. They beamed at each other over lunch at a tiny café and during the entire drive back to Nate’s parents’ house.
Tom and Jean must have sensed a difference in them too; maybe it was because Nate came in the house, picked up his mom, and swung her around until she squealed.
“What’s going on?” Jean asked, straightening her clothes as he set her back down.
“Are you two getting married?” Tom asked, causing them both to pause for a moment.
“No, Dad. I’m just happy because Nicole agreed to come to L.A. with me in a couple weeks.”
“That is good news,” Jean said, shooting Tom a scathing look.
“What? The way Nate was carrying on, I thought he might have proposed or something,” Tom said matter-of-factly.
Nate shook his head, but he didn’t look perturbed. Nicole giggled, enjoying the easy rapport between Nate and his parents.
That evening, after another wonderful home-cooked meal, Jean and Tom announced that they were going for a walk. Nicole’s heart warmed when Tom took Jean’s hand as they went out the door.
“It’s so sweet that your parents are still in love,” she gushed as Nate came up from behind and wrapped her in his arms.
“Just like us,” he said, pushing his hips against her.
Nikki turned into his embrace, inviting his kiss. Their soft, slow movements quickly escalated as the heat flared between them.
“No funny business tonight, remember?” she said as she rubbed up against him.
“You’re killing me,” Nate growled.
“Sorry,” she mumbled, regretting their deal.
“What if we just fool around standing up tonight? That way, the bed won’t squeak.”
Nikki smirked at the twinkle in his eyes. “Oh, so your butt pounding against the wall won’t wake them up?”
“Why is it my butt? Maybe it’s your butt that does the pounding.”
“As romantic as that sounds, I think we should wait. One night isn’t going to kill us, and just think how great it will be when we’re back at…”
“Home?”
They usually referred to either Nikki’s house or Nate’s house separately, but now it felt easier to lump them both together and call it home. “Wherever we are together, that’s home,” she whispered, gazing up at him with stars in her eyes.
Nate pulled her closer and buried his head in her neck. “We’re together right now,” he said, nuzzling her earlobe.
“You are incorrigible,” she replied, swatting his arm.
“I prefer the word persistent.”
After a few more heated kisses and teasing touches, they agreed that it would be hands-off for the rest of the night.
A couple hours later, Nikki climbed into bed alone and pulled the covers up to her chin. “This is going to be a long night,” she said aloud to the empty room.
Chapter 40
Surprisingly enough, Nikki slept very well, and after a quick breakfast and some goodbye hugs from Jean and Tom, they were on their way to Union High School. A few news trucks and a sizable crowd of people were gathered in front of the school as they drove up. Tess and Jeff stood apart from the others, alongside a distinguished, gray-haired man in a suit, whom Nate identified as the principal.
“Are you doing ok?” Nate searched her eyes for any sign of discomfort.
“I’m fine. I’m better than fine, actually. I think this is a really cool thing you’re doing. The kids are going to love it.”
“This is the type of appearance I don’t mind. Visiting my hometown high school with a beautiful woman on my arm; what could be better?”
Nikki wanted to lean over and give him a kiss, but to avoid the public display, she said, “I love you,” instead.
“I love you too. Let’s do this.”
Nate pulled right up to the curb, and as planned, Jeff and Tess met them at the car so they could walk into the school together. The minute Nate’s feet hit the pavement, a loud cheer went up, followed by plenty of hoots, hollers, and whistles.
In true movie-star style, Nate waved to the crowd and called out, “Good morning,” which created an even louder response. Instead of feeling overwhelmed, Nikki got caught up in the crowd’s enthusiasm. The people were so enamored with him that she basically went unnoticed, which suited her just fine. She was there to support Nate, and the fact that he loved her and wanted her by his side gave her a boost of confidence.
Once inside the school, the principal, Mr. Backus, led them into the auditorium, where they would do a stage check before the drama club and select audience members arrived. Once everything was in place, Nate was sent backstage to await his introduction. Jeff positioned himself near the curtain on the left side of the stage for security reasons, although Mr. Backus assured them that the students would be on their best behavior. The first three rows of seats were designated for the drama club, so Tess and Nikki took seats in the fourth row, which still afforded them an up-close view. A few minutes later, the students filed in, and the energy in the room became palpable. Nikki was impressed at the decorum the kids displayed as they shuffled in and quietly took their seats, followed by a group of parents, teachers, and three designated news reporters.
Finally, the lights were dimmed, and Mr. Backus took the stage. “Ladies and gentlemen, we are so honored to have a very special guest with us today. This young man was a drama student at Union High fifteen years ago and has gone on to become a very popular actor. He’s here today to talk to you about his road to success. Please welcome, Grand Rapids’ own, Mr. Nate Collins!”
The noise in the room was deafening as Nate sauntered onstage. The teenagers’ hearts weren’t the only ones pounding as he smiled and waved at the crowd. Nikki was just as drawn in as the rest of them, even more so, as she knew the man intimately! Nate calmly lifted the microphone from the podium and stepped closer to the edge of the stage, causing
a few girls in the front row to screech with delight. He wore a light blue Oxford shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a pair of dark blue jeans with a snazzy new pair of Nikes. His look was cool and casual, which was a direct reflection of him. Nate oozed charisma and looked as comfortable up on that stage as he did anywhere else. The man definitely had star quality!
“Thank you very much,” Nate began as the room quieted down. “It’s great to be here, back in my hometown and back in the school where it all began. I’m here today to talk to you about my road to success, but more importantly, I want to talk about what it takes to achieve your goals. If there’s one word you remember from this presentation, I hope it’ll be perseverance, because that’s what’s going to get you where you want to go in life. Without perseverance and the support of my family and friends, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”
The presentation went on from there, the entire audience held captive by every word. When Nate referred to his parents as his biggest fans, Nikki thought she would lose it. She tried desperately to hold back the tears, but they fell anyway, much to her chagrin. Tess glanced in Nikki’s direction and patted her arm consolingly while swiping her own tears away. Nate had confided in Nikki beforehand that if he could inspire one student with his words, he would consider today a success. Looking around the room, Nikki felt certain that he had impacted more than one student’s life today. Nate delivered his message with sincerity and honesty, and by the time he wrapped it up, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.
While the audience applauded, Mr. Backus took the stage again, shook Nate’s hand, and waited for the ruckus to subside before speaking. “Nate has graciously agreed to stick around for a little while to sign autographs for the students. You’ll each have a minute to speak with him and have something signed. Just a reminder, he will NOT be signing body parts!” This caused a fair amount of laughter to float through the room as the students approached the stage.
“He’s pretty amazing, isn’t he?” Tess said.
Nikki was so full of pride that she had trouble speaking around the lump in her throat. “Yes, amazing,” she agreed.
“Did he ask you to the Starry Night Ball yet?”
“Yes, and I’m going as his date.”
Tess looked genuinely relieved. “Thank God. I was going to kick his ass if he didn’t ask you.”
Nikki giggled; she loved Tessa’s spunky attitude. “I have a serious question, though. How fancy is this thing? I don’t exactly have a closet full of ball gowns.”
Tessa’s eyes lit up, reminding Nikki of Julie’s reaction whenever she heard the word shopping. “Just leave that part to me, Nicole. I’ll make sure you look like a million bucks!”
Suddenly Nikki was very worried. Was this thing going to cost her a million bucks?
Tess misread the look of panic on her face. “There’s nothing to worry about, Nicole. Austin and I are going to the ball too, so you and I can go shopping beforehand. We can have a girls’ day out; we’ll get our hair and nails done, get waxed…”
“Wait a minute, waxed?” If Nikki wasn’t panicked before, she certainly was now.
“Haven’t you ever been waxed before?” Tess asked.
“Uh, no, and I don’t plan on it either.”
“Hmm, well, I guess some women like to go au naturel, but my baby prefers me smooth.”
Nikki wanted to shout “TMI,” but the expression on her face must have been enough.
“Ok, never mind the wax, but I can help you with everything else. It’ll be fun!”
It was hard not to be swept up in Tessa’s enthusiasm, and it did sound like fun, minus the waxing. Plus, Nikki had no idea how to shop for such a swanky event, and with Tessa’s sense of style, she was sure to look good. “Sounds good; thanks, Tess.”
During their conversation, the room had cleared out except for the news reporters who were allotted a short time to interview Nate and snap a few pictures. Nikki watched as he dazzled the reporters just like he had the students, and then it struck her. This man is mine. He loves me, and I love him, and we’re together, officially together.
If this was a dream, she never wanted to wake up.
Chapter 41
Nate was fueled with adrenaline after the presentation. On the drive back to Clarkston, he shared some of the comments the students had made as he’d signed autographs. There was no mistaking the passion in his voice; it was the same when he talked about acting.
“If you ever decide to make a career change, you could be a motivational speaker,” she said conversationally. “The students were captivated by you, the adults too for that matter.”
Nikki’s praise pumped him up even more. “Why couldn’t I do both? I’d love to share my experience and offer advice to people who want to pursue a career in acting.”
“I think that’s a great idea. Since you’ll be in Clarkston for a little while longer, you could speak at Clarkston High School. I’m sure they would love to have you.”
Nate had been holding her hand across the console, and now he gave it a gentle squeeze. “Thank you,” he said.
“What for?”
“For everything. For going to Grand Rapids with me, for supporting me, and just for loving me.”
Nikki’s heart squeezed at his sentiment. It felt so good to hear the words; she didn’t think she’d ever tire of hearing them.
Nate continued his train of thought before she could reciprocate. “I think I’ll call Tess later and ask her to contact the principal of Clarkston High. Hopefully, something can be arranged before I have to leave.”
Boom! Her heart that had been filled with happiness a moment ago suddenly deflated like an old balloon. As close as they had become over the weekend, Nikki was very aware of the giant barrier between them in the form of seven or eight states! She knew they couldn’t avoid the topic forever, but for now, Nate was still talking excitedly about his speaking engagement, and Nikki didn’t want to steal his thunder. Besides, they still had until Thanksgiving to be together; there was plenty of time left.
Later that night, after two energetic rounds of lovemaking, Nikki struggled to fall asleep. While Nate lay sprawled out next to her, snoring (take that, Julie!), Nikki’s mind whirred with troubling thoughts.
If Nate were to add motivational speaking to his schedule, how often would Nikki be able to see him? The commute between Michigan and California was daunting enough, but now what? Would Nate ever be in one place long enough for them to maintain a relationship? What about her career? She wasn’t prepared to give up her business, no matter how much she loved him. Some women would jump at the chance to be “kept” by a man, but not Nikki. She had vowed a long time ago to be true to herself and pursue her own passions. To give up her dreams for a man was unacceptable, even a man as spectacular as Nate Collins! She loved Nate, of that she had no doubt, but would love be enough to keep them together?
Nikki finally fell asleep in the wee hours of the morning and didn’t even budge when Nate left for his morning run.
After two cups of coffee, Nikki still felt exhausted as she shuffled into her office.
Rosa greeted her cheerfully, as usual, but Nikki barely grumbled a reply.
“Another rough weekend with Mr. Hottie?” Rosa teased.
Nikki shot her a look. “We actually had a lovely weekend, thank you very much.” Lovely? What am I, seventy years old?
“Well, then why do you look so grumpy?”
“I didn’t sleep well last night, but never mind that. What did I miss around here?”
Rosa sensed that her boss was in no mood for a ribbing, so she got down to business. “Cindy stopped by yesterday and wants you to call her. Also, Chad called twice about the annual chamber members’ dinner. He needs an answer right away, so unless you want him to make a personal visit, I suggest…”
“I’ll call him. Anything else?”
“Mrs. Watson wants to make some appointments to see some houses from that list you gave her. I offered to take down the info
rmation, but she insisted on speaking to you.”
Nikki’s head was still foggy from lack of sleep, but she obviously had her work cut out for her. One of the tricks she had learned in the business was to tackle the items she dreaded the most right away. Her first task—call Chad.
Chad answered on the first ring, as if he were waiting for her call. “Good morning. I heard you went away for the weekend.”
“Yes, and I heard you called about the chamber members’ dinner.” Nikki didn’t want to discuss her personal life with Chad any more than she already had.
“I did. We’re trying to get an idea of how many people will be attending. Can I count you in?”
“When is it?”
“Two Saturdays from now.”
Nikki didn’t have to look at her calendar to know that she wouldn’t be able to make it. Two weekends from now she would be in L.A. with Nate. This would be the first year since owning her own business that she wouldn’t be able to attend the dinner. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that.
“Sorry, Chad. I won’t be able to make it this year. I have another commitment on that date.”
Chad sensed her dismay and pounced on it. “Is it something you can reschedule?”
She knew he was fishing, but the only way to get him off the phone would be to tell him the truth. “No. I’m going to be in L.A. that weekend for a charity event.”
The minute she said L.A., she knew he would make the connection to Nate. “Oh, I see. So it’s some big movie-star thing, huh?”
Chad’s tone was somewhat snarky, but Nicole was determined to remain neutral. “It’s for a children’s hospital, and yes, Nate is escorting me.”
“I see. You know that you can invite a guest to the chamber dinner, but I suppose Mr. Big Shot is too important to come to a little shindig like ours.”
Starring You and Me Page 19
