Nick nodded. “I plan on seeing as much of her as possible over the next week. I’ll make a decision, then.”
“If memory serves, this is not just your decision. You must get this girl to agree. You have to be honest with her or whatever’s blooming naturally between you will wither and die.”
That fractured whisper echoed again, as if reiterating the lawyer’s words.
“I know.” Nick blew out a breath. “Leave the romance to me. There’s already a spark. It’s only a matter of fanning that spark into a flame, plus I know it’s not the money. Mikki doesn’t know who I am.
“You’d like to think that.”
“Marcus, I trust my instincts, but I trust my wolf even more. It’s not the money.”
“If you say so, Nick. Still, I want you to prepare yourself for otherwise. Just in case.”
“I am. I have options. Not the best, but if push came to shove, I know what I’m bargaining with Jillian.”
“Bargaining indeed.” Marcus snorted. “The prenup I crafted is as iron-clad as your father’s contract.”
“Good. Oh, and I need you to do a favor for Mikki. She’s got a problem with a dirtbag landlord. I gave her your number. She might call, she might not, but if she does, take care of it for me, okay?”
“You sure she doesn’t know who you are?” Marcus asked skeptically.
“Positive,” Nick replied. “I never gave her my last name.”
Marcus exhaled, but wasn’t amused. “You never gave her your last name. Do you know hers at least?”
“Honestly, no.” Nicky laughed.
“You worry me, boy. Seriously.”
“Aww, I love you, too, old man,” Nick replied with a soft smile.
The lawyer cleared his throat. “One week, then” He paused for effect. “I mean it, Nick. No more. No less. Then we proceed with the other options.”
Nick nodded. “One week. That’s all I’ll need. Just keep an ear out for Mikki’s call. If she does reach out, call me immediately.”
“Why, in case she decides she wants the legal help you offered, and not you?” Marcus questioned.
“Wow. Is being a killjoy part of the lawyer’s oath when you join the bar? I gotta ask, because you do it so well,” Nick shot back with a chuckle.
“Listen,” Marcus snorted. “I bend my oath plenty for you, but in this instance, no chance. If you get yourself in deep doo-doo, you can’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Nick burst out laughing. “Duly noted, counselor. Or should I say doody noted.” He grinned on his end of the phone. “When are you back, by the way?”
“I’ll be back in New York on Monday, maybe Tuesday. Either way, I expect to hear from you about this matter by Wednesday, regardless. This whole kettle of fish needs to be settled, and so do you. I don’t want you torn.”
Nick glanced at the same cloud in the sky and watched the soft cotton split in two, almost like an omen. “You and me both.”
“Why don’t you give me this girl’s contact information? That way I can call her and speed things up. If she’s only interested in the free legal advice, we’ll know right away and you won’t have to waste the week,” Marcus suggested.
“I can’t do that,” Nick replied.
Marcus exhaled into the line. “Now is not the time for you to get all chivalrous, Nicolas. Let me give her a call.”
“I can’t. I don’t have her number,” he replied, and the line hummed with silence. “Marcus? You there?”
“I’m here.” He exhaled. “Nick, women throw themselves at you daily, why in hell didn’t you get her contact information? Especially with what you’re facing?”
Nick rubbed his palm over his forehead. “I don’t know. Time got away from me. I gave her your info first.” He frowned at how lame he sounded. “It’s not what you think, Marcus. Everything was going well, but then Jillian called and Mikki saw her pic on caller ID. After that, the only thing I could do was give her my number along with yours.”
“Are you telling me you don’t know anything more about this girl than her first name and that she’s having an issue with her landlord?” Marcus asked, annoyed. “Since when are you so…so…insipid?”
“Hey, I am not tame.”
Marcus blew out a breath. “I meant unsure, dummy. You left the ball completely in this girl’s court. Very out of character for you.”
Nick raked a hand through his hair. “Don’t you think I know that? I had to tap dance around Jillian’s call, and no, I wasn’t about to lie or deflect. Mikki’s a shifter. She would have sensed my dodge in a New York minute. As it is, she knew I wasn’t telling her the whole truth about me.”
“Didn’t I say you’d be better off with someone with only a drop of shifter blood? There’s still Kayla York. Remember? She was my original plan,” Marcus said. “I know the picture in the dossier was grainy and didn’t do the girl justice, but—”
Nick laughed. “Grainy? You need to find yourself a new private investigator, Marcus. Anyway, the answer is no. I have enough options between Mikki and Jillian, there’s no need to introduce a complete unknown to the mix. I can take it from here.”
“I don’t know, Nick. I may give the York girl a call. Just in case.”
Blowing out a breath, Nick shook his head. “If calling makes you feel better, fine, but I truly think Mikki is the one. My wolf certainly agrees.”
“And that, ladies and gents, is how a legacy is lost,” the lawyer replied.
“Marcus—”
“It’s okay, Nick. I know what I have to do on my end, but one way or the other I will see you in my office on Wednesday morning. Ten a.m. sharp.”
Nick pressed his lips together. “This just got really real, didn’t it?”
“Yes, it did.” The question was rhetorical, but Marcus answered anyway. He paused once more. “I’m sorry, Nick. If it’s worth anything, I hope this Mikki turns out to be the right one. I’ll make a few calls on her behalf. You said she was having trouble with a new landlord, right?”
“Yes.”
“Business or residence?” Marcus asked.
Nick heard the lawyer’s pen scratching on paper on the other side of the line. “Business. She has some kind of eclectic book shop here in the city.”
“I’ll see what I can find out. Maybe you won’t have to wait for her to call first.”
Nick exhaled once more. “As you love to say, from your lips to God’s ears.”
Chapter Eight
“You said the bookshop used to belong to your parents,” Eli prompted as they walked along the sidewalk toward the park. “Must have been a fun place to hang out as a kid.”
“My grandparents, actually. They were part of the first wave of beatniks in the early fifties, and yeah, the west village was a great place to grow up.”
“Oh man, I can smell the salty steam from that food cart from here!” Taking Mikki’s hand, he ran toward the street with her in tow.
She pulled her hand back as he ducked between two cars. “Hey! Getting clipped by midday traffic wasn’t part of my plan today!”
“Taking chances makes life interesting.” He stood on the double yellow, his hand out toward her as car horns blared their approach. “I dare you.”
Mikki blinked at him, incredulous. “You’re nuts!”
“All part of my charm.”
Licking her lips, she watched the wind mold his slacks to muscular thighs. “God, help me.” With a quick breath, she ran across, dodging traffic only to meet his wide, sexy grin.
“See? Easy peasy lemon squeezy.” He winked, taking her hand
“You did not just say lemon squeezy.”
“Again, part of my charm.”
With a squeal that was half laugh half dread, she sprinted with him across the rest of the street, veering toward the corner food cart.
A large yellow umbrella poked up from the side, despite the wind. The owner stood freezing, bundled like an Inuit, while Eli scanned the choices.
“Two hot dogs w
ith sauerkraut and mustard for me, a soft pretzel with mustard and a bottle of water.” He turned to Mikki. “What about you?”
Her stomach growled loudly, and she blushed. “I guess I should’ve eaten the rest of that donut before we left the shop.”
“Order something. My treat. After all, I’m the one who invited you out into the cold this afternoon.”
A soft laugh left her lips as she spared a glance for the traffic. “True. You’re quite persuasive.”
“Especially when I set my mind to something I want.” His eyes met hers and held.
A breeze blew loose tendrils around her face and she shivered from the intensity of his gaze. The air between them was wicked cold, but even with the wind there was no trace of deceit. Interest, yes. Who’d have thought she’d start her week learning how to sense a horny shifter?
“What’s wrong?” he asked with a chuckle.
Heat flushed and she was glad for the chilly air. “You’re staring, again.”
“Can you blame me?” Eli answered with a question. “My lunch date is a beautiful girl.”
The food cart owner stamped his feet to keep warm, and Mikki looked at Eli’s food already wrapped and getting cold on the narrow counter.
“Well, if you’re buying I guess I’ll have a hot dog. Just mustard,” she said. “And a bottle of water, as well.”
The cart owner wrapped the rest of the order in wax paper and aluminum foil and the two walked toward the park with their food.
“Why don’t we sit on those benches? The fountain across the way is frozen solid, but the icicles are cool.” Mikki pointed toward a row of green benches on the other side of the park. “The sun’s out and the trees along the perimeter block the wind. Maybe it won’t be quite as cold.”
They walked across the park, and Eli tugged a piece of wax paper loose from the food bag to wipe down the bench, clearing it of whatever snow remained. He put their goodies on the green painted slats and sat to one side, gesturing for Mikki to do the same.
“We’ve got the best of New York street food right here.” He rubbed his gloved hands together. “No better lunch in the entire city.” He opened the top of the crinkled paper bag.
Mikki took her hot dog from his hand and peeled back the thin white paper. “Not quite,” she said, taking a bite. “We’re missing falafel and potato knishes.”
He handed her a mustard-spotted napkin. “Falafel balls remind me of hush puppies, just not as sweet, but I’ve never had a knish.”
“Knishes are my favorite. If you’re a true New York street foodie, nothing beats a deep-fried square of mashed potatoes.”
Eli grinned, taking a bite of his hot dog. His eyes closed and he moaned, chewing.
“Good, huh?” she asked, plopping a piece of hot dog bun into her mouth.
“Amazing,” he mumbled, swallowing what he chewed. “This park is pretty amazing, too. Most people don’t realize there are havens like this hiding in plain sight all over the city.” He gestured to the surrounding park with the remaining half of his dirty water dog.
Mikki nodded in agreement. “You should see this place in the spring. It’s got so many flowers you can get drunk on the colors and scents.”
“Some things in this neighborhood intoxicate even in winter.” His voice was low, but his eyes found hers again.
She didn’t reply. “So what do you besides troll local shops for lunch dates?”
“Funny.” He grinned, chewing another bite. “Next time, you pay.”
Mikki smirked. “I’m teasing. I love showing off the neighborhood.”
“You’re a true city mouse, Mikki.” He grinned at his own pun. “Or should I say city cat.”
At his raised eyebrow, she nearly choked on her hot dog.
“Don’t look so shocked. I know you had my dual-nature pegged the moment I walked through your door.” He tapped his nose. “I wish I could say the same. To be honest, I can’t quite place you. Not completely, anyway.” He shrugged. “I must be losing my touch.”
It was like déjà vu except with a different leading man. She swallowed her mouthful. “It’s not you. I’m sure your touch is perfect.”
A teasing smile spread on his face, curling into a sexy grin. “Well, I’m not one to brag—”
Mikki swallowed again, only this time it was an embarrassed lump in her throat. Ugh. Walked right into that one.
“What I meant is it’s hard for anyone to place me. I’m a shifter mutt. Dominant on the feline. Or so I’ve been told, recently.” Of course she meant Nick had told her that yesterday. Before that she had no clue what she was. Again, courtesy of her family’s complete disinterest.
“Dominant is good. Dominant is a challenge.”
Seriously? She didn’t need this guy thinking she carried a whip while dressed like Cat Woman, and fancied tongue baths.
A tongue bath from him might be interesting.
Um. No.
Here kitty, kitty.
Shut up.
“Um, I think you might have misunderstood my meaning, Eli”
He laughed out loud. “I’m sorry, Mikki. But I couldn’t resist. Forgive me?”
His smile reached his eyes, and his scent was still clean of deceit, so she matched his grin with a grudging smirk.
“Only because Halle Berry is my favorite Cat Woman of all time.”
She crumpled the mustard-stained wax paper from her hot dog and stuffed it in the empty paper bag. “Okay, back to the neighborhood.”
She pointed to a row of brick buildings across the street on the opposite side from where they entered. “See the little bistro across the way?”
He nodded.
“Back in the day, that was a milliner’s shop, and next door to that was a cobbler. They were husband and wife.” She paused, flashing him a wicked grin. “That is until she left him for her assistant. It was a huge scandal, according to the stories my great-great-grandmother told my granny. My grandparents may have opened their shop in the early fifties, but my family has ties to this neighborhood way longer.”
Eli watched her as she took in the streets surrounding the park. “That block of buildings was recently for sale,” he said, pointing across the park.
“I know. The same owner who bought my shop, bought that whole stretch. Though from what I heard, he hasn’t given them as hard a time as he did me.”
“They’re renovating the apartments, but they want to keep the stores and the bistro,” he replied.
She shifted on the bench to look at him. “How do you know so much? Do you work for the new landlord?”
“No, I don’t work for the new landlord,” he replied, handing her a bottle of water. “I know about that building because I moved into one of the renovated apartments.”
She blinked before giving him a guarded nod. “Makes sense. Having dealings with the man, you would know what’s going on. Is that why you say he’s not an unreasonable guy?”
“Partly,” he conceded. “I still believe he will do right by you and everyone else who owns a local trade. He’s not a bastard, plus no one likes to do business with a bully. New York is big, but not when you look at it as a collection of neighborhoods.”
She inhaled, letting her breath out in a cold white puff. “That’s true.”
“Forgive me, but I have to ask. Besides your family’s history, is there another reason you want to stay?” At her dubious look, he flashed a sheepish grin. “I mean, are you staying for a more private reason? As in a one-to-one, private reason?”
She raised her chin. Now it was her turn for a playful tease. “Are you asking me if there’s a guy in my life?”
“I guess, yeah. But I still meant what I said about trying to help.” With a cajoling smile, he angled his head, watching her face.
“So, you’ve said.” Bold as brass, she leaned in, mirroring his angle. “And why is that, exactly?”
Their heads were equal but opposite, and he grinned even wider at the proximity begging for a kiss. “I like being a knig
ht in shining armor. Makes me feel good.”
“What makes you think you could do anything? The new landlord is well within his rights.”
“On the surface, yeah, but there are protections on the books, for a little while, anyway. If you can’t negotiate new terms, they have to give you reasonable time to find a new location.”
“You’re the second person whose offered to help me this week. Rekindles my faith in humankind.”
Eli polished off his second hot dog before reaching for the hot pretzel. “I’m glad.” He eyed her as he broke off a salted corner, handing it to her. “This first person who offered help. He wouldn’t be the private reason you want to stay?”
She grinned, taking the piece of pretzel from his hand. “Who said it was a he?”
“Ooh, baby. You meant it when you said your tastes were eclectic.”
Smirking, she bit into the soft, salty goodness. “I didn’t mean it that way, but I’m glad you’re open to sharing.”
“I’m not, but with you I might surprise myself.” He let the gist of his words linger between them.
She put the pretzel down and wiped the excess salt from her lips with the back of her glove. “On that note, maybe we should get back to talking about architecture or…or books.”
“Books?”
She nodded. “Yes. Deal breaker if you don’t like to read.”
“Then I’m glad I just renewed my library card.”
“Well, what interests you, then?”
“Do you really want to know?” He gave her a look that made her knees go weak, making her grateful she was sitting. Her pulse quickened and her body vibrated in places that shouldn’t from a simple conversation.
She coughed. “I meant books. What interests you in books?”
“Travel, I guess. I love to travel.”
“Lucky you. I’d love to see the world, but that’s not going to happen anytime soon.”
“You never know.”
“So you say.”
“I have uncanny intuition, and my guess is you have the same, so trust me.”
Torn Between Two Alphas: Howls Romance Page 6
