I blow my bangs out of my face. “What was that all about?” An inner voice tells me that now’s the time to flee but my feet feel cemented to the ground.
“Did you enjoy your lunch?”
I shake my head in confusion. Did he just ask me about lunch? What is he talking about? “Lunch?”
“Yeah, I left fried chicken three days ago, tomato basil soup two days ago, and fettuccine alfredo yesterday. You seemed like you enjoyed those.”
My jaw drops. “I thought—Higgins—I mean…” I stop and scratch my head. “The food was from you.”
Nick glowers at me. “How many men do you have that are going to leave you food? I want names, numbers, and locations.”
“There are none. I thought it was Higgins.” I shove a hand into my mess of hair. “You left me food? I thought you were ignoring me.”
Nick fists his hands at his sides. “I tried, but it’s not working so get in the car.” He wrenches the door open.
I shake my head and back away. “No way. I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“I thought we already established I’m not a serial killer.”
“Yeah, maybe, but you’re a stranger. You won’t answer questions about your past. You avoid me for three days but leave food on my doorstep like I’m a stray cat you’re thinking of adopting, but don’t quite want to let me inside, so no, I don’t think I’m getting in the car with you.”
“Then kidnapping it is,” he announces and scoops me up before I can even think of a reason to say no. Before I know it, I’m in the passenger seat with the seatbelt buckled.
“Stay there,” he orders like the stray cat he thinks I am.
My hand fumbles with the buckle but he’s in the car and has it rolling down the street before I can get the darn thing unlatched. With a sigh, I slap my arms together and glare at him.
“I moved here from Chicago. Just graduated from college with my MBA and had plans to work for my dad’s company but he died in a car crash with my mom a month ago.”
Instantly, my anger drains away. “Oh my God, I’m so sorry.”
“It sucks. What’s your parental situation?”
“Ironically, my mom moved to Chicago two years ago with her boyfriend. I probably would have had to move, too, if Higgins hadn’t offered me a job.”
“What is it that you do for Higgins exactly? Just run his laundromat?”
“I do his books.”
The car swerves. I yelp in surprise and grab the bar above my head.
“Sorry. Fuck. Sorry,” Nick says and rights the vehicle. His knuckles turn white as he grips the steering wheel hard. “So books,” he says in an intentionally light tone. “What does that mean exactly? You have an accounting degree?”
I rub my neck self-consciously. This guy has an MBA and I wasn’t done with my degree yet. To be fair, I was almost there, but suddenly I feel real inadequate. Softly, I admit, “I don’t have my degree yet.”
“But you’re good with numbers,” he shoots back.
I shrug. “I guess so. Haven’t screwed up Higgins’ books too much. He’s still in business.”
Nick pulls up to his house and brakes but doesn’t get out right away. Instead, he pins me with this deep, intense stare. “You know how I came to this town?”
“No.” How would I? Other than his name, the only personal details I know are the ones he just shared with me.
“I got out the map of Illinois, closed my eyes and pointed. It landed here.” The left side of his mouth quirks up. “I never was a huge believer in fate because my parents just died and if that’s how fate is going to act, who wants any part of it, right?”
That makes sense. I nod.
“But now, when I look at you, I believe again,” he continues, “so I’m going to go by my gut here and trust you. The reason I stayed away for three days was because I didn’t want to get you hurt, but I did anyway.”
I close my mouth and look away, not wanting him to see that I am affected. He reaches over and squeezes my leg. “I’m sorry. I’m a dumbass who spent more time in the library than figuring out how to interact with women. I don’t know what I’m doing, but I want you. All those things about babies and marriage, I want those with you. I’m not even joking but before I can have those things, I have to put my uncle behind bars or he’ll hurt you, my gran, and me.”
Out of all the things I thought he might say to me, I never once came up with the story he just told me. I can only stare at him in shock.
The little half smile disappears. “Too much?” He nods then and says quietly, more to himself than to me, “I understand. Then wait for me. I’ll fix this shit and come back for you.” He puts his hand on the gear shift and flips the car into reverse.