“Damn it, that’s not what I meant. It’s just…she’s my sister, and you’re my friend, and if you two hook up and then split on bad terms, I’ll get stuck in the middle. I’ll have to take her side, because she’s blood. And then I’ll have to break all of your bones, or maybe kill you or something equally as awful, because it’s written in the big brother handbook.”
I can’t help it; I laugh at the look on his face. “Dude, did you grow a pussy overnight or what? Chill. I’m not sleeping with your sister, but it’s funny you mention that, because your sexual habits are the reason she’s moving here.”
Nick blinks. “What?”
Damn it. I shouldn’t have said anything. “Nothing. Forget it. Is that all you came out here for? To give me grief about a choice Nora made?”
“No, it’s not nothing. What were you going to say?”
“Shit.” I rub a hand over my face. “I’m sorry, I can’t. If you want to know why Nora is moving out here, you should ask her.”
“I did. She keeps blowing me off. Wait…” Nick’s face goes pale. “Does her moving have something to do with me and Jessa…you know…”
“Having sex? You’re an adult. You do realize you can say it out loud, right?”
“Yes,” he says, rolling his eyes. “Is that why she’s moving out?”
“I don’t know. You’ll have to ask her.”
“Fuck.” Nick sits on the edge of my desk. He looks lost and confused, but also a little happy and hopeful. “Jessa is ovulating.”
My jaw nearly hits the floor. “No shit? I didn’t know you were trying to get pregnant. Congratulations, bro.”
Nick manages to smile, even though he looks a little pale. “Thanks. We’ve been trying for a few months, and we’ve been keeping track of her cycles so—”
I hold my hand up. “No need to elaborate. I get it.”
“I should talk to Nora.”
“Probably.”
“I was really happy to have her back for the summer; I hate that I’m part of the reason she’s moving out here and away from us.”
“She’s still here for the summer. You can hang out with her whenever you want. She’ll just be sleeping someplace that isn’t your love factory.”
Nick grabs a pen from my desk and chucks it at my head. I laugh and dodge it. “You’re right. I hate it when you’re right.”
“Just talk to her. Your sister is levelheaded. I’m sure she’ll understand. She’ll probably even be happy at the prospect of becoming an aunt.”
“If we can ever get pregn
ant. It’s not happening as quickly as Jessa would like.”
I rest a hand on his shoulder and give it a squeeze. “Be patient. It’ll happen. Now get the hell out of my office so I can get back to work. I’m already behind on this vehicle.” And I still have to clean the loft before your sister moves in tomorrow.
“Are you two banging or what?” Duke pops a strawberry in his mouth, and when I scowl, he shrugs. “What? There aren’t little ears around, and it’s a legitimate question.”
“No,” I say dryly.
If our situations were reversed, Duke would’ve already slept with her and moved on, but that’s not how I work when it comes to women.
I mean, if I dated women. Which I don’t. Because I don’t have time, and there really hasn’t been a woman I’ve wanted to date.
Until Nora.
“So, let me get this straight. She watched your kids—”
“Twice. She came back the next day and watched them too.”