Page 47 of Crazy in Love

“Thank me later,” he said. “Right now, make sure this guy gives you everything. Let’s go, buddy. Up and at ’em. Those books aren’t going to haul themselves to the car.”

Thirty minutes later, they pulled out of the driveway.

“Oh my gosh,” Faith kept saying. “That was wild. When you tripped him. When I punched him. I still can’t believe I did that.”

“That was kind of fun.” He chuckled. “How many books do you think you got back?”

“At least half,” she said. “Which is better than nothing. And definitely beats a stint in the pokey. Thanks for that, by the way.”

“Yeah, after your Mike Tyson impression, I decided we’d better leave the cops out of it. It irks me that he’ll skate on the stealing, but it’s not worth an assault charge on your record.”

“Seriously, Nick. Thank you.” They were at a stoplight, and she looked over at him. Piercing brown eyes found hers, and she knew instantly the attraction was mutual. They locked eyes and then lips. He met her halfway, and they made out over the center console until someone behind them honked.

“Light’s green,” he said, as breathless as she felt.

“So it is.” She let off the brake and refocused on driving. Okay. Now what? Tess would be mad. But if she never found out…

“Don’t tell Tess,” they said in unison.

“Agreed,” they said at the same time again.

“I have a confession to make,” she said.

“This oughta be good.”

“In high school, I had a major crush on you.”

He chuckled. “Is that why my name’s written on a poster in your closet?”

She was confused for a second and then realized what he was referring to. “You found my vision board? Snooper!” She smacked his arm.

“It’s taped to the door. Not like I had to go hunting for it. Also, I will probably regret asking this, but what’s a vision board?”

“It’s a way to tell the universe what you want. You use pictures and words to ask for things, and the universe gets them for you.”

“And you believe that works?”

“You did just make out with me.” She tilted her head.

“Touché. So, what about the other stuff? Why is there a picture of a run-down house?”

“That’s the old Ashford mansion. On Second Avenue. I love that place and want to live there someday.”

“It’s a dump. And it’s been abandoned forever.”

“All I see is potential. I walk by there every day and envision it all fixed up, restored to its original beauty.”

He went quiet. Was he thinking about the kiss too? Should they talk about it? Do it again? No, he was off-limits. Tess would kill her if she let anything happen between them.

“Since we’re coming clean. I have a confession too,” he finally said.

“Interesting. Do tell.”

“About ten years ago, the night before I went back to college, I was walking home from a buddy’s and detoured to the lake. There was a full moon, and I wanted to get a cool picture. Instead, I saw you swimming.”

Her brows furrowed, trying to remember. She would have been about sixteen. Her eyes flashed wide, recalling a sweltering summer night right before school started.

She’d read a book about getting in touch with nature by swimming naked in a natural body of water. When she’d come out of the lake, she’d felt someone watching her. At the time, she brushed it off as paranoia, but it must have been Nick.

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