Page 79 of Falling for Nicole
I hear a few words rumbled before he comes back, pushing a trolley full of food.
“Oh my god.”
“Breakfast in bed?
“Yes!”
I’m gutted when we have to check out. I’m not ready to leave and go back to normal life where I have to make my own food.
“Thank you,” I say to Dec as he joins me in the front of his van to head home.
“For what?”
“Everything. I was happy to just let the day pass me by, but you made sure it was special.”
“By scaring the crap out of you?” he asks with a laugh.
“Yeah, something like that. I’m glad you pushed me. I feel so much better now I’ve been in front of a crowd.”
“So you’ll do a set at the shack?”
“One step at a time. That’s very different from singing karaoke!”
“Nah, you’ll take the roof off the place, I know it.”
I must admit his confidence in me does help push me towards getting up and doing it properly. “I’ll do it before the season is over.”
“Really?” he asks, sounding equally shocked and excited.
“Yes.” I try to sound confident, but on the inside I’m a nervous wreck.
When we get back to my place, we find Liv sprawled out over the sofa, preparing for her interview.
“I’m going to head to the shop. I’ll see you later, yeah?”
“You sure I’m not needed?” I ask for the millionth time. I hate that I get time off whenever I want it just because I’m screwing the boss—well, that’s what I’m sure all the others think.
“Yes. Everything’s covered.”
“Okay, see you later then,” I say with a pout. We’ve had an amazing few hours together, and I was hoping it wouldn’t be over so soon, but seconds later I’m watching his back as he heads towards his van.
“Have a good night?” Liv asks as she clears me some space on the sofa.
“Incredible. They giving you a test or something?” From the amount of paperwork she has out, you’d think she has an exam.
“No, probably not. I’m just so nervous. I’ve been working a shitty office job for months, and I’m worried I’ve forgotten everything.”
“You’ll be fine. I’m sure it’ll all come back to you the moment you sit down. I know it’s easy for me to say, but try not to put too much pressure on yourself.”
“I know,” she mutters, “I just can’t help it. I want it so bad.”
“The job or a new life?” I ask, but when her face drops, I regret the blunt question.
“Both.”
“If it’s meant to be, it will be, Liv. No matter how shitty, everything happens for a reason.” The sound of Mum’s voice fills my head as I say the words she used to tell me all the time. Whether it was a bad day at school or more depressing news in a doctor’s appointment, her answer was that for some reason it was meant to happen and we had to embrace it and learn from it. I still have no clue why she was meant to leave me so soon, but I know that I learnt a lot, mostly about myself.
“Do you want a coffee?” I ask as I head towards the kitchen, wondering what I can do to help keep her mind off her impending interview.
