Page 23 of Don't Regret Me
“Whatever you say.” Nick gave a low chuckle as he led her to his car.
Her edict didn’t last long. A moment into the drive, she turned in her seat. “What are you doing here?”
“Um, driving.” It was a stupid answer, and he knew what she was really asking.
She crossed her arms over her chest. “Don’t be an idiot, Nick.”
“See?” He glanced from the road to her. “You say my name like you know me.”
“That doesn’t matter now.” She turned to look out the window, and he knew he wouldn’t get anything more on the subject. Not yet. Her next words surprised him. “I really don’t want to go home.” She sighed. “My kids are gone tonight, and my dad won’t be around. I hate being alone.” Her lips pressed together, as if she hadn’t meant to voice the words.
“I’m used to it.” Nick gripped the wheel tightly. Even with Sherrie, he’d spent a lot of his time by himself.
“That’s not something you should have to get used to.”
“Or maybe it’s a skill worth having. The only person we can rely on is ourselves.”
“That’s sad,” she whispered. “Turn here.” She pointed to the entrance to a park, lit only by a single line of streetlights along the road.
“Where are we?”
“Bay Park.” Her lips twitched, as if she wanted to smile but couldn’t. “Park over there.” She pointed to an empty lot.
The moment the car rolled to a stop, Liz hopped out and started off into the dark. Nick ran to catch up with her. She hadn’t asked him to follow her, didn’t seem to notice he was even there. Yet, he could still feel the ghost of her kiss on his lips.
He could barely make out the outline of a gazebo as the ground turned from pavement to grass. There were a few picnic tables and then a wide-open space leading up to the steps.
Liz stopped before reaching the gazebo. “During the day, there’s an old man here who plays one of his many instruments. People come to dance or just listen.” A whisper of a smile crossed her lips. “It’s pretty much as perfect a place as you can find.” She turned, pointing toward something neither of them could see. “There’s a cafe over there. I used to come here just to sit.”
“Used to?” Nick couldn’t help it. He wanted to know everything about her, down to the minute details. She’d yelled at him and kissed him, and he had to know what was going on inside her head.
She lifted her face to the sky. “I was…” She hesitated. “Sick.”
Sensing a desire for a subject change, he said, “I’ll bet your kids love coming here.”
Her smile widened. “They pretty much love everything. They’re just as happy following doctors around in a hospital as going to Disney World.” Her head gave the tiniest shake. “They’re special.”
He wanted to know why they’d been in the hospital so much, but he didn’t ask. Liz didn’t know him, and he had no right to the deepest parts of her life.
“Come here.” She made her way to one of the picnic tables. “Let me look at your hand and you can tell me why you punched your assistant.”
He followed her, and they sat side by side at the table. Pulling out her phone, she turned on the flashlight and took his hand in hers, flipping it over to see his knuckles. “Will I live?”
“Well, I’ve never punched anyone, but I’m guessing it’ll hurt in the morning. At least, that’s what I think I’m supposed to say. I would have made a great doctor.” She laughed.
“You wanted to be a doctor?” He turned to look at her in the glow of the phone’s light.
“You aren’t getting off easy by asking me questions, Mr. Jacobs.” She dropped his hand. “I am now an accomplice to your anger.”
“Only because you replaced it with something else.” It was the first mention of the kiss, and he instantly regretted it.
“I think you owe me an explanation. First, you get me suspended from my job?—”
“Actually, you did that.”
She ignored him. “Then, I’m enjoying a perfectly nice night out—a rarity for me—and you come barging in.”
He sighed, leaning back with his elbows resting on the table. “Franklin wasn’t a bad assistant. I think. I don’t really remember much.”
