Going Up - Now On Amazon

Chapter Twenty Three

“Nick, Maybe I should hang around for a bit? The others went out for dinner and I’d hate to show up at the same time as them.” I exclaimed, in part it was the truth, returning home at the same time would open up a whole raft of questions that I didn’t want to answer. I couldn’t deny my reasoning was made easier by the fact that in Nick’s company I felt whole.

It was a ridiculous conclusion to come to, especially given everything that had already happened in the past week and a half, and given I had most emphatically stated more than once I didn’t want to be the other woman.  I was sucker for punishment without a doubt.

I stood up and turned to face Nick, to gauge his reaction. He shoved both hands into the pockets of his blue jeans and shrugged. His sparkling blue eyes connected with mine, a cheeky grin spread across his face, and his left eyebrow arched.

“What do you propose we do instead Sarah?”

My face flushed, oh I could think of many things we could do instead. Most of the thoughts in mind presently all ended the same way, naked in Nick’s bed.

I blinked hard to push the thoughts from my head, I wouldn’t allow it to happen again, and especially not now Alex was back on the scene. If Amelia was ruthless enough to out Nick’s history like she had, then there was nothing stopping her from outing the pain Alex had been through as well. I couldn’t let that happen.

 I thought of something innocent, but thought provoking; given the persuasion Nick had been doing in regards to it all.

“We could talk about your record exec friend?” I suggested

Nick’s grin faded a little, but not completely.

“Sit, I’ll go get something”

Nick disappeared down the hallway and I sat back down on the couch. He returned a few minutes later with a laptop.

“What’s with the hardware?”

“I just called DJ. He’s waiting for us to Skype him” Nick replied flippantly, as if it were nothing.

My stomach dropped, and suddenly I felt incredibly vulnerable.

“Dj… is?”

“My exec friend Sarah. If he likes you, well I could be looking for a new filer tomorrow” Nick murmured a slight sadness to his voice.

I chuckled, like I’d be signed just like that. Things like that didn’t happen to people like me.

“Right” I replied with a large dose of sarcasm attached

“I’m not kidding Sarah.”

Nick opened the computer screen and hit the power button. I frowned and looked down at my attire. It was hardly fit for a potential audition, perhaps for an audition to sing jingles on the advertisements for children’s cereal on TV, but not for a recording contract.

“Relax, you look fine Sarah. Breath, alright”

“I wish I’d never mentioned the executive….” I admitted

“You’re amazing. I’m a natural born talent spotter. Just relax”

Nick’s computer logged on and I contemplated getting myself a glass of water, and accidentally tipping it over the computer. Of course, I didn’t and I watched as he signed in to Skype.