Page 64 of The Do-Over Girl

NASH

When I see Kali near the exit talking to Nikki, I head straight for her, hoping to hell she doesn’t leave before I get to her.

She’s laughing at something Nikki says, and when she looks up, she sees me, and her face changes. It transforms like going from dark to sunrise, like rays splitting through the clouds, changing everything, including my insides, the way I walk, lighter, faster, and with more urgency. When I reach her, I ignore everyone around her—including Nikki—and take her in my arms and hold her.

“Congratulations, Nash. That was an unbelievable game. You did good.”

She holds me back, and I soak in her words, her scent, the gentle cheery wrapping around her iron core and determination, soft and tough at once.

“Come out with me to celebrate,” I whisper in her ear. If there weren’t so many people with cameras around, I’d be nibbling on her ear, kissing her, and, hell... As it is, I know I’m barely getting away with a congratulations hug that’s lasting a little too long. I let her go.

Nikki smacks me on the back. “Great game.”

I pull her in for a hug, too, before she knows what hit her, and she squeaks in protest, then laughs.

“I guess this means you’re really, really pleased with your team,” Nikki says dryly when I let her go. She smooths her skirt as if I’ve messed her up.

“Just sharing the love, boss.”

Kali laughs.

Nikki says, “Lucky for you, my husband just left to take the kids home.”

“Would you like to come out with us to celebrate?” Kali says. Shit.

I send Nikki a look that says you’re dead to me if you say yes. She gets the message.

“Nice offer, but I’m beat. I need to get home and go to bed.”

“Lucky husband,” I say. She elbows me in the gut, and I laugh.

Kali shakes her head, grinning.

I put an arm around her, my hand landing on the small of her back. “Let’s get out of here. I know a place out of town where we can go.”

It’s my intention to have a late dinner at a place where we’re not in a fish bowl, and I drive her to Sea Dog Brewery in Topsham, one of the few places around that I know is still open.

We walk in, and the place is busy, considering it’s the offseason. It’s in a giant old brick mill building, and we’re shown to a table at a window overlooking the water.

“Wow,” Kali says when the host leaves us with menus. “A real date at a real restaurant. It’s been a long time.”

“Can’t be that long. We’ve only been in Andrews Point a couple of months.”

“Seems like longer.”

“Is that a good longer or a bad longer?”

She laughs. “Well, if you have to ask…” She laughs and reaches a hand out to touch my arm. “It’s a good longer. I feel so at home here even after all these years.”

“So, your ex never took you out, eh? No wonder you ditched him.”

She laughs, and I can’t get enough of it. I lean forward and take her face in my hands, drawing her close enough for a kiss. Her surprise doesn’t stop her, doesn’t stop me.

“I bet your ex, what’s-his-name, never kissed you like that over a table in a restaurant.” I’m more than confident when I have no right to be, and I have no idea why I’m comparing myself to her ex.

“You would be right, but how would you know?” She shakes her head, smiling at me like I’m her heartthrob. I should be. I used to be.

“I just know. If he’d treated you right, you wouldn’t be here.”