LITMIR.BIZ

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inside.

      “What’s wrong?”

      “Nothing. Good night, Nick.”

      He moved beside her and put his hand on her arm. “Something’s eating you. What is it?”

      “We need to talk.”

      A shudder slithered through him. He had a feeling he wasn’t the only man on earth who had that reaction to those words. But he figured he had a better reason than most. The last time a woman had said that to him, his life had turned upside down.

      He took a deep breath and said, “Okay, shoot.”

      She hugged her black clutch purse to her chest. “You’re going to dismiss everything I’m about to say, but it’s time to say it. You don’t have feelings for me, at least not the way I want you to. Although, when you picked me up tonight, I hoped things would be different.”

      “What are you talking about?”

      “You were excited, practically humming with enthusiasm. I haven’t seen you like that in weeks.”

      “I’m always upbeat, Madison. And of course I care about you.”

      “See? I knew you would dismiss me.”

      He stuck his hands in his pockets. “I’m not. I just don’t understand where you’re going with this.”

      “We hadn’t finished our dinner salads before the other Nick was back, the one I can’t reach because he’s buried in business.”

      Funny, he thought. That’s almost what Abby had said to him earlier. “You make me sound like a schizophrenic, Madison.”

      “You are. At least now you are. When we first met, you were attentive. You courted me. It’s what made me fall—” She pulled herself up to her full five feet, one inch, a bit more with heels, and looked him in the eye. “Now you’re like two people. The fun-loving Nick and the one who’s only interested in profits over the last year. The latter is the guy I always see. I’m not sure I like him.”

      “Next you’ll accuse me of having an evil twin.”

      “That’s what it feels like.”

      “You’re exaggerating—”

      “Am I? Think about it, Nick.”

      He did, trying to remember, and came up empty. He put his hands on her waist and felt her stiffen. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

      She shook her head. “It’s all right. This probably wasn’t the right time to bring it up.”

      “I get the feeling you’re holding something back.”

      She smiled a little sadly. “You’re very perceptive when you want to be. I’ve been wondering lately if we shouldn’t take a break from each other.”

      “Are you serious?”

      “Yes. I saw the look in your eyes earlier when you explained that Abby Ridgeway was the reason you were late.”

      “That’s right. Abby and I were talking business.”

      “That’s not the way it looks to me. I suspect you have feelings for her that have nothing to do with business.”

      “Your imagination is working overtime,” he said, a little hotly.

      “Really?” Her chin lifted. “When’s the last time you kissed me as if you really meant it?”

      That stopped him cold. He thought back and came up empty. Then he tried to pull her into his arms. “We can remedy that,” he suggested.

      She stiffened again and refused to mold herself against him. “If I have to remind you, it takes the magic out of the moment,” she said.

      “I’ve been preoccupied—”

      She shook her head. “Like I said, this is the wrong time. I’m pretty beat. And I have to be in court early.”

      “All right.” He hesitated. “How about a long weekend soon? To talk this through?”

      “I don’t think so.”

      Nick kissed her cheek. “I’ll call you.”

      “You don’t have to. Good night,” she said. Moments later, she disappeared inside and he heard the dead bolt slide shut.

      With his hands in his pockets, Nick slowly walked down the stairs to his car. The conversation with Madison had rattled his chain. Feelings for Abby? That was absurd. They were nothing more than friends.

      He was perfectly content with Madison and things the way they were. She was an intelligent companion and did him proud when she accompanied him to business functions. But he couldn’t remember the last time he’d really kissed her and to be honest, he hadn’t missed it.

      But Madison wanted more. She was a wonderful woman and deserved more. He’d come to a fork in the road. Or maybe it was more like facing the three doors on a game show.

      Behind door number one was a question mark. Door number two was Madison. He liked and respected her. She was beautiful, brainy and would be an asset to any man. His parents admired her. More than once his mother had hinted that procrastination was dangerous. He grinned. Hint was the wrong word. Flo Marchetti had as much tact as a charging rhino. She’d come right out and asked him if he was waiting for divine instruction from the burning bush.

      He’d given her some spin about not being ready to settle down. If he and Madison were right together, nothing would be changed by waiting. At the time, he’d believed that. But he sensed that he and Ms. Wainright had just experienced a fish-or-cut-bait situation. He’d bet his new red Corvette that she wanted a family vehicle. She wanted the M-word. Marriage.

      The only M-word he could give her was maybe. After his sister married his best friend and his niece was born, he’d started thinking. What would it be like to come home to a special woman? Children? To have all the hours at work mean something in terms of having a family of his own. He’d thought about asking Madison to marry him. But the thought always made him want to run far and fast in the opposite direction.

      Then there was door number three—life as he knew it. He had a dynamite career. Building the family business along with his brothers was about as good as it got. Family. An image of Abby jumped into his mind. They were friends. Madison was dead wrong about there being anything romantic between him and Abby. Hadn’t he told her just a few hours before that she was practically a relative? As in a little sister.

      He’d tried to be there for her over the years. At first he’d called regularly and dropped in on her and Sarah to make sure they were okay. Abby always put on a brave front. She only came to him in crisis situations. Or to connect cable and hook up her stereo, he thought with a grin. He’d stepped into the big-brother role, to watch over her. But work commitments and Abby herself prevented him from keeping tabs on her as he felt he should. Sarah wasn’t shy about calling, but Abby was different. If not for the info her sister gave him, he wouldn’t have a clue about how Abby spent her free time.

      He teased her about not dating, but didn’t really know what was holding her back. But that was a separate issue. Something else was bothering him now. He had told her tonight that she was practically a member of the family.

      Some relative he was. Relatives didn’t ignore a birthday as important as number twenty-one. He wondered if the world-famous greeting-card company had a sentiment for a situation like this.

      He opened his car door and slipped behind the wheel. A greeting card wasn’t good enough. A grand gesture was what he needed to wipe the slate clean. Then he would see about mending fences with Madison.

      

      Abby heard the knock at her door. Annoyance trickled through her at the interruption. It was nine in the morning on her day off. She was up to her elbows in dust, wax and cleaning solutions. She had built up a head of steam

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