Read Online Love's Rhythm by Lexxie Couper - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lexxie Couper
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teenage son?
He swallowed, scraping his nails through his hair again. A dull weight sat on his chest. His breath puffed from him in balls of white mist and his gut felt like it was one big, knotted mess. Added to that, an angry pain throbbed where Lauren had smacked his head with her satchel, making each blink an exercise in self-torture.
Huh. Self-torture is trying to do the maths on an equation you don’t have all the numbers for, Nick.
“Well, that didn’t go the way I thought it would.”
Nick started at Jennifer’s voice. Dull pain stabbed through his temple at the abrupt jerk, making him wince. He gingerly turned his gaze to his left and watched her climb the stairs to her front porch. “And what way was that?” he asked.
She gave him a wide grin, reached out and pulled his right eye open a little with confident fingers before he could move. “I kinda expected you both to be lip-locked on my bed, to be honest. That’s why I stepped outside,” she answered, studying his eye with a contemplative gaze. “How’s your head, by the way? Splotches in your vision? Giddy? Flashing lights?”
He chuckled. “No. Does that mean my doc gives me permission to go after Lauren?”
She moved her fingers to his other eye, widening it with a gentle tug. “I’ve seen that expression on her face before. You go after Lauren tonight and she’s going to knee-cap you.”
He chuckled again, staying still as the vet who looked like an exotic princess inspected his eyeball. “Not part of my plan either.”
“So what was your plan, Mr. Rock Star, if you don’t mind me asking?” She released his eye and took a step back, her expression changing. Gone was the detached medical practitioner, and in her stead stood a woman wearing an undeniably curious air. But a wary one as well. “Until this afternoon, Lauren had said all of about ten words about you.”
Nick’s heart did a rapid little thud at the idea of Lauren talking about him. “What were those ten words?”
“‘I went out with Nick Blackthorne once. Stupidest thing I’ve ever done.’”
Dull disappointment dropped into his gut. “That’s twelve words.”
Jennifer cocked a dark, straight eyebrow. “So it is. Now give. Apart from kissing her in my bedroom, what were you hoping to achieve by turning up here?”
The protective tone in her voice didn’t escape him. “In all honesty, until I saw her in the playground, it was just to ask her to a wedding. Now…” He let out a ragged sigh. “Now I’m not leaving Murriundah without her.”
“Whoa. That’s a big statement to make.”
Nick shrugged. “What can I say? I aim big.”
Jennifer narrowed her eyes. “And are used to getting what you want.”
“And am used to getting what I want,” he agreed, shoving his hands into his jeans pockets. The cold was seeping into his bones. His breath grew whiter on the night. But he didn’t want to go inside. He wanted to stand here on the porch in case Lauren came back.
Oh, man, you really are the romantic, aren’t you? This isn’t a song, Nick. This is real life. She’s gone and she’s not coming back tonight. Not for you, at least.
He licked his lips, his stare fixed on the last place he’d seen Lauren’s taillights. “Can I ask a question?”
“Shoot.”
“Is Josh’s father around?”
Jennifer snorted. “If he is, I don’t know it. She’s never told me who he is.”
“Have you asked?”
“Quite a few times.”
“What about Josh? Does he know?”
Jennifer shook her head. “Not as far as I know. It doesn’t seem to worry him, but then again, he’s a pretty special kid. Talented soccer player and a mean guitarist.”
Nick licked at his lips again. His mouth was dry.
“Now it’s my turn,” Jennifer was saying, her voice level. Serious. “How long ago did you and Lauren have your…thing?”
“It started twenty odd years ago.” He gave her a sideward look, his pulse pounding far too fast in his neck. “Lasted a few more
He swallowed, scraping his nails through his hair again. A dull weight sat on his chest. His breath puffed from him in balls of white mist and his gut felt like it was one big, knotted mess. Added to that, an angry pain throbbed where Lauren had smacked his head with her satchel, making each blink an exercise in self-torture.
Huh. Self-torture is trying to do the maths on an equation you don’t have all the numbers for, Nick.
“Well, that didn’t go the way I thought it would.”
Nick started at Jennifer’s voice. Dull pain stabbed through his temple at the abrupt jerk, making him wince. He gingerly turned his gaze to his left and watched her climb the stairs to her front porch. “And what way was that?” he asked.
She gave him a wide grin, reached out and pulled his right eye open a little with confident fingers before he could move. “I kinda expected you both to be lip-locked on my bed, to be honest. That’s why I stepped outside,” she answered, studying his eye with a contemplative gaze. “How’s your head, by the way? Splotches in your vision? Giddy? Flashing lights?”
He chuckled. “No. Does that mean my doc gives me permission to go after Lauren?”
She moved her fingers to his other eye, widening it with a gentle tug. “I’ve seen that expression on her face before. You go after Lauren tonight and she’s going to knee-cap you.”
He chuckled again, staying still as the vet who looked like an exotic princess inspected his eyeball. “Not part of my plan either.”
“So what was your plan, Mr. Rock Star, if you don’t mind me asking?” She released his eye and took a step back, her expression changing. Gone was the detached medical practitioner, and in her stead stood a woman wearing an undeniably curious air. But a wary one as well. “Until this afternoon, Lauren had said all of about ten words about you.”
Nick’s heart did a rapid little thud at the idea of Lauren talking about him. “What were those ten words?”
“‘I went out with Nick Blackthorne once. Stupidest thing I’ve ever done.’”
Dull disappointment dropped into his gut. “That’s twelve words.”
Jennifer cocked a dark, straight eyebrow. “So it is. Now give. Apart from kissing her in my bedroom, what were you hoping to achieve by turning up here?”
The protective tone in her voice didn’t escape him. “In all honesty, until I saw her in the playground, it was just to ask her to a wedding. Now…” He let out a ragged sigh. “Now I’m not leaving Murriundah without her.”
“Whoa. That’s a big statement to make.”
Nick shrugged. “What can I say? I aim big.”
Jennifer narrowed her eyes. “And are used to getting what you want.”
“And am used to getting what I want,” he agreed, shoving his hands into his jeans pockets. The cold was seeping into his bones. His breath grew whiter on the night. But he didn’t want to go inside. He wanted to stand here on the porch in case Lauren came back.
Oh, man, you really are the romantic, aren’t you? This isn’t a song, Nick. This is real life. She’s gone and she’s not coming back tonight. Not for you, at least.
He licked his lips, his stare fixed on the last place he’d seen Lauren’s taillights. “Can I ask a question?”
“Shoot.”
“Is Josh’s father around?”
Jennifer snorted. “If he is, I don’t know it. She’s never told me who he is.”
“Have you asked?”
“Quite a few times.”
“What about Josh? Does he know?”
Jennifer shook her head. “Not as far as I know. It doesn’t seem to worry him, but then again, he’s a pretty special kid. Talented soccer player and a mean guitarist.”
Nick licked at his lips again. His mouth was dry.
“Now it’s my turn,” Jennifer was saying, her voice level. Serious. “How long ago did you and Lauren have your…thing?”
“It started twenty odd years ago.” He gave her a sideward look, his pulse pounding far too fast in his neck. “Lasted a few more
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