Read Online Nick Of Time (Blue Ridge Romance 2) by Allison B. Hanson - Free Book Online Page A

bad parts of being famous and got spat out the other side before I knew what hit me.”
    “And you don’t want to try again?” she asked, genuinely curious.
    “I do. I just haven’t had a song that will get me there. I’ve had a few good ones, but my agent wasn’t able to sell them with me singing them.”
    “Don’t give up.”
    “Reach for the stars?” he said with a chuckle. Maybe her advice sounded a bit cliché, but it was still good advice. “Do you like running the clinic?”
    “Yes!” She could feel her face light up. “I get to do the fun part, helping patients. And because most of my patients are walk-ins they don’t make appointments, so my hours can be somewhat flexible. I just make sure I get my hours in for the week and it’s good. There are seven other doctors and the interns pick up the slack.”
    “Sounds like a good deal.”
    “It is. Except that I’m also in charge of the fund-raising. That part kind of sucks.”
    “There are sucky parts with every job. It wouldn’t be called work if every second was fun.”
    “Right.”
    She pulled in at the condo a few minutes later and found herself unsure of what to do or say.
    Tucker came around to get in the driver’s side, and there was a weird moment when she wasn’t sure if he was going to kiss her. By the time she realized he was, she thought it would be on the cheek, but he went for her lips.
    She could feel her face turn red.
    “Sorry.” He laughed. “I guess we only had chemistry at nineteen hundred feet.”
    “Maybe,” she agreed with a smile. “So, I guess I’ll see you on Friday.”
    “Okay. Did you want to ride up together?” he offered.
    “I’ll let you know.”
    “Right. Then I’ll see you later.”
    “Hey, Tucker?”
    He paused.
    “Maybe we should keep what happened between us quiet. If that’s okay.” She was starting to feel a little embarrassed about their hooking up.
    “Sure. No problem.” He shot her his sexy grin before he got in the car and drove off. She kept watching until he was gone.
    To her complete surprise, she kind of missed him.
    “Huh.”
     
    “Damn it!” Tucker mumbled as he slammed his hand against the steering wheel.
    Somehow, during his fumbled good-bye, he’d left without even exchanging phone numbers. Surely he should call to check in. Girls got pissed if he didn’t check in after he’d been with them. It was insensitive or something like that.
    He hated the awkward phone conversations, but part of his therapy was to respect other people so he could respect himself.
    Now he had no way to get in touch with Nichole, and he found it more of an inconvenience than a blessing. He found he really wanted to talk to her. He knew she was brilliant, but she was also funny and sweet.
    He smiled, remembering the way she’d looked at her wine when she’d found out about his issues. Like it was a snake she needed to protect him from.
    She had protected him in the past, and he was grateful. Unfortunately, no one could protect him from himself.
    He sat in the car for a moment when he got to his brother’s house. Maybe he could come up with a way to get Nichole’s number without telling Cooper why he needed it.
    Or maybe he should just show up at her apartment. Standard stalker. He could follow her and show up someplace where she was going to be to casually bump into her. Strategic stalker. Maybe he could cut himself and go to her clinic for stitches. Stalker with a scar.
    With a sigh, he got out of the car.
    Cooper headed him off on the sidewalk.
    “How did it go?”
    “Great. Everything will be ready. Nichole made sure they could run a line so there won’t be noise from a generator.”
    “Oh! That’s good. I hadn’t thought of that.” Neither had Tucker, but he didn’t mention it. “Is Nichole okay? You didn’t upset her, did you?”
    “Did you just meet Nichole? As if I could upset her.” He rolled his eyes. “The options are to annoy her or piss her off.”
    “Did you do either