out for Hope didn’t set well in Nic’s gut and a surge of jealousy flared when he thought of Henri touching her. Shit .
“Why don’t we concentrate on keeping her safe instead of fixing her up with the neighborhood manwhore,” Nic ground out.
“How you gonna do dat? She won’t let anyone help her. I say a man who falls for her is what she need. He’d protect what is his, no?”
“Yeah, if he’s any kind of man he protects what’s his,” Nic agreed and then thought of how he hadn’t protected the one thing in his life he should have protected the most.
Nic didn’t agree with Rose, he knew Hope needed to feel safe before she could get her life back on track, and she needed people in her life she trusted, not to be set up on blind dates. In Nic’s opinion, getting her out of that rat-infested building was the first order of business they should concentrate on, not her love life.
“You got bettah’ idea, Nic, I all ears,” Rose broke in after he’d been silent thinking.
“She’s livin’ at the Cross on Royal,” Nic informed Rose and then watched as she inhaled sharply with disgust. “She’s not safe there; she needs to move, period. She let slip it was all she could afford, so we need to find a place that we can control the rent. Do you know anyone with an extra room?”
Rose thought for a moment and then a smile crossed her face. There was a reason she always succeeded when it came to affairs of the heart—she was devious.
“I know da’ perfect place for ‘tite ange.”
“And that would be?”
“Wit’ you.”
“Excuse me?” Nic barked out. He couldn’t have the one woman who’s piqued his interest in three years living in his daughter’s room.
“You got dat’ downstairs condo you workin’ on, yes?”
Rose watched as Nic thought about that and then smiled as she watched the inner workings of his mind. He was more than just worried about Hope being alone and she knew it. She saw the way his eyes had followed Hope around the bar the night before. He was interested in her as a woman, but too caught up in his own grief to see it, or his guilt about Chelsea wouldn’t allow him to act on it. She knew Nic, knew what kinda man he was, knew when something was his he’d move heaven and earth to take care of it, even if that person didn’t deserve it. His no account wife came to Rose as she waited for Nic to sort out his head. He’d worked his ass off for her, taken care of what was his, and she’d thrown it all away because she was a selfish cow. Nic deserved better than Kat, and Rose was gonna see to it he got better.
“Well?” Rose finally asked when he said nothing.
“Yeah, that would work,” Nic agreed, and couldn’t believe he hadn’t thought of it himself. She needed someone to look after her whether she wanted it or not, and with Hope downstairs, he could keep an eye on her and be there if something happened.
“Good, how you gonna convince her to move?”
Nic shrugged, threw back the shot that Henri had brought him, then stood. “I’m not gonna ask, I’m gonna tell her she’s moving.”
“Oodoggies, dat’ what I like, a man who takes charge.”
Nic shook his head at the old woman and grinned. If he didn’t know better, he’d think she was trying to set him up with Hope the way she pushed him. Nic paused on that thought before leaving and turned back to Rose setting her straight.
“I’m only helpin’ her out. Don’t get any ideas,” Nic warned.
“ Mon ami , only idea I have in my head is dat’ everyone I care ‘bout live life good.” Nic gave her a look that said he doubted that, but gave her a kiss on the cheek before he left.
Rose remained at the bar as Nic walked out, then she looked out over the old restaurant and saw families enjoying themselves, eating Big Daddy’s cookin’ and feeling life was good. She smiled when she thought about how far she’d come in getting’ Nic and Hope one-step closer to what they needed to heal. People pay
“Why don’t we concentrate on keeping her safe instead of fixing her up with the neighborhood manwhore,” Nic ground out.
“How you gonna do dat? She won’t let anyone help her. I say a man who falls for her is what she need. He’d protect what is his, no?”
“Yeah, if he’s any kind of man he protects what’s his,” Nic agreed and then thought of how he hadn’t protected the one thing in his life he should have protected the most.
Nic didn’t agree with Rose, he knew Hope needed to feel safe before she could get her life back on track, and she needed people in her life she trusted, not to be set up on blind dates. In Nic’s opinion, getting her out of that rat-infested building was the first order of business they should concentrate on, not her love life.
“You got bettah’ idea, Nic, I all ears,” Rose broke in after he’d been silent thinking.
“She’s livin’ at the Cross on Royal,” Nic informed Rose and then watched as she inhaled sharply with disgust. “She’s not safe there; she needs to move, period. She let slip it was all she could afford, so we need to find a place that we can control the rent. Do you know anyone with an extra room?”
Rose thought for a moment and then a smile crossed her face. There was a reason she always succeeded when it came to affairs of the heart—she was devious.
“I know da’ perfect place for ‘tite ange.”
“And that would be?”
“Wit’ you.”
“Excuse me?” Nic barked out. He couldn’t have the one woman who’s piqued his interest in three years living in his daughter’s room.
“You got dat’ downstairs condo you workin’ on, yes?”
Rose watched as Nic thought about that and then smiled as she watched the inner workings of his mind. He was more than just worried about Hope being alone and she knew it. She saw the way his eyes had followed Hope around the bar the night before. He was interested in her as a woman, but too caught up in his own grief to see it, or his guilt about Chelsea wouldn’t allow him to act on it. She knew Nic, knew what kinda man he was, knew when something was his he’d move heaven and earth to take care of it, even if that person didn’t deserve it. His no account wife came to Rose as she waited for Nic to sort out his head. He’d worked his ass off for her, taken care of what was his, and she’d thrown it all away because she was a selfish cow. Nic deserved better than Kat, and Rose was gonna see to it he got better.
“Well?” Rose finally asked when he said nothing.
“Yeah, that would work,” Nic agreed, and couldn’t believe he hadn’t thought of it himself. She needed someone to look after her whether she wanted it or not, and with Hope downstairs, he could keep an eye on her and be there if something happened.
“Good, how you gonna convince her to move?”
Nic shrugged, threw back the shot that Henri had brought him, then stood. “I’m not gonna ask, I’m gonna tell her she’s moving.”
“Oodoggies, dat’ what I like, a man who takes charge.”
Nic shook his head at the old woman and grinned. If he didn’t know better, he’d think she was trying to set him up with Hope the way she pushed him. Nic paused on that thought before leaving and turned back to Rose setting her straight.
“I’m only helpin’ her out. Don’t get any ideas,” Nic warned.
“ Mon ami , only idea I have in my head is dat’ everyone I care ‘bout live life good.” Nic gave her a look that said he doubted that, but gave her a kiss on the cheek before he left.
Rose remained at the bar as Nic walked out, then she looked out over the old restaurant and saw families enjoying themselves, eating Big Daddy’s cookin’ and feeling life was good. She smiled when she thought about how far she’d come in getting’ Nic and Hope one-step closer to what they needed to heal. People pay
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