A Special Summer(20)

Summer lightly tapped on the door. She jumped as Nick barked for her to come in.

She avoided his eyes as she timidly sat down in the chair. She prayed for this ordeal to be finished as quickly as possible.

Summer’s body language spoke volumes to Nick as her shoulders slumped and she held her head down. She was afraid of him. He knew her fear stemmed from the night he showed up at her house unannounced. After he met with Kevin, he realized Summer’s surprise condition had been the straw that broke the camel’s back. Yes, he was pissed with her, but he wondered if he hadn’t had a lousy day if it would’ve made a difference? Would he have come down on her so hard? As he looked at her, he was reminded of how she cried and tried desperately to give him an explanation.

Clearing his throat, he asked “Did you bring the document?”

Too afraid to say anything, Summer nodded her head.

He watched as she nervously reached into a large black leather hobo bag as her hands trembled.

Summer was so shook up she dropped the heavy bag on the floor. Leaning down she quickly snatched the bag up off the floor and continued to rummage through it in search of the document. That’s when it hit her. Oh, no I forgot to sign it. What am I going to do?

Summer bit her bottom lip and nervously told him in a small voice as she pulled out the crumpled paper. “I didn’t sign it yet.”

“I thought you said you signed it?” His tone was low and tight as he gazed at her.

Lowering her eyes to avoid his hard gaze, her voice was barely a whisper. “I meant to sign it before I left home.” Digging into her bag again, continuing her search she mumbled, “Where is my pen?”

“What was that?”

“I… umm…I can’t find my pen.”

He picked up a pen from his desk and handed it to her.

Scooting her bottom to the edge of the chair, she placed the document on the desk. While reaching for the pen their fingertips touched. Summer jerked her hand away from his touch as if it burned her skin. Memories from the night a few weeks ago flooded her mind when she tried to touch him and he not so kindly demanded she take her hands off of him. Tears stung her eyes as she relived the stab of his hurtful words. She remembered a time when her touch was what he craved. She pushed ancient thoughts aside as she signed what might be the fate of her baby away. She wanted, so badly, to beg him not to make her do this. But, was stopped by the stony mask he wore.

Handing the document and pen back to Nick, Summer bit down on her bottom lip to keep the tears from falling. Determined not to cry in front of him again, after he’d taken the document and pen, she stood and begin to put her things on.

Pointing to the window at the blizzard fiercely coming down she said, “I better get going now; it’s getting worse out there.”

Nick turned his attention to the window; he sensed Summer’s uneasiness the longer she stayed in his presence. It hadn’t slipped pass him she nearly jumped out of her skin when their

hands touched, or how she fought hard to hold tears back as she anxiously made haste to leave. “You can’t go home by yourself in that storm.”

Summer stared at Nick like he had two heads. “I have to get home now.” I wouldn’t be out here in this mess if it weren’t for you, she wanted to scream at him, but knew better not to.

“Not by yourself, you’re not. Sit back down and give me a few seconds. I’ll take you home.”

It was more of a command than a request. Although she couldn’t stand to be in that office another millisecond, obediently Summer sat back down. It was becoming too much of a chore being around Nick, his attitude and behavior toward her was becoming more unpredictable.

Placing his briefcase on the desk, he put files along with that awful document inside before closing it. Nick doubt a courier service would make any last minute runs. The document was too sensitive not to be in his possession until it could be delivered to Mr. Steinberg.

Standing up behind his desk, walking over to the coat rack grabbing his coat and scarf, donning them, and then snatching the briefcase he said, “Let’s go.”

Standing at the curb on Eighteenth and Walnut, Summer’s teeth chattered as she waited for Nick to bring his vehicle to the front of the office building. She could have waited inside the lobby, but decided not to. She was in a hurry to get home and away from Nick. The sooner she could hop in the car, the sooner and closer to home she would be. Wrapping her

arms as far as they could go around her body, vigorously rubbing herself trying to generate heat, Summer was praying Nick would hurry. The black Benz rounding the corner and easing to a slow stop with flashing hazard lights was the best sight she’d seen all day. Well, with the