Niko(Love Me Harder #2)(35)
She was bouncing from foot to foot. She had been cooped up in the house with Niko for two long weeks. She couldn’t work, but she could live with that. She had lots of time to take. Normally she wouldn’t complain, but all she could do was kiss and make out a little.
She had tried to get a small taste of him, but he had stopped her. No getting excited. He had repeated Nicolas’s words verbatim. If she could have gotten her hands around Nicolas’s neck, he would be a goner by now.
She happily followed them out to the car. The ride to the coffee shop was spent on talks of who was the best warrior and what defenses they would use when everyone could gather for a war on their planet.
She had sat back and listened to the good natured bickering. She was part of the created family. She would have never thought something like this could happen as she had huddled in bed, scared to make a move as a child.
She picked up the flowers and exited the car when they reached the coffee shop. Mmm, coffee. She couldn’t wait for a cup. She walked in and waved to her friend.
“How’s the book coming?”
“It’s golden.”
She shook her head. “When do I get to read it?”
“Soon.”
Dee laughed and walked over to the counter. They had the same conversation every time she asked about the book.
“Hey I was beginning to miss seeing you.”
“You’re a site for sore eyes, Jim. How are you? Still conquering school?”
“Like a hero. I will be done soon. It gets closer every day. Makes me wonder what tomorrow will bring.”
“Word of advice, plan for tomorrow, live in today.”
“Noted. What can I get you? The usual? And who are your friends?”
She turned around and smiled at both Niko and Nicolas who were acting like they had never been in a coffee shop.
“The one with the blonde hair is my guy and the other is his brother.”
Jim stared at her for a moment before a fake frown covered his lips.
“I knew I would lose you if I didn’t move sooner. But how could I with school and all? I knew I would need an education to deserve you. Now what will I do?”
She watched him, trying not to laugh at his antics. He was too cute.
“I know how heartbroken you are. But you must go on without me.”
He wiped at an imaginary tear. “It will be hard, but I will survive.”
They broke out into small chuckles.
“Let me get your coffee. Do your friends want anything?”
“Give them the same.”
He nodded and walked away.
“What was that all about?”
“Jim? He’s a nice kid working his way through college. We tease a lot. It makes the late nights go faster.”
Niko retrieved the cups Jim put up and they found a comfortable seat. Dee sipped her drink, then moaned. Niko swallowed hard.
“Mr. Cohen should be here soon. Honestly, I am surprised he is not here yet.”
They sipped their coffee and Dee told them about some of the people she had met since hanging out at her local coffee shop.
She looked at the clock on the wall again. Mr. Cohen should have been here by now. She wasn’t liking the feeling in the pit of her stomach.
“Kitten, everything ok?”
“He should have been here by now, Niko. What if something happened to him?”
“He probably decided to stay in to mourn his loss in private.”
“No, Niko. You don’t know him. I do. I am telling you, he should be here.”
“Do you know where he lives, kitten? We could take the flowers to him.”
She beamed at him. “That’s a great idea.”
She went back up to the counter, waiting for Jim to come over. She bent over and whispered in his ear. They talked several minutes, then she reached over the counter and hugged him.
“Let’s go. He lives close to here. We can leave the car parked and walk. They moved out of the up and coming neighborhood quickly and entered the world of people who had raised their children in homes they had owned for decades.
They were on a tree lined street that was clean and neat.
“He’s at 707.” They stood in front of an older home that looked like it could use some TLC, but still had the feel of being loved. There were rose bushes in front of the house and a welcome rug that had daisies on it.
“His wife planted those rose bushes. He told me that they almost broke up once. They were having this huge fight and he said why do you get all the flowers? I like them too you know. She hadn’t known, but he knew everything about her. That’s when she figured out that she was loving him how she thought a man wanted to be loved, not how he wanted to be loved. He never had to ask for flowers again. Every year for his birthday, he got them.”