He cleared his throat and pulled away from her. Since when did they ever have uncomfortable silences between them?
“Sure.” He choked out the word like the absolutely last thing he wanted to do with his life was spend an hour in her presence.
“Wow. You sound elated.” Something was up, but she was too tired to pry. Maybe the stress surrounding the resort’s acquisition really was getting to him. He worked twelve-hour days and was constantly trying to please every guest that stayed there. Catering to them hand and foot wasn’t easy; he’d said as much before.
“You know what?” Nikki turned around. “I’m more tired than I thought—I’ll just head home.”
“No!” Cole blurted, turning her around so fast she nearly fell against him. His bulky arms wrapped around her from behind, his breathing heavy in her ear. “Food. You’re starving. I’m starving. This way!” His panicked voice wasn’t helping his case at all.
“Remember, I’m not deaf,” she sang in a teasing voice as he jerked her toward a table, grabbed a menu, and shoved it in her face. She recoiled from the intrusion with a jerk. “Um, I can’t read this.”
“Right.” He swore. “Sorry, wasn’t thinking. Say, speaking of thinking, here’s a totally random thought. Hats.”
“Hats?” she repeated. “That’s your random thought? Hats?”
“How do you feel about hats? I think they’re making a comeback.”
“When did they leave? Be honest, are you having a nervous breakdown?” She groaned. “You slept with one of the maids again, didn’t you? That’s what this is about! And you’re avoiding her?”
“Ha, maids, classic!” He laughed loudly and then leaned down to whisper. “You’d look sexy in a hat. We should get you one, or say, five, for each day of the week—sunglasses, a makeover might be fun?”
Her eyes narrowed in on his blur. His body was hunched forward, and something was blocking her view of the other blurs in the room. “Cole?”
“Should we order?”
“We just sat down, and then you started yelling about hats. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Completely fine. Never been better. You like steak? We’ll get a few steaks, salads, alcohol—”
“You’re on the clock.”
“Today I don’t give a shit.”
“Whoa.” Nikki leaned back. “She must be horrible.”
“Huh?”
“Nadine Titus. Granted, I’ve only met her a few times, but she’s clearly got you ready to nosedive off a cliff into a pool of tequila.”
“God, that would be amazing right about now.”
She burst out laughing. “Every time I’ve spoken to her she’s been incredibly sweet.” Except for that one time when she blackmailed Nikki into bidding on Brant. But she kept that information to herself. “I think you’re just stressed.”
“Not sweet.” He swore. “A nightmare. He’s a total nightmare.”
“He?”
“She, sorry, stressed.”
“So order your drink.” Nikki folded her walking stick and tucked it next to her purse. “And tell me all about it.”
He was quiet. Too quiet.
“Cole?”
“Well…” He was fidgeting so much she almost reached across the table to hold his hands still. The constant blurry movements were giving her a headache. “He, uh, sorry, she was…hungover.”
“So?”
“So, she looked hungover.”
“And that’s stressful because…?”
“No reason.” He cut loose with another curse. “I had to change her entire itinerary in a span of five minutes while warning every single employee to be on their best behavior while simultaneously begging them to—”
She waited, and then when he didn’t continue she prompted, “To…?”
“Keep an eye on her.” He reached for Nikki’s hands and squeezed. “Because the last thing we need is for anyone to get hurt.” His voice softened. “Right?”
“Cole,” she whispered, and he leaned in. “Why would an eighty-nine-year-old woman who likes skydiving hurt anyone?”
“I think…” Cole cupped her cheek and his large hand engulfed half her face. “You’d be surprised what some people are capable of and what some people are willing to do for those they love.”
His hand dropped.
“Hey, Cole.” A man stopped at their table. “Nikki, good to see you. What can I get you guys?”
“Fuck.”
“Uh, I think you’re at the wrong restaurant for that, Cole,” Nikki teased. He didn’t say anything for a good two minutes while his arms shot into the air in front of the waiter, who shook his head and then stood directly in front of her.