Nora Roberts - Waiting For Nick - the classic story from the queen of romance that you won’t be able to put down

Happy ever after, Freddie called it.

The perpetual rocky road, was Nick’s opinion.

They both agreed that the two viewpoints would add zest to the work, and punch to the music.

“She loves him,” Freddie said as they settled at the piano. “The first time she sees him.”

“She’s in love with love.” Nick set up the tape recorder. “They both are. They’re young and stupid. That’s one of the things that makes the characters appealing, funny and real.”

“Hmmm.”

“Listen.” He took his place on the piano bench beside her, hip to hip with her. “It opens with the crowd scene. Lots of movement, lights, speed. Everybody’s in a hurry.”

He flipped through his staff sheets and, with what Freddie decided was some sort of inner radar, unerringly chose the one he wanted.

“So I want to hit the audience with the confusion and rush.” He adjusted the synthesizer keyboard on the stand beside him. “And that energy of youth in the opening number.”

“When they run into each other, literally.”

“Right. Here.”

He started to play, a jarring opening note that would wake the senses. Freddie closed her eyes and let the music flood over her.

Quick, full, sometimes clashing notes. Oh, yes, she could see what he wanted. Impatience. Self-absorption. Hurry up, get out of my way. In part of her mind, she could see the stage, packed with dancers, convoluted choreography, the noise from traffic. Horns blaring.

“Needs more brass here,” Nick muttered. He’d all but forgotten Freddie’s presence as he stopped to make notes and fiddle with the synthesizer.

“‘Don’t Stop Now.’”

“I just want to punch up the brass.”

She only shook her head at him and placed her own hands on the piano keys. With her eyes narrowed on the notes he’d scribbled on the staff paper, she began, voice melding with music.

“‘Don’t stop now. I’ve got places to go, people to see. Don’t know how I’m supposed to put up with anybody but me.’”

Her voice was pure. Funny, he’d almost forgotten that. Low, smooth, easily confident. Surprisingly sexy.

“You’re quick,” he murmured.

“I’m good.” She continued to play while words and movement ran through her head. “It should be a chorus number, lots of voices, point and counterpoint, with an overlying duet between the principals. He’s going one way, she the other. The words should overlap and blend, overlap and blend.”

“Yeah.” He picked up the fill on the synthesizer, playing with her. “That’s the idea.”

She slanted him a look, a smug smile. “I know.”

It took them more than three hours and two pots of coffee to hammer out the basics of the opening. Not wanting to jar her system with any more of the caffeine Nick seemed to thrive on, Freddie insisted he go down to the bar and find her some club soda. Alone, she made a few minute changes to both words and music on the staff sheet. Even as she began to try them out, the phone interrupted her.

Humming the emerging song in her head, she rose to answer.

“Hello?”

“Why, hi. Is Nick around?”

The slow, sultry, southern female voice had Freddie lifting a brow. “He’ll be back in just a second. He had to run down to the bar.”

“Oh, well, I’ll just hang on then, if it’s all right with you. I’m Lorelie.”

I bet you are, Freddie thought grimly. “Hello, Lorelie, I’m Fred.”

“Not Nick’s little cousin Fred?”

“That’s me,” she said between her teeth. “Little cousin Fred.”

“Well, I’m just thrilled to talk to you, honey.” Warmed, honeyed molasses all but seeped through the phone line. “Nick told me he was visiting with you last night. I didn’t mind postponing our date, seeing as it was family.”

Damn it, she’d known it was a woman. “That’s very understanding of you, Lorelie.”

“Oh, now, a young girl like you, alone in New York, needs the men in her family to look out for her. I’ve been here myself five years, and I’m still not used to all the people. And everybody just moves so fast.”

“Some aren’t as fast as others,” Freddie muttered. “Where are you from, Lorelie?” she asked, politely, she hoped.

“Atlanta, honey. Born and bred. But up here with these Yankees is where the modeling and television work is.”

“You’re a model?” Didn’t it just figure?

“That’s right, but I’ve been doing a lot more television commercials these days. It just wipes you out, if you know what I mean.”

“I’m sure it does.”

“That’s how I met Nick. I just dropped into the bar one afternoon, after the longest shoot. I asked him to fix me a long cool something. And he said I looked like a long cool something to him.” Lorelie’s laugh was a silver tinkle that set Freddie’s teeth on edge. “Isn’t Nick the sweetest thing?”

Freddie glanced up as the sweetest thing came back in with an armload of soda bottles. “Oh, he certainly is. We’re always saying that about him.”

“Well, I think it’s just fine that Nick would tend to his little cousin on her first trip alone to the big city. You’re a southern girl, too, aren’t you, honey?”

“Well, south of the Mason-Dixon line, at least, Lorelie. We’re practically sisters. Here’s our sweet Nick now.”

Face dangerously bland, Freddie held out the receiver. “Your magnolia blossom’s on the phone.”

He set the bottles down in the most convenient place, on the floor, then took the phone. “Lorelie?” With one wary eye on Freddie, he listened. “Yeah, she is. No, it’s West Virginia. Yeah, close enough. Ah, listen…” He turned his back, lowering his voice as Freddie began to noodle softly at the piano. “I’m working right now. No, no, tonight’s fine. Come by the bar about seven.” He cleared his throat, wondering why he felt so uncomfortable. “I’m looking forward to that, too. Oh, really?” He glanced cautiously over his shoulder at Freddie. “That sounds…interesting. See you tonight.”

After he hung up, he bent down to retrieve one of the bottles. As he unscrewed the top and took it to Freddie, he wondered why it should feel like a pathetic peace offering. “It’s cold.”

“Thanks.”

And so, he noted, was her voice. Ice-cold.

She took the bottle, tipped it back for a long sip. “Should I apologize for taking you away from Lorelie last night?”

“No. We’re not— She’s just— No.”

“It’s so flattering that you told her all about your little lost cousin from West Virginia.” Freddie set the bottle down and let her fingers flow over the keys. Better there than curled around Nick’s throat. “I can’t believe she bought such a pathetic cliché.”

“I just told her the truth.” He stood, scowling and feeling very put-upon.

“That I needed to be looked after?”

“I didn’t say that, exactly. Look, what’s the big deal? You wanted to have dinner, and I rearranged my plans.”

“Next time, just tell me you have a date, Nick. I won’t have any trouble making plans of my own.” Incensed, she pushed away from the piano and began stuffing her papers into her briefcase. “And I am not your little cousin, and I don’t need to be looked after or tended to. Anybody but a total jerk could see that I’m a grown woman, well able to take care of herself.”

“I never said you weren’t—”

“You say it every time you look at me.” She kicked a pile of clothes away as she stormed across the room for her purse. “It so happens that there are a few men around who would be more than happy to have dinner with me without considering it a duty.”

“Hold on.”

“I will not hold on.” She whirled back, curls flying around her face. “You’d better take a good look, Nicholas LeBeck. I am not little Freddie anymore, and I won’t be treated like some family pet who needs a pat on the head.”