Free Learning to Love Again by Kelli Heneghan, Nathan Squiers Page B

sound the ticking of the clock on the mantle.  The front door opened and closed and she heard Mitch’s heavy tread on the stairs.  So much information had been put out there tonight, she didn’t know what to think, or how to start processing it all.  Should she take this chance with Jason or continue to protect her heart?  God, she was so confused.  It was a hell of a lot easier when she just didn’t care and put all of her time and energy into her career.
    The phone rang a few minutes later, jolting her out of her thoughts and she reached over and answered it.  “Williams’ residence.”
    “Hi, baby,” Jason’s voice rose at the sound of hers.  “I was hoping you’d answer so I wouldn’t have to put up with Mitch and his jokes.”
    “You’ll have to anyway.  I picked up the extension,” Mitch’s voice sounded over the wire, causing Nicole to gasp and Jason to chuckle.  She heard Carly’s soft voice in the background telling Mitch to be nice and hang up the phone.  “Don’t melt my phone with the heavy breathing.”  Mitch warned making his disconnect audible.
    “Sorry about that,” Nicole whispered.  “I have a feeling he is going to pay me back for all of the torment I caused him when we were younger.”
    “Why are you whispering?” Jason asked her, still chuckling.
    “I don’t know.”  She moved out to the side porch and looked out at the stars again.  “Why did you call? Not that I’m not happy to hear your voice.  I mean… ” She groaned.  “Why do I feel like I’m sixteen again?”
    “I just wanted to hear your voice again to make sure I hadn’t scared you off,” he told her, chuckling.
    “I’m not running this time,” she promised closing her eyes against the rush of emotions the warmth in his voice caused her.
    “I’m glad.  We have a lot we need to talk about and the phone is not how I want to do it.  How about I take you to dinner tomorrow night?  There’s a new steakhouse out by the interstate we could try.”
    “It’s a date.”  She agreed.  “Jason…”
    He waited a few seconds but she didn’t say anything else.  “Talk to me, honey.  Total honesty, remember?”
    “Jason, I’m petrified!”  She admitted with a groan.  “What if—?”
    “'What ifs' are what got us here to begin with, baby,” he interrupted her.  “All I am asking for is a date for tomorrow night.  A little dinner, a little conversation.  That’s all.  Okay?”
    She released the breath she’d been holding.  “Okay.  Are you sure you can put up with me and my hang-ups?”
    “I am only asking for the opportunity to give it a shot,” he told her with a chuckle.  “Listen, babe, I have to be at the hospital early tomorrow for rounds.  Take care of yourself and I will see you tomorrow night.”
    They hung up and she moved back inside and returned the phone to its cradle.  She stepped out into the hallway and ran into Mitch.
    “You into eavesdropping now?  I thought you were upstairs.”
    “I was.  Carly forgot her water.”  He held up the glass in his hand.  “I trust my phone is still operational?" he asked grinning at her obvious embarrassment.
    “Yes, he just called to ask me to dinner tomorrow night.”  She stuck her tongue out.  “You promised to be nice.”
    “I promised to not butt in, I never promised to be nice.  That’s too much of a stretch!”  Mitch tossed.
    Laughing, she went into her bedroom and got ready for bed.  Climbing under the covers, her thoughts drifted once again to her past.  After the murder-suicide of her parents, she'd become withdrawn.  She left the ranch to go to school, or when her aunt and uncle insisted.  That was it.  Four years of high school were completed in three.  College had been her chance to get away from Waketon and her past.  No one in Austin knew her or what her father had done.  She'd wanted it kept that way.
    And then Mitch had introduced her to Jason, and she'd started to wonder if