Chapter 7: Nikki

She couldn’t believe it. Theo Edwards had actually given her his phone number—along with his autograph, of course. Yet, to be honest, it was the phone number she truly wanted. She stared at the title page of the book, her heart still racing that he wanted to spend more time with her and read his words one more time. To Nikki, a true faerie in the midst of the mundane and a believer in mermaids. I hope we get to chat some more. Your friend, Theo. And there it was, the one thing she was determined not to leave without tonight. His phone number. 407-555-9675, whenever you’re ready for another mocha frappe. He even remembered what she was drinking the other night when she barged her way into sharing his table at the Perk & Grind. Her heart beat faster, and she knew she wore a sappy grin on her face. How could she not after that?

She walked out of The Nook in Time Bookstore and headed for her car, sure her feet were barely touching the ground. The past few days had been surreal. She went from being a frustrated patron at a coffeehouse, looking for a place to sit, to chasing down a local author who didn’t even write in a genre she enjoyed. It was crazy, the way it all transpired, like one of the romances she enjoyed. She truly felt like a character in a book, her fantasy coming true. And now it seemed as if she was reading another page, the cliffhanger resolved, and a new chapter in their story was about to begin. She was ready—more than ready—to see what was on the next page.

As she reached her car, her hand on the door handle, she paused and glanced back at the bookstore. How long should I wait to call him? She had felt foolish stalking him the way she had, Googling him on the Internet, studying his website, and even purchasing his books—books she actually enjoyed reading. She popped her car door open and then slid into the driver’s seat. Before starting the engine, however, she dug through her purse and retrieved her cell phone. She flipped open Theo’s book, typing his phone number into her text messaging app. Thank you for signing my book. I would love to continue our conversation from the coffeehouse whenever you would like. Feel free to reach out anytime. She pressed send and then dropped her cell phone into the seat beside her. First step done. Now, it was up to him.

She started her car, but before she shifted it into reverse, she picked her phone back up and texted her coworker, Stephanie Ledbetter, the one who pushed her to attend Theo’s signing tonight. He gave me his phone number!!!! I think we’re going for coffee again at some point. Thanks for making me go tonight. She dropped her phone in the seat again and shifted the car into drive. If it wasn’t for Stephanie, Nikki knew she would never have even thought to search Theo out online. Nikki’s coworker did all the real legwork, which was why just a bit ago Nikki found herself stalking Theo from behind bookcases until everyone else had practically left the small bookstore and she could finally approach him.

She couldn’t believe how her night turned out. Her nervous jitters turned into schoolgirl giggles as she drove. She had come so close to chickening out, to giving up and going home. Yet, though her stomach had been an agitated churning of knots, she had stepped up to Theo’s table and opened herself up to rejection. And won! Facing her fears, she had been rewarded—not with his rejection, but with his phone number. She giggled again and then laughed at herself. Nikki Sanford was not a giggler.

Tonight, I am. And she giggled again. Never before had she felt like this, a giddy, satisfying lightness washing over her as she weaved through the nighttime traffic. Her phone dinged and she waited until at a red light to glance at it, expecting it to be Stephanie mocking her for doubting the outcome.

How about tomorrow night? We could meet at The Oasis on the river for drinks.

She stared at the text, reading it over and over until the driver behind her honked, tired of waiting on her. She hit the gas just as the light turned yellow, realizing she must have been sitting there for quite a while. He texted back. He actually texted back.

And he asked her out! She swallowed the nervousness that clenched her throat once again as she went over the text one more time. He wanted to go out with her. She couldn’t believe it.

At the next light, she picked up her phone again, not wanting to allow too much time to pass, giving her the chance to back out. Tomorrow night sounds great. Just let me know when. She hit send and slipped the phone in her lap. The light turned green and, this time, she was ready for it.

Now she worried about what she would wear Friday night. Theo saw business Nikki the other night at the Perk & Grind, her mindset on work and not meeting a stranger who would absorb her mind. Friday night, she wanted him to see the sultry Nikki. Can I even be sultry? The truth was, she didn’t know. It had been so long since she went out on a date, she had just become used to dressing for work or a night of television. She needed to step up her game for sure.

As she left the main drag and entered her subdivision, she pictured Theo once again, his hair a shaggy dark mess, and his thin, lanky body looking as if a strong gust of wind would sweep him away, and yet when he spoke, there seemed such a calm strength about him, a strength revealed in his dark hazel eyes. She had only talked to him twice, tonight being the second encounter, and yet, she could not stop thinking about him. She felt like a cliché. How could she become so obsessed so fast? This was real life, not some romance novel.

As she pulled into her driveway, her phone went off again. How does eight o’clock sound?

Her heart raced in her chest and she could understand now why all of her romance writers wrote about how the heart fluttered. It was like a kaleidoscope of butterflies was going crazy in her chest. Sounds perfect, she sent back, forcing herself to take deep breaths. She couldn’t help giggling again.

As she opened her car door, she shrieked, her hand clamping her chest, as the presence of Stephanie directly behind her caught her completely off guard. Stephanie, however, didn’t seem fazed at all by the shriek. As a matter of fact, Stephanie seemed rather pleased about it as she stepped closer, a grin spreading across her face. “I was wondering when you’d get home,” Stephanie said, one arm wrapped around her waist while she twirled strands of her red hair with her other hand. Her attempt at feigning innocence was weak. “Time to share all the fun details.”

Nikki shook her head as she let out a chuckle of frustration. “That was mean, you know that?”

Stephanie shrugged. “It was fun on my end. Now, c’mon, let’s get some wine, and you can tell me all about Mr. Author.” She wrapped her arm around Nikki’s and practically dragged her into her own home.

It wasn’t long before they had glasses of Merlot in hand and were sitting on Nikki’s back porch, replaying every nervous jitter she felt that night as she waited for the line to see Theo to die down. Stephanie hung on every word, smiling the entire time, as Nikki relived her evening. “To be honest, I was afraid he either wouldn’t remember me or think I was crazy for searching him out,” Nikki said. “But he remembered everything, including what I was drinking. I was shocked.”

“Did you ask him why he didn’t ask for your number that night at the coffeehouse?” That had been Nikki’s obsession over the past two days. When she had barged her way into joining Theo at his table, they spent the night ignoring their work and, instead, focusing on each other. Grant it, she was snarky and rude in the beginning, but as the night went on, she warmed up to Theo and believed he had warmed up to her. Yet, although he had said he hoped to see her again to see if she did enjoy his writing, he had never asked for her phone number. It had stuck in Nikki’s craw for the next two days until Stephanie basically shoved Nikki into attending the book signing tonight, for which Nikki would be forever grateful. She needed to be pushed out of her comfort zone.

Nikki shook her head. “I could barely talk as it was. Maybe he was just as shy as I was that night, shocked that an accidental meeting could go so well.”

“And tomorrow night you’re going out for drinks at The Oasis? Nice. About time you got out of this house.”

Nikki nodded before taking a sip of her wine. After running her tongue over her lips, savoring the remnants of the Merlot, she said, “Thank you for helping me find out about tonight. I still can’t believe it all worked out.”

“Well, it hasn’t worked out yet. We need to get you into something slinky for your date tomorrow night, something that will make him forget about his mermaids for a while.”

Nikki laughed as she remembered how she came across Theo at the Perk & Grind researching mermaids and other faerie creatures for his books. At first, she thought he was some pervert hiding behind the disguise of being a writer when he just liked looking at pictures of bare-breasted women with fish tails. Then she actually found his books and felt silly for even doubting him. “Maybe I should just wear a mermaid outfit.”

“Oooo, sexy. Maybe you both could create a new fetish. It would definitely give new meaning to getting a piece of tail.”

“Gross,” Nikki said amidst her laughter. “You have a warped imagination.”

“Hey, you need to think like writer dude if you want a second date. Or is Friday night considered a second date since you kind of got to know each other Tuesday night at the coffeehouse?”

“Friday night will be the first date.” Although, if Friday night went well, Nikki new she would always think of that night at the Perk & Grind as their first date. It was perfect and gave her a feeling of serendipity. She sipped her wine, staring out into her backyard. Tomorrow night was too far away.