Unfinished Ex (Calloway Brothers, #2)(78)

“They didn’t exactly offer me the job.”

“Yet. Tell me about it.”

The events of the day whiz through my head. I still can’t believe it myself. “Harold picked me up in a limousine.”

“Good start.”

“Oh, that’s not even the good part. He took me on a tour of the WYTV studio. The dressing room they showed me is as big as Brenton Carmichael’s. Everyone greeted me by name like they were all in on some elaborate scheme.”

“They’re courting you hard.”

“We watched the noon newscast. Marty, they had a chair with my name on it. And after, Harold and two of the news anchors took me to lunch at a place where the hamburgers were made from Wagyu steak and cost more than I spend on my weekly groceries.”

“How did you leave things?”

“At the airport, Harold asked me to give him a number.”

His low belly laugh sounds like Santa Claus. “I hope you didn’t lowball it, Nicole.”

“I didn’t give him a number at all. I told him I wasn’t ready to make any decisions yet.”

“Playing hard to get. That’ll get you more money any day of the week and twice on Sunday.”

“I’m not playing hard to get. I have some stuff going on personally that I have to figure out.”

“Right. You’re back together with your ex.”

I sigh. If that were the only issue, this would be so much easier. “It’s complicated. And part of me thinks maybe Makenna Kendall won’t come back. She’s already extended her leave. I know it probably won’t happen but…”

“But all things being equal, you’d rather stay in New York.”

“Yes.”

“Detroit is not the only market that will want you. There will be other offers.”

“I hope so.” I stare at lights in the distance. The train is almost home. Home—it’s the first time in a long time that I’ve thought of Calloway Creek as home. “I miss you, Marty. Barry Remsen might just be the death of me. I don’t think I really appreciated you until I didn’t have you anymore.” I sit up straight when something dawns on me. “Hey, do you think I’d have any leverage with Detroit or whoever about bringing in my own producer?”

“I think you could ask for a lot of things, Nicole. And they’d be fools to deny you. You are on your way up, and everyone who watches you knows it.”

“You watch me?”

“Every chance I get. The pride I feel—like a teacher watching a former student. And you should have heard the buzz at the studio after Louisa. You’re a celebrity around here.”

“You were my teacher, Marty. Or maybe my biggest cheerleader. Everything happening to me is because you took a chance on me.”

“Everything happening to you is because you are incredible.”

“How about you just accept the compliment.”

“Right back at you.”

“I’m at my stop. Thanks for the call. I’ll let you know what happens with Detroit.”

“Don’t sweat it, Nicole. Big things are going to happen whether or not it’s in Michigan.”

“Nicky.”

“Pardon me?”

“My friends call me Nicky. Nicole is my on-air name.”

“Now that might take some getting used to. Nicky. It does suit you. I hope I’m not overstepping when I say that despite all these issues you’ve brought up, you seem happier now. Anyway, I’ll talk to you soon, Nicky.”

“Bye, Marty.”

Twenty minutes later, I’m collapsing on the couch. Heisman immediately snuggles next to me, offering me the comfort I so desired after my long day.

Jaxon comes in the room, fresh from a shower. He leans over the back of the couch and kisses me. “I’m glad you’re home.”

We don’t need to talk about my day. I already told him how it went on a phone call from the Detroit airport. “Me too.” I pat Heisman, who is hovering protectively. “I really needed this.” I don’t have to explain myself. Jaxon knows that I wake up every day worried that Heisman won’t jump on the bed and settle his head over my tummy. “I had a bad dream.”

Jaxon sits next to me and pulls my feet into his lap. “Want to talk about it?”

I swallow. “Billy was there. Except he was older, like our age, but I knew it was him. And he was holding a baby.”

He rubs my arches. “Jeez, Nic, that’s deep. But you know it’s only your subconscious playing on your worst fears.”

“I know.” I sniff back tears. “It was just so real. And the baby… it was a boy.”

Jaxon twists his ring before going back to my feet. “Do you think it’s a boy?”

“The truth? I try not to think about it.”

Try, but fail.

“We should be able to find out at the next ultrasound, right?”

I shake my head fervently. “I don’t want to know.”

“You don’t? I figured you’d want to know everything you could.”

“Yeah, about the health of the baby. Not the gender.” I sigh and sink further into the couch, ashamed. “Am I a horrible person for wanting a girl? I think I might even be sad if it’s a boy, like he’d be here to try to replace Billy. So I want to wait, because boy or girl, if things go well, I know as soon as I see that little face I’ll be in love.”