2 Heart of Gold by Jessica Bird

Author:Jessica Bird
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 2012-09-25T14:16:14+00:00

Nick was sitting at his desk when he heard Cort come through the door. The kid called out but didn’t stop and talk on his way upstairs. He was ten minutes late but Nick wasn’t going to get on his case about it.

Feeling restless, Nick left his desk and walked out of the French doors onto the porch. Taking a seat in a wicker chair, he was watching the moonlight on the lake when he heard a voice drift down through the night air.

“Uncle Nick?”

Wicker creaked as he looked up at the porch ceiling.

“Cort?”

“Can I ask you something?” The kid’s voice was tentative.

“Of course.”

It was a long time before Cort spoke again. “What do you do if you like someone?”

Nick was stunned. It was the first time Cort had ever asked him for advice.

But why the hell couldn’t it have been about treasury bills? He’d gone to school to answer questions like that.

Trying to buy himself some time, Nick asked, “Do you like someone?”

“Maybe.”

“What makes you think you do?”

“Whenever she’s around my head doesn’t work right, my legs feel like I’ve run a sprint, and my stomach feels queasy. Like I ate too many tacos.”

That about covers it, Nick thought.

“Do you think this person likes you back?”

“Maybe.” There was a pause. “It’s not Carter, you know. She’s too old for me.”

The edge was almost gone out of the kid’s tone, and Nick was relieved they seemed to have weathered that crisis.

“So, what do you do?” Cort prompted.

Nick sighed. “Be yourself. Spend time with her. Listen to her. Make sure she knows how special she is.”

Drive yourself nuts fantasizing about her, he added to himself. Brace yourself for a bout with insomnia. Get ready to put your foot in your mouth and have to beg for forgiveness.

“That wasn’t how you were with Candace,” Cort challenged him.

Nick winced. “I know. I didn’t really like her.”

“I don’t think anyone did.”

“Well, you shouldn’t be with someone you don’t really like.”

“I know that. I didn’t think you did, though.”

Nick laughed softly at the boy’s candor.

Funny, he thought, that it had taken him so long to learn the lesson.

Silence stretched out between them, the sound of waves against the shore marking the passing moments.

“I think you’re right,” the kid said with resolve. “I’m just going to be with her. Thanks.”

“Cort?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m glad you asked me.” Nick took care to make sure the words were spoken clearly and that Cort heard them.

There was a long pause.

“Yeah. Me, too.”

Above, the door into Cort’s bedroom was closed softly.

Nick, for once, didn’t feel shut out.

Staying on the porch, he got lost in memories of Carter until he became so agitated he had to go back to the study. When he sat down in his chair, he picked some papers off the desk and tried to distract himself.

The deal for CommTrans was progressing nicely, he thought, as he reviewed the memorandum of understanding that had been faxed to him earlier in the day. If all went well, by the end of the month the transaction would be complete.

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