“Then what? You’re too quiet.”
He looked at the house. “I’m just…taking it all in, that’s all. I’m thinking.”
“Could you think out loud, please? I need some advice. Mia thinks it’s ludicrous.”
He shrugged. “It’s not her decision.”
“I know, but I don’t want to make a huge mistake. I’m trying to be responsible…ish.”
“Why do you want such a big place? Are you planning on having a family?”
The question took me by surprise, and annoyed me a little. What did that have to do with anything? “I don’t know. No, not right now. Can’t a single woman buy her own big house?”
“Sure she can. I was just curious. Because I’m positive you could find a historical fixer-upper that’s not so demanding of your bank account or your time.”
I sighed, toying with my ponytail. “What else do I have to do with my time? I mean, I’m busy with work, but I need something outside of that, you know? And I have my friends, but even that’s changing.”
Nick looked at me. “How so?”
“Mia’s getting married, and she and Lucas have a new house. I bet they have kids soon too.”
“That doesn’t mean she won’t be your friend, Coco.”
“I know that, but she’ll be busy with her grown up life. And Erin quit her teaching job to open a dance studio like she always wanted to. She’ll be busy fixing up the space and launching a business—that’s her grown up life.” I threw my hands up. “And I’ve got nothing grown up! I live with my parents, for fuck’s sake!”
He patted my leg. “That’s temporary.”
“Doesn’t feel that way.”
“You know what? You are grown up. Because the Coco I used to know would have already asked her parents for the money. Honestly, that’s what shocks me the most about all this.”
I was half-pissed, half-flattered at the half- compliment. Sighing, I looked away from the house. “Let’s go. This is stupid. I can’t afford that house. I can’t even afford the down payment.”
“How much do you need?”
“About thirty grand.”
Nick whistled. “That’s a good chunk of change.”
“Tell me about it. That’s why I needed you to do Angelina’s party so badly. I think I’ll get at least ten grand out of it, and then I was thinking I could ask my parents for the rest.” I took a deep breath and blew it out. “But I think they’ll be a harder sell than you were.”
Nick smiled as he put the car in reverse and backed out of the driveway. “I didn’t give you enough trouble, did I?”
I eyed him sideways. “Making me spend the weekend with you isn’t trouble?”
“Is it troubling you?”
“No. Not at all.” I shifted my gaze to his lap, and he laughed.
“You’re such a bad liar, Coco. Some things never change.”
I slapped his shoulder. “Fine! You want the truth? Yes, it’s troubling me,” I admitted. “It’s troubling me because I’m having fun with you and it makes me think about things I shouldn’t.”
Nick braked at a stop sign and looked at me. “What kind of things?”
I stared straight ahead. Shut up shut up shut up.
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Why not?”
“Because that’s not what this weekend is for.”
We sat in silence a moment. “I’ll give you the money, Coco.”
“What?” I snapped my head toward him so fast, something popped in my neck.
“I’ll give you the other twenty grand.”
“I don’t want your money!”
“You need it. That’s why you came to me, isn’t it? Because you need money?”
“No! You’re twisting the whole thing into something it isn’t! I came to you because a client requested you, not because I need your money, Nick. I told you—I want to do this on my own.”
He shrugged. “Think of it as a loan, then.”
“A loan?”
“Yes. That way you don’t have to ask your parents for anything. I’ll even charge you interest if you want.”
Could I? Could I, really? It was one of those moments in life where I wanted a pause button so I could powwow with Mia and Erin before giving an answer. I had that feeling in my gut, the dessert tray feeling, like what I wanted was right there in front of me, and all I had to do was take it. But the thing was, I knew what Erin and Mia would say.
Erin: This is a Very Bad Idea.
Mia: Five Reasons Why You Should Not Take His Money…
They’d never tell me not to order dessert, but taking money from an ex seemed like a clear-cut no.
“I don’t know, Nick. It doesn’t seem right.”
He put a hand on my leg. “I’m investing in a friend. And in a historic home. In a neighborhood and a city I love.”
Damn. He was hot and he knew how to spin things. I chewed on my lower lip.
Putting the car in park, he shifted on the seat to face me, checking behind us to make sure there wasn’t a car waiting for us to move forward. “Listen. You think I wanted to be on Lick My Plate? I didn’t. It’s a ridiculous show with very little to do with real cooking, and I knew my credibility would take a hit.
But I couldn’t get backing from investors to open a space in Detroit without putting my name out there a little. So I gritted my teeth and did it, and it paid off.”