Kara nodded. “Yeah.” She did know. The man was as generous as he was kind.
Liz leaned closer and lowered her voice. “It’s going to be crazy if Wilbert and Willy get their hands on this place.”
“I don’t think they will,” Kara said, setting down her half-eaten roll.
“Rumors—” Liz started.
“Are just that. Rumors,” Kara pointed out. “Let’s let things settle before starting any more.”
Liz pouted for a moment then cheered up. “So, is it true then?”
“Is what true?” Kara asked.
“That you were with Nick when his father passed?” Liz asked.
Kara held in a groan. “Yes, I was here.”
Her friend’s blonde eyebrows shot up. “Doing?”
“Having dinner,” Kara said, glancing around the room for any signs of Nick.
Liz nudged her knee with her own, almost dislodging Kara’s paper plate.
“Hey,” Kara said, nudging her friend’s knee back.
“Doing what?” Liz hissed.
“I lost a bet,” she admitted, not sure she wanted it all over town that her first date with Nick had ended in a death. She was looking at her friend when Liz’s eyes turned to a person standing in front of them.
Kara turned her head slightly to see Nick standing directly in front of her.
When her eyes met his, she could see hurt join the sorrow.
“I…” Nick started but turned to leave.
Kara dumped her plate on her friends lap and followed Nick through the house, finally catching up with him at the base of the stairs.
“Hey,” she said, taking his hand. “Are you okay?”
He refused to look at her, and she had to tug on his arm to get him to turn around.
“I’m not sure how to get everyone to leave,” he said, not giving her a chance to speak.
She swallowed the apology she’d wanted to give him. Was he hurt that she hadn’t told her friend they had been on a date? It hadn’t really been a real date. Had it?
“I can help,” she said, wanting to smooth things over with him.
He glanced back towards the living room and nodded, still avoiding her eyes.
“Nick?” she said, looking down at their joined hands. “I—”
Just then there was a loud bang followed by a couple shouts.
They rushed down the hallway to the kitchen, where Willy stood over Daryl, who was laid out on the kitchen floor with a bloodied lip.
“You’re the help,” Willy shouted. “You don’t talk to the boss like that.”
Nick rushed to Daryl’s side and bent to help the man up.