He flipped his hair out of his eyes. “Dunno.”
But he was lying. “You want to see the apartment?”
“Yeah.” He lifted a shoulder, as if he didn’t care. Yet here he was. Waiting. “Okay.”
“Let me grab the keys.” She went into the house, quickly explained to Lily what she was doing, then found Toby in the garage, admiring the Caddy. “This yours?” he asked, touching the shining hood.
“Pierce’s.”
“Sweet ride,” he said under his breath, a boy who appreciated an antique Caddy but could scratch the hell out of her Subaru.
As if he read her thoughts, he dropped his hand and blushed.
She let it pass. “This way.” Waving for him to follow, she led Toby up the stairs that ran up the side of the garage. “It’s not exactly finished because we really hadn’t decided what we wanted to do up here.” She unlocked the door and snapped on the lights, three single bulbs dangling from the sloped ceiling.
“Oh. Wow.” Toby followed her to the huge room, with its plywood walls and massive dormers. The only furniture was an old futon, a table, and a lamp with a broken shade, items she had planned to donate or throw away.
“We’ve got the Sheetrock and flooring ordered,” she told him. “And there’s some tile that needs to be laid in the bathroom, but the plumbing works.”
He peered into the one room that cut into the space and housed a tub/shower, sink, and toilet, then returned to the main room, where Nikki was touching the wall that was attached to the house. “There’s no door into the inside yet, but eventually it would go here,” she patted the wall; on the other side was a closet at the end of the second-floor hallway, the space between Chloe’s nursery and Lily and Phee’s room.
“But not now,” he said, making certain the attic over the garage was private.
“That’s right. Not now.”
“And you’re not using it.”
“Not yet.” They’d talked about it off and on. The discussion had ranged from an apartment for Lily and Phee to a bonus room with a pool table or even a podcasting/recording studio for Nikki. “We’vehad lots of ideas, but Pierce and I agreed; you could stay here, rent free, until you finish college or whatever. After you graduate, then we’ll re-evaluate.”
“You’d do that?” He was still skeptical. Still didn’t trust her.
“Yes. The question is, would you?”
“Don’t know.”
“Then why are you here?” She wasn’t buying that he was just checking out the space. His duffel bag belied that flimsy excuse.
“Priscilla told me to come. Told me I’d be a … an effin’ idiot not to take you up on it.”
“Your sister sounds like a wise woman.”
“Nah. She’s just tired of me crashing on her couch every time Dad and I get into it.”
“How’s it going with your dad?”
“Fine!” Toby was instantly defensive, but he didn’t meet her eyes.
“Well, if you moved here, he could only come over when you invited him,” she said.
“I’ll think about it.”
The garage door rumbled open, and Nikki heard the familiar sound of the Jeep’s engine as Pierce parked beneath them.
“Your husband?” Toby asked.
She gave a little laugh. “Well, I hope.”
Less than a minute later, Pierce appeared in the doorway. At the sight of Toby, he grinned and stepped inside. “Priscilla called and said you’d probably show up.”