Serendipity by Carly Phillips Page A

seconds. She wasn’t tempted by his cologne or body heat. His touch was cool and Faith felt nothing. No warmth. No heat. No desire. Nothing like Ethan’s kiss, that was for sure.
    Without warning, Nick lifted his head and met her gaze, obvious surprise in his expression.
    â€œWhat?” she asked softly, resisting the urge to touch her sleeve to her lips.
    â€œHonestly?”
    She nodded. She didn’t want him to be anything but. Because in a matter of minutes she’d be doing the same to him and probably breaking his heart in the process.
    â€œIt was . . . nothing. I felt nothing,” he said, more than a hint of disappointment in his voice.
    Faith blinked, his comment taking her off guard, and suddenly she burst out laughing.
    â€œShould I be insulted?” he asked.
    â€œNo!” She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “It’s just that I didn’t feel it either and I was afraid I was going to have to let you down gently. Yet here you are doing it to me.” She grinned and wrapped her arms around him in a friendly hug. “God, I’m relieved!” She stepped back and met his gaze.
    His smile was grim but accepting. “Whatever happened to us?” he asked. “I mean, one day we were the most popular couple and the next you were a different person. We broke up, drifted apart. I never expected it,” he admitted, speaking of their high school days.
    She nodded, understanding how her actions back then could have hurt him. “I’m sorry. I just realized that my feelings for you were more about friendship, and at sixteen I didn’t know how to tell you. So I froze you out until a breakup was inevitable.” She shivered at the memory, recalling how awful she’d felt ignoring him and being cold all because she hadn’t been able to get Ethan’s kiss out of her mind.
    Then or now.
    And she couldn’t admit the truth to him any more today than she could have back then.
    Nick nodded slowly. “I get it now. I was a little dense back then. Couldn’t quite understand how you didn’t want to be with a studly football player,” he said, laughing. “High school. Aren’t you glad that time in our lives is over?”
    She smiled. “I sure am. Umm, Nick?”
    â€œYeah?”
    â€œI know what happened tonight is awkward and everything, but it’s also been . . . cathartic. I feel like now we have the closure we never had before.” She drew a deep breath. “What I’m trying to say is, I don’t have many friends in town and I’d be really grateful if you remained one of them.” She held her breath, waiting for his answer.
    Hoping this whole incident hadn’t cost her an ally and someone she liked.
    He cocked his head to one side. One hand braced against the wall, he studied her as if seeing her for the first time. “I’d be honored to be your friend, Faith.”
    Relief poured through her. “That’s great!”
    â€œI have a project to finish up, but I can schedule one day next week to meet at the store. My sister can let you in to look around in the meantime. Then we can go in and discuss where you want the shelving you mentioned, as well as any potential repainting, carpeting, et cetera.”
    Faith nodded. “I plan to keep it to a minimum for both my budget and not to take advantage of you and April. You’ve been so good to me already.”
    He waved away her concern. “Don’t worry about it. Consider it a favor for a friend.” He winked at her, clearly relieved they’d cleared the air—she wouldn’t hold that kiss against him and they could go on with their friendship.
    â€œI guess now that we’ve cleared the air between us, I’ll have to get used to seeing you with other men,” he said.
    She raised an eyebrow.
    â€œKidding! As long as any guy treats you right, I’m all for you dating.”
    She shook her head