The Sheriff's Son | Harvey #2

Chapter 7

Nicole had a few printouts stacked on the table of Ashton's house that she kept straightening. She'd forgotten when he was supposed to be here. It was already nearly four. He'd called at lunch to say he'd meet her here at three-thirty, he hoped. Well, he was late. She wondered where he was.

A little after four he came in the back door. She got off his couch and walked to the kitchen. He was a little sweaty, but he smiled at her. "Hey, sorry I'm so late. Benson had more questions for me than I'd thought." He walked into his bedroom. "I'll be just a minute!" he called, shutting the door. She frowned as she walked back into the living room.

She supposed a little time with him was better than none, but she wasn't sure she liked it. He walked in and plopped down next to her about fifteen minutes later, hair wet from a shower. "Okay. Let's see what you got." He grinned at her. His arm went around her waist as he leaned forward with her.

She smiled to herself, enjoying his touch. "Well, I was thinking about the colors. I want them to be a deep green and white." She pulled the green up on her phone and showed him.

He looked at it and seemed to think about it for a minute. "I like it. Makes me think of the woods."

"That's why I chose it." He gave her a slight squeeze and she smiled. "Next, I was trying to think of places we might can actually have it." She picked up the papers and spread them out. "I'd like to have it here, but I don't know where we'd have it. Plus, I'm from the other side of the state, so maybe Columbia do you think? It's about halfway."

He rubbed his face, thinking. "How far is it to your hometown, again?"

"Five hours."

He nodded and thought. "We're most of three hours from Columbia, but I think it would do."

"Okay. So tomorrow I guess I can look into what places there are that we'd like."

"Okay. What else?"

She hesitated. "Where would you like to go afterwards?"

He looked at her for a second, confused, but then he smiled at her. "Anywhere you are, Nikki." She giggled. He grinned. "Seriously though, I've always wanted to visit St. Louis. But if we don't go there, it's okay. My second choice is Nashville."

She nodded, typing them into her phone. Not that she thought she'd forget. "I would like New York, maybe, or Boston."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Go north, huh?" He thought about it for a moment.

"We could go to Missouri," she hurried to say.

He just smiled at her. "You don't need to give up that quickly. How about we decide what we'd like to do together, and then find which place has all those things, and a nice place to stay we both like."

She nodded. "Sounds fair."

"Good. I'll look into it. Decide on some things you'd enjoy, write them out, and give it to me."

She nodded. "Okay. I'll do that tonight."

There was a lull in their conversation. Nicole looked up at Ashton. He was watching her. She leaned on him and sighed. He stroked her hair. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Tired, I guess. What's on your agenda tomorrow?"

"At ten I have my physical test."

"Like, a doctor's exam?"

"No," he laughed. "I get to show off." He flexed his arm. "The test is tough. You'll see. I got permission for you to watch." She looked up and he was grinning. "Sound fun?"