“To save money on rent and daycare and so Danny can live with both of his parents,” Nick answered. “Hey, I got a question for you.”
“Yeah?”
“Sunday night, Brian and Leighanne are having a late anniversary party, and I need a date.”
Lauren shook her head. “No.”
“Come on, Lauren! Please?”
“I can’t, Nick. What about Danny?”
“We can find a babysitter. Please, Lauren. Everyone really wants to see you! You don’t even have to dance with me if you don’t want to.”
“Okay, fine!” Lauren groaned. “Where is it?”
“It’s at a hotel in Orlando,” Nick answered.
“So we’d have to share a room?”
“I won’t try anything. I promise! I never tried anything before unless you wanted me to.”
Lauren shot him a stern glance to stay away from that territory. “Leave the past where it is, Nick.”
Nick paused. “Would you go back and change what we did if you could?”
“No. I love Danny so much,” Lauren replied. “I would never, ever give him up.”
Nick sat down next to her on the sofa and brushed a strand of blonde hair out of her face. “Good, I wouldn’t either.”
Abruptly, Lauren stood up. “I’m going to bed. Good night.”
When she was out of the room, Nick sighed. He’d messed up and scared her again, but at least he had a date with her. He picked up the phone to call Brian.
“Hello?” It was Leighanne who picked up.
“Hey, Leigh. It’s Nick. Could you put Brian on the phone?”
“Sure, hang on.”
A few seconds later, Brian picked up. “Hey, Nick, whassup?”
“I just wanted to let you know I got a date for Friday.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah, you wouldn’t know her,” Nick lied. He wanted to surprise everyone. “You’ll really like her, though.”
“Okay, well, I’ll see you then,” Brian said.
Nick hung up the phone and sighed.
Meanwhile, Lauren was upstairs, unsure of whether to be happy or sad. On one hand, she really was excited to have a date with him, but on the other, she was afraid she’d do something she’d regret after the party. She loved Danny, but she didn’t want to have another kid, and she also didn’t want to lead Nick on.
“What am I doing?” she mumbled as she climbed into her bed. “I should just take him back already. Jess is right.”
Outside, Nick smiled. He was apparently one step closer than he thought to getting her back. He hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, but when he heard her soft voice, he couldn’t resist. Satisfied that he was finally getting to her, he went to bed.