Later that afternoon, Nick found Lucky sitting in her room reading a new romance novel. He smiled when she adjusted her glasses on her nose and re-crossed her ankles.
“What are you doing in here?” Nick asked and moved closer to her bed.
“Just reading. Why? What are you doing in here?” Lucky asked playfully as she folded the corner of her book and placed it on the night stand next to her bed.
“Well, I came in here to tell you that I’m leaving. I’m going out and I need you to be ready by 6:00 tonight.” Nick said as he finally sat down next to her. He smiled down at her and kissed her on the forehead. As he got up to leave, Lucky grabbed his arm and said, “You actually think you’re going to get off that easy?”
“Well…” Nick said with a hint of sexual sarcasm in his voice, “Get off that easy? No, it usually takes me longer, remember?”
Lucky smiled and laughed at his lame attempt to flirt with her and instead, pulled him towards her until their lips were just inches apart. They stared each other down for a few seconds before Nick said, “Lucky, if you don’t kiss me right now, I won’t leave and we won’t go on our date because we’ll be too busy doing another activity here, if you know what I mean.”
Taking him by surprise, Lucky stared at him for another short second and used her hand to guide his head down to hers. The kiss was softer than Nick had anticipated, almost as if she was kissing him for the first time.
After she let go of the brief, intimate second, Nick looked at her and kissed her forehead before rolling off of her. He backed away slowly while she grabbed her book and acted as if nothing happened. He stood in the doorway for a short second and smiled as his mind reminded him of how much he loved her.
At six o’clock, Lucky stood in front of her mirror and admired her outfit of choice. She was wearing a black pencil skirt and an emerald green ¾ sleeve length button down shirt. On her feet were a pair of 4-inch heeled emerald green pumps that match her shirt. She laughed as she pushed her red hair off of her face so she could finish touching up her eye shadow.
Just as she put the brush down, she heard a knock at the door. She couldn’t help but giggle to herself as she looked through the peephole and saw Nick looking a little nervous. She took him in before opening the door. He was wearing black dress pants, a baby blue collared shirt under a black cashmere sweater and black dress shoes. His hair was messy and his eyes were pure behind his frameless glasses. She gasped when she realized how damn sexy he was. She grabbed her leather jacked before opening the door. Nick put his hand on the frame above her head so he could look at her.
“Hi. How are you? I was wondering, would you care to join me on an evening out?” Nick asked, breathing a little heavily.
“Why, I thought you would never ask.” Lucky said and flashed him a happy smile. Nick relaxed a little and held his hand out to hers. She took it and curled her body into the curve of his.
Lucky looked up at Nick as they climbed onto the elevator and laughed to herself as she recalled her memory of the first time they rode the elevator together. Nick let her go and her laughter faded. “What did you do that for silly?” she asked as she tried to get closer.
Nick moved away again and said, “This is supposed to be our first date. We can’t be this comfortable with each other on a first date. Simple as that.”
“You’re kidding me. That’s kinda cute. But how can we be awkward when we’ve spent more than one night together in a very intimate way?” Lucky said in a low and husky voice while trailing her pointer finger down his chest. Nick quickly grabbed her hand and moved into the corner of the elevator.
“Lucky come on. You’re not playing fair. If you keep acting like this, we’ll never go out on this date and we’ll just end up staying in bed every time we want to go out. And I’m not saying that’s necessarily bad, but I want to take you out. I want people to know that I am with you and you are with me.” He finally let go a deep breath it seemed he had been holding.
Lucky took a long look at him and decided that he had been thinking about this for a long time so she dropped it. She moved over to the other side of the elevator and decided to go along with Nick’s fantasy. This was great foreplay for the amazing sex she was sure they were going to have later that night. She tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear and bit her lip while looking up at him through her eyelashes. She gave him a tiny smile as the elevator door dinged open and they walked into the lobby.
Nick stood about a foot behind Lucky and watched as she walked out of the apartment high-rise. He smiled because she was going to play along with his game. She stopped outside of the automatic sliding doors and put her hands on her slim hips. Nick wanted nothing more but to take her back upstairs, but he had reservations that had taken him all day to make and he really wanted to make this special.
She glanced at him over her shoulder and smiled. “How are we getting where we’re going?”
“Let’s walk and enjoy this beautiful night.” Nick said and steered Lucky in the direction of the restaurant. She smiled as he playfully touched her sides and let out a flirty giggle.
As they were walking along the crowded Manhattan streets, Lucky started thinking about her relationship with Nick and realized she didn’t know very much about the man she claimed to love. She began to frown and Nick touched her cheek. “What’s wrong Luck?”
“You know what? We don’t know anything about each other. Did that ever occur to you? I don’t know what your favorite place to relax is, or when your best birthday was, or anything important like that. Am I a whore?” Lucky asked and Nick looked at her in disbelief before stopping in the middle of the sidewalk and laughing a hearty laugh Lucky hadn’t head before. “What? What Nick? What’s so funny?”
“First of all, you are NOT a whore. And second of all, we know plenty of things about each other. You don’t live with someone for more than six months and not know stuff about them. Just because we haven’t asked each other specific questions about favorite places and people and things to do doesn’t mean we don’t know each other.” Nick said and placed an arm around her waist. He pulled her close and kissed her cheek.
“Hey now, no getting fresh. This is our first date and we’re supposed to save kissing for the end of the night. If you’re lucky.” Lucky said and smiled up at Nick.
Nick laughed an easy laugh and said, “In your arms and fourteen.”
Lucky looked at him confused and he said, “In your arms is my favorite place to relax and my fourteenth birthday was my best birthday.”
“Oh. Ok. Why your fourteenth?” Lucky asked and smiled at Nick.
“Well, because it was the first birthday I spent with the Boys. They were finally a stable and solid family for me, something I hadn’t had in a long time. What about you?” Nick asked.
“Well geez. I don’t know if I can top those answers. Hmm. Let me think. Since you already took the answer about my favorite place to relax, I’ll have to go with my second choice. Sitting in the corner couch at Starbucks with a Venti coffee and a really good book. And my favorite birthday. Wow. Other than this most recent one, I would also have to say my fourteenth as well. I had just moved to Chicago and made some really good friends. And you know, when I was fourteen, I started high school so it was kind of rough at first. But my friends decorated my locker with balloons and four leaf clovers. It was great.” Lucky finished and laughed to herself.
“What made you move to Chicago?” Nick asked and felt Lucky tense up at his side. “Or you don’t have to tell me.”
“No, no. It’s just …” Lucky trailed off and moved away from Nick. “It’s just that I have some really bad memories that I’d rather not dig through. I hope that’s ok.”
“Of course it is. If the time comes, I’m here to listen.” Nick said and pulled her back towards him. “Ahh, here we are.” Lucky looked up and saw a sign that advertised “Geisha New York”.
“Oh my GOD. Nick. How did you get reservations at this place? I’ve read about it in so many magazines. Oh my gosh. Thank you so much.” Lucky said and pulled Nick into a tight and appreciative hug.
“Hey, I’m not Nick Carter for nothing. I saw you reading the magazine on the airplane when I asked you out the first time. I never forgot the name, or your intense gaze while reading the article. I knew I would take you here one day. So… here we are.” Nick said and guided her up the steps of the front of the restaurant.
They made their way to the hostess podium and Nick gave her their name. They were quickly sat at a table for two overlooking East 61st street. The candle in the middle of the table highlighted their facial features in an intimate glow. As Nick sat studying his menu, Lucky looked at him over the top of hers and smiled and realized just how happy she was to be sitting there with him. She returned her gaze to the menu as their waiter stopped by to take their order.
They ordered their drinks and their food. They sat and talked for a few minutes before their food arrived.
“Thank you for tonight Nick.” Lucky said as she stepped out of her right stiletto and crossed her legs. Running her bare foot up his leg, she watched in delight as his body stiffened. “And trust me, I can’t wait to thank you later.”
Nick grinned at her devilishly as he grabbed her foot under the table and slowly began to caress it with his fingers. “Thank me how? This is our first date. I don’t put out that easily. What do you take me for?” Lucky had to bite her lips to groaning in ecstasy while Nick continued to massage her foot erotically.
“I take you for a strong, sensitive, very um, talented man. That’s what I take you for. And I love it.” Lucky said and smiled. “Ok, I really love what you’re doing, but can we at least talk about something else so I don’t do anything stupid. Please?”
“Sure. Let’s talk about you. And your life.” Nick suggested. Lucky smiled lazily and nodded. “Where did you grow up? Like, where did your family come from before you moved to Chicago?”
“Bangor, Maine.” The lie easily escaped Lucky’s lips since she had spoken it so many times before in her life. “We went from COLD to WIND.” She laughed and took her foot back from Nick’s grasp and put it back in her shoe. “Thank you for that. I look forward to more of that later.” She winked at him and then said, “I like Chicago better though. It’s where my family and real friends are.”
“Yeah. I don’t really know where all of my family is all of the time. I like calling New York home though. As much as it’s busy, it’s not nearly as hectic as LA.” Nick conceded.
“I like New York too. I like the energy and the lights. And the people.” Lucky said.
“So. I know that you probably don’t want to talk about it but, what happens next? Once you finish the case you’re working on?” Nick asked and watched Lucky wince at the question.
“You’re right, I don’t want to talk about it. But honestly, I don’t know. I don’t work in one base department. So I’m pretty much on assignment whenever available.” Lucky said and closed her eyes in thought. “But I guess I’m going to have to face it sooner or later. Sometimes I wonder if this is really what I want to do. Or if there is something else out there for me, you know? Did you ever question being a singer?”
Nick was a little taken aback by the question because no one had ever really made him think about it. He furrowed his brow in thought and finally began to speak. “Yes. But not on a constant basis. When I was trying out the solo thing, sometimes I wondered if it were for me. I always wondered what it would have been like to grow up normally. To have a job in a pizza place, or go to college and work in the real corporate America. To get my license at sixteen and show all of the kids at my locker in school. But in the end, I go to bed at night satisfied with my decision to leave school and become a singer.”
“I’m glad you’re happy. I think I’m happy doing this, but there are times like now when I don’t really like the inconsistency. I mean, being undercover and digging into peoples’ pasts is really interesting to me, but being stationed in one city and actually working in any given place at a moment’s notice isn’t the ideal life. I would really just like to be able to settle down.” Lucky said and glanced up at Nick’s intense stare.
“Well, have you told your boss that? I mean, I’m sure he would understand.” Nick offered.
“I have tried. Like when I had to go back to Chicago right before Thanksgiving. I tried to tell him that I wanted to stay in New York, but he told me that when I signed up to work for the Bureau I knew what I would be getting myself into. And I did, so that’s what keeps me faithful to my job.” Lucky finished just as their food arrived.
For the rest of the meal, they talked about the food and the view and a few little meaningless things. Once they were finished and could barely stand, it was time for them to head over to Broadway.
“More walking Nick? I don’t know if my feet or my stomach can take it anymore!” Lucky whined in a joking voice.
“Oh come on you lazy bum. It’s only another block or so.” Nick said, as he folded her arm into the crook of his elbow. “And once we’ve arrived, you’ll be able to sit down and enjoy the show.”
“If you say so.” Lucky said and curled her head onto Nick’s shoulder.
As they turned the corner onto West 41st Street and Lucky saw the sign for RENT, indicating they were at the Nederlander Theater, she squealed in excitement. “RENT!?! Seriously?! Nick, how did you know?”
“You think I couldn’t hear you playing the RENT soundtrack from the other side of the apartment the whole time we’ve been living together? I swore if I heard “Seasons of Love” one more time without you actually seeing the show, I was going to take the CD and throw it onto the streets below.” Nick laughed and Lucky did too. She turned to face him and hugged him for a solid 30 seconds.
“I appreciate you and everything you’ve done for me so much. Thank you. I know this is our “first date” but I really want you to know that I love you. I really truly love you.” Lucky said and pulled him to her again.
Nick dropped a kiss on Lucky’s forehead and said, “I really, truly love you too. Now let’s go see this show.”
As Nick and Lucky walked out of the Theater, he remembered the look on her face while she sang along to RENT, Take Me or Leave Me, Seasons of Love, and of course, La Vie Bohéme. Nick laughed as she bopped back and forth in her seat to the great sound of all the songs.
Just as they started on their walk home, Lucky’s phone began to ring. Nick grabbed it before she had a chance to open it and say hello. “Hello Lily!” He greeted Lucky’s best friend.
“Hi Nick, can I please speak to Renée?” Lily said and then stopped herself. “I mean, Lucky. Can I please speak to Lucky?”
“Um, I’m sorry. Who’s Ren…” Nick trailed off as his mouth opened in realization. “You mean, Renée St. James?” Nick looked accusingly at Lucky, whose mouth flung open in shock. She tried to grab at the phone, but Nick said “I’m sorry Lily. But Renée is going to have to call you back.” He hung up the phone and practically threw it at Lucky. “Did I hear her correctly?”
“Nick, I can explain.” Lucky said.
“No. I don’t think you can!” Nick exclaimed at her.
“Please calm down, people are starting to stare and I don’t want to make a scene right here. We can talk about this when we get home.” Lucky said, trying to make the situation even a fraction better.
“No! We’re going to have this out right now. And there is no way I’m taking you home you liar!” Nick yelled at her. “Tell me the truth now Lucky. Or should I say, Renée! How could you have lied to me all this time? All along you’ve pretended to be someone you’re not. I dealt with the secret job thing, but I just don’t know how I can deal with a secret identity Lucky!”
“Nick! Stop yelling! And stop talking to me like I’m the scum of the Earth, you don’t even know my side of the story! Jesus! Can’t you PLEASE at least listen to me?!” Lucky tried again to talk to him civilly.
The two of them stood in the middle of 41st street having a heated conversation and a crowd started to accumulate. Lucky saw flashes going off and knew these next few moments of her life were going to be captured in the frenzy of the tabloid media. She never regretted so much of her past until this very moment. But as she stood there, staring at the man she loved staring back at her in the most hateful glare she had ever seen, she saw something silver out of the corner of her eye.
She heard the light click of a trigger and jumped at Nick before he could say anything. She heard the completion of the gunshot and she fell to the ground on top of Nick and then everything went black.
