Nick & Bailey

56. Nick

This is the second call that Bailey has missed. Nick thinks about leaving a voicemail but doesn't see the point. This is when she told him to call her today. She will see his missed calls on her phone and call him back when she can.

This is actually the first time she's missed one of their "dates", as Nick likes to think of them, and he wonders what she's doing. Today was his last shift at work before Spring Break, and he's planning on leaving tomorrow for the week. He doesn't have the money to go to Cabo or Panama City Beach like his fellow students, so he's just going home—or to the Rogers' home, at least.

Bee just moved out this week to her new home at Senior Living. Bailey seems positive that this is what she really wanted to do all along, despite the fact that she loathed the name of the facility. She didn't like depending on her son and his family, and Nick thinks that's probably true.

It's good for Nick, too, because he gets the guest room back. The last time he slept in there was the night before he and Bailey—Nick closes his eyes. He shouldn't think about that, not right before he talks to her. Thinking about the best night of his life always makes him sentimental, and he's trying to keep things casual. He doesn't want her to freak out if he accidentally tells her he's still completely in love with her.

His phone starts ringing and he smiles as he picks up. "I should be pissed."

She gives an exasperated sigh. "I know. I had to talk to my professor after class, and she would not shut up. But I'm a few minutes from my room now."

Nick can hear that she's out of breath from walking quickly. "It's no big deal, don't have a heart attack. It's still early."

"I know, but we were going to try to watch two episodes tonight, remember?"

"It's okay if we don't, they'll still be there."

After Nick and Ian had brought Bailey back to school after Christmas, he had found the complete series of Game of Thrones in his duffel bag with a note that said, "Now you have no excuse."

He wasn't sure why she hadn't given it to him in person, but he was glad that he had an excuse to call her on his drive back to school the next day.

"You're welcome," she had said. "I almost wish I would have gotten two copies though. I'm jealous that you get watch it." She laughed.

Nick used what little extra cash he had, and she received an  identical copy in her mailbox three days later. "You know this means we need to watch it together," she said when she called to thank him.

"I thought you wanted me to watch it now. Who knows when we'll see each other again."

"You should watch it now. We can be on the phone with each other though. I want to know your reactions."

And so once or twice a week, they set a time and date to call and watch an episode or two, counting down to press Play. Sometimes she wants to FaceTime to be able to see him, and he always knew that would be a particularly good episode.

"I'm walking down my hall right now." She updates him.

"Thank God because I'm literally about to hang up," he says sarcastically.

"Oh, shit."

"I was joking—"

"Hey...yeah...no. I didn't forget." Nick hears her voice but realizes that she isn't talking to him anymore. He can hear more voices in the background, getting louder as Bailey must be getting closer. He can't make out what they're saying, but he's almost positive he hears Derek, Bailey's date to prom.

He knows they hang out together—Bailey has mentioned him in passing a few times—but actually hearing the evidence sends a fresh wave of jealousy through him. "Let me set my stuff down. I'll be right out."