Nikki Knox & the Sparks with Marx: Nikki Knox, #4

By Shawn L. Bird

Things at the office have settled down, and Mr. Holmes sends Nikki on an adventure where she meets the gorgeous and gregarious Marx Renard.  Can she help falling for him?  Should she?  Will those romantic shoes spell romance for Nikki, as well as sparks with Marx?

 

In this, the longest Nikki Knox tale yet, find out!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lintusen Press
• Release date: Apr 4, 2021
• ISBN: 9781989642078

Shawn L. Bird

Shawn L. Bird is an author, poet, and educator from the interior of British Columbia, Canada.

Book preview

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SHORT CHICK LIT WITH A SHOE FOCUS:

Nikki Knox Sparks with Marx

Nikki Knox and the Line of Chalk

Nikki Knox and her Sidekick Kip

Nikki Knox and her Shoes that Rock

POETRY:

Life, Love, Hope

123 Prompts for Poets & Novelists

2011

A Year in Love

THE MINUTE READ COLLECTION:

Resuscitation

Festivity

Ghost Walker

Weeding Day

Aunt Ida’s Apple Tree

The Man in the Black Hat

Modern Pict in Miniature

Hectoring

NIKKI KNOX

& THE SPARKS WITH MARX

I’LL TRY, MOM, I WILL."  Nikki rolled her eyes across her desk to her assistant, Kip. 

He grinned sympathetically as he scrolled through his email.

Yes. I know. Look, I’ll have to talk to you later. I’m at work right now. Yes. It’s a real job, Mother.  No. I’m not going to have this discussion with you right now. I have a client coming any minute.

Kip could hear the shrillness of Nikki’s mother’s reply from across their desks and cringed.

Tonight. I’ll ask him tonight.  Nikki set the phone down with a grimace.

Kip glanced from his desk, Tough call?

Nikki gave a shake that reverberated down her body like a drying dog.  Mothers, she sighed.  She’s driving me crazy. 

What got her going?

It’s Dane’s birthday next month.

Dane?

Nikki gave another squeamish shiver.  My brother, Doctor Dane the Perfect Child. The Child Who Did Not Disappoint.

Kip could hear the capital letters in the labels as she spoke.  I didn’t know you had a brother.

I try not to think about him.

Because? Kip coaxed, turning from the computer and picking up his mug.

Because he’s the perfect child and I’m the after-thought who didn’t measure up.

Kip leaned across his desk so he could look right into Nikki’s eyes. Well, you’re not an after-thought here.  You’re talented and skilled at your job, and I am thankful to be your assistant.  You’ve made this a wonderful place to work. 

Nikki blushed.  Thank you. That’s sweet of you.  My parents don’t think much of this job.  They wanted me to be a nurse.

What? Kip sputtered into his mug.

Yeah.  In some prestigious private clinic run by Dane, I guess.  She did that shiver again.  She didn’t add that her mother regarded Dane’s greatest achievement getting married and giving her grandchildren.  Nikki was proving a grave disappointment in both career and relationships.

Let me guess, you don’t like blood? Kip said.

It’s not so much that, though I don’t think when I started nursing school that I thoroughly appreciated how many different, disgusting bodily fluids there are.

Wait. Kip stuck his hand out to stop her. You went to nursing school?

Yeah. Out of high school.  I even got my Licensed Practical Nurse certificate.  But I hated the job.  I didn’t like always being told what to do.  I didn’t like the hours.  I didn’t like the way the doctors were worshipped by the administrators, when the nurses were the ones who did everything.  I didn’t like the uniform, either. She shrugged.  I decided I wasn’t going to spend the rest of my life being unhappy in a job just because it was what my parents thought I should do, so I went back to university and did a business degree.  And here I am. 

Here you are, echoed a voice from the doorway, as Mr. Horne came into the office. As usual, his suit and tie were immaculate and imposing.  He smiled at Nikki, Here you are, Horne and Company’s rising star!

Nikki fought the blush.  Thank you, Sir.

Horne looked around the office, Where’s Richard?

Kip and Nikki shrugged simultaneously.  Not here yet.  All three of them glanced at the wall clock in perfect synchronicity.  It was only five minutes after the start of the workday.  It wasn’t an emergency yet.

Horne scowled and sat down at the chair opposite Nikki’s desk.  We’ll just wait for him.  I have news. 

Nikki leaned back in her chair, opening her email to see whether there were any pressing messages waiting.  She tried not to peek up at Mr. Horne who sat with his eyes on the clock like a meditative monk.

Kip straightened his desk.  As was his custom, he’d come in an hour before opening, and all his morning emails were already dealt with.

The elevator pinged.  Through the glass door to the office, they all watched Richard van Dyck step into the hall.

As Richard opened the door and found three sets of eyes watching him, he glanced up to the clock and back to them.

Kip said, We were concerned.  It isn’t like you to be late.  He raised one eyebrow and everyone else pretended they weren’t thinking about the day Richard hadn’t shown up at all.

Richard cleared his throat.  Yes.  Of course.  He glanced over to Mr. Horne.  Sorry.  I was delayed.  Urrr. Car trouble.  He hung up