Page 31 of Fate Forever and Always

“We met when I moved in next door to one of our mutual friends when we were in high school. We became fast friends, and I had a huge crush on her from the moment I met her.” He looked at me with a genuine smile. “It took her a little longer to realize she was made for me, though. She dated some tools along the way.” Nick squeezed my hand and looked deeper into my eyes. “But for me, it’s always been her. We couldn’t be happier.” He looked away from me and toward the woman who asked.

The woman clasped her hands together in excitement.

“Oh, that’s so sweet. It's like the perfect best friend love story.”

My throat went dry, and my skin was getting clammy. I couldn’t get any words out, but Nick kept speaking.

“I always knew she would be my forever.”

I couldn’t help the tears that welled in my eyes. I slowly blinked and just let them naturally fall. Nick wiped my cheek with his thumb and brought my hand to his mouth for a kiss.

“Nick,” I choked out.

He squeezed my hand again. “I know.”

Things were getting a little too emotional for me, so I excused myself to the restroom to take a break. I stood in the bathroom in silence, staring at my reflection in the mirror.

“Get it together, Callie. It’s fake. He is your best friend. He is just here helping you have a fun time. It’s nothing more.” I repeated those words out loud to myself a few times before I actually calmed down.

Right before opening the restroom door to leave, I paused and gave myself one more look.Am I crying because I wish he wasn’t just being nice? Why do I want to kiss him again? Callie, you shouldn’t have these feelings about your best friend.

When I returned to the fire, Nick handed me a drink. I smiled up at him. He read my mind; It was time to drink the pain away.

Nick

I knew it was time to go back to the room when Callie began getting handsy with the people next to her. She was touching the woman's hair and slurring her words. Knowing her, she would probably embarrass herself soon, so I wanted to prevent that.

When the elevator door shut, it was like I was physically burning her. She winced, then moved all the way to the other side and looked straight forward.

“You okay, Sweets?” I asked. I was about to reach for her, but she stepped even further away.

“Yeah, just tired, I think,” she slurred her words a little and covered herself with her arms.

“Cal, what’s wrong? I know something is up. Talk to me.”

She was quiet the entire walk to our room. When I turned toward her, she was staring at me. Studying me intently.

“What? Is something on my face?” I rubbed over my scruffy face, making a mental note that I needed to shave, and she softly chuckled.

“You were joking, right? You didn’t mean all that…right?”

My stomach twisted right away. I didn’t have to ask. I knew what she was talking about, but I asked anyway to give myself time to think.

“Mean what?”

Callie stepped toward me, pushing me up against the wall. Before I could speak another word, she kissed me. I instinctively picked her up.

I pulled back, breathless, after realizing what I had done.

“Callie, what are you doing?” I asked against her lips.

“We’re just having a little fun, Nick. Just make me feel good. I miss feeling good.”

She went in for another kiss, but I turned my cheek. “Callie…I can’t.” I swallowed the lump in my throat.

She put her hand on my chest and looked into my eyes. “Why not? We trust each other, right? There is only one person in this world I trust more than you, and if I kissed her, Link would probably kill me.”

She lightly laughed. I put my hands on hers and really looked at her. I was trying to figure out why she was asking.

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