Page 8 of Wilde In His Arms

Aria looked back to Mason.“Thank you, for what you did to help.”

He nodded, then studied her for a second.“You okay?”

Of course he knew about her and Nick.They were close and didn’t keep anything from each other.

She didn’t know how she felt.But he could probably see her bloodshot eyes from crying.“I should have thanked him before he left.Would you please tell him I appreciate his help?”

“He’d rather hear you say it.”

“Yeah, well, then he should have answered my text two weeks ago.”

Mason winced at her words and angry tone.

She sucked in a breath, shaking her head at Lyric’s unspoken,Do you want to talk about itlook.

She dropped her shoulders and sighed.“I’m sorry.I’m a little raw.”She turned to Melody.“But I’m here for you.Whatever you need.”

“I said I’m fine.”The tone said otherwise and so did the concerned look Fox gave Melody, though she didn’t acknowledge that either.“What’s up with you and Nick?”Melody obviously wanted the spotlight off her.

“I ended things.”

Lyric obviously knew, since she and Mason shared a concerned look.

Melody clasped her hand.“I’m sorry to hear that.You two seemed so happy together.”

“Yeah.When we were together.And that was the problem.We spent way more time apart.The long-distance thing was never going to work.He loves his job.I love my life here.So…that’s it.”

Mason looked like he wanted to say something, but Lyric squeezed his arm to keep him from speaking up.

Aria nodded for Mason to go ahead and speak his mind.

“All I’ll say is that he’s wrecked that you ended it.And he wants to make it right.Just…give him a chance to make it right.”

She held his earnest gaze for a long moment, wanting so badly to believe Nick would change his whole life for her.“I didn’t ask him for anything.I want him to be happy.”

“He is.With you.You’re the best thing in his life.He knows that.We all know that.”

Her eyes welled with tears.“There’s barely any room in his life for me and I was drowning in loneliness.I can’t do it anymore.”

Lyric hugged Mason the second she saw the pained look on his face.He’d been where Nick was now.His whole life about the job.Until he met Lyric and everything changed.He changed his life to be with her.

Lyric’s gaze turned to her.“You deserve to be with someone who puts you first.”

She appreciated her sister’s support, but right now, she didn’t want to talk about Nick.It hurt too much.

To shift things away from her and Nick, she turned to Fox.“I bet you haven’t left Melody’s side.What can I get you from the cafeteria?Coffee?A sandwich?”

“I’m fine,” he said as Melody said, “He needs coffee and something to eat,” at the same time.

Aria backed toward the door.“I’m on it.”She turned to Mason and Lyric.“Can I get both of you something?”

“We’re heading out in a few minutes.I need to start cooking at the bar.Mason has a call he needs to be on later.”

Aria nodded.“If I’m not back before you leave, I’ll see you at the bar.Mason, good to see you.”

“You, too.And things are going to work out.I know it, because I know my brother.He’s not going to give up.”

Then he shouldn’t have walked away this morning.He should have stayed and told me how he really feels and what he really wants instead of leaving for work like that mattered more than me.

---