Page 19 of Never the Best

“Grilled chicken salad.” I handed him my menu.

After he left, Nina turned her piercing blue eyes on me. “I think we both know this lunch isn’t about the project, Rhett." Her tone was even but pointed.

I hesitated for a moment, unsure how to respond. Nina wasn’t the type of woman you could sidestep with charm or vague answers. But I wasn't ready tosubmit, either. "No?"

Her lips curved. "Hattie and I have a bet. Want to hear about it?"

"No, thank you," I said seriously.

Nina snickered. "Okay, that's smart of you, considering your aunt is absolutelyone flew over the cuckoo's nest."

"You said it, not me." I raised my hands in a sign of peace, amused. She wasn't wrong about my aunt.

"Why are you here, Rhett? And don’t tell me it’s about the project because you and I both know you didn’t need to take this one yourself.”

I guess we’re done with small talk, I thought with a sigh.

I leaned back in my chair, my gaze dropping to the tabletop for a moment before meeting hers again. Nina didn’t flinch. She wasn’t angry or accusing, just direct. Iusuallyliked that about her.

“I want to apologize to Pearl,” I admitted finally. “Properly, this time.”

"What happened the last time?" she asked.

"I was disappointed that she didn't accept my apology since I got off my high horse and gave it to her," I said in self-deprecation.

"Oh, Rhett! Sometimes I forget that you used to be a spoiled rich boy like so many others continue to be."

I picked up the wooden saltshaker and then set it down. "I was more than spoiled, Nina; I was cruel and entitled. This wasn't just about buying a car I wanted, yeah? It was…." I shook my head, not sure how to tell her or anyone that inside me was this horrible feeling that, even though I'd worked on myself, I'd never be able to remove the taint of my youth that came from doing what I had to Pearl.

I felt the weight of her scrutiny. “Since I like you, despite your youthful indiscretions, what the fuck are you tryin' to achieve by stirrin' up things that Pearl clearly doesn’t want to talk to you about?”

Like I said, Nina wasdirect. She didn't pussyfoot.

I opened my mouth to respond, but she held up a hand to stop me.

"Here is what I know. Pearl’s working very hard to rebuild her life. She doesn’t need you barging in with your guilt and good intentions, throwing her off balance. So, I’m going to ask you again—what are you trying to achieve?”

I swallowed hard, the words catching in my throat. Nina’s gaze didn’t waver. It wasn’t angry or cruel—just firm, unrelenting. I felt like I was being dressed down by a professor who knew I hadn’t done the assigned reading.

I sighed. "Do you know what happened when we were teenagers?"

Nina shook her head. "I've been busy building a company and have not been in tune with Savannah gossip. Hattie mentioned that Pearl left because of an incident involving you. I didn't pry."

She wouldn’t. Even now, if I glossed over the past, she'd let it be. Nina wasn't one to dig into people's secrets; she was more interested in their present intentions.

"The incidentwasme," I began. "I was seventeen; Pearl's a year younger than me. I…we had sex. No, actually, we became friends…well, I was…fuckin' hell."

I ran a hand through my hair.

"Spit it out," Nina instructed.

I chuckled. "I convinced her that she could trust me, and then had sex with her. I won a bet doin' that."

Nina made a face. "Well, that's horrible and disgusting, even for an entitled son of a bitch."

"Oh, but it gets worse."

“How?” she prompted, her eyes narrow with disgust.

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