Page 22 of The Meaning Of You

“So, how’s he doing then, this Nick?” Gazza pressed. “It’s gotta suck being two weeks out from Christmas.”

An excellent question.I lifted my gaze to his. “I have no idea.”

Gazza’s brows peaked. “You haven’t talked to him?”

My lips set in a thin line. “Oh, I’ve tried. He’s not answering my texts or calls. He didn’t even let me know about the funeral when he said he would. It was Jerry who told me. I put it down to Nick being busy and grieving, obviously, but at the wake he didn’t acknowledge me even once.”

Gazza frowned. “Maybe he didn’t see you. It must’ve been a crazy day.”

I sighed. “No, he saw me all right. He saw me and then he walked away. He couldn’t have been more obvious about it.”

The memory still stung. Standing in the reception room and watching Nick’s gaze land on me. I’d raised my hand in greeting and got a flicker of a smile in return followed by a frown and a carefully schooled acknowledgement. He’d politely tipped his head and moved on to someone else. Yes, he was grieving. And yes, I was being a dick, expecting any one-on-one time to offer my condolences. But not letting me know about the funeral and then ignoring me when I attended? It didn’t get much clearer.

Gazza pulled a face. “Ouch.”

“Yeah, and it’s not like I can push things.” Even if I wanted to. Even if I worried about the man almost every damn day. “That’s a job for the people who’ve known him a lot longer than I have.” I brushed some imaginary dust on my bench to the floor and then stared at the spot it should’ve landed. “I did call his mother, and she told me Nick wasn’t really talking to anyone, not even her. He insists he’s fine.” Our conversation in the courtyard came back to me.I’m okay. You don’t need to worry.

Gazza was quiet, but I could feel those clever tawny eyes taking my measure. “So, what are you going to do about it?”

I looked up. “Do?” I stared blankly at him. “I’m going todonothing. This is none of my business. If Nick doesn’t want to talk, he doesn’t want to talk, and I can’t make him. And based on his actions, he’s made it pretty clear that our friendship was defined by Golden Oaks. Maybe I remind him of a time he’d rather forget.”

“Uh-huh.” Gazza’s expression was hard to read. “Yeah... I’m calling bullshit on that. How manygoodfriends do you have? Friends who you can talk important shit with.”

“Lots,” I snapped, feeling my cheeks heat when he didn’t respond. “Okay, maybe not lots, but there’re a few.”

More silence.

“Fine,” I huffed. “Two. I have two friends I can do that with.”

“Notincluding your family... or me.” He waggled his brows.

I shot him a killer look. “Arsehole. Not to mention, that’s very presumptuous of you.”

He shrugged. “Hey, I call ’em as I see ’em.”

“Then one-ish,” I grumbled. “Are you happy now?”

He grinned. “Sooo happy. My point is not that you don’t have many friends, but that you don’t have them because you don’t need them. You like a small, tight circle around you, and yet this Nick guy somehow got an invitation. That in itself is intriguing, wouldn’t you say?”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re telling the story.”

He grinned. “I am. And from what you’ve told me, Nick isn’t exactly a social butterfly either. So, there you are, unlikely friends at a time in Nick’s life when he really needs one. Seems more than chance, don’t you think?”

My eyes narrowed. “If you use the word synchronicity right now, I won’t be held responsible for my actions.” Fucking Jung.

Gazza nodded sagely. “Internal psychological events linked to external world ones. Don’t piss off the unconscious, right?”

I indulged in another eye-roll and kicked him in the shins.

“Ow!”

I stabbed a finger his way. “I am never assigning another first-edition Carl Jung for you to restore, ever. Flicking through the chapter headings does not make you an expert.”

Gazza finished rubbing his shin, then leaned his back against my bench. “So, what are you, as afriend, going to do about Nick? It’s almost Christmas. He’s gotta be doing it hard.”

I hated that Gazza was right. Hated that I’d been asking myself the same question for days. Hated that I’d avoided it simply because I was attracted to Nick. Hated that I couldn’t hide from an answer any longer.

My whole body sagged at the thought.

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