Page 65 of Wicked and Claimed

“Well, if you’re happy, I’m happy for you.”

Gracelyn frowned. “I know that expression. You have reservations. You’re worried I’m getting in too deep too fast.”

Sometimes Haisley was startled by how well her friends knew her.

“If I’m being honest, yeah.” She grabbed the water a waiter set in front of her. Once the fifty-something man said he’d be back to take their order, she focused again on Gracelyn. “Look, I want you to be happy. You deserve the best guy out there.”

“But?”

“But…it can be messy to get tangled up with one of these operatives. You should guard your heart until you know where you stand.”

“Like you did? How did that end up for you?” Gracelyn shook her head. “I don’t want to play games. Kane and I haven’t talked future or made any promises, but I want to be upfront about how I’m feeling. How will I ever know if it’s mutual unless one of us puts ourselves out there?”

Haisley opened her mouth to argue, then snapped it shut. Was that her problem with Nash, too much between them unspoken? Feelings seemed like a giant, room-swallowing elephant they both ignored. Or maybe that was just her. Maybe she was projecting her emotions onto him. Maybe he didn’t feel a damn thing. She was too chicken to find out.

Gracelyn’s expression softened as she sighed. “I know you. I know what happened. I know you got hurt, just like I know you still love him.”

“I don’t want to get into this.”

“Too bad. You need to. Did you ever tell him why you left?”

Haisley winced. “No.”

“How is anything supposed to work out if you don’t level with him?”

“He gave up on me, Gracie. Whatever he felt is gone.”

“It didn’t look like that on New Year’s Eve.”

“That was tequila, and things have changed. What would be the point of telling him I love him now, when he’s so clearly moved on?”

“Because that’snotclear. And you need to get this off your chest. Put the ball in his court. Make him think.”

“Charli did that once upon a time with Daniel, and look how that isn’t working out.”

“Apples to oranges. Nash is hardly Daniel.”

“Thank god.”

“You never thought he was good enough for Charli.”

“Because he’s not. Rat bastard.”

“What I’m trying to say is, we’re all different people in different situations. Just because it might not work out for them doesn’t mean it can’t for me. Or for you…”

Haisley shifted in her seat, hot discomfort prickling her skin. She was being a coward; she knew that. Was it possible that, all this time, Nash had been harboring feelings, too? That he’d been reluctant to tell her and risk his heart?

The thought tilted her world on its axis. Her head spun.

“But even if Nash has moved on—which I don’t think he has—wouldn’t you rather know instead of angsting about it?”

“You…might be onto something. I have to think. But this conversation isn’t about me. Tell me all about Kane. What’s going on?”

“Besides the fact he makes me laugh and he’s upped my orgasm quotient by about a million?” Gracelyn flashed her a lopsided smile, complete with dimples.

By the time they left the bistro, Haisley was cautiously optimistic for her friend. But when it came to Nash, she was still reeling. What if she was missing out on something deeper with him, something that could make her profoundly happy, all because she was too afraid to risk her heart again?

As she pulled away from the restaurant to head home, her phone rang. Seeing Nash’s name on her display made her heart leap and race. Did he want to see her tonight?

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