Page 56 of Crossing Lines

“No, I heard you. But does this mean you’ve already done it?”

“We did,” I say. “We are also turning the master into a mini panic room. Work will be finished before nine tonight.”

Nina’s jaw tightens, a flicker of anger crossing her face. She’s trying to keep her composure, but it’s clear she’s barely holding on.

“What is it?” I ask.

“You moved my things without waiting for me.” She says it like it’s obvious, but I don’t get why that would upset her.

“Yes, I did,” I say. “Nate had to set up the new security headquarters in the pool house. We needed the space.”

She huffs and spins on her heels, storming up the stairs and into her new room that’s currently missing a door and part of the wall. She spins in a slow circle, taking it all in. I thought she’d be happy she didn’t have to deal with this, but the look on her face says the opposite.

“What’s going on?” I ask. “Why are you upset?”

“Upset?” She laughs without any humor. “I’menraged. You moved me without getting my confirmation first or even waiting until I got home to touch my things.”

“But I thought I was helping.”

“Well, you didn’t. You moved me from my first real home—” She breaks off and shakes her head. “Forget it, just…can you leave? I need some time alone.”

“But—”

“I don’t even have a door to close right now, so can you please leave?”

“Okay,” I say quietly. “I’m sorry.”

I don’t know how yet, but I need to make this right. I definitely didn’t intend to hurt her, but apparently, I was so focused on accomplishing my task that I overlooked her feelings about it all. Of course, she’d be upset with me. But I know who to ask to help make it up to her.

Elodie cracks her front door open a few inches and glares at me. “What do you want?”

“Advice.”

“And why the hell should I help you?”

I sigh. “Because I tried to do the right thing, but lost sight of Nina’s feelings along the way.”

Elodie opens the door wider and says, “I’m listening.”

“I unintentionally hurt her by moving her room, touching her things, and not waiting for her consent.”

“You did,” she says. “You have to understand thatNina’s possessive about her belongings. Her mom would take her things all the time. Nothing was safe.”

“Shit,” I mutter. “Any advice on how to make it up to her?”

“Depends.”

“On?” I ask.

“Answer this first: What’s going on between you two?”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing?” She gives me a look that clearly says she doesn’t believe me. “Doesn’t sound like nothing to me if you care about her feelings.”

“We’re roommates. The last thing I want is tension between us.” Which is true in a sense, but I leave out the most important part. About how much I like Nina, how living together has awakened feelings I didn’t expect—curiosity, attraction, the urge to explore whatever is between us. She’s wormed her way into every part of my life, and I’m fucking falling for her. Maybe Zeki’s right, maybe I don’t need to plan every step in the future and just live in the now. No one can know what life will look like in a year, but not trying with Nina would be something I’d regret.

“Uh-huh.” Elodie leans casually against the doorjamb, scanning my face with a mixture of curiosity and amusement. “How about we try that again, but with the truth this time?”

---