Page 9 of Exes, Hexes, and Strategy
Nina was going to kill Mel. Painfully, she decided as embarrassment heated her cheeks. She’d just barely considered the idea of sneaking around with Rafe, had thought she’d have some time to think things over, plan an approach, not immediately dive right into the deep end.
The big guy grunted, but Rafe promptly stood, his eyes locked on Nina as he gestured to an empty chair. “By all means.”
While Nina hesitated, Mel slid into a chair and scooched it close to the big man who looked like he was about a hair’s breadth away from bolting.
“Please, allow me,” she heard Rafe say as she continued to hover, and he pulled out the chair for her.
Deciding to focus on all the colorful ways she was going to torture her friend later rather than the drunken, dancing butterflies in her belly at being this close to Rafe, Nina took a seat.
Rafe cleared his throat as he dragged his gaze away from Nina. He’d known she was in the dining hall almost the second she had walked through the door, his blood practically singing at her presence. He’d attempted an air of nonchalance, had gone on with the conversation as if he hadn’t seen her, but this, this was a surprise and he almost wanted to kiss Melanie for her intervention. He knew it wasn’t on his behalf – any idiot could see that Mel was here for Logan and had dragged Nina along – but whatever the reason Mel had placed such a golden opportunity before him, he’d take it.
“Nina, Melanie,” he said, recalling his manners. “This is Logan.”
Nina shot Rafe’s roommate a weak smile before turning her attention to her food, while Melanie practically laid her breasts on Logan’s arms as she gushed about how pleased she was to meet him. Meanwhile, poor Logan looked like a deer caught in the headlights. Rafe was tempted to save him, but fearing Nina would come up with an excuse to leave at any moment, he left his new friend to fend for himself.
“How are you?” he asked carefully, not wanting to immediately pounce on Nina with his more pointed questions.
She nodded, continuing to look at her food rather than him. “I’m good.”
He noticed she didn’t ask how he was, but that was probably for the best. “And your family? They’re all well?”
Another nod.
Rafe wanted to practically growl at how awkward this was, how uncomfortable she looked. Nina had never been discomfited around him, not even after she’d figured out what he was. And though he desperately wanted to know what had happened to cause the abrupt change, he bit his tongue and reminded himself to go slow.
“Your father?” he asked, and then deciding to add a little levity in hopes of easing the tension, added, “Is he still terrorizing the neighborhood kids with his prosthetic?”
Finally, she lifted her eyes to his, the pale brown depths that were flecked with so much green they were actually hazel, lit with humor and her lips pinched together as if she was trying to stifle a laugh. “Yup. He still sits on the porch with his leg beside him, ready to shake it at them when they ride by on their bikes.”
Rafe felt the tension in his shoulders ease, and sat back slightly in his seat, a small smile on his lips. Roberto ‘Bert’ Errani was a character. On the short side at five foot, five inches with salt and pepper hair and a bit of a paunch that the man claimed was proof he was happily married; Nina’s father had a wicked sense of humor and could tell a story that would have everyone in stitches.
“Has he gotten that eye patch and peg leg he wanted so he could play pirate?”
Nina threw back her head and laughed, the sight sending a thrill of pleasure through Rafe.
“Not yet,” she returned, shaking her head before she leaned forward and confided conspiratorially, her eyes twinkling, “I think he only says that to get a rise out of Mom.”
As if recalling herself, the moment of levity faded. Nina cleared her throat and returned her attention to her food as she said, “I was surprised to see you here.”
“I needed to get away,” Rafe told her, though he withheld that she was the reason behind that decision having already decided a bustling dining hall full of their peers wasn’t the place to open that particular can of worms. “This seemed like a good opportunity.”
Nina nodded, pushing her food around on her plate.
“And you?” Rafe asked. “I never knew you were interested in this line of work. The last we spoke, you were hoping to get an internship with that designer in New York.”
He caught her grimace before she could hide it but a heartbeat later she waved her hand like it was no big deal. “Things didn’t work out.”
“I’m sorry,” he told her sincerely.
Her smile was tight. “I always knew it would be a longshot.”
“I know you said no when I originally made the offer, but I could talk to my father –”
“No!” Nina shot out of her chair so fast the thing toppled over with a loud clatter.
Rafe stood as well, his hand extended, an apology ready at his lips though he was confused as to why his offer had provoked such a drastic reaction. When he’d previously mentioned talking to his father, citing that Vincent DeMarco knew a lot of people, could pull some strings for her, she’d smiled, hugged him, and thanked him, but then told him she wanted to do it on her own merit. He’d respected that decision then, still respected it now, but he also didn’t want to see her lose out on her dream – not if he could help it.
Shaking her head, Nina backed away, holding up her hand in a clear signal that he shouldn’t attempt to approach. “I can’t do this,” she uttered, before turning and bolting from the dining hall.
