Page 34 of The Story of Us
“Nope. I love you”—Alice gave Owen a quick kiss—“and I love you,” she told Nate, but grim determination settled over her delicate features. “But I love Eloise too. And you need to get out of your own way before you miss your shot once and for all. She’s not going to wait forever, Nate.”
Why did people keep telling him this?
Did they assume he was an idiot? “I know that.”
“Then why is she here with Ryan and not you?” Lulu asked gently.
“I hate that guy,” Teddy muttered, cementing his position as Nate’s new favourite brother.
“It’s a long story.” That Nate didn’t want to share because he could predict everyone’s responses. Lulu and Alice would be indignant on Eloise’s behalf—and rightly so, Nate hadn’t meant to lead her on. Owen would shake his head, offering a gentle chiding without words. Teddy would repeat what he’d said the other night. And Raff and Wilbur? They were buried deep in their conversation, heads practically touching as they spoke in hushed tones. Raff was probably asking for advice about something to do with his big investigation into one of the local families, one detective to another. It didn’t matter that Wilbur had been retired for many years now.
Eloise flicked her long braid over her shoulder and smiled shyly when Ryan put a glass of cider down in front of her. Nate had overheard him showboating about his stupid special gift at guessing people’s drinks, and it rankled that the Ken doll had got it right.
Actually, everything about the scene in front of him rankled. The way Eloise ducked her head when she laughed. How her eyes closed briefly at the first sip, her face morphing into a sated, pleased expression Nate never wanted anyone but him to see. But mostly how she hadn’t said no to Ryan.
Which wasn’t fair.
Nate knew that.
Felt it on a cellular level.
But it didn’t mean he had to like it—or watch it.
He finished the rest of his drink and stood. “I’m leaving,” he announced futilely.
“Run in the morning?” Owen asked.
“Sure,” Nate replied. “Catch you all later.”
At least Echo would be waiting for him at home.
* * *
The house wascold and lonely, even with Echo snuggled up next to Nate, her head resting on his thigh. She wasn’t supposed to be on the couch, but Nate wasn’t going to make her get down. Not tonight.
He should light the fire. Reply to Garrett’s meeting invite to talk about what was next. Or find something to watch on television, start brainstorming his next story or do a workout. If he pushed himself physically until he was exhausted, maybe he could stop wondering if Ryan was getting a goodnight kiss from Eloise. Just because it had taken him years to work up the nerve didn’t mean Ryan would do the same. And let’s face it, she’d kissed him first, not the other way around.
Nate tossed the remote back onto the coffee table.
Echo lifted her head, and he realised she was lying on his laptop.
A spark of an idea flickered to life in his mind.
Just because he couldn’t have Eloise didn’t mean he couldn’t imagine what it would be like. To be hers. To call her his.
He scooped up his laptop and opened a blank Word document. The cursor blinked at him, the emptiness of the page a reminder of the limitless power of his imagination.
He’d write their story—how he wished it could be—and that would have to be enough for him.
12
Talk about pressure. Eloise smoothed her hair and fussed with the lights in her office.
“Sit,” Alice ordered from where she was perched on the desk. “The ring light will be ready to go in a second.”
“Do you think it’s a good sign they wanted to interview me so quickly?” Seeing the meeting request from the AATI in her inbox this morning had been a shock, to say the least.
“Absolutely. Clearly, you’re the best applicant they’ve had,” Alice said.
