Page 31 of Romancing the Grump
After I wave goodbye to the guys and Alec gives me averypointed look that I don’t understand, I follow Nathan out of the restaurant and onto the street.
February in Chicago is a lot colder than February in North Carolina, and I tug my coat a little closer around me. Fortunately, it’s not a long walk back to the hotel. Though it’s going to feel like miles if Nathan is silent the entire way.
“Um, sorry if I messed up your plans back there,” I say a little sheepishly.
He looks over. “What plans?”
“I don’t know. You seemed irritated that I was coming with you. I thought maybe you wanted to find the woman who asked for a photo.”
His frown deepens. “What? No. I don’t really…do that. And she reminded me of my mom.”
His words make me unreasonably happy, and I have to stop myself from grinning. “I mean, I was also getting the mom vibes, but I didn’t want to judge.”
Nathan doesn’t say anything else, so I keep rambling.
“Though, you have to admit, she totally qualifies as a hot mom.”
He gives me a sideways look. “A hot mom?”
“Oh, come on. You know what I mean. They’re all over Instagram. They’re the ones with perfect wavy hair and adorable children who look like they’re constantly modeling for Gap Kids and Christmas presents all wrapped in matching white and gold paper and little lunch bento boxes for their kids, full of fresh fruits and vegetables and toasted quinoa.”
Nathan huffs out a laugh. “I’m not on Instagram. And that doesn’t sound real.”
“It probably isn’t,” I say. “But the hotness is. These women are gorgeous. That mom back there would totally qualify, so, I’m just saying, I wouldn’t fault you if you wanted to…go after her.”
His steps slow, then stop as he looks over and studies me, his expression curious, maybe even a little amused. “Do you always say exactly what you’re thinking?”
I stop beside him and open my mouth to answer, then close it again.Do I?
“Not usually,” I say. “But something about you seems to bring it out in me.”
He tilts his head, like he can’t quite figure me out, then turns and starts walking again.
I quickly catch up, scurrying forward to match his long stride. When we walk in silence for almost half a block, I wonder if I’ve been too bold. It was the truth—something about him makes mewantto share my thoughts—but that doesn’t mean I needed to admit it out loud.
“I don’t mind that you’re walking with me,” Nathan finally says, and a tiny ribbon of happiness unfurls in my chest. “I just didn’t want to give the guys the wrong impression.”
Oh.Oh.My happiness quickly fizzles. I hate to ask, but I alsohave toask. “Impression about what?”
“About us,” he answers quickly. “After the Dominik thing, and then when I sat with you on the bus, I think—” He shakes his head and pushes his hands into his coat pockets. “All that stuff about you being off-limits because you work for the team? They made that up. I think they’ve decided you’re off-limits because of me.”
Disappointment settles over me, and I force a deep breath, doing my best to squelch it so it doesn’t show up in my words.
“Right,” I say, my tone a little too cheerful. “And that would be the wrong impression because that’s not what’s happening,” I manage to say.
“Right.” Nathan’s voice is unwavering. Perfectly resolute. “It’s not.”
“You were just being nice.”
“Demanding Dominik be respectful.”
“Which I appreciated.”
“And which you deserved.”
We reach the hotel, and Nathan opens the door for me, holding it open while I step inside. I brush past him, and it’s all I can do not to linger and breathe in a lungful of Nathan-scented air. But that’s the last thing I should do, especially now that we’ve very firmly established there isnothinggoing on between us.
The trouble is, the more time I spend with him, the more Iwantthere to be something going on. I actually didn’t care when Dumbo and Van wrote me off while expressing interest in my sister. The only person I want interested inmeis Nathan. Or I would, if he hadn’t flat-out said that he doesn’t believe in relationships.
