Page 87 of Fighting the Tide
“Will you stop?Nothing happened.”I eye her over the bottle as I take a sip.
“Are you attracted to her?”She comes to stand across the table from me, her hands on her hips as her eyes pierce through my skull, making me wince.
“She’s an attractive woman,” I murmur.
“She’s barely awoman,” Avery retorts as she sits in a chair.“What’s going on, Nolan?”I’ve never lied to Avery, but I’m tempted to right now.I’m worried about what she’ll think of me when she finds out I am desperately wanting the girl who could be my daughter.
“It’s bad,” I mumble as I scrub my hands down my face.“Disgusting and sinful.”
“Did you have sex with her?”she growls from across the table, and my head snaps up with surprise.
“No!She could be my daughter!”I act aghast when that’s exactly what I want to do with my ex-girlfriend’s daughter.
“She’s not your daughter, Nolan.I would know.”She brushes me off and I stare at her with confusion.“You’re my family.I’m sure I would sense it from her too.Regardless, you can’t have sex with her.She’s too young.”
“I’m going to head over to the grocery store to pick up some burgers and hotdogs,” I say as I stand from my seat.“I’ll see you later.”
“Nolan.”Avery stands and looks at me earnestly.“I don’t want her to rip open the old wounds from Brooke.I’m scared.”
I move to stand in front of her and pull her into my arms.“There’s no reason to be scared,” I assure her as my chin rests on her head.Her arms come around my waist as she nods into my chest.“Those wounds Brooke caused have long become scars, and honestly, they were self-inflicted.We can’t blame Brooke for how broken I was because she tried her darndest to warn me every chance she could.I’m different now, Aves, and even though the heartbreak I endured back then still echoes in my chest, it’s no longer painful.”
“The only way I’d get behind you sleeping with a nineteen-year-old is if she can make you stay,” Avery confesses as I chuckle into her hair.
“Fat chance.”Her hand slaps against my stomach as she pushes me away, rolling her eyes.
“It isn’t so bad here.I think you’re worried you’ll want to stay too.I’m hoping those results take three weeks.”She gives me an evil smirk as I gasp and rush forward, pressing my hand over her mouth.
“Shhhh, you asshole!”I snarl as she licks my palm, making me curse and jump away.
“Is that all I have to do to make her shut up?”Monica muses as she comes back into the kitchen.“Colette is waiting for one of the supervisors to take over at the theater and then she’ll be by.”Monica’s eyes find mine, the gray depths filled with humor.“She asked if Nolan was coming.”
“Great,” I groan and grab my sunglasses from the counter to cover my eyes.“I’m going to need more alcohol.”
“Could she truly be the one to make you stay?”Avery’s eyes widen with excitement.“Monica, we need the results expedited.No, delayed.No… shit… that’s a hard one.”She bites her fingernail as I walk away and shake my head.
“See you two later!”I call out before striding for the front door.
“Don’t stick your dick in her until I figure this out!”Avery yells as I open the door with a curse.I shut it quickly behind me, hoping it keeps my unpredictable best friend inside.
“Okay, this time I’m following you.”There’s no stopping the smile that snakes across my mouth or the acceleration of my heart at the sound of her voice.
“Is that right?”I snicker and throw some all-beef franks into my cart.It pleases me she’s admitting to practically stalking me.That’s how I know I’m all the way fucked-up.
“I saw the Range Rover parked in the lot while I was leaving the theater.I thought I’d come over and see what you were making me for dinner.”Her freesia scent plows into me, nearly knocking me off balance as she reaches around me for the no-meat hotdogs.
“You ran out on me this morning.Do you think you deserve dinner?”Fuck, I’m flirting.Rein it in, Woody Allen.“Are you vegetarian?”I try to steer the conversation in a different direction.
“No.I just like the way they taste.”She shrugs and follows me as I push the cart down the condiment’s aisle.“I had to open the theater this morning.”
“I see,” I murmur as I grab a three-pack of ketchup, mustard, and relish.“Do you enjoy working there?”
“I do.”She nods and gives me a smile.“Makes me feel close to my mother.Since you’re cooking dinner, would you like me to bring the tequila?”
“Hell, no.”I shake my head and then laugh.“You’re not even old enough to buy it.”Admitting that out loud only serves to sour my stomach.
“I have my ways.”She waggles her eyebrows at me and strides ahead.“I’ll see you later, Nolan Sears!”I watch her walk away, her hips swaying with each step, and suddenly feel another bout of jealousy.Who’s getting her the alcohol?
An hour later, Avery and I are sitting on the beach, watching as Monica and Elijah splash each other in the water.Colette still hasn’t shown and the more the minutes tick by, the more antsy I get.
