Page 93 of Told You So
“I know you said we’d talk later, but I couldn’t wait.” He’s more solemn than I’ve ever seen him. “I hope I won’t get you in trouble being here.”
“Ha. Are you kidding, Anna’s in the hallway listening, I’m almost certain.” It’s a joke, but Nick doesn’t smile.
I swallow thickly. “I’m sorry I didn’t call you sooner, it’s just—it seemed like too important a conversation to have than a quick check-in between clients, you know?”
“Well...I’m impatient.” He says it lightly, but it’s not the same Nick-ness I’m used to.
“Nick, I—”
“I’m sorry,” he says urgently and takes a step closer. He runs his fingers through his hair. “You were right about Savannah, I should’ve told her. Mac painted a very vivid picture for me, and I nearly lost my shit.”
I frown. “What do you mean?”
“If you kept talking to a guy—if you were friends,especiallywith an ex”—he shakes his head—“I don’t know if I could do it. I just—I wasn’t thinking about it like that. All I could hear was you comparing me tohim,and I hate that you’d think for a single minute that I’d ever hurt you the way he did.”
I take Nick’s hands in mine, squeezing them as I will him to hear me and understand. “I don’t think that. I know you aren’t like Mike, trust me. I tell myself that all the time. Sometimes it’s just hard not to get lost in the what ifs, you know?”
He tugs me closer, his eyes searching mine, earnest. “I told Savannah,” he says. “I wanted you to know. I should’ve done it from the beginning, but I didn’t want to hurt her feelings, because I do still worry about her.”
I take a deep breath and nod. “I know you told her.”
His brow furrows again. “You do?”
“She was here.”
“Savannah was? Why?” He looks almost frightened.
“Because she cares about you,” I tell him reassuringly. “She wants you to be happy.Andshe wanted to tell me not to fuck things up.”
Amusement pulls at his lips, but he doesn’t smile.
Rising to my tiptoes, I wrap my arms around his neck for a hug, because it feels like it’s overdue. He’s solid and warm and all-consuming as he squeezes me against his body. His strength is soothing and I soak it up for later tonight when I’ll need him, even if he can’t be there with me.
Like he can feel my anxiety, he leans back and brushes a stray hair from my face. “What’s wrong?” he asks softly and rests his forehead against mine.
“I have to stop by my parents after work,” I explain. “My mom wants to talk.”
He looks at me for a moment, like he’s trying to decide what to say. “Do you want me to take you? I could wait outside.”
Knowing I have to do this on my own, I shake my head.
“Beth—”
“Really it’s fine.”
“I don’t want—”
Before he can argue, I press a kiss to his lips. I’m not sure if it’s him or me that whimpers, but everything falls away as his palm finds the side of my face, his thumb stroking my cheek as he kisses me fervently. “You’re trying to distract me,” he breathes.
“Is it working?” I press my lips to his again, softly and letting them linger.
Nick smiles against my mouth. “Yes.”
With a contented sigh, I rest the side of my face against his chest. “Let’s not fight anymore, okay?”
“Sounds easy enough. But you know,ifwe were to fight again—which I’m sure willneverhappen,” he says playfully. “I accept pickles as recompense.”
I try and fail not to laugh. “Of course you do.”
