I wouldn’t have been that selfless. Can she even still be my friend after this?
Nick’s frantic pacing stops when he sees me. At first he says nothing, then, shucking his tux jacket, he comes and sits next to me on the bed. “This is my fault. I know you probably won’t believe me, but for what it’s worth—I’m sorry.”
I laugh, but it’s bitter. “That’s amazing. How do you make it sound so sincere?” I sit up straight and wipe the tears from my eyes. “I have to know. How do you lie to someone’s face and pretend that they matter to you when they don’t? It’s a business skill that I’m obviously lacking and desperately need.”
Nick turns away quickly so I can’t see his face, but I don’t stop. “Tell me, Nick. After you hose this business, I have nothing, like, literally nothing. My best friend isn’t going to talk to me ever again, and I’ll lose my business because I couldn’t outmaneuver you. You stole my clients and drove my business into the ground. Now, I have to sit here with you until someone comes and lets us out. Somehow, I’m guessing that will be Sophie with a chainsaw tomorrow morning!” By the time I’m done, I’m crying, yelling, and laughing. The image of Sophie in her wedding dress with a chainsaw is funny. I can’t help it.
My emotions explode and splatter everywhere. I can’t hide them anymore. That’s when I shove Nick’s shoulder. “And you. Why’d you have to cheat? I could have handled everything up until that point, but you frickin’ cheated!”
He turns to look at me. “Just what did I cheat at? If I did cheat I’m unaware of it. I play angles, crush hopes, and mislead—but I don’t flat out cheat.”
“Well, isn’t that refreshing?” I stare at the floor.
Nick grimaces and then inhales deeply, before running his fingers through his hair. “I can’t change who I am. I’m a Ferro through and through. You knew it when you first met me—that’s why you tossed me out without a packet. You saw through me every moment after that. You knew I’d take you down, but you put up a helluva fight.”
“Not that it matters—I’ve already lost. Without pictures from this wedding, I can’t keep my shop open.” I feel numb. A goofy, sad smile consumes my face and I look up, and blurt out. “That isn’t even the worst part. The worst part is Sophie doesn’t trust me anymore. That’s why we’re locked in here. She didn’t want me at her wedding.” I sniffle and then laugh awkwardly, glancing at Nick who’s intently watching me. “I’ve never had a friendship end this way before.”
“It’s my fault, not yours.”
“No, it’s not. I was going to do something to you and I told her.” I straighten and run my fingers through my hair until I reach the place where it’s pinned up at the back of my head. Smiling sadly, I tell him, “I was going to get back at you for the double-sided coin.”
He looks confused. “What are you talking about?”
“The coin toss, smart ass. You used a double-sided coin.”
“I did not—I don’t operate that way. If I were to try something, it would be untraceable. A fake coin is amateur hour. I’d get caught.” Nick is watching me intently. The tight fake smile fades from my face as I think back to the other night.
I stand abruptly, walk to the bathroom, and come back with the few coins I found by the sink. “These are yours, right?”
“No, I thought they were yours.”
I lift the double-sided quarter and show it to him. “This isn’t yours?”
He laughs, like I’m kidding. “Of course not, and if it was, I wouldn’t be stupid enough to leave it out. Sky, I used a regular coin. You called it, not me.”
I think back, staring at his beautiful face as I remember that night. I can’t help it. I smile a little. “You didn’t cheat?”
He shakes his head. “Someone doesn’t like me very much, huh? Story of my life. People hear Ferro and run the other way. I suppose this time it was my own goddamn fault, but it hasn’t always been this way.”
I’m leaning forward with my elbows on my knees. Nick is sitting close to me, but not touching, leaning back on his arms. “What do you mean?”
He slips and lies on his back, tucking his hands behind his head. “I’m the middle child, like, the classic middle child with middle child syndrome and all that shit. My parents pretty much considered my brothers and me clones of each other. After graduating high school, we were each given options of acceptable professions, but my chosen careers didn’t fit. I chose my own path, instead. The thing is, I know the family is ruthless. My aunt enjoys being like that, flaunting her power like a freaking monarch on crack.”