I sigh heavily, I know she’s right, but I’m not ready for Nico to look at me differently. He’ll see someone different once he knows. Or worse, he’ll look at me with pity. The way he looks at me makes my heart skip a beat, something I’m only just learning to enjoy. Too many years of my life went by with me flatlining, trying to evade all emotions. It’s the first time I want to feel in a long time. Feel the highs and the lows and all that’s in between.
“I’m just not ready yet.”
Regina knows what I’ve been through, so she doesn’t push. But I know this isn’t the last that I’ll hear about it from her.
Chapter 26
Nico
“The chick the other night had some rack, hey Lady Killer?” Frank Lawson is a complete asshole. Always has been. I didn’t even notice he was in the gym the other night when Elle and I walked through.
“She’s not some chick and keep your eyes off her when she’s in here, or you’ll be finding a new place to train.” The whole room goes quiet. “After I kick your ass.”
Frank throws his hands up in exaggerated surrender and I hear a few of the guys quietly laugh in the background.
“Hey Frank, Nico can use a sparring partner, whatta you say?” Preach chimes in. Gotta love Preach always looking out for me. He just gave me an excuse to knock that asshole on his ass and call it practice.
My stare is icy when Frank looks at me. He knows I’m pissed. But the whole place is still quiet and now he’ll look like a pussy if he says no. “Umm…sure.”
Preach winks at me as I turn to finish my warm up. On a bad day I can take Frank with one hand tied behind my back. Today I won’t need either.
***
A few hours later, Preach and I lock up and I make us both a protein shake. I need to replenish the calories, Preach is working on a little gut.
“Put some extra peanut butter in mine.”
I slap Preach in the gut. “You don’t need any extra peanut butter, old man.”
“You better hope you look as good as I do when you’re my age.” He sucks in his gut and throws back his shoulders as he speaks.
“I’ll worry about it in seventy or eighty years when I’m almost your age.” I answer back to Preach with sarcasm. This is who we are. We bust chops, fight, argue, and get pissed off at each other. But he’s like a father to me, the old bastard.
“Yeah, well, with the quantity of food you inhale, I’m thinking you might not make it to my ripe old age. Your new lady cook good?”
I laugh. “Ah, that would be a no. I made her eggs the other morning and she thought it was magic that I made them taste so good. All I put in was salt and pepper.”
“Well then, it’s a good thing she looks like that if she can’t cook.” Preach goads me.
“Watch it old man, or I’ll knock you on your ass, too.” I hand him his shake, with a double scoop of peanut butter.
Chapter 27
Elle
Friday night Regina and I go out for drinks after work. Our regular place is packed for happy hour, but we eventually manage to get two seats at the bar. I have two glasses of wine, while Regina has at least twice that. Nico is meeting me at the bar at eight and taking me to dinner and I don’t want to be too tipsy. Anything over two inside of two or three hours is too much for me.
My back is to the crowded bar, I’m surprised when I hear a familiar voice I don’t expect to hear. William. It’s not that I don’t want to see him, but the place we’re at just isn’t on William’s revolving list of regular restaurants. I’m pretty sure Zagat’s never stepped foot inside here.
“Hey, Elle.” William greets me in the same manner he normally would in a public place. He kisses me on the cheek and gives me a slight brush of his hand on my hip. “Hey Regina.” He gives her a smile, but no kiss on the cheek.
William introduces the man he’s with as one of the new associates at his firm. He’s older for an associate, but nice looking, a little on the shorter side. I’m surprised at the lack of awkwardness in our conversation. Oddly, it feels like nothing has changed. After a few minutes, we slip into easy conversation about one of the cases we had been discussing over the last year and Regina and the new guy seem to have found something they both find hysterical.
I have no idea how long we talk for, but it’s nice, and I begin to think maybe William and I really can be friends. Maybe it’s what we always were. I lose track of time, and let myself enjoy the familiarity of my conversation.
William’s back is to Nico as he approaches the bar, but I catch sight of him the minute he walks through the door. My body responds to him instantly, my pulse increasing and my breaths coming shorter and faster. My eyes follow his every step and our eyes lock the minute he spots me. The crowded room falls away as he walks to me and I shift in my seat feeling tingly all over at the intensity in his gaze. God the man makes me feel so alive.