31. Naya
THIRTY-ONE
NAYA
Dinner with Hayes and Darren was fun.
So, we did it again, sometimes at Darren's place, and sometimes Hayes took us out to a restaurant because he didn't cook.
I'd asked Amias if he still talked to my brother, and he said he'd turned down all invitations from him and Ann for meet-ups. He just didn't want to deal with them. I felt bad because I wondered if I'd broken up their friend's circle and Hayes had set me straight.
"It was just a bad habit…us all spending time together.
And honestly, the group has been thinning out.
Jackson went to Paris, and David moved to California.
Sure, they stop by when they're in town, but we're just a bunch of acquaintances, Naya.
You're not breaking up the fucking band or anything.
Also, your brother and Amias' ex are assholes. "
When I looked at Amias for confirmation, he nodded, "What he said. And we have new friends like Darren now."
"I'm here for Sparky," Darren muttered, "I just tolerate your entitled asses."
We'd had dinner with Ethan and his wife, Jess, and I realized that maybe I didn't suck at socializing.
Darren had told me that Amias was good for me and that he was boosting my confidence. And when I wondered if my self-assurance would remain after Amias left, he told me stop being a ditz.
Nolan had gotten in touch with me to ask if I'd babysit Magnus and I'd gently turned him down.
I'd love to see my nephew, I told him, but I wouldn't be their free babysitter any longer.
I'd asked if he and Kara would like to come over for dinner with Magnus and he'd said they didn't have the time for that.
I missed my nephew, and I hated that I couldn't see him except if I allowed my brother to use me. I didn't mind babysitting Magnus—but my I deserved to be respected.
That became very obvious when we saw them in Back Bay one Sunday afternoon. April had brought with it all the wonderful things about spring, and we were walking down Newbury Street when we bumped into Nolan, Kara, and Magnus, who was in a pram.
Amias had dragged me to a jewelry store window, wanting to know what my style was.
"My style is paste, Amias. Jewelry that I buy at Marshalls."
"Is that a jewelry store?"
"God, you're such a snob."
"What?"
"It's a retail outlet store. Where do you shop? Never mind, I don't even want to know."
"Is it diamonds?" Amias coaxed.
"Why do you want to know?" I demanded as he pulled me closer and kissed the side of my head.
"Rubies?"
"Amias?"
"Sapphires. I know."
"I like pearls. Okay?"
"Like big strands of pearls or?—"
"Dangling pearl earrings." I flicked mine so he could see.
"They're nice."
"They cost me fifteen dollars compared to those here that cost fifteen thousand. My god, why would anyone spend that kind of money on stupid jewelry."
"How much money would be right then?" he asked me.
"Fifteen dollars. You want to buy me jewelry, that's your budget."
"You're so fucking stubborn, Naya."
I took his hand, dragged him away from the store.
"Hey, Amias," Nolan cried out excitedly.
"So nice to see you, Amias; it's been so long," Kara cooed. "You missed our party last week. Nolan said you couldn't make it."
They both looked at me and just nodded and then turned their attention to Amias. "Nolan, Kara."
I immediately crouched to the pram. "Hey, little man."
Magnus waved a hand, and Kara moved the pram away from me. "Like you care," she looked suspiciously at Amias and me. "Nolan even asked you to spend time with Magnus and you said no."
I stepped away, shocked, and hurt. Amias wrapped an arm around me.
"What are you two doing together?" Nolan demanded.
"Well just now I was trying to find out what the hell kind of jewelry Naya likes so I could buy the right ring when I ask her to marry me, but so far no go. She refuses to tell me what stone she likes."
The shock that fell around us was loud.
Amias kissed the side of my head. "I thought you knew. Naya and I are dating."
"Dating?" Kara barked. "You two?"
"I thought you couldn't stand her," Nolan quipped.
My eyes immediately hit the ground. I felt shame coursing through me.
Had Amias said that to Nolan? God! We'd been safe in our cocoon, and now the world had come in.
It would keep coming in. Amias' family wouldn't accept me…
they would want someone like Ann with the right last name and pedigree.
This would never last. I was so stupid to think it would. I should never have?—.
"I'm in love with Naya," Amias said easily, and I raised my eyes to look at him. What was he doing announcing it to the whole world?
"Love?" Kara choked out.
"And she's in love with me. I'm one lucky son of a bitch," Amias continued like Kara wasn't ready to faint.
"I…I thought you were getting back with Ann," Kara muttered, giving me the stink eye. "Ann said that she'd talked to your mother, and you were getting back together. What is going on here?"
Amias shrugged. "Going on where?"
"You two," Nolan said incredulously.
"I just told you we're dating. We're in love, and I'm hoping when she's ready, she'll agree to marry me. If I ask her now, she'll probably knee me in the nuts. You know how she is, needs time to adjust."
Amias spoke almost cavalierly as if it was nothing when he knew that Nolan and Kara were just about ready to go into cardiac arrest.
"Does Ann know?" Kara demanded.
Amias sighed. "I have no idea what Ann knows. Anyway," he looked at his watch, "baby, we got to go."
"Where are you going?" Kara wanted to know.
"The movies," I told her as Amias and I hurried away. He had gotten tickets to watch the latest Mission Impossible despite the shitty reviews because I was a big MI fan.
"What was that?" I asked when we settled in the theatre with popcorn and sodas.
"What?"
"You know what."
He grinned. "It was an excellent way of sticking it to your brother and his wife, and letting you know where I'm at and not necessarily in that order."
"What do you mean where you're at?" I asked, shocked, my mouth hanging open.
"Close your mouth, darling," Amias said in good humor. "I want us to live together and get married, eventually. I'd like for you to move in with me as soon as you're ready."
I chewed the kernel of popcorn I'd put in my mouth.
"We've been seeing each other only for a few months."
"When you know, you know."
"That's a stupid line." I threw a popcorn at him even though my heart was singing happy tunes.
"Let's try this another way." Amias moved his mouth close to my ear in the way he knew made my panties wet. "Move in with me, Naya. I'd move into your place, but it's too fucking small."
We'd always been honest with one another, which was what I loved about being with Amias. "I'm not ready. I'm scared."
"I know."
"I'll get over it, and when I do, I'll let you know."
He dropped a kiss on my mouth. "You ready for some geriaction?"
"What's that?"
"Action movies where the hero is a zillion years old."
"Do not disparage my Tom Cruise."
"I don't know how to break this to you, but you're mine and he isn't yours."
"He just hasn't met me yet. As soon as he does…it's going to be like magic."
We continued to banter until the lights went dark. In the hushed silence, I wondered if I could love this man more that I already did? He was patient. He was open. He was…hell, he was everything.