Chapter 29 #2
I opened the pantry to put a few things away and searched for the wine opener. After the week I had, I needed a glass badly. Actually, I probably needed the whole damn bottle.
She shook her head and smiled, while I popped the cork on the wine.
“He’s been like this forever. Even when he was a teenager.”
“Really?” I slid a glass of wine her way.
“Afraid so. Every Friday night, my parents would order pizza and wings, but Nate would only eat one piece, then go eat his grilled chicken and rice. He was always conscious about what he put in his body.”
Huh. That was interesting. When we ordered Chinese the other night, I noticed he only ate the chicken and broccoli. He had cheat days here and there, but he was very disciplined in a way I never could be. I loved my carbs too much.
“Well, that sounds depressing.” I lifted my glass. “Here’s to eating junk food for the entire weekend.”
She clinked her glass against mine. “You might be my new favorite person.”
We drifted into the family room and collapsed onto the couch.
“How was your flight?” I asked, tucking one leg underneath me.
She sipped her wine. “Nate bought me a first-class ticket, so it was great.”
She almost didn’t come, with everything going on, but I was thankful that she did. I knew he really wanted her here.
Callie leaned forward with her wineglass dangling loosely between her fingertips. “He told me what has been going on.”
I knew he called and mentioned there were some things going on, and didn’t want her blindsided. I just wasn’t sure how much she knew, so I let her do most of the talking.
“It’s been crazy, but I’m glad you came. He has been looking forward to your visit.”
Her expression softened. “He didn’t sound like himself. I’m worried about him.”
I looked at her directly. “Trust me, your being here helps more than you know.”
“I just wish it wasn’t under these circumstances. Why can’t it be a normal game weekend?”
I rested my head back against the cushion. “Hopefully, it will all be over soon.”
“I still can’t believe he played injured and never said anything.” She shook her head. “Actually, I can. He always was stubborn.”
I clinked my glass with hers. “That’s one way to put it.”
“As for Brian and Lydia,” she curled deeper into the couch, trying to get comfortable, “I thought I knew them, but honestly, if this is who they really are, then good riddance.”
A smile tugged at my mouth. “I couldn’t agree more, and I say we don’t give Brian an ounce more of our time tonight.”
That was probably easier said than done, but Nate needed this time with her. In fact, he needed as many people as possible in his corner. While this might be badly timed, there was something comforting about her being here.
She sipped her wine. “I can see why my brother is so obsessed with you.”
“Obsessed?” I laughed. “Are you sure about that?”
“Absolutely.” Her smile reached her eyes. “I also want to thank you for everything you’ve done for him. He really cares about you, and I know you care about him too. You’ve moved heaven and earth to help him.”
I looked down at my glass. “I would do anything for him.”
And I meant it, at least when I wasn’t tempted to strangle him for being so headstrong and annoying.
“I’m really glad he has you.”
Her words caught me off guard. “Thank you. I try to keep him humble.”
“Good, because he needs it.” She laughed.
“It’s no secret that my brother is my favorite person.
I also like to think that I know him better than anybody.
He might not want to admit it, but I know this has hurt him.
Which is why I’m glad he’s not facing this alone.
If anyone deserves to be happy, it’s Nate. ”
Those words could not land harder if she tried. I don’t think she understood how much they meant to me.
“He’s been through a lot. He deserves to have someone in his corner. I’m happy to be that person for as long as he lets me.”
That was one of the few reasons why I was falling in love with him. Somewhere between the late nights and constant chaos, I’ve gotten to know what a good person he was. He wasn’t just for show, even though he liked the attention.
When there was no audience or cameras, he was just a normal guy who went out of his way to take care of the people he cared about.
He also carried more weight on his shoulders than he let on. For a man who was under constant pressure and expectations, it would be easy for him to simply focus on himself.
But that wasn’t who he was, and for the first time, I allowed myself to feel the love that I’d been trying to avoid.
The realization dawned on me, and as terrifying as it was, I couldn’t ignore it anymore.
I cleared my throat and stood up. I needed a minute.
“I’m going to order dinner. Is Mexican okay?”
“Sounds good to me.” She yawned. “I might take a quick nap before dinner. I didn’t get much sleep last night. I always have a hard time resting the night before I fly.”
“I’m the same way. Why don’t you go take your nap while I clean up and return a few calls?” I started gathering the wineglasses when she reached out and touched my arm.
“For what it’s worth, I’m really sorry you got pulled into this.”
“Thank you, but I’m more worried about Nate than I am about myself,” I said, staring down at her, hoping I sounded more assuring than I felt.
There was a small part of me that believed Brian wouldn’t get away with this, but there was also some lingering worry that he could.
And that’s what made my stomach twist in knots.
“I just want to say one last thing. I’m not sure what your job situation will look like or how many years he has left in the game. But I do know that he needs you in his life. There isn’t a doubt in my mind that he would give it all up for you if that’s what it took.”
My heart stumbled over itself. I was unsure what to say to that, because hearing it from her made the back of my eyes burn. I didn’t cry often, but when one of the most important people in his life gave me a little speech like that, it got to me.
I walked into the kitchen, blinking my watery eyes up at the ceiling. I was feeling off-balance, and what surprised me most was knowing, without a doubt, that Nate was the person I saw when I thought about my future.