6. Evren #2
Zeki laughs. “Damn, you’re a ballbuster.”
“And? Is that a problem?”
I cover my building smile with my hand. It’s fun to not be on the receiving end of Nina’s barbs. It’s even better that it’s directed toward Zeki, who can do no wrong in Mom’s eyes.
“Not at all.” Zeki gives her his smile that normally causes women to run toward him.
“Is that”—Nina waves toward Zeki’s face—“supposed to be endearing? Or attractive? Because news flash, it isn’t.”
Zeki’s mouth gapes, and this time, I can’t hold back my chuckle. Nina’s head whips in my direction and I shrug, trying to play off what I’m going to claim is a cough.
“What?” I ask. “You resisting my brother’s infamous charm is surprisingly entertaining.”
“Interesting,” Nina says, still staring at me with an expression I can’t decipher.
My phone pings with a notification from my security team that the food delivery driver is on his way up to the door now.
The doorbell rings less than a minute later and I give Zeki a look that says you get it . He sighs and goes to pick up the food while I ask Nina, “Do you want to eat with us?”
She frowns, and it’s clear she’s going to decline. “I’m sorry about last night. I was annoyed about something and took it out on you. You didn’t deserve that.”
“What were you annoyed about?”
“A work issue I can’t find a solution for. When you called, I was working on it.” It doesn’t help that I was more annoyed at myself, at my lack of friends to have fun with if I wanted to go out. “Please join us for dinner. If you don’t come, Zeki’s going to make us eat in the bathroom with you.”
“Fine.” She sighs and follows me down to the kitchen.
Zeki unloads the containers and adds a serving spoon to each. Tonight, I ordered Italian since it’s his favorite. There’s chicken marsala, Tuscan-grilled sirloin, different pastas and sauces, bread, and salad.
Nina takes out three different plates from the cabinet—one blue, one yellow, and one white. I wave for her to serve herself first, but she shakes her head. “You guys go first.”
It’s against everything I was taught, to serve ourselves first and not our guest, but I’m not going to argue with Nina. That’s a pointless endeavor when it seems like she always wins.
I scoop heaping spoonfuls of everything onto Zeki’s plate and my own. Leaning against the counter, I wait for Nina to serve herself.
Except she doesn’t. She stands in front of the spread, appearing almost lost, for a good few minutes.
Zeki shoots me a confused look and I shrug, not understanding what the delay is. Perhaps she’s allergic to something, or maybe she’s vegan. Shit, I should’ve paid more attention to her eating preferences before now.
I watch her closely as she debates what to even put on her plate. Finally, she decides on the chicken and the alfredo pasta before hopping up onto the counter since there are still no chairs or tables in the house.
“What?” She glares at us, as if she knows we saw whatever that was and is daring us to say something.
“Nothing,” I say, and dig into my food, Zeki following my lead.
“Where do you live?” Nina asks Zeki after a while.
“Here and there. ”
Nina rolls her eyes. “What’s with all the nonanswers?”
Zeki takes his time chewing and swallowing before saying, “I guess I’m not used to people caring about the real ones.”
“Because,” I say, “the people you call your friends aren’t really friends. They just want what you can give them.”
Zeki snorts. “As if you know anything about friendship.”
I can’t hide my wince. He’s right, I thought I did, but Mert is proof enough that I don’t.
“Sorry,” Zeki says immediately. “I didn’t mean that.”
“It’s fine.” I brush off his apology, uncomfortable that Nina’s looking at me with a strange expression again.
“What do you do for work?” Zeki asks Nina, taking the heat off me.
“This.” Nina waves a hand around the house. “Decorating and managing the house for Stella.”
“You’re decorating it?” I ask, shocked. Sure, we found her painting the bathroom earlier, but I didn’t know she’s been decorating the whole house.
“Don’t sound so shocked,” she says. “I get that my style isn’t your taste, but?—”
“If I didn’t like your style, I wouldn’t have offered what I did.”
Zeki’s gaze bounces between us. “And what did you offer?”
“Nothing,” Nina says quickly.
I give her a pointed look and tell Zeki, “To give Nina a franchising deal for the team, and she declined.”
Zeki whistles and looks to Nina. “And why did you decline?”
“Yes,” I say. “Why did you?”
She shoots me a glare before focusing on Zeki. I miss her gaze on me, and I hate that it’s on my brother instead.
“I don’t appreciate,” she says, “that he wants to use me to make more money.”
“How many times,” I say, exasperated, “do I have to tell you that I’m not trying to use you?”
“That’s rich coming from you,” Zeki says. “You believe everyone’s trying to get something from you.”
“Oh? Is that so?” Nina asks with a smirk.
“No,” I say and glare at Zeki, giving him the universal shut up or die look between siblings. It doesn’t matter if he’s right, he doesn’t need to tell Nina that.
“You know,” Zeki says, “I actually had a T-shirt idea of my own that?—”
“—you want me to make for you?” Nina finishes.
“See?” Zeki says. “You’re already finishing my sentences. I think I’m in love with you.”
Nina snorts. “You wouldn’t be the first.”
“But I’d be the last, right?” Zeki asks.
Nina chuckles and I clench the fork in my hand, hating that I want to know if Nina’s interested in my brother. I wouldn’t blame her. He’s got the trifecta going on for him: a fun personality, close to her age, and rich .
“Right?” Zeki asks again, eyes hooded and sporting a smile that promises a fun time.
Nina glances at me before grinning. “It’s too early to tell.”
The fact that I have a desire to stay just to keep Nina’s attention on me and not my brother means I need to leave.
ASAP. I’ve been envious of Zeki and the carefree life he lives without any responsibility for a long time.
But in this moment, it’s the first time I’ve ever been jealous of him.
Jealous that he’s hitting it off with Nina.
Jealous that they could be together if they wanted, and that they probably have more in common than Nina and I ever will.
Clenching my jaw to keep silent, I stand and place my plate in the dishwasher.
“I have some work to get done,” I say and turn to Zeki. “Do you need me to call you a car?”
“Nope,” Zeki says. “I’ll figure it out.”
I nod and slowly walk to the bedroom, their laughter and hushed voices chasing me away. I’ve got to get over this interest I have in Nina. But no matter how many times I repeat that, it doesn’t make it easier to do.
Zeki has an indescribable quality to him that women apparently find irresistible. Unfortunately, Nina’s not immune and I just hope I don’t find Zeki in her bed in the morning.