13. Evren #2
“What’s going on between you two?”
“I don’t know.” I swirl my whiskey around in the glass. “There’s something there, and last night highlighted it.” I glance at him. “I was terrified at the thought of her being in danger.”
“Why do I feel like there’s a ‘but’ in there?”
“Because I plan on selling the team after this upcoming season. I’m exhausted and don’t think I can keep up this pace much longer. So, what’s the point in starting something with Nina if it’ll already have an ending?”
“Because you never know what life will look like in a year from now. Because you’re stopping yourself from being happy based on a what-if. Because you’re a fucking billionaire and can make a relationship work no matter if you have a job or not.”
“Well, shit…when you put it like that…” He’s right.
I haven’t pursued something with her because I’m scared of getting hurt.
Scared that we’re so different that it won’t work out.
Sometimes it feels safer to not try at all and remain in the what-if.
But if I do that, I’ll lose her, and she’ll move on to someone else.
“See?” he says, grinning. “Isn’t it better to talk about these things?”
“Maybe you’ve missed your calling in life by not becoming a therapist.”
Zeki chuckles. “I think I’m right where I belong, helping you out.”
“I agree.” I clink my glass against his.
Hours later, Nina drags herself through the door, dark circles shadowing her eyes and a weariness clinging to her that I’ve never seen before.
“Hey,” I say, “are you okay?”
“Yeah, it’s just been a long day at the bakery.”
“Did you get any of my messages?” I ask .
“No, we were slammed, and I didn’t have time to check my phone. Why? Did you find out who did this?”
“Not yet, but we’re tightening security to make sure we’re safe. Which means we had to move you from the pool house to the master bedroom.”
“W…what?” she asks weakly, her face turning pale.
“We had to move you from?—”
“No, I heard you. But does this mean you’ve already done it?”
“We did,” I say. “We are also turning the master into a mini panic room. Work will be finished before nine tonight.”
Nina’s jaw tightens, a flicker of anger crossing her face. She’s trying to keep her composure, but it’s clear she’s barely holding on.
“What is it?” I ask.
“You moved my things without waiting for me.” She says it like it’s obvious, but I don’t get why that would upset her.
“Yes, I did,” I say. “Nate had to set up the new security headquarters in the pool house. We needed the space.”
She huffs and spins on her heels, storming up the stairs and into her new room that’s currently missing a door and part of the wall. She spins in a slow circle, taking it all in. I thought she’d be happy she didn’t have to deal with this, but the look on her face says the opposite.
“What’s going on?” I ask. “Why are you upset?”
“Upset?” She laughs without any humor. “I’m enraged. You moved me without getting my confirmation first or even waiting until I got home to touch my things.”
“But I thought I was helping.”
“Well, you didn’t. You moved me from my first real home—” She breaks off and shakes her head. “Forget it, just…can you leave? I need some time alone.”
“But—”
“I don’t even have a door to close right now, so can you please leave?”
“Okay,” I say quietly. “I’m sorry.”
I don’t know how yet, but I need to make this right. I definitely didn’t intend to hurt her, but apparently, I was so focused on accomplishing my task that I overlooked her feelings about it all. Of course, she’d be upset with me. But I know who to ask to help make it up to her.
Elodie cracks her front door open a few inches and glares at me. “What do you want?”
“Advice.”
“And why the hell should I help you?”
I sigh. “Because I tried to do the right thing, but lost sight of Nina’s feelings along the way.”
Elodie opens the door wider and says, “I’m listening.”
“I unintentionally hurt her by moving her room, touching her things, and not waiting for her consent.”
“You did,” she says. “You have to understand that Nina’s possessive about her belongings. Her mom would take her things all the time. Nothing was safe.”
“Shit,” I mutter. “Any advice on how to make it up to her?”
“Depends.”
“On?” I ask.
“Answer this first: What’s going on between you two?”
“Nothing.”
“Nothing?” She gives me a look that clearly says she doesn’t believe me. “Doesn’t sound like nothing to me if you care about her feelings.”
“We’re roommates. The last thing I want is tension between us.
” Which is true in a sense, but I leave out the most important part.
About how much I like Nina, how living together has awakened feelings I didn’t expect—curiosity, attraction, the urge to explore whatever is between us.
She’s wormed her way into every part of my life, and I’m fucking falling for her.
Maybe Zeki’s right, maybe I don’t need to plan every step in the future and just live in the now.
No one can know what life will look like in a year, but not trying with Nina would be something I’d regret.
“Uh-huh.” Elodie leans casually against the doorjamb, scanning my face with a mixture of curiosity and amusement. “How about we try that again, but with the truth this time?”
“Were you always such a ballbuster? ”
She laughs. “Why don’t you ask Hunter next time you avoid going for a drink with him?”
I wince, ignoring her correct observation and say, “I’m falling for her, okay? The thought of her hating me twists something tight in here.” I place a hand over my chest. “I care about her—more than a friend, more than a roommate—and I need to fix this.”
“Good, now that you’ve admitted you like her, I can tell you that Nina loves sewing, chocolate-covered pretzels, great food, partying, thrifting, and her favorite flowers are roses.”
“No, it’s daffodils, and I already know all that,” I say, trying to mask my exasperation, but I fear I’m doing a shit job at it. Telling me what she likes doesn’t help me fix any of this.
“You’ve been paying attention,” Elodie says, a slow smirk building on her lips. “You really do like her.”
“Was that a test?”
“Don’t worry, you passed.” Elodie laughs at whatever expression is on my face.
Shock, most likely. “Let’s see,” she says.
“Nina is all about action. ‘Sorry’ doesn’t mean anything to her, it’s just an empty word.
She also likes thoughtful gifts; it doesn’t have to be expensive.
It’s probably better if it’s not. And here’s a bonus: her favorite designer is Lila Lark, she’s always wanted to go to Milan, and she dreams of selling her own designs one day but is too scared to go through with it.
If you can’t find some way to make it up to her with that, then you don’t deserve her. ”
I nod. That’s more than what I started with. I say goodbye and stride down her front steps, hitting the sidewalk with renewed hope. When it comes to Nina, starting small but sincere sounds like the way to go. And then from there, building on to bigger gifts.
A spark of determination ignites within me. I can’t wait to show her that I’m worth the risk, that we’re worth the risk.