Chapter 12
CHAPTER TWELVE
Nikolas
“Well, don’t just stand there. Come on in,” I heard Sofia say to whoever was at the door.
I had just arrived at Luke’s house ten minutes earlier and was already going over in my head what I’d practiced saying and subjects for small talk. Places I liked in San Diego, books I’ve read recently, and TED Talks I enjoyed.
He hadn’t indicated there would be others joining us, and I wasn’t sure whether that was a good or bad thing.
On one hand, having others present meant the impetus wouldn’t be entirely on me to keep the conversation going, but I knew that in a large group, my social battery would drain faster.
There were loud whispers that stopped abruptly when Sofia stepped aside, and the new arrival finally walked into the living room. My head snapped up when I saw who it was.
My heart squeezed tightly as I watched Sofia practically drag Leyla by the hand to stand in front of me. I stood, nearly knocking my drink off the coffee table. All my prepared topics of conversation vanished from my mind like a gust of wind.
“Well, look who it is,” Sofia said breezily. I was confused. Did she not know Leyla was coming?
Leyla narrowed her eyes at Luke, whose lips were pinched together, before taking a deep breath. I had already concluded that they were close friends, but this reaction was very strange. Was Leyla's presence humorous or unexpected? It was hard to tell.
When she turned her emerald eyes to me, I held my breath. She was so beautiful. She was full of fire and warmth, and even though I didn’t know what was happening between the three friends, something in me relaxed at the sight of her.
“Hi, Leyla. I didn’t realize you’d be here tonight,” I said, trying to seem calm, cool, and collected, the opposite of how I felt. The last conversation we’d had was beyond awkward. Nothing new for me, but now I didn’t know how to act being in the same room again.
I’d played that conversation repeatedly in my head. I knew very well that saying I was ‘wanting’ meant I was lacking, but the way I’d said it and my subsequent answer that I didn’t know what I wanted were the epitome of embarrassment.
“Hey, Niko. The surprise is mutual.”
We all stood there, looking from one to the other like in a tennis match, and I felt the room getting smaller and smaller. Suddenly, I felt like an intruder.
“I, ah, I think I should head out.” I got up, hoping to leave with some dignity.
“Wait, please don’t go. Honestly, this is just silly,” Sofia said in a soft Italian accent.
When I arrived, Luke introduced her and said they had been childhood sweethearts.
She was from Positano and friendly in a way that made me feel welcome.
But she was also quite inquisitive. In just the few minutes I’d been there, she had already pulled details from my childhood and beyond out of me.
“What’s silly?” Leyla growled, tossing her purse onto a chair in the corner and easing onto the sofa across from me.
“That we’re all acting like you two don’t have a past,” Sofia said, picking up her glass and taking a sip of her wine.
“I’ll grab you a drink, Leyla,” Luke said. “You two catch up, and we’ll check on dinner.”
“I thought you were bringing me something to drink,” Leyla said.
Sofia gave her friend what could only be described as a withering glare. “You’ll be rewarded for good behavior after. Talk. First.”
When the couple walked out of the room, I sat down even though I wanted to make a run for the door.
We sat in uncomfortable silence, both of us scanning the room to avoid eye contact. This was my worst nightmare. Awkward situations that were either going to end in a confrontation or in small talk. I didn’t know what was worse.
“Listen, this is obviously a setup to get us to talk, but I’m not going to let them win that easily.
We’ll do this my way. Grab your drink and let’s head out to the back patio where we can be alone,” Leyla said, surprising me.
Without waiting for me, she walked through a set of glass double doors that led to an outdoor area.
Okay, I guess we’re doing this, then.
I grabbed my drink and followed her. “This is really beautiful,” I said, looking at the outdoor kitchen area with a pizza oven and a grill. The pergola overhead had Edison lights strung from end to end.
“Yeah, it is. It’s my favorite part of their house.” Her shoulders relaxed as her eyes roamed the darkening sky.
“Do you live nearby?” This was my attempt at small talk, even though my skin felt tight like my heart did at the moment.
“No, I live in a Craftsman bungalow in Banker’s Hill, about fifteen minutes from here,” she answered. “You?”
“Oh, um, Rancho Bernardo. I own a home there. It’s quiet, and I love the area’s Spanish influence.”
This was just painful. Next was probably a riveting conversation about the weather.
“I like that area, too. Almost bought a ranch-style home there but decided on a place close to Balboa Park.”
“It’s one of my favorite places in San Diego, too.” I was excited that we still seemed to have things in common. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all.
I was finally easing into this unexpected conversation when I looked over and saw Sofia and Luke peering through the doors we’d walked through. My brows furrowed as I watched them, faces pressed to the glass, grinning. Disturbing to say the least.
Following my gaze, Leyla scoffed and shook her head. Luke mouthed what looked like ‘payback’ before giving her the thumbs-up and pulling Sofia with him back to the kitchen.
“Do I want to know what that’s about?” I asked.
With a heavy sigh, she answered, “Jaz and I did the same thing to them when Sofia first got here from Italy. They’d met the day before, and Luke pretended not to know her when she turned up at Earth Organix the next morning.
” She chuckled as she continued. “Oh, was she livid. A real enemies-to-lovers story. Then it turned out they met as kids back in Italy. Crazy, long story.”
“So, you tricked them into having dinner together?” I asked, smiling.
“Yup. Worked too. Anyway, Jaz and I were way smoother than they are, the maniacs.”
“Enemies-to-lovers? That’s from romance novels, right? My sister Defne loves them.”
The air between us became tense again when we realized the topic had veered into dangerous territory. I rubbed the back of my neck, and Leyla coughed lightly into her hand, neither of us making eye contact.
“I’m no expert on these things, setup or not, but I would really like the chance to explain what happened. If you’re amenable to that,” I offered, grateful to change the subject.
She snorted. “Amenable? Wow, sometimes I forget we’re the same age, Lord Demir,” Leyla said with an exaggerated bow and a poorly executed British accent.
“I like big words, and I cannot lie. Science is not the only thing I excel at,” I answered, holding back my laughter.
Mike had told me about the silly saying about big butts, something he found quite amusing.
How I was able to pull that into this conversation was on the ongoing list of things Leyla brought out in me.
Maybe that should be on my coffee cup. The Leyla thing, not the butt thing.
Leyla choked and looked at me with wide eyes, her smile growing.
“Did, did you just make a joke about butts?” she asked, her voice a few octaves higher.
My face went hot. “Mike is rubbing off on me.”
“I think I need to meet him again.”
Her smile and words settled in my brain. White-hot jealousy replaced the glowing embers of joy at seeing her happy. I was anxious to drive the conversation away from my charismatic, handsome friend. “Should we talk then?”
“That’s a subject I didn’t think I’d be discussing when I got here tonight.” She sat down on a cushioned chair that swallowed her small frame. I set my drink on a nearby table and sat across from her.
“What were you expecting?”
“A huge plate of pasta that I’d regret later and a couple episodes of a K-drama Sofia and I are obsessed with.”
“You know my family and I are from Turkey, so I’m pretty sure the dramas my mom watches are similar.”
“Oh, Aria, Sofia’s friend in Positano, loves those,” she said.
She folded her hands on her lap and crossed her legs as the silence grew between us. “Want to talk so we can go eat?”
“Honestly, I’m not sure what I’m more afraid of. Telling my side of the story or possibly being forced to watch K-dramas.”
Leyla laughed loudly, a sound I didn’t realize I’d missed.
She used to be one of those people who would start laughing at something, then start laughing at herself.
I’d seen her take ten minutes to get control of herself after seeing a dumb reel she showed me while working together.
It was heaven. I couldn’t help but join in.
She took a deep breath as her melodic laughter faded quickly, as if she was doing something wrong. But I wished I could bottle up her laughter and take it with me to listen to on those long, lonely nights.
“Wow, didn’t realize how much I needed that. Thanks.”
“I’m happy to see you happy.” Her eyes met mine, her smile holding firm. When she turned away, I immediately missed her attention.
“Not sure this talk will do much good, other than to air it out so our work isn’t hindered, but let’s hear it.” She waved her hands for me to continue.
“Well, you’re not the only one who was not expecting any of this tonight.” I scoffed and said, “If I had known, it would’ve taken me weeks to prepare.”
“Meaning?” she asked, turning to face me again and leaning forward in her seat.
The movement made her necklace swing forward, catching the gleam of the overhead lights.
It always seemed to be tucked into her shirt at work.
Seeing it again after all these years, and knowing its significance to me, gave me the strength to speak.
“I just would’ve liked time to get my words together so I don’t make things worse.” I straightened out a nonexistent wrinkle in my jeans.