Chapter 13
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Leyla
I was in my office on a conference call with Luke as Jaz furiously took notes on her tablet when I felt a headache coming on.
“We’re removing the word ‘clinical’ until the claim is substantiated. I don’t want legal risk buried in marketing copy. Please update the label before they ship, no matter the cost,” I said firmly.
“It will be taken care of immediately,” Vanessa said on the other end of the phone.
“I appreciate it. Thanks for your cooperation.” A few minutes later, the call ended. It had lasted almost an hour, and I was mentally ready for a break.
“I’ll start working on this now. Let me know if you need anything,” Jaz said, squeezing my hand before she left.
“Thanks. Appreciate it.” Blowing out a long breath, I rubbed my temples. Hoping to stave off the pain, I closed my eyes.
“Still don’t want to talk about it?” I jolted, having forgotten Luke was on the sofa nearby.
“Are you a ninja or what? And nope. Not now, anyway.”
I heard the cushions creak as he stood up and walked closer. “Sofia is really sorry she pushed you two the other night. She, we, really thought it was a good idea at the time.”
“I told you both already it was fine,” I said, slowly opening my eyes, but not for the first time wishing there were blinds on the wall of windows in my office. I was going to have to work somewhere else today.
“You were so upset you left without even eating. Did he at least explain his side?” my best friend asked, concern coloring his voice.
It was true. I stood outside in their backyard for a long time, replaying that conversation in my head, trying to make sense of it. Then I told them I wasn’t in the mood for dinner, hugged them, and left.
“Yeah, he did. Maybe getting your perspective might help,” I answered, leaning my elbows on my desk as he sat across from me.
“I hope it will. Hate seeing you so upset, goofball,” he quipped, making me relax a bit.
Blowing out a long breath, I answered, “Basically, he said he was sick, got an email from Logan’s TA asking for documentation for my findings.
When I didn’t answer multiple emails, he did his own digging and found a former student’s report.
The one that matched mine down to the last detail.
Not only the solution but the exact experimentation, chemical reactions, steps taken, all of it. ”
“I remember now. It’s rare for that to happen, but I know you, and you’d never copy someone else’s work.”
“Exactly! Niko and I were friends, colleagues. He knew my work ethic. Knew me. But he went to Logan alone, looking out for himself. He should’ve waited for me, found me.
Something. I had been warned that he would do anything to keep his GPA, but I didn’t believe them.
My phone had died, but when I got a little charge back and saw Logan’s urgent email, I rushed over. ” I threw my hands up in frustration.
The movement made me slightly dizzy, and I regretted it instantly. Great. A migraine was all I needed.
“Don’t burn my flesh off with your laser eyes, but didn’t you say Logan mentioned how pale Niko looked and had almost passed out at that meeting?”
“Who are you? Sherlock?” I asked, my annoyance growing.
“I’d look great in that hat, but no. It’s been a long time, but the pieces are coming back.
I have no idea what the deal is with him and emails, but it seems clear to me now.
But if Niko wanted to throw you under the bus, he had the opportunity.
Hold on,” he said when I tried to interrupt him.
“Yes, he gave him the documentation up to the point where you found the solution because that’s all he had.
He was defending you both on your mutual findings with all he had at the moment. ”
My head hurt just thinking about how I might have gotten this wrong.
I softened my tone. “He did say he was willing to take the blame with me if it came down to that. Logan never told me that. All he cared about was me explaining what I’d found.
He was livid and I was just lucky it was him and not someone else. Logan had always been fair.”
Luke shrugged. “Sounds like a perfect storm. For what it’s worth, I believe him.”
He looked at me more closely. “Are you getting a migraine?”
I would’ve rolled my eyes if I weren’t worried that the migraine would make my head blow off the top of my body. That was ridiculous. All these years, I knew I had the correct narrative in my mind. But that same mind was now tripping over Luke’s perspective and Niko’s words.
“You. I did it for you. To protect you because I cared about you.”
Every time I thought of those words, a shiver ran down my spine and goosebumps rose on my arms. His eyes had blazed with emotion when he said them. It took great effort to ignore the feelings his words evoked and hold on to my righteous indignation.
Tapping my desk, he stood to leave. “Text me if you need to go home. I’ll hold down the fort.” Then he was gone, leaving me with my thoughts flitting around like a butterfly in the wind.
Hours later, tucked away in an empty office down the hall from my own that thankfully had no windows, I took a break and stretched my arms above my head. I’d retreated there for the day to stave off the migraine brewing from the glare in my office and to avoid going home if I could help it.
I was stretching my neck side to side when a knock sounded. Without checking, I called out for them to come in.
Niko opened the door slowly, a steaming cup in one hand and a pair of headphones hanging from his wrist on the other.
“Hey,” he said quietly, but didn’t walk in. His body language was tense and hesitant.
Straightening in my seat, I pushed down the warring feelings of surprise and, what was it? Relief at seeing him again? That couldn’t be.
“Ah, come in,” I repeated, deciding to call a cease-fire since I didn’t have it in me to argue again.
He walked toward me until he stopped at the desk I was temporarily using.
When his eyes looked over the mess on it, then met mine, I moved the folders out of the way, assuming that’s what he wanted.
“I brought you this. Luke mentioned you might have a migraine, and this blend helps my mom when she gets one,” he said, his voice quiet but steady as he set it down.
My eyebrows lifted as I answered, “Oh, that’s very kind of you.
Thank you. And it’s not too bad now that I moved away from the windows.
” I leaned toward it, the sweet smell of peppermint filling my senses.
I instinctively closed my eyes. It brought back memories of my mother brewing me a cup when the migraines started in college.
“She has a special brew that does wonders for her. Mostly it’s peppermint, but it also has a bit of chamomile and ginger in it for the nausea.”
The tension in my shoulders seemed to ease away with his melodic voice and the scent of the tea.
“I’ve never had that blend, but it sounds heavenly. Thank you again.” I took a sip. It was warm without being too spicy. After a few more sips, I could already feel the ginger easing the nausea that had kept me from eating much more than a few crackers for lunch.
“She found it at a specialty tea emporium in Liberty Station. The owner talked her into it, and it’s all she drinks now when she feels one coming on. She says it’s magic. I went over to the tea shop on my lunch break.”
I smiled, letting another slow sip bring me comfort. “That was incredibly sweet of you. And I think she may be right. It’s perfect. Would you like to sit down?”
“Yes, thank you.” He eased into the chair in front of the desk and held up the full-sized headphones. He seemed embarrassed by them but finally said, “I also brought you these. Sometimes when I just need a minute away from people while at work, I’ll put these on and listen to something soothing.”
“Oh? Do people usually get on your nerves?” I asked, trying to lighten the mood, but when he sat up, spine stiffening, face darkened with annoyance, I knew it hadn’t landed right.
“Not usually. It’s not like I don’t enjoy being with people…”
“Niko, I was teasing you. I’m sorry it didn’t land right. I seem to do that often with you.” It was frustrating that it kept happening. There had to be something I was missing, more than just our differing personalities.
He visibly relaxed, his posture loosening, a small but tight smile appearing.
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to sound defensive. Anyway, I’m sure you’re busy.
I’ll take these with me. It was probably a bad idea.
” He started to stand, so I set the cup down, leaned forward, and stopped him by reaching out toward him, not quite touching him.
His eyebrows raised as he looked at my hand as if it were a wild animal.
Pulling it back, I said, “Please. It was a generous, thoughtful idea. I’ve never tried that, but I’d like to.”
He sat back down, twisting the apparatus in his hands nervously.
“I enjoy a wide variety of music, but when I feel overwhelmed or anxious, usually classical music helps.” He went on to explain how I could sync my own preferred playlist to the Bluetooth system, but I wasn’t really paying attention.
My eyes scanned his handsome face. It wasn’t quite symmetrical, but that just made him more interesting.
“Does that make sense?”
I realized he was asking me a question. I shook my head and absently answered. “Yes, I think I got it. Thanks again. I’m sure these will really help.”
“Now is not the right time, but I wanted to apologize again for my behavior the other night, Leyla. I got in my head and let my emotions run away from me. But I just wanted to say I’m sorry again for everything. I truly was trying to protect you,” he pleaded.
“I think I’m starting to believe you. And I’m sorry, too. There are details that I still don’t understand, but for now, I just have one question. Did you really tell Logan you’d take the blame with me?”
That admission had been playing on repeat in my mind since that night.
Niko nodded. “Yes, I did.”
I paused as I scanned his face for any sign he wasn’t telling the truth, but found none. “Thank you for that. When we have time, there’s more to say, but for now I’d like us to call a truce.”
His wide smile was immediate, and it stunned me. I’d forgotten that one side of his mouth curved a little higher when he smiled. His smiles were rare, but when they happened, they deserved recognition and attention like the aurora borealis. The little quirk on one side made my heart flutter.
So inconvenient.
“That would be...Yes, please. A truce would be amazing,” he repeated as he stood. “Thank you for listening. And yes, there are details that would help you understand me, but another time, when you are feeling better.”
“Good, then I’ll see you soon.”
“One more thing. And you can say ‘no’ if it makes you uncomfortable, but I’d like to pray for you.”
He was so sincere that my heart actually felt like it had melted. “Of course. That’s very sweet of you.”
I waited to see if he’d take my hand, and even though his eyes fell to them, he didn’t make a move. He bowed his head and closed his eyes, so I did the same.
“Father, I ask that you ease Leyla’s migraine. That You let her know that You’re near, always near. That You love her and will never leave her. Amen.”
Tears welled up in my eyes, but I was able to hold them back.
“Thank you, Niko. That was beautiful,” I whispered.
He looked at me again with that lopsided smile, and my heart lit up like a Christmas tree at the sight. What was I going to do with this man that I have called an enemy for so many years, but prays so tenderly over me? Catching feelings for him would be so inconvenient.
So very, very inconvenient.
When he walked out and closed the door behind him, I slumped in my seat, my heart thudding loudly in my chest.
His willingness to be the bigger person and come to me after that awful scene at Luke’s was almost too much to bear. The fact that my heart was softening toward him and my anger was dissipating was a surprise.
“Oh no,” I whispered. “No, no, no.”
That’s all it was, not attraction, I scoffed, slipping on the headphones. I caught the faint scent of his cologne, which didn’t help my situation.
Pushing play on my favorite violin piece, Canon in D, I tried to calm my floundering heart. As the music filled my ears, my thoughts swirled back to the handsome Turk whose thoughtfulness was as moving as the beautiful, stirring piece.
I closed my eyes, lost in the music and the memory of dark, soulful eyes. This inconvenient truth settled on me like a warm hug as I gasped.
I was starting to fall for my formerly sworn enemy.