Chapter 5
Nolan
It was really bugging me that Joy had read my messages and didn’t respond.
As soon as A Christmas Carol was over, I dug my phone out of my pocket. My date noticed.
“Is everything okay? You checked your messages a half dozen times before the show started.”
Shit. I hadn’t meant to be rude about it, especially since Kylie had treated me to the play we’d just watched. She’d refused to let me give her any money for the tickets. I shoved my phone back into my pocket, intent on giving her the attention she deserved.
“Sorry. Bad habit. Just a work thing going on.”
“No problem. I’m guilty of it, too. Especially when a patient I get friendly with isn’t doing well.”
“A patient?”
Her brows furrowed. “I’m a nurse. Remember?”
I actually hadn’t. I’d been on two dates with this very nice woman, and my head had been somewhere else both times.
It seemed to be a running problem of mine lately—all Joy, all the time.
I didn’t even want to guess how many hours I’d spent photoshopping, and when I wasn’t looking at pictures of Joy, somehow thoughts of her kept crossing my mind.
“Of course. Sorry.”
Kylie shrugged it off. “Would you want to go over to Serendipity? I love their frozen hot chocolate.”
The last place I wanted to be during the holidays was Times Square. It was a touristy nightmare. But I owed her for all the times I’d been mentally checked out. So I put my hand on her back. “That sounds great. Let’s go.”
An hour later, Kylie seemed happy that she’d gotten her frozen hot chocolate. I wasn’t really hungry, but I’d ordered a piece of humble pie since I could never turn down anything made with peanut butter.
Kylie was telling me how she was thinking of going back to school to become a nurse practitioner when my phone buzzed on the table.
I looked at it, but stopped myself from reaching out to pick it up while she was talking.
A few minutes later though, it buzzed a second time.
I was itching to know if the notification was Joy messaging me back, but again, I somehow managed to resist. The third time it happened, Kylie put me out of my misery.
“Will you excuse me?” she said. “I need to go to the ladies’ room.”
I stood as she got up from her chair. “Of course.”
The minute she turned her back and started toward the restroom, I reached for my phone.
Disappointment set in when I saw the message was from a friend at work and not Joy.
I even opened up the Facebook app and checked to see if she’d messaged me and I’d missed the notification.
But only the read notification on my message to her greeted me—a reminder that Joy had seen my message four hours ago and still not responded.
The woman who was actually interested in me returned from the ladies’ room a few minutes later. I stood as she took her seat, but when I went to sit back down, a table on the other side of the room caught my eye. That couldn’t be. Could it?
But it really looked like Isla—Joy’s friend she’d been with at the party the weekend before last. Was I imagining things now?
I had to be. More than eight-million people lived in New York City.
What were the chances I’d run into Joy’s ex and her friend on the same day?
Though the longer I stared, the more I felt certain it was her.
This wasn’t good, considering I’d already been having trouble concentrating on my date.
There was no way in hell I’d be able to pay attention now without finding out if that was actually Isla.
Especially not once she got up from her table and started to walk toward the hall that led to the ladies’ room.
So I told a white lie. “Sorry. It’s my turn now. I need to hit the head.”
“Oh. Sure.”
I had no idea what I was going to say or do if it was Isla, yet my legs started moving rapidly nonetheless.
By the time I made it to the hallway where the bathrooms were, she was already in the ladies’ room.
I had no choice but to hang around like a stalker waiting for his prey.
When the woman walked out of the restroom, I feigned my best surprised face.
“Hey. Isla, right? Joy’s friend?”
She smiled. “Yep. Hey, Nolan. I thought that might be you, but I didn’t want to interrupt your date.” She paused. “Though…it sort of looked like you might’ve been happy if I had.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
She shrugged. “You just looked bored, that’s all.”
I sighed. “I thought I was better at hiding it. My mind is elsewhere tonight.”
“It happens. The holidays are such a busy time.”
“Actually, it’s not Christmas that has me distracted. It’s your friend Joy.”
“Really? Then why the heck didn’t you say yes when she asked you out?”
“She didn’t ask me out.”
“She said she asked you to go to her parents’ Christmas party, and you said no.”
My brows furrowed. “I had plans, and I didn’t think that was a date. I thought she was just asking me to play a role, pretend to be her boyfriend for the sake of her parents.”
Isla rolled her eyes. “Duh. That’s because it’s not easy for a woman to ask out a man. She hasn’t shut up about you since her dumbass ex’s Christmas party.”
I smiled. “He is a dope, isn’t he?”
Isla put her hands on her hips. “It seems he’s not the only one. I don’t get it. If you can’t stop thinking about her, why didn’t you ask her out for another night?”
“I didn’t think she was over her ex. She made that card and went to his Christmas party and everything.”
“My best friend is pretty much perfect, except for one big flaw. She gives a shit what people think waay too much. Joy goes to that boring party every year because she and Davis and his new fiancée all work together, and she thinks if she doesn’t go, people at work will start gossiping that she’s still hung up on him.
” Isla shook her head. “It’s so dumb, I know. ”
“She’s really over him, though?”
“She has been for a very long time.”
Fuck. I’m a total idiot.
Isla smiled. “Well, it looks like you got one thing right, at least.”
“What’s that?”
“I can see on your face that you’re kicking yourself in the ass right now for making such a stupid decision.” She put a hand on my shoulder. “You want my advice?”
“Yes.”
“Grow a pair.” Isla smiled. “I need to get back to my cousin. Have a merry Christmas, Nolan.”
I returned to my date, but it was even more impossible to concentrate now.
The waitress came with the bill, and I was relieved to be able to call it a night.
I left cash in the padfolio and walked to the door with Kylie.
But once we were outside on the street, I couldn’t make myself move.
So I told another white lie to my very nice date.
“I’m sorry. I forgot something on the table. I’ll be right back.”
Inside, I made a beeline back to Isla’s table.
She smiled as I approached and leaned back in her chair. “Grow them this fast?”
“Do you know what time Joy’s parents’ party usually goes to?”
“Probably about eleven.”
I took a deep breath and looked at my watch. “Can I have the address?”
“You’re not going to bring your date, are you?”
“No. I’m going to do the right thing and be honest with her.”
Isla’s smile widened. “One twenty-five Liberty Street. Hoboken.”
Back outside, Kylie hooked her arm with mine. She seemed oblivious, even though Isla had been able to see I was bored from across the restaurant. I guess sometimes it’s easier to see the forest than the trees. I lifted my arm to stop a passing taxi.
Kylie tilted her head as I opened the cab door. “Do you want to go back to your place?”
“I had a really nice time, and I think you’re a great person, but I have to be honest and tell you I don’t think it’s going to work out.”
Her face fell. “Oh.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Well, I’m disappointed, but I’d rather know how you feel now than after getting in deeper.”
“I really am sorry.”
She shrugged. “No biggie. I guess this is goodbye then?”
I nodded. “You take the cab.”
“Actually…” She pointed up the block. “I have a friend who works at the bar on the corner. I’m going to stop in there for a drink. Take care of yourself, Nolan.”
“You, too, Kylie.”
The cabbie was still waiting, so I jumped in.
“Where to?”
“One twenty-five Liberty Street. Hoboken. And if you step on it and get me there before eleven, I’ll pay you double.”