Page 78 of One Sweet Day I Found You

“Ah,” Tom said, keeping his tone playful. “Trouble in paradise?”

Nick sneered, picked up a football that was sitting on the coffee table, and slung it across the room. Tom caught it. “Shut up, dude,” Nick said, half a grin on his face. He grabbed his beer and left the room, heading for his bedroom. “It’s nothing.”

Tom called out as Nick strolled down the hallway. “What are we talkin’ here, a little spat, or, she drop the axe?”

“I thought I told you to shut up.” Nick’s tone was flat but not without amusement. He went into his room and closed the door.

That ought to clarify it. Nick knew Tom meant well, but Nick’s love life was not up for discussion right now.

Tom met Courtney only once, when Nick brought her to the apartment to show her his place.

Tom liked Courtney and didn’t want to see Nick screw it up. He said she was perfect for him. Would he still think that now, if he knew what happened?

Nick showered, pushing all of the miserable thoughts to the back of his mind, then changed into a pair of sweats and a T-shirt, returning to the living room twenty minutes later.

Tom was splayed out on the couch watching a game on TV in the dark, the remote control next to him. He looked up as Nick came into the room. Tom shot him another look. “You talkin’ yet?”

Nick shook his head politely and took a seat in an armchair. He propped his feet on a footrest then stared at the television for a few minutes, but it couldn’t keep his attention.

His mind wandered and he pulled out his phone. He stared at Courtney’s message. It had taken a lot for him to get to this point with her. Did she even realize that? He’d opened up to her. He’d let down his guard, and now, this is what she gave him in return.

He wasn’t going to let her destroy him.

He wasn’t going to reply to her, either.

He punched out a text to Kenny.

Hey man, I’m thinking about moving home as soon as the summer’s out. You can drop a hint to Mom and Dad if it’ll get them off your back.

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