Page 56 of Mateo & Nicole

Nikki’s heart leaped into her throat as Sophia managed to come out of nowhere. She jumped and gaped at Sophia for a bit too long, her face flushing with embarrassment as she caught sight of Sophia staring at her with curiosity.

“You okay?” Sophia asked.

Nikki nodded. She wasn’t doing anything wrong. She was meeting up with a friend. No, not a friend. She was meeting up with Caroline to tell her once and for all to leave her alone. And if she got that tidbit of information that Mateo might be hiding from her, she could wash her hands of the whole situation once and for all. “I’m fine,” she rasped out, her hand on her chest. It still thundered, but due to being surprised or out of fear she’d get caught, she couldn’t be certain. “I’m just heading to town for a bit.”

“Want some company?”

Nikki practically choked out the words, “No, thanks. I just want… to be alone.” Lies. All of them. What she wouldn’t give to have Sophia at her side to tell Caroline off if she got too mouthy.

Sophia frowned, then stepped closer and lowered her voice. “Whatever it is that’s bothering you—holding you back—I want you to know one thing.”

Nikki itched to run. She didn’t want to be part of this conversation. She needed out. But Sophia’s hand on her arm kept her feet planted.

“You and Mateo? You’re the endgame, okay? That isn’t to say that times won’t get tough. I can’t tell you how often I’ve seen evidence of people losing out on something good just because they let something important fall through the cracks.”

Important.

Like honesty.

Who was she to judge, though? She hadn’t exactly been honest about what she was feeling. She hadn’t admitted to seeing him with Caroline. And she hadn’t asked him if he was having second thoughts about their own relationship.

The guilt was eating at her more these days. Even if she chose to turn around and speak to Mateo instead of going to visit with Caroline, she wasn’t sure she could say what needed to be said without at least finishing what she needed to with the woman who wanted to come between them.

Nikki did the only thing she could. She threw her arms around Sophia and whispered, “Thanks.”

Sophia pulled back and smiled. “Let me know if you ever need to talk about anything. And I’ll be here.”

Nikki nodded.

* * *

The restaurant wasbusy for a Saturday afternoon. Caroline had found them a booth, and she was already drinking a fruity cocktail. The second she saw Nikki, she waved her over with a shout. “There you are! I’m so glad you made it.”

Nikki paused near the hostess’s podium. Her gut was telling her to leave. She needed to speak to Mateo and work out her issues with him, not Caroline.

But the two of them had problems too—problems that Caroline was totally blind to.

Nikki took a steadying breath and headed for the booth. She slid across from Caroline and put her purse at her side. “We need to talk.”

“Oh, don’t I know it.” Caroline took a long swig of her drink and leaned forward conspiratorially. “I saw Mateo again.”

Nikki’s voice died in her throat. She’d been prepared to tell her ex-best friend that she was seeing Mateo, and Caroline needed to stay away. She’d pumped herself up enough to have the courage to tell the woman in front of her that she didn’t deserve to have Mateo again and had lost her chance. Last of all, she had planned on telling her to leave them both alone and find her own life.

But now?

Now, she was that shattered little girl that Caroline pushed around in high school all over again. The little girl who Caroline said would never find a guy because she wasn’t good enough. That little girl who had started to believe every veiled, derogatory comment that came from those perfect red lips.

Nikki blinked. “You did.”

Caroline nodded. “He was so sweet. You could tell he wanted to kiss me, but his sister was there.”

Sophia?Was she in on this too?

Suddenly, Caroline’s happy expression shifted to one of concern. Her brows pulled together, and she pouted. “Oh. That’s right. You had a crush on him once, didn’t you?”

Nikki was numb. She couldn’t move. Of course, Caroline would remember that.

She reached forward and patted Nikki’s hand. “It’s okay to be disappointed. He was totally out of your league anyway. He needs someone who can stand next to him—to be part of a power couple. Someone who can bring him to home plate. And you?” Her eyes trailed over Nikki with a flicker of disdain. “You’re out in left field, sweetie. He’d never want someone like you, anyway.”

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