Page 85 of The Story of Us
“That’s defamation.” Ryan puffed out his chest, and Nate rolled his eyes.
“It’s not actually but feel free to sue me, and I’ll bury you in legal fees.”
“And now you’re threatening me?”
“I prefer to think of it as being encouraging.” In a way that wouldn’t result in an awkward visit from Raff and/or a mug shot.
“All this so you can have her, huh? Couldn’t stand that she might belong to someone else?”
“Eloise Hamilton will never belong to anyone but herself. And that’s the way it should be.”
“What am I supposed to tell Charlie? ‘Sorry mate, I can’t be part of the wedding.’ It’s in six days.”
“You don’t need to tell me anything,” Charlie said. Nate hadn’t heard him open the door. “Just get out of here. We’re done. I’m going to go and tell Sera this dance is a dumb idea.”
For once, Ryan was quiet. He shot Nate a look of pure hatred and stalked out of the room, his loafers squeaking against the floor.
“You all good?” Charlie asked Nate.
“Yeah, buddy. I’m fine.”
When Charlie nodded and turned to walk away, Nate saw who was standing behind him.
Eloise.
Her eyes were wide, framed by the thick lashes that made her look more innocent than she really was.
“You defended me,” she whispered once they were alone together.
“Of course I did.” He would until the day he died.
“That thing you said about manipulators. Was that just Ryan or …”
Eloise was far too perceptive. No wonder she was so good at her job and everyone loved her.
“My college girlfriend did something similar to me.” Nate took a long, slow breath and gathered his courage. “She tried to manipulate me into marrying her by getting pregnant. I was shocked, but she’d been my anchor through the craziness of college and the combine and the draft. I bought a ring and everything. Not just because it was the right thing to do but because I thought we were in love.” He had to stop. Take a beat. Just for a second. “And then I surprised her for one of her ultrasound appointments. The baby was older than she said and the dates didn’t match. Turns out she’d been cheating on me for years.” A bitter laugh bubbled up his throat, singeing his airways like a flame. Even years later, the betrayal still cut so deep.
Eloise glided towards Nate and he swallowed. Prepared himself to tell her the rest but when he opened his mouth, Eloise shook her head. “I would never do that to you,” she said. “I’ll never cheat.”
It wasn’t everything he’d always imagined her saying, but it was so much better because it was honest and real. Nate was powerless to stop himself from ignoring every reason why this was a bad idea—no, a terrible idea—when Eloise wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close.
Then she repeated the words she’d said after that disastrous bridal dinner or whatever it was all those weeks ago.
“Take me home, Nate.”
27
Straight to the bedroom.
Do not pass go. Do not collect two hundred dollars.
This is happening.
Nate’s hand was still on the front door when Eloise pounced on him. Her backpack slid to the floor, but all she could focus on was getting her hands on his body, her lips against his. They’d been dancing around this ever since she’d come to stay here. Maybe even since he’d come home a shell of himself a few years ago. That was when they’d first become real friends. Before that, he’d been her brother’s best friend. The guy who made her stomach all swoopy just by existing. And she wouldn’t go so far as to say that she hadn’t known Nate back then, but she’d only seen what he wanted people to see.
She hadn’t known about the hurt he carried inside himself.
How it made him hide from the world.
