Page 15 of Chasing Elliott
Kara pinned me with narrowed eyes, and I couldn’t help the laugh that escaped my lips as I walked past her and sat down on the ottoman. Nicholas walked over and extended a coffeetowards her, and I smiled as a blush made its way to her cheeks as she gratefully accepted; it didn’t sneak past me that Nicholas remembered her coffee order.
“Wait a minute now,” Nicholas said as he sat the now empty carrier on the floor and sat down in the chair, his own coffee in hand. “I thought you didn’t want to date anyone and that’s why you turned me down?”
“Correction, she didn’t want to date you,” I piped up, slowly bringing the straw to my lips and taking a long sip.
Kara whipped her head around to glare at me, the blush in her cheeks growing brighter as Nicholas watched the exchange. “No, I just didn’t want to date someone who was related to my best friend.”
“What a shame, we could’ve been great.” Kara averted her eyes away, not wanting to look at Nicholas, but I stared him down, my eyebrow raising slightly. “Oh, don’t look at me likethat, Little Red. You always knew about my crush.”
“I didn’t actually think you were serious, though.”
Nicholas laughed and I found myself smiling at the sound. Growing up, his soft laughter seemed to be the only thing that ever made my bad days better. I remember when he was just a little boy who was afraid of the dark and would come to my room whenever he had a nightmare. Even though I was more afraid of the world than he was, more damaged than anyone my age at the time should’ve been, he still looked up to me. I think there was a part of him that knew Ineeded help putting those broken pieces of myself back together.
And he was the glue that I needed.
“What brings you by, Nico?” Kara suddenly asked, trying to take the focus off her. “Not that I’m not happy to see you.”
“I come with news,” he announced, kicking his feet up on our run-down coffee table, taking a pause for dramatic effect which caused me to roll my eyes. “Alex got a job out in Florida and is moving at the end of next week.”
My eyes widened as a weird feeling gripped my chest; it was a mix of sadness over the thought of one of my brothers being that far away and happiness that he was finally chasing his dreams. “How are mom and dad handling that?”
“Well, you know mom,” Nicholas started to say with a sigh as he shrugged. “She’s amess, like always. Dad is fine though, happy to see that his youngest finally seems to be heading in the direction he always dreamed of. They’re selling the house though, El.”
“What?” I rushed out exasperatedly, sadness now the only feeling that engulfed me. “You can’t be serious.”
Kara glanced over at me, a look on her face that let me know I may not like what she was about to say. “They are empty nesters now, El. Maybe they finally want to go get a beach house. You knowthey always talked about it.”
“I fucking hate change,” I mumbled under my breath, folding my arms over my chest in aprotective manner, but I knew I most likely looked a toddler who was pouting because they weren’t getting their way.
“I know, Little Red,” Nicholas said as he stood from his seat and walked over to join me on the ottoman, wrapping his arm around my shoulders in a comforting manner. “And that is why I have come to extend an invitation for you to join me and Sam at the bars tomorrow night.”
Asmall smile suddenly started to grow on Kara’s face, and I found my eyebrows knitting together in suspicion. “Didn’t you hear, Nico? Elliott here got asked out on a date and she said yes.”
“Excuse me?” Nicholas all but yelled, his arm falling from her shoulders as he pulled away like he had just been slapped, a very shocked expression covering his features. “Sincewhen do you date? I thought a cheetah couldn’t change its spots.”
“You, stop trying to stir the pot,” I started to say as I pointed a finger at Kara before Iturned my finger toward Nicholas. “And you, watch it. It’s not a date, we’re just friends.”
Nicholas raised an accusing brow at me. I jumped up from my seat and practically stormed into the kitchen, unhappy that this seemed to be the main conversation of the day and itwasn’t even noon. I wanted nothing more than for this to be dropped, but based on the looks Iwas receiving, I knew that wasn’t happening any time soon.
“Does he know that?” Nicholas questioned, and I found myself rolling my eyes as Irested my hands on my hips, turning my attention towards him.
“Anything you’re about to say has already been said by yours truly,” I began telling himas I gestured a hand towards Kara. “So, whatever you’re about to say? Save it.”
Nicholas put his hands behind his back and leaned on them, taking up the entire ottoman now as his eyes stayed trained on my defensive posture. “Okay but hear me out: if you have aguy dumb enough to get to know your crazy ass, why are you turning that down? Isn’t that what every girl wants? Someone to actually put in the time and effort to get to know them?”
“I’m not every girl, Nico. I’m happy with the way my life is now.” Even as the words slipped past my lips, I knew that I didn’t full-heartedly believe them. But that was the thing, I had never been completely happy with my life.
“Tell me about him,” he told me, completely ignoring what I had just said. “Is he hot?”
My eyes widened as a heat rose to my cheeks. Kara laughed from her spot on the couch, ahand clutching her stomach. “Please, just stop talking or I’ll throw your ass out the door.”
“Okay,” Nicholas replied with laughter as he threw his hands up in the air as if he was surrendering. “I’m sorry, I’ll stop. But if you’re too busy to join your favorite brother for drinks tomorrow night, then I’m dragging your ass out tonight. Until then, go get changed. We’re going somewhere. You too, sugar snap. I’m taking my two favorite girls out for the day.”
After lunch and a long day of shopping, much to Nicholas’s disapproval, we pulled into our complex around seven o’clock. Kara insisted on changing before we went out for drinks and Nicholas didn’t need much convincing. As we approached our townhome second from the end, Inoticed a motorcycle sitting in one of the parking spots. My eyes widened as I instantly recognized the bike and I spun around in my seat to narrow my eyes on Kara.
“Don’t look at me,” she told me as she shook her head, raising her hands slightly. “I don’t know what he’s doing here.”
“What who’s doing here?” Nicholas questioned as he parked in front of our garage beforeturning to look back and forth between Kara and me. He suddenly seemed to notice the figurestanding in front of our door and I closed my eyes for a brief moment as I saw the teasing, humored look in his eye. “Is that who I think it is?”
