Page 88 of Falling for Nicole
Lilly’s friend Taylor is in charge of the photography, and puts up with the piss taking from all of us when he tries to tell us what we should be doing.
“Are you okay? I ask Nicole when we’re told to stand together for a photograph.
“Yeah, of course.” I can tell she’s lying from a mile off, but I have no intention of bringing up my comment earlier. I decided almost as soon as it fell from my mouth that her believing I don’t want to get married will only make my proposal more of a surprise for her. Plus, I’m pretty sure I can turn her mood around pretty easily. She might be pissed off, but the hunger that filled her eyes this morning is still there.
Everyone’s full of excitement after the pregnancy announcement when Molly and Ryan appear over an hour later, followed by an exhausted Taylor.
Since the moment we all came back inside, Nicole seems to be making it her sole mission to be the other side of the room to me.
“You done something wrong, son?” Dad asks when he takes a seat next to me at the bar and orders us a whiskey each.
“I don’t think my comment about not getting married went down very well. I wasn’t aware it was something she was even thinking about.”
“It probably wasn’t until you said it wasn’t a possibility. There’s nothing like being told you can’t do something.”
Dad’s words ring in my ears all night, but it’s still not enough for me to say anything. Nicole gets wasted and I end up carrying her to bed. All my fantasies about fucking her in that dress go straight out the window.
It’s still early when I wake the next morning, but apparently it’s not early enough, because I’m the only one in the bed. When I sit up and look around, I notice all her stuff is gone.
“For fuck’s sake,” I mutter angrily into the room before falling back onto the bed.
I spend all morning batting away questions about where she’s gone. I’m not sure anyone truly believes she had to get back for work when they all know I’m her boss, but that’s all they’re getting. I get soft, sympathetic eyes off Lilly and Emma, but neither of them say anything. I’m not stupid enough to think it’ll stay that way. Lilly loves to torment me by sticking her nose in, especially where Nicole’s concerned.
