Page 56 of The Bright Side of Brooding
Chapter Twenty-Four
Summer
The rainy day dawned a bit too early, but knowing we’d be back to Kugelfels in a matter of hours brought excitement. I had the week’s meals to prep after getting groceries, and then I had work. I’d need to check in on the donation sites, and it’d be wise to review my resumé one more time.
I’d submitted my application through the government website that fielded all GS jobs here, but it wouldn’t hurt to double-check what I’d put on there for skills and such since I rarely had to speak about my qualifications.
If truth be told, the main reason for the floaty feeling came down to Nick. Like cranberries when you rinse them in a sink full of water—they just bob there, buoyant and bright—that was me. Not that I tried denying it all that hard, but part of me rejected the idea that my outlook on the day or the week would be so cheery just because of a man. The other part of me said that was stupid, and caring about someone, enjoying being with them, was plenty reason to be happy on any given day.
Brushing my teeth, I chuckled at the memory of Rob’s thinly veiled interrogation of me the night before. Nick had excused himself to go to bed. I hated to miss time with him, but he’d disappeared inside himself an hour before we’d returned to the apartment. I wasn’t fool enough to think that was because of me. His grief was very real, and though I didn’t fully understand his relationship to his grandmother, I could see that retracing her footsteps at the museum had been genuinely bittersweet.
When I came back from saying good night to Nick, Rob’s smile said everything.
“You can keep your knowing little looks to yourself,” I snapped, fakely irritated. He might as well know, and it wasn’t like we’d kept it a secret that we’d spent all afternoon together.
“I’m just happy. You’re great. He’s great. It’s great.” He beamed.
Art and Alicia laughed, then Alicia spoke up. “You guys are too pretty, just so you know. It’s kind of mean to everyone else because you’re both ridiculously beautiful people, and seeing you next to each other, let alone touching or affectionate, is just a lot. Plus, it now means you’re both off the market. Prepare for hearts to break all around post.”
I gave her an unimpressed look. “Yeah, okay, crazy.”
“Seriously though, it’s great. He’s a good guy,” Art put in.
A warm, pleased smile grew on my lips. “I know he is.”
They all seemed to sober at once, and then Rob spoke, like he represented them. “On a serious note, go easy. He’s been through a lot the last few months, which I’m sure you’ve gathered, and—”
“I won’t hurt him.” I said the words so confidently, like IknewI wouldn’t. It made me wonder—made me hope—that I wouldn’t.
I shook off the memory, and the mild sense of unease that’d arrived with it. For something that had started with me laughing, it’d turned serious, not unlike the conversation itself. I appreciated their concern for their friend. If anything, it only spoke more highly of Nick that these three would be concerned for him and his well-being. Short on words he may have been, but he had the loyalty of his people without a doubt.
The problem was, I couldn’t guarantee I wouldn’t hurt him. Just like I couldn’t be sure he wouldn’t hurt me. But I’d said I wouldn’t last night because I could honestly say I didn’t want to, and that no part of me planned to. Sometimes, things went south, but I didn’t want that. In fact, the fluttery, restless feeling that woke me and had me more than eager to see him this morning told me I wanted anythingbutthat.
I raced through finishing up packing. We needed to head out in a matter of minutes. We’d agreed last night we’d grab food at the airport so we didn’t have to fool with any cleanup before we left. I was ahead of schedule, but still rushed through. I wanted a moment with Nick before we were all crammed together and asking him how he felt was out of the question.
After rolling my case and carry-on to a spot near the exit, I padded back down the hallway to Nick’s room. The door swung open just before I knocked, and I sucked in a breath.
“Morning,” I said, voice just above a whisper. I didn’t know why—everyone must’ve been awake with our departure time coming up.
“Morning.”
My stomach clenched. The sound of his voice was just… delicious. Like dark chocolate ganache over a flourless cake. Dense and thick and delectable all in one bite.
“Did you sleep okay?”
Without thinking, I reached for his arm and set a hand on the warm skin of his wrist. Normal temp, not that feeling his wrist could actually tell me. His color looked good—not pale. I’d known he wasn’t sick, but I also couldn’t bury the nurse impulses entirely.
His eyes found mine, and he nodded. The look there instantly set my heart racing. I should’ve been used to his intensity and the fullness that came from just meeting his gaze, but no. I had officially not gotten used to those eyes and just how much lay behind them. Desire, yes, but also longing. I pulled in a breath through my nose, clenching my jaw shut to keep from begging him to tell me what he was thinking.
“Areyouokay?”
It wasn’t begging. It wasn’t theplease tell me what that look means, or just take me here against the walldesperation I felt, so I took that as a win.
“Yes. Thank you for asking.”
“I—I care about you. I know sometimes you need time alone—that’s what you’re used to, what you prefer. But I hope you know you can talk to me, too. I can listen. I know I tend to be a talker.” I closed my mouth and pressed my lips together as I realized I was jabbering away right then. This thought needed finishing, though, and so I continued. “Despite that, I can listen.”
He smiled, all warm and sweet, and someone poured champagne into my chest.
