Page 64 of Atlas
Jealousy
Atlas
Nathan and Jolene took off right after breakfast.
I hated how flirtatious he was with her and that they would be alone all day. What if he seduced her? Nathan was attractive and great with women.
The thought had me on edge, and at noon, I went for a long walk by the water to clear my head. Jolene was an adult woman, and she could do as she pleased. Who she flirted with was none of my business.
Still, seeing her with red cheeks and a big smile as she came home that afternoon, had me following her to her room, asking questions, like a jealous lover.
“Did you have fun?”
“Yeah, Nathan was terrific. Look, he bought me this book on Irish castles.” She held up the book for me to see.
I wasn’t smiling, and I didn’t care about the book. “Did Nathan try anything?”
Jolene’s smile fell a little as she sat down on the bed. “What do you mean?”
“Do you like Nathan? You two seem to flirt a lot.”
“Atlas, what’s wrong? Why are you behaving like this?”
I was leaning against the frame of the open door. “Like what? I’m just showing an interest in your day.”
“No, you’re asking me weird questions. Nathan is a lot of fun, and he showed me some fantastic sites. We also talked a lot about his experience of growing up in the cult and how it has affected him in life.”
“Did he kiss you?”
“No.” Jolene was frowning, and then she stood up and came closer to me. “Would it bother you if he did?”
“I don’t want him to distract you from what you came to do.”
“He’s not.”
“Nathan is a player. Just don’t fall in love with him.” Calling my brother a player was pushing it. He was charming, and women seemed to like him, but he wasn’t going through one woman after the other like a real player. Nathan was the type to be in a monogamous relationship, but they just never seemed to last more than a year. Maybe because of his obsession with sports and because he traveled so much.
“Thank you for the warning, but, Atlas, I’m not falling in love with Nathan.”
Yet!I added in my mind.
“Have you forgotten that Nathan lives in Ireland and I live in Chicago? I was once in a long-distance relationship, and I know that phone sex isn’t nearly as satisfying as the real thing.”
“Good. Remember that when he flirts with you.”
“You think Nathan is flirting with me? I thought he was just friendly.”
“That’s because you don’t know him. Trust me; he’s flirting with you.”
Her eyes lit up. “Really? I’m flattered.”
I regretted telling her. Now she would see the connection between them as something potentially sexual.
“Maximum and River are on their way. Are you hungry?”
“No, Nathan and I had a late lunch.”
“Did he tell you something useful when you interviewed him?”
