Page 47 of Spicy or Sweet
“That it does,” I say dryly.
“Hey, no judgment,” Nico says, holding his hands up. “Personally, I could never be with someone seventeen years younger than me, but if you’re into her, and she’s into you—wait,isshe into you?”
“It’s just over sixteen years,” I correct, because it makessomuch difference. “That’s also complicated.” I groan, rubbing my face. “I’m pretty sure she’s into me. She used to hate me, but we’ve been spending a lot of time together, and she’s warmed up to me. I told her I wanted to be friends, and she didn’t balk.”
“Why the hell did you tell her you wanted to be friends if you want more than that?”
That is the million-dollar question. “She mentioned a few weeks ago that she’s too busy to date and she was just looking for something casual,” I grumble.Casual.That word is fucking haunting me. I keep saying it, trying to drill it into my brain, hoping I might actually start believing that’s what I want, too, eventually.
“She mentioned it in passing, or she specifically said that’s what she wanted with you?” Nico asks.
Technically, she mentioned it when she still hated me, but that’s not the point. In the three weeks since our first meeting with Mayor Blackwood, I’ve witnessed Noelle working her ass off, day in and day out. I see how much people ask of her, but moreover, I see how much she asks of herself. I’m not going to be another person asking her to give more of herself than she’s got.
“In passing, then,” Nico surmises from my silence. “Shay. Just talk to the woman.”
“It’s—”
“If you say complicated again, I’m going to be pissed,” Nico interrupts, and I close my mouth, because that’s exactly what I was going to say.
I’m old enough to know how to communicate like a goddamn adult. But there’s something about Noelle that just… scares the shit out of me. I know I need to talk to her, but I’m terrified to tell her I want more and potentially lose what we do have. For the first time in a long time, I don’t feel so lonely.
“Look, are you interested in her? Like really interested?”
“I think so?” He looks unimpressed by my answering a question with a question. “I don’t know. I mean, yes, I am, but I feel like I have no idea what I’m doing, and Noelle just seems to have everything figured out.”
Nico narrows his eyes. “Noelle Whitten? That’s who you’re talking about?”
“Yeah. Have you met her?”
“Briefly,” he answers with a shrug. “You know her sister owns the other cabin up here?”
I nod, not bothering to correct him that Noelle and Rora’s relationship is far more complicated than sisters.
“Well, I know Rora fairly well, and I’ve met her partner. He’s around our age, if not older, so I don’t think you have to be worried about the age gap scandalizing Noelle or her family.”
“I think I’m more bothered about it than she is,” I admit.
Nico snorts. “Look, I’m not the best person to offer relationship advice, but what do you have to lose? Like you said, she used to hate you. There’s no guarantee you’d be friends after the movie is over anyway.”
He’s nothing if not blunt, but he’s not wrong.
“That’s true. But Noelle seems so sure of herself—if she was interested, I’m sure she’d make it known.”
I worry my lower lip until Nico sighs. “There’s no harm in just having fun with her while you’re working together and having a bigger conversation when filming’s almost over. And even if Noelle’s not interested, it wouldn’t hurt to try and meet people. You don’t need to look for anything serious, but you deserve to have a little fun, Shay. Seriously, when was the last time you did?”
“When was the last timeyoudid anything fun?” I volley back, because it’s easier to focus on Nico than myself. “Have you agreed to meet up with Bryan yet?” Bryan has been Nico’s best friend since we were all in kindergarten together, and he’s the only person who stuck around after Georgie died and Nico shut everyone else out. Not that he hasn’t tried to shut Bryan out—Nico hasn’t seen him since he moved to Wintermore. He didn’t go to Bryan’s wedding, or the ceremony where he adopted hisnew husband’s daughters, or any of the important life events Bryan still, to this day, invites our family to.
Bryan was never my best friend, but I think I speak to him more than Nico does, thanks to Facebook. I know he’s asked Nico to come visit, and offered to come here, and I know Nico has declined every invitation.
I watch as my question sinks into my brother, watch as his walls shoot right back up. He stands, grabbing both of our coffee cups and heading toward the cabin door. “We’re not talking about me. Refill?”
He’s inside, shutting me down, before I can even answer.
23
SHAY
If I go too long without visiting Nico, I get antsy. It’s a triplet thing, I suppose. Everything feels a little hollow without him. Since Georgie died, I’ve had a gaping hole that I don’t think anyone could ever fill, but spending time with Nico recharges me a little.
