Page 74 of Nolan
“I know.” I squeeze his hand right back.
Then the elevator doors open, and Victor’s there to greet us cheerily. “Good morning! Follow me, please.”
He leads us to the big doors of Laboratory 317 and turns to us with a smile. “Wait here.” He enters. The doors stay open.
I hold my breath. Nolan is here. He looks exactly the same, except he’s been given a well-groomed beard. That’s new. Dr. Taylor, what are you doing to me? Are you just trying to make this harder? I can’t think, and I’ve forgotten how to breathe. My pulse pounds in my ears.
Nolan walks toward us with that familiar, confident stride. He grins and walks a little faster, and for a brief moment, my heart practically flies out of my chest to go to him.
But he’s not looking at me. His eyes are on my brother.
“Apollo!” he greets with a boisterous laugh. “I hear those wildfires kicked my ass, huh?”
Apollo lets my hand go as he and Nolan collide in a tight embrace. Nolan lifts my brother, who grunts as the breath is squeezed out of him. “Easy. Easy. I got bones, need ‘em not broken.”
All the hope I carried for weeks, despite all my own attempts to quash them, flutter right out of me. Two brothers, reunited. Nolan looks exactly the same. All his synthetics, the dimples on the corner of his mouth. His hair.
That’s my Nolan.
But he hasn’t even looked at me.
Apollo sees the expression on my face, and his own smile dampens. He claps Nolan’s shoulder, nodding. “This is my sister, Mia.”
Nolan turns to me, his white irises on me. He pauses. His pupils shutter, and he cocks his head, almost in confusion, with a faint pinch of his brow. Then he smiles politely. “Mia.” He offers a hand to me. “I’ve heard a lot about you. I’m Nolan.”
My heart shatters as I grip his hand firmly. “We’ve met,” I manage quietly.
“Have we?” Nolan’s brow furrows. “Sorry, I don’t?—”
I can’t hold it together. I thought I could. I didn’t realize how hard I fell, just how much I’ve felt for this man, until now. Until it really sank in that yes, he could forget me. Not because he wanted to, but because he’s a machine. Is there any part of him that remembers? Anything that signals to him it’s me?
But there’s nothing.
I need a moment. “Sorry, I—excuse me.”
I walk to the stairwell at the end of the hall, gripping the guest pass hanging around my neck. I flee down three flights of stairs and push the exit door open, gulping air and choking down a sob. Alone, I allow myself a minute to let it all out, to mourn what I’ve lost.
I take out my phone after composing myself to the best of my ability, scrolling through the text messages between Nolan and me. If nothing else, I have these. The talks, the memories. I can remind myself that it happened, that it was wonderful, and there’s nothing I would trade them for.
I’m about to put my phone away when a new text from Nolan suddenly comes through.
I love you, Mia.
I stare at it in shock, trying to process it. The timestamp is from just now. But that can’t be. It’s not possible. Was it delayed? He didn’t recognize me. He wouldn’t remember.
He loves me?
Warmth floods me. My tears are renewed but fall for different reasons.
He loved me.
If he did before, then I can do this now. I can be strong.
“Hey.”
I turn.
Nolan stands near the BioNex entrance with a slight smile. Concern shimmers in those familiar eyes. “Apollo said I should come check on you. Are you okay? You look like you’ve been crying.”
