Page 66 of Until Now

Elijah and I became fast friends when Josh introduced me to him and Daniel almost three years ago, but that’s all we’ve ever been, friends. Sure, he’s handsome. They both are, but I’ve never been interested in either of them. Daniel had just started Kelly when we met and Elijah was in a relationship that ended about six months ago. And don’t think Daniel and I haven’t noticed the way he’s been staring at Selena all night. We made sure to give him crap for it at dinner just before Elijah mentioned the annual Christmas trip he and Daniel take with their friends to the mountains near Asheville.

“C’mon, Liz, she’ll be there.” Josh pulls Elizabeth towards the awaiting van.

“Promise?” Elizabeth asks.

“Promettere.”

“Oh, you said it in Italian, that means you’re serious!” Elizabeth giggles before Josh finally pushes her into the van.

§

I’m about to ask the valet to get a ride from the hotel shuttle when I see Nick sitting on one of the benches near the entrance. The plaid shirt hugs his broad shoulders, sleeves rolled precisely to his elbows. I’ve spent most of the evening trying not to stare at the way it showcases the strength of the muscles underneath or the way the colors bring out the faintest bit of hazel in his eyes. His leg bounces absentmindedly and a rogue curl falls in his face illuminated by his phone as he types and erases a message five times. “Shouldn’t you be at the bar?”

It startles him, but he doesn’t miss a beat. Nick jumps to his feet and stuffs his phone into his back pocket. “Figured we could walk together.”

I don’t know if that’s a good idea. A walk leads to talking and talking leads to—

“It’s just a walk, Dee.” The nickname sends a shock through my system. I’ve missed it. I chew on my bottom lip, debating the offer, but he’s right. It’s just a walk.

My feet thank me for changing into a pair of sandals as I walk toward the street. Elizabeth will send a search party if we don’t get there soon. Looking over my shoulder, he’s still standing near the benches, “You coming, Fossette?”

A smile with the faintest dimple.

The September night is cool against the warmth radiating through me when our arms brush. Luckily, the walk to Savoy is a straight shot from the hotel, but it takes longer than it should have because our pace is slower than normal. Not many words are shared, but Nick finally takes my left hand in his right. The heat rises in my cheeks when he intertwines our fingers. His grip tightens as we cross Liberty Street and I squeeze his gently in return. He presses a light kiss to the back of my hand and fire ignites where his lips touch my skin.

As we approach the bar, he slows our pace even further — he’s trying to say something, but stops, unable to find the right words.

“Thanks for walking with me,” I cut him off.

“Oh, um, yeah. You’re welcome.”

His phone rings, but he ignores it.

“Nina—”

“You should probably get that.” But, he still doesn’t move to answer it. “I’ll see you in there.”

The air inside is warm, but not as warm as Nick’s touch. I maneuver through the crowd to meet the others in the back corner where they’ve taken over a few tables. “Everything okay?” Elizabeth greets me just before I reach the tables, she hands me a glass of champagne.

“What do you think is going on with him?”

“Nick?”

I nod as we watch him pace outside the bar. He looks upset, his hands tug the ends of his curls, his jaw locks as he holds back what he really wants to say. Whoever is on the other end of the phone has caused a definite change in his demeanor. Our gaze meets through the window and he sighs. He seems to agree to whatever it is the person wants. When he finally enters the bar, I try to swim through the crowd to confront him, but Josh beats me to it.

“C’mon,” Elizabeth pulls me by the arm. “Let Josh handle it for now. Worry about it later.”

When I glance back, Nick is staring straight at me, but he breaks our stare to finally meet Josh with a sigh. I’m left with more questions than I came with. What the fuck is going on?

Chapter Forty

The reflection inthe elevator doors allows me to apply a final layer of lipstick, a warm peachy nude color. With a step back, I meet the stare of the girl in the mirror — she wears a plunge neck cabernet chiffon dress with long sleeves and a thigh split, dark hair falls down her shoulders in loose waves, minimal makeup, the way she likes, and nude heels accentuate the tanned leg that peaks through the slit in her dress. “You can do this, Nina,” I whisper to her, to myself.

The elevator doors open to the lobby and I’m immediately greeted by a panicked wedding planner. “Thank God, you’re here!” The planner drags me out before the doors can open all the way. “She hit the wall.” This has turned out to be a lot harder than Elizabeth thought. The weight of her parents not being here finally hit her and the wedding planner’s attempts to calm her down only made it worse. Pushing me towards one of the side hallways, the planner makes a quick escape out of the hotel to handle the rest of the wedding party.

Elizabeth paces trying to catch her breath. Tears brim her eyes threatening to ruin the hard work of her makeup artist, but she’s doing her best to hold it together. “You okay?” I ask, but she shakes her head rapidly. “Can you tell me what you’re feeling?”

“I miss them, Nina.” Elizabeth clings to me. “I always pictured them here on this day, and I guess… I guess it didn't hit me until now.” I take the tissue from her hand and dab the tears from the corner of her eyes. “I’m so nervous, what if I mess up? What if I fall or trip?”

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