“Love?”

Her expression gets a little crazy at that. Her eyes turn into angry little slits, as her head tilts to the side, and I can picture the wheels churning in her head. “Are you blind! Hell, I shouldn’t be shocked you’re confused when just last week I had to remind you of what the chemistry between the two of you would be like. Something, I might add, I was right about if the sounds that woke me up that night are anything to go by. Stop questioning his actions and just see them for what they are. He’s trying to make up for the past by showing you how he feels first. My guess is that he’s now the one worried about saying he loves you.”

“Nikki, we haven’t even been together for a month.”

“And you’ve loved him for years. He made it very clear that he has had feelings for you just as long. Stop overthinking it and just enjoy the ride. You guys are being forced to date a little unconventionally with him being the uber-busy owner of the brand new most popular club around and all. If this were a normal beginning to a relationship, you guys would have been on a bunch of dates and you would be able to see how right I am.”

I let her words sink in, and I have to admit she’s right. It’s been almost three weeks and had he not been so busy, my reservations wouldn’t be warranted.

“Maybe he’s waiting for me to say it?”

“So say it.”

“You make it sound so easy.” I laugh.

“What are you really all worked up about because I know it isn’t the fact that he’s sent you a ridiculous amount of roses.”

“God, Nik. When he mentioned his mom asking about both of us, I freaked. I mean I know it’s going to happen with us what we are now, but he had made it such a big deal when he rejected me. He said they wouldn’t understand. How is it any different now?”

“Yeah, well, when he said it, he was probably right. A lot has changed in three years. You’re not just a teenager fresh out of high school. You’ve been to art school, finishing well ahead of time. You have one hell of a career as an established artist now. You’re an adult and even if your parents or even his thought something of you two being together, they have no say in it.”

“Oh, I’m sure they’ll have a say in it.” I can picture my dad having a lot to say about it, actually. “I guess I’m really worried that he’s going to cut and run when it comes down to standing up together in front of them.”

She gives me a soft look of compassion. “I think you’re underestimating him. The only thing I can tell you is to ride it out and let him do what he said he was going to do. Prove that he’s worth giving your heart to.”

We continue to talk about a whole lot of nothing after that, and by the time I felt him climb into my bed and pull me into his arms, my head was a lot clearer. I’m still a little nervous about what’s to come, but seeing things through her eyes makes me look at them from another perspective.

One where he really might be the one afraid of getting hurt this time.

SATURDAY

By the time I realized that my daily deliveries weren’t going to stop anytime soon, I started looking up places where I could share the happiness Nate was literally raining upon me. Sal showed up, surly as ever, and instead of taking today’s nine vases inside, I had him help me load them in my car. It was a tight fit with all twenty-seven vases total that I had received since Wednesday, but we made it work. I think he actually cracked a smile when I told him I had planned to drop them off at the local nursing homes, but it was short-lived and he left with another promise to see me tomorrow. I didn’t mention anything about it being Sunday and I would most likely not see him.




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