“My darling girl–”
“Stop.” She was doing her best to give him an opportunity to surprise her, but she was bracing for the truth. “It’s okay, just admit it was a pity–”
Nick threw his arms out and walked a few steps away. He spun back. “You really want to–fine.” He huffed a sigh. “You’d been sitting with Adaku Obi. Okay? So I came over.” He shrugged. “Thought I’d get in good with the friend. I figured you were the wingman so . . .” He took a breath, widened his eyes, shook his head. “Simple as that.”
Simple as that.
Sewanee turned and walked away.
“I’m sorry,” he said and from the nearness of his voice, she could tell he was following her. “You asked me and I told you the truth. I don’t want–I can’t lie to you anymore about anything. Whatever the consequences.”
She said nothing.
He continued, “But while, yes, that’s how it started, that’s obviously not how it ended.”
Sewanee fired back, “Right. She didn’t come back to the table, did she?” She felt like such an idiot. Such a pathetic idiot. She’d been wondering what this guy saw in her and it had been so obvious, and she’d been so blind. Willfully blind. God.
They left the walled garden and reentered the building. They walked through the empty main room, the lobby, Sewanee’s eye on the double doors in front of her. She had to get out of here.
“Before you leave, what is it now, for the tenth time . . . ?” Nick tried to poke a hole in the tension, but she saw no humorous light come through it. “Please think about this: how it began doesn’t matter. It doesn’t! Because remember when you got the text from your friend who couldn’t make it to dinner?” Sewanee held up her hand, willing him to stop. That text had been yet another of her lies.
Nick ignored her hand. “Did I leave you then? Did I walk away? No! I asked for the check and I went with you to dinner, because I wanted to, because I wanted to be with you at that point!”
“Because I was what was left!”
Sewanee breached the front doors and noticed a taxi pulling up and all rational thought fled. She wanted to escape and this was the fastest way. “I can’t do this. I need some time to–it’s too much, it’s, it’s . . .” As she got to the cab, the door opened.
“Swan!” Mitzi croaked, heaving herself out. “You look like leftovers. Like something someone scraped off a plate. Nice dress, though.”
“Thanks,” she mumbled.
As the driver brought her walker around the cab, Mitzi leaned on Sewanee and her eyes landed on Nick. “Hoo hah, what’s this?”
Sewanee caught the driver’s eye. “Are you free?”
“Sure, climb in.”
“Sewanee–” Nick began, but Sewanee cut him a look that could shatter glass. She turned back to Mitzi, who was now settled on her walker.
“See you Friday, Mitzi.”
Mitzi gave Nick an elevator glance. “Bring whatever this is.”
Sewanee ducked into the cab and slammed the door. Nick scrabbled to the window, said, through it, “Did I plan to have anything other than a drink? Did I plan anything beyond dinner? I was leaving! Did I plan the snow?!”
Sewanee told the driver where to go and the cab started to pull away. Nick slapped the top of it. “Sewanee! Come on!” But Sewanee shooed the cabbie onward.
She turned around, as if she actually had something to yell back at him, and watched his hands find his hips as he called out, “What do I need to do?” Then his attention turned to Mitzi, who was tugging on his jacket.
“So. You single?”
Chapter Thirteen
“The Break”
IT WAS 3:15 A.M. AND SEWANEE LOOKED AT THE CLOCK ONCE AGAIN. She was sure it had been at least forty-five minutes since the last time she’d looked.
It had been twelve.
Thoughts moved in and out of her mind like hummingbirds at a feeder.
He didn’t pity her. Did he? No, he didn’t. The way he had been with her, his touch, his care, his determination. None of it had felt like pity. She knew the difference.
But she hadn’t been his first choice. He’d wanted Adaku. She’d been a consolation prize.
And what about their goodbye in Vegas? Why didn’t he give her his number? Why didn’t he ask for hers?
She flipped over. Pulled her pillow tight. Closed her eye.
Images of the two of them, together, rushed in.
Sitting opposite him in the soaking tub, afterward.