The Neanderthal Box Set: A Workplace Romance, 2020 Revised and Expanded Edition
Page 76
“Especially me.”
“That’s not how I remember it.”
My face flushed at the double-entendre and his eyes ignited with satisfaction. Some of the sneering ugliness was replaced with smug male arrogance. Even as I internally eye-rolled, I hoped that Rose wouldn’t pick up on his complisult (compliment + insult)
I understood that he had every right to be angry with me. I was still angry with myself. But the timing of this conversation—his timing—was exceedingly not cool. This situation was not about him, us, or what happened eleven years ago between two grieving teenagers.
He was engaging in machismo ass-hattery, and I would have none of it.
I forced casual steadiness into my voice and redoubled my resolve to resist participating in his bait-fest. “You knew me a long time ago.”
“I’ve known you all my life. We pulled pranks on my brothers, we had a Monopoly game that went on for three years, we built a tree house in your backyard, our dads took us to our first Cubs game together.”
“That was a long time ago.”
“We used to have sleepovers….”
I flinched.
“I know you better than anyone.” His words were a suggestive whisper, and patently false.
“Not for the last eleven years.”
“Well….” He stretched his arms across the back of the sofa, his voice deceptively calm. “There’s no time like the present. Let’s get reacquainted. We can start with you treating Angelica.”
“I’m not the doctor you want.”
“You are the doctor I want.” He grew adamant, louder, like someone who was used to getting his way by raising his voice.
“I’m not the doctor Angelica needs.” I pressed my palm to my chest and held it there because my heart was once again hurting.
“You don’t get to make that decision.” His adamant became obstinate.
“In this case you should listen to me, Nico. I know what I’m….”
“I don’t have to do anything. We’ve already established that you’re not perfect.” His obstinate became pigheaded. Usually I didn’t mind a good old yelling match, but I had no desire to scare the little girl in the room.
“N–Nico.” His name felt strange on my tongue because my voice was quiet, but I wanted to yell at him. I stuttered as my frustration peaked. “E–everyone makes mistakes.”
It was his turn to flinch, and I thought I saw something resembling pain paint a shadow over his features. His voice increased in volume until it was a booming shout. “Well, one person’s mistake is another person’s—”
“Niccolò!” Rose’s sharp warning was whispered, but it was enough to keep him from finishing the thought.
He clamped his mouth shut and shot to his feet, pulled both of his hands through his hair, then drummed on his leg with restless fingers. His eyes flickered to mine then to the door.
“I need a cigarette,” he mumbled.
He was gone before I registered that he was even moving, and the door shut behind him.
The room felt quieter and calmer without him in it. The beige didn’t seem so dull. The fluorescent lights didn’t seem so dim.
He’d always been a larger-than-life presence. Growing up in our small town, it seemed everyone was drawn to him—everyone but me. When we played together as kids, he unsettled me; he made me self-conscious. He was too…magnetic. Even then, I didn’t trust myself around Nico because I had difficulty saying no to him. I couldn’t compete with his restless energy, and I didn’t like being overwhelmed by it.
We’d just spent twenty minutes together, and already I was exhausted.
I rubbed the space between my eyes with my index and middle fingers. Frayed nerves began to mend, and I released a cleansing breath.
I didn’t realize I’d been staring at the door until Rose interrupted my musings.
“It’s so good to see you.”
I blinked at her. “Ah, thank you, Rose.”
“Are you Rapunzel?” A small voice sprang from Angelica’s hidden face. Only her eyes and mop of brown hair were visible from behind the blue blanket.
My hand automatically lifted to my long, thick braid; my smile was automatic and immediate. “No, Angelica. But that was a very nice thing to say.”
“Are you coming home anytime soon?” Rose cleared her throat, bringing my attention back to her. “Your father must miss you.”
I nodded. “Well, yes and no. I’ll be in town next weekend for the reunion, but my dad will be out of town. He and Jeanette are going on a cruise.”
“Reunion?”
“Uh….” I cringed inwardly and outwardly and tried to stall by tucking loose strands of golden hair behind my ears. “You know, the high school reunion. It’s been ten years.”
Rose opened her mouth in understanding but no sound came out. She closed it, then opened it, then closed it. Finally, when she opened it again, she said, “Nico didn’t say anything.”
I shrugged. “He’s probably not going.”
“Why wouldn’t he go? He should go.”
I cringed again. There were some very good reasons why Nico shouldn’t go, the most glaring of which was that he didn’t actually graduate high school. The other obvious reason was why would he? He was a famous—albeit crude—and successful standup comedian, with his own television show. Why would he want to go to a high school reunion in Iowa?
I glanced at the door again.
Seeing Nico had been difficult—a great deal more difficult than I’d anticipated.
Yes, he was different from before—older, bigger, famous—yet he was still fundamentally the same person he’d always been. He was the same boy who branded me with the horrid nickname Skinny Finney when I was ten. He was the same boy who broke every heart in high school. He was the same boy who held my hand at Garrett’s funeral. He was the same boy who climbed into my window night after night the summer after Garrett’s death.
And I still didn’t understand him.
“He’s not usually like that—with other people. He’s not usually so…so abrupt.”
Again, she caught me staring at the door. “What’s he usually like?” I asked, genuinely curious.
“Well, you know,” She swallowed visibly. She was stroking Angelica’s hair. “He’s always trying to make people laugh. But he can be intense with…some people.”
My mouth twisted to the side and I offered good-naturedly, “Maybe I just have that effect on people.”
She glanced at me and lifted a single eyebrow. “Conosco i miei polli.”1
I gave her a small smile. Rose had a habit of responding to me in Italian at random intervals. I waited for her to translate, but when she did, I had the impression that the Italian did not match the English.
“I know my chickens, Lizzy. You don’t have that effect on people—just Nico.”
“Don’t worry. I won’t take it personally.” I nodded my head toward Angelica. “I’m sure this is stressful for him.”
“It is….” Rose began then stopped, her eyes moving over my face. “It is hard on him. But you still might want to take it personally. You know…” then the fox smile returned, “…just in case.”
*End Sneak Peek*
Friends Without Benefits is Available Now!
1 Translation: I know my chickens.
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