I resolved to start making phone calls. Surely there were local organizations or businesses in town that could be convinced to donate a one-time scholarship.
“Loans?” I asked.
She shoved the books away from her and stretched out her legs, crossing them at the ankle.
“Maybe,” she said. “I haven’t gone down that road yet. Even if I can get a loan, I’d be in heaps of debt by the time I graduated. And social workers don’t make much.”
This was the first time I’d heard Edie wanted to go into social work, but it fit with her personality.
“True. But …”
“What?”
I hesitated. “Well, if it were me, I guess I’d rather have a load of debt for the rest of my life and a career I loved than no debt and a job at some diner.”
“I’ll take door number three,” she said. “Is there no middle ground?”
“Sure, there is,” I said, not entirely sure I was being honest. “We’ll find it.”
She sighed and wiped at her cheeks. Her eyes were still red.
I clapped my hands together. “I know how to cheer you up. Wait here.”
EDIE
He returned with a bottle of wine and two cheap plastic cups.
“I got this for my birthday last year, and I’m not much of a wine drinker, but it’s all we’ve got unless you want me to run to the liquor store.”
My eyebrows went up. “You do know I’m underage?”
He shrugged. “It’s just wine, and it’s not like you need to drive anywhere. If you really don’t want it, it’s OK. I thought you could use a break from your life.”
Well, that much was true, and it wasn’t like I’d never drank before. I’d had too much alcohol the night I met Nick at that party.
“You’re right. I would love to de-stress.” I pointed a finger at him. “But no interviews.”
He crossed his heart with a finger. “I promise.”
He jabbed the sharp end of the wine opener into the cork and started twisting. It was dangerously fun to watch him while he was distracted. With each turn, the muscles in his forearms flexed.
Once he’d popped the cork and poured us glasses, I sank back onto the sofa beside him and took a sip. It was dry and kind of bitter, and I fought not to grimace. It tasted like I was drinking an oak tree.
Nick handled it better, taking a big swallow and turning toward me expectantly. Rather than tell him I hated the wine, I went back to our earlier topic of conversation, even though it was a downer.
“I keep thinking, maybe my family is right and I’m exaggerating everything,” I said, referencing the comments they made in his column.
“No way,” he said. “It’s not your fault.”
“But maybe they didn’t know how I felt. Maybe I should have explained what I wanted better.”
Nick made quick work of his first glass of wine before pouring another. When he chased a stray drop at the corner of his mouth, I couldn’t help but watch his lips as he did it. He had nice lips. Heck, who was I kidding? Nick had nice everything.
“You should come meet my family,” he said, distracting me from my study of his mouth. Cut it out, Edie, before he notices!
“What? You want to rub it in or something?”
He grimaced, and put his glass on the coffee table.
“This wine is crap,” he said, even though he was on his second glass now. “No, I just think you should see what a supportive family looks like. Then you won’t doubt yourself. You’ll know this whole situation is not your fault.”
“Hmm,” I said. “Maybe. It’s not like I haven’t been around happy families. Lil’s family has been there to catch me when my parents left me hanging.”
“I’m glad you had that. But even if you don’t need a demonstration, just come over with me. Mama will love you, and you could do with a little coddling.”
I laughed at that and shook my head.
“Mama makes a mean lasagna,” he tempted. “And the most delicious tiramisu. Aren’t you tired of fast food?”
I put my glass down with relief, no longer feeling obligated to fake it now that Nick had given up on his own drink. He’d managed to down more wine than I had, though, and I could see the results in the relaxed lines of his body.
“I really am tired of fast food,” I said fervently. “I’ll think about it.”
NICK
I grabbed my wine glass and finished it off, then poured a third.
A glance into Edie’s cup showed that she’d had very little, but I couldn’t blame her. Wine was an acquired taste, especially for someone who hadn’t drank much before.
I took a couple of big gulps, and I could feel the wine working to relax me. I sank back against the cushions, and just enjoyed the feeling of lethargy coming over me. Edie was right next to me, and I could feel her warmth. I wanted to soak it in.
“My family life is such a disaster,” she said. “But so is everything else.”
“You mean college?” I murmured.
“And don’t even get me started on my love life.”
I snorted. “Please. Did you not meet Elana? I win hands down.”
“Well, maybe as far as disasters go,” Edie allowed. “But mine is nonexistent. I’ve never even been on a date.”
I opened my eyes, and met her gaze. She looked embarrassed. She should have had more wine, I reflected. This conversation was too heavy.
She picked up her glass hesitantly and sipped it before making a face and returning it to the coffee table.
I watched her, liking how her body shifted when she moved. She turned back toward me expectantly. What were we talking about again? Shit …
I’d lost the thread. She chewed on her bottom lip like she always did when she was nervous.
“You’re drunk, aren’t you?”
“Just a little. You?”
“Very little.”
I suddenly remembered. Her love life. Nonexistent. Good.
“It just means you have high standards,” I said.
“Huh?” she asked.
“The no dating thing.”
“Oh.”
“Dating sucks,” I added. “You go out with someone you barely know. You make some small talk, and then you almost always find out they’re irritating and rude. Then you get to the end of the night, and it’s terribly awkward. Do I kiss her, or don’t I? You’re better off without it.”
“Yeah, that kissing thing is a huge dilemma,” she said with a grin. “I never know if I should kiss the girl.”
I squinted at her, before realizing she was teasing me.
“Er … you know,” I said, waving a hand vaguely.
“No, I don’t,” she said sadly.
She cast her eyes down, and her dark lashes fluttered against her skin. Her lips were pink, fresh. Had no one ever kissed them before? That was sacrilege.
Virgin lips. Cherry lips.
I suddenly wanted them. Badly.
I reached out and stroked a finger along her cheek. Her gaze snapped up to meet mine. There were questions in her eyes, and I had no answers.
I leaned in and kissed her anyway.
Everything about me felt slow and languid, so that’s how I kissed. I brushed my lips against hers in a feather-soft touch, slowly skimming my mouth across hers.
She went still with surprise. I raised a hand to her hair and tugged a lock toward me gently. She leaned into me with a sigh, and I felt the warmth of her mouth as her lips parted.
She was sweet, this girl. Too sweet for me. Her hand came around my neck and urged me closer. I could feel her soft body pressing into mine, and I couldn’t resist the pleasure that was sparking through me. I hadn’t felt this in a long time. Adrenaline zapped through me, chasing away my mild buzz.
I tilted her head back and trailed kisses along her throat. Her skin here was so creamy white and even softer than her lips. Her hands slid into my hair and tightened.
“Nick,” she said in hardly more than a whisper.
<
br /> “Hmm?” I responded against the skin of her throat and felt her shiver.
“I think, uh … maybe—”
I raised my head and caught her lips in another kiss while my hands traced up her sides, mapping out her curves through her clothes. Edie never dressed provocatively, and I was pleasantly surprised by how sexy her body felt under my palms.
She gasped against my lips, and I reveled in the feel of her body molding to mine perfectly as I pressed her down into the sofa cushions.
I left the sweetness of her mouth behind, drawn once more to the perfect expanse of her neck. I was so entranced in the feeling of it all, a sweet lust that put every past experience of mine to shame, that I almost didn’t notice her words.
“We should stop.”
I stilled as her words sank in, then pulled back and shoved my hair out of my face. Shit. Play it cool, Nick.
Hitching a smile onto my face, I brushed a thumb over her lips. Her mouth parted at the touch, and I really wanted to kiss her again. But I could tell she wasn’t ready for more. Her wide, panicked eyes made her look a little like a frightened deer about to bolt.
“Problem solved. No more virgin lips.”
EDIE
No more virgin lips. Was he serious?
I stared at Nick, my heart still beating a thousand miles a minute, and felt like an absolute idiot. I’d been complaining about my pathetic love life, and he’d taken pity on me! God. And I actually told him we should stop, as if he might go too far. As if he’d even want that with me.
“Right,” I said hesitantly.
Nick sat up and collapsed back against the sofa, his eyes closed. I took the opportunity to sweep my gaze over him. He was still in his work clothes, his blue button-down shirt rumpled and untucked from his slacks. I could make out the lean lines of his body through his clothing; there was something so graceful and relaxed about him.
“I can feel you staring,” he said without opening his eyes.
A small smile played on his lips. Lips that had just christened mine. God, I wished I could kiss him again. But that would be a terrible idea. Hooking up with the guy who manipulated me for a story, a guy I had to live with, would lead to trouble.
“I was trying to figure out if you were asleep,” I bluffed.
His eyelids eked up, and the glimpse of his dark blue eyes made my heart skip a beat.
“Not yet,” he said in a sleepy voice that made my girl parts all sit up and take notice. Was it going to be like this from now on? Had I lost all my damn brain cells during that kiss?
“Well, I’m gonna … go out,” I said. “I’m overdue to hang out with Tequila. The girl I mentor.”
He nodded.
“Cool. I might run out for some snacks in a bit. Need anything?”
He spoke casually, as if nothing had passed between us at all. And to him it probably did seem that way. What’s one pity kiss to a guy who had kissed as many women as he undoubtedly had?
I shook my head no, suddenly mute. Nick flashed me a smile.
“Okay then. Don’t come crying to me when you want my chips.”
I tried to smile, but my face felt like plastic. Afraid my emotions were written in neon for him to see, I jumped up and headed for the bedroom.
NICK
Hallelujah!
I kissed a woman, and I liked it. Hell, I fucking loved it.
I was afraid Elana, and my guilt for betraying my brother, had put me off women forever. Usually if I got anywhere near intimate with a woman, my stomach clenched tight and bile rose in my throat. I’d remember that moment, over and over, just after I’d slept with Elana when my hormones calmed and I realized just how badly I fucked up.
But when I kissed Edie, something different happened. I fell into the sensation of the kiss. My thoughts were immersed in everything Edie.
Elana, Gabriel, the guilt — none of it had entered my mind for even a second.
Then Edie had freaked the fuck out and run into her bedroom. I didn’t know what to do with that. I was freaking out, too, but for different reasons. That kiss was amazing. It was the best damn thing I’d ever experienced.
I wanted more kisses. Hell, I wanted more than that. Sex, yes. But beyond that, I liked this girl. I liked her intelligence and her sense of humor and her courage, even her ability to call me on my bullshit.
And Tanya would have my balls in a vice if I hooked up with Edie.
I tried to play it cool after the kiss, because her eyes were bugging. I could see panic flaring, and a tightness to her smile. She felt trapped, probably.
Starting something with a girl who was living in your apartment, who recently despised you for screwing up her life, was a dick move, right?
So, I’d just let her go. And now that the Elana curse was lifted, maybe I could get my mojo back and move on with my life.
I grabbed my phone and sent a text to Sean.
Me: Meet for drinks?
Sean: Already there. Get your ass over here.
EDIE
Needing to escape, I called up Tequila, and we met for coffee. I was long overdue to hang out with her anyhow. I’d been spending far too much time with Nick in the evenings, after working as many shifts as possible for Joy and putting in job applications all over town. I’d spent hours cruising the Internet for scholarship ideas, and had even placed a call to the nearest state university in the hopes they might be able to tell me about something I didn’t know.
It was just too late, and it was time I figured out a Plan B, as much as I hated to admit it.
I could tell something was bothering Tequila from the moment we met up. I waited until we’d each ordered our favorite drinks — Tequila always got hot chocolate, and I loved anything caramel — and sat down at a small table in the corner.
It was fairly busy, even for a weeknight, now that school was out for summer. There wasn’t a whole lot for teens to do in this town, so it was mostly filled with high school students sitting around in clusters and chatting over the low background music.
“So, what’s wrong?” I asked.
Tequila looked at me in surprise. “How’d you know something was wrong?”
I shrugged a shoulder. “I know you. You’re usually so happy.” She made a disbelieving noise. “Well, you usually look happy, at least. So, what’s bothering you?”
Tequila wasn’t her normally chatty self, but I managed to drag the problem from her in bits and pieces.
“So, you had a fight with your friends. About a boy?” I asked, after I’d heard enough to make a guess.
She shrugged. “Not really. I mean, yeah, I like this guy. But … they called me fat, Edie. And I am. I’m fat and ugly, and it’s stupid to think I stand a chance with Tyrone anyway, right?”
She looked at me, her eyes bright with emotion, and I knew she wanted me to tell her she was wrong. I could also tell she wouldn’t believe me if I did.
“They don’t sound like such good friends.”
“Yeah, well. At least they’re honest,” she said bitterly.
“More like jealous,” I countered. She glanced at me skeptically, and I knew I had to be at least a little blunt to get her to listen. “Okay, yeah, you’re not skinny. We both know that. But weight isn’t everything. You are beautiful, and you have a great personality—”
“Great,” she muttered.
“You do!” I insisted. “And, believe me, dealing with boys wouldn’t be easy even if you were skinny. But your friends should support you, not cut you down.”
“What would you know about it? You’re Miss Skinny.”
Tequila looked at me with an angry expression I’d never seen before.
“Yeah, I’m skinny, and I’ve never had a boyfriend.”
“What?” she gasped.
“Yeah, it’s true. Until tonight, I’d never even kissed a boy.”
Her eyes bugged out. “Tonight? What happened? Who’d you kiss?”
A grin spread across her face, but as nice it was to cheer her up, we need
ed to address her concerns, not bask in my drama.
I waved a hand. “Long story. He doesn’t really like me. He just felt sorry for me about the never been kissed thing—”
“Oh.”
“The point is, I might be thin, but I’m not good at meeting boys, and I don’t know what to say or do when I’m around them. So, your weight isn’t everything.”
“Maybe, but no one is ever going to call you a pig. I hate it! I’d get a gym membership, but my mom says we can’t afford it.”
Tequila stared down at her drink, stirring it with her straw as if it took all her concentration. Her lips trembled, and I could tell she was a few blinks away from frustrated tears.
“Well, exercise can be free. And so is watching what you eat. If you really want to change your weight, you can work at it. But even if you don’t, it won’t stop you from having a great life. Because you’re amazing, and everyone who gets to know you loves you.”
She huffed a sigh. “I guess.”
“How about this?” I suggested. “How about we walk together once or twice a week? You can start slow, work your way up to more exercise, and we can catch up when we do. Kill two birds with one stone.”
“Really?”
She brightened for the first time since learning of my confusing kiss with Nick.
“Sure, we can start next week.”
“That sounds great. Thanks so much, Edie! You always know what to do to make me feel better.”
I smiled, remembering how she showed up at my graduation when my own parents hadn’t. “Ditto, T. You’re like a sister to me, and sisters look out for each other.”
We raised our hands and clinked plastic cups in solidarity.
NICK
O’Kelly’s Irish Pub was crowded tonight, with every square foot of space taken all the way up to the door. Between the bar’s low lighting and throngs of people standing shoulder to shoulder, beers in hand, the interior seemed darker than usual.
Earning Edie (Espinoza Boys #1) Page 10