Nick Wilder had feelings for me.
Or, he might.
After last night, it was pretty clear, but it also could’ve been nothing—a friendly chat, a friendly hug. I tend to overdramatize things, so I wasn’t holding my breath.
Around four, I start to get ready for Bria’s birthday dinner. We’re going to some fancy restaurant in Seattle, so I make sure to dress accordingly. I’m grateful that I packed one dress the last time I went home. It’s perfect for a night like tonight. It’s a plain black A-line dress with thin spaghetti straps and a small V-neck. It hugs me tightly from my chest to my waist and flows nicely down to just past my knees.
I’ve already showered, so I straighten my thick hair. It takes awhile. When I’m finished, it’s long and sleek. I debate whether or not to put it up, but I decide to leave it down. I hardly ever wear it down. I apply some makeup—concealer, a little peach blush, a little eyeliner, mascara, and a sheer red lipstick.
There. I look fancy and put together. I slip on my studded black flats and Violet’s leather jacket. I still haven’t returned it. Secretly, I hope she forgets about it. I wear it almost every day.
I check my watch. It’s five. We’re leaving at five-fifteen. Instead of pacing around my room, I decide to go into the house early. Besides, I have a birthday present for Bria. I’d gone out really early in the morning to get it, and I hope she likes it.
I put my lipstick, keys, and phone into the small pocket in the jacket, and I grab Bria’s present. I had to have the toy store wrap it because I don’t have any wrapping paper.
I smile as I lock up and head towards the main house. As I walk up the path, I see that the kitchen light is on, and my stomach clenches nervously. I run my fingers through my hair and slide the door open. Before I’m even inside, I feel Bria collide into me.
“You’re here! I’m tho excited that you’re coming! You look so pwetty!” Just as I’m about to bend down and hug her, I catch sight of Nick. He’s stopped mid-step in the kitchen, and his mouth is hanging open. His eyes lock onto mine, and I feel my whole body flame. His gaze is so hard, intense…
My stomach flips. My knees get a little weak. I smile and appraise his outfit. He’s still staring at me. He’s dressed in black slacks and a dark-grey button-up shirt. He’s wearing shiny dress shoes, and I notice that he’s shaved. Damn.
I tear my eyes away from his reluctantly and look down at Bria.
“My oh my, you look bea-u-tiful, Ms. Bria!” I say, taking in her cute little black dress with a white ribbon. “You look like a little lady,” I add, squatting down to hug her. “Happy birthday, lovie.”
“Thankth. Daddy bought my dreth.”
I look up at Nick again, and he’s still staring at me. I look away and back at Bria.
“I have a present for you,” I say, pulling out the two small rectangular gifts.
“Ooh!” she squeals. “Can I open them now?”
“Of course.”
I stand up and watch as she tears open the first gift.
“What ith it?” she asks, confused, flailing the DVD box around.
“Beauty and the Beast,” I say. “It’s one of my favorite movies. I think you’ll love it.” In fact, I know she’ll love it.
“Can we watch it tomorrow?” she begs.
“Of course! I’ll come over and we can watch it together, okay?”
“Okay!” She grabs the other present and tears it open. “Cards?” she asks, confused.
“Kind of. It’s a deck of Would You Rather cards. You know, the game we played on the Big Wheel?”
“Yeah!” she says. “We can play sometime!”
I glance up at Nick.
“The kid-friendly version,” I explain, my voice low, and he gives me a thumbs up.
Bria hugs me tightly.
“Thank you, Evi. You’re the beth nanny ever!”
I melt a little as I hug her back. I squat down again and look at her.
“You are so very welcome, Bria.” I quickly kiss her on the forehead and stand up.
Nick is looking at me all funny again. I walk over to him.
“That was sweet,” he says, referring to my present. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“It’s her birthday, Nick,” I scoff. “Of course I’m going to get her a present.”
He reaches out and squeezes my arm, and the gesture surprises me, but in the best way. A bolt of electricity shoots down the arm that he’s touching, and I try to hold in an audible gasp. I wasn’t expecting him to touch me, but it feels nice, normal…
“Shall we go?” he says, and his eyes dart up and down my body quickly.
I blush. Again.
“Yep. Let’s go!”
I walk over to Bria and take her hand.
Nick takes Bria’s other hand and looks at me sideways. I look down at Bria, and she’s grinning as we walk to the car. I smirk at Nick, because I know what he’s thinking. I’m thinking it, too. We look like one big happy family. I’m glad it’s stopped raining, because I didn’t want to get my hair wet. I hardly ever straighten it, so when I do, it has to last for days.
As we get into the Porsche, I help Nick get Bria all buckled up. When we’re done, he closes the door and opens mine. I stare at him, and he blushes a little. Blushes!
“I didn’t want to say anything in front of Bria, but I just want you to know that Dan is an idiot for cheating on you. His loss, clearly, because you look… wow…” He trails off, and my mouth drops open. He’s staring at my lips again, a conflicted look on his face. “You look really, really great, Evianna.”
“Thank you, Nick,” I say, smiling shyly.
He breaks eye contact and goes over to his side of the car. My heart is still beating quickly, and I notice that I’m shaking slightly. I get into the passenger seat, my knees all wobbly, and we begin to drive without speaking. Nick puts on some classical music, and I smile.
It only takes us ten minutes to get downtown. Nick valets the car, and we all get out. It’s an Italian place I’ve never been to, and it’s fancy—really fancy. I feel underdressed. The restaurant is ornately decorated, and delicious smells meet my nose as the hostess shows us to our seats. Nick pulls my seat out and lets me sit first, followed by Bria next to me. He sits across from me and studies me as I ask the waitress for a booster seat for Bria. He has that conflicted look on his face again.
Just as the waitress brings Bria a booster and I get her all settled in, I turn my face to glance around the restaurant. My eyes scan the couple seated next to us, and my heart stops—literally—stops. I feel the blood drain from my face, and I whisper expletives under my breath.
“Evianna? You okay?” Nick asks, and I nod curtly.
No, no, no, no, no.
Please, god, let this be a joke. A sick, horrifying joke.
Dan and Mia are seated next to us, and by the looks of it, they’ve noticed me, too. I see Mia lean across the table and whisper into Dan’s ear. I try not to stare, so I look down at my hands.
“Hey,” Nick says gently. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing,” I say shakily.
This can’t be happening.
Nick looks nervously around, and my eyes dart to Dan, who is whispering back into Mia’s ear. Nick follows my gaze, and he must put two and two together because he stiffens, and his face becomes hard and serious. He shoots them a disapproving look, and for that, I’m grateful.
Bria doesn’t seem to notice that anything is wrong, because she sits quietly next to me and colors on the blank place mat that the hostess brought along with her booster. I quickly glance at Nick, my face giving my urgency away. It screams, I can’t sit here next to them.
“Want me to get us a new table?” he asks gently, and his hand comes to rest on top of mine.
I glance down at Nick’s hand and then up at Dan. Nick’s action did not go unnoticed, and I can’t help but smile because I know exactly what Nick is doing. Dan’s lip snarls a bit, and I have to admit, it feels good to see Dan
jealous. Mia notices, too, and she leans back to cross her arms.
“No,” I say. “It’s Bria’s birthday. I’m not going to let them ruin our dinner.”
He watches me and brings his other hand over to rest on my other hand, so we’re sitting across from each other holding hands. I see Dan straighten up and clear his throat out of the corner of my eye, and Nick smiles at me.
“He’s so jealous,” he says, a glint in his eyes. I see his eyes flick over to Dan, and he turns back to me. “Oh, yeah. This is killing him.” He looks giddy.
Before I can respond, I see Dan and Mia get up.
Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap.
“Oh god,” I whisper under my breath. I can’t handle a confrontation right now.
“Evi?” Dan says, coming over to stand next to our table. Bria looks up, and my face becomes the color of a tomato, I’m sure of it. Lucky for me, Bria loses interest and continues to draw, humming to herself.
I turn my face up to them and force a smile. I’m pretty sure it looks more like a grimace.
“Hello, Dan. Mia,” I say politely.
“What are you doing here?” Dan asks. Wow. He has some balls.
“Um, I’m eating, just like you and her.”
Her.
She doesn’t deserve to be called by her name.
Especially not from me. But I am tempted to call her by my new nickname for her—Slutty Mia.
I see Nick smile broadly at my snarky reply as he sips his water.
Mia looks so uncomfortable. She’s clutching her stomach—which, I realize, has a very small bump.
Oh. My. God.
She’s wearing a tight red dress. She looks fat. I know she’s probably pregnant, but I can’t help but love that she looks fat.
Dan cocks his eyebrow at Nick.
“Who’s this?”
“Nick Wilder,” Nick says loudly.
“Oh,” says Dan. I don’t think he was expecting Nick to speak. “I’m Dan Wal—”
“I know who you are,” Nick retorts quickly. His voice booms menacingly.
I have to keep myself from laughing out loud at Dan’s reaction. The blood drains from his face, and he looks to me for an explanation. I just shrug my shoulders and smile.
I can’t believe I used to think I was in love with this guy. He’s not even that good looking. I mean, right now he looks like shit—he’s lost weight, he has dark circles under his eyes, and he’s extremely jittery. He doesn’t really look like someone who is happy in life. I secretly hope it’s because of Mia’s pregnancy.
“Who is this guy, Evi?” Dan asks, completely ignoring Nick now.
“Why do you care?” I glare at him. I want to punch him. “By the way, congrats on the engagement and the baby,” I say. My eyes go over to Mia’s stomach. She cradles it defensively.
“I... I’m not pregnant,” she says through gritted teeth.
Nick chokes on his water and covers his face with his hands, but I can tell from his shaking body that he’s laughing.
“Oh...” I say, and I look away. “Sorry, I just assumed because of the shotgun wedding.”
“Yeah, well, when you love someone as much as I love Mia, why wait?” Dan hisses. His eyes flick between Nick and I. “For a long time, the only thing in our way was you.”
I know he only says it to hurt me. Obviously, he’s not okay with the image that Nick and I are projecting. He’s trying to injure me with his words. But damn, it hurts. It hurts so much.
I bite on my bottom lip and look down to keep from crying.
Mia giggles quietly.
I can’t even look at Nick right now. I know my face is beet red, and I glance at Bria, who is luckily still blissfully ignorant and humming to herself.
“Let’s go,” Mia whispers to Dan, and I see her tug at his hand.
“Bye,” I say quietly. I want the ground to open up and swallow me whole.
“Have fun playing stepmom,” Dan says callously, and I gasp.
Oh, I could so punch him right now.
“Leave,” Nick says, his eyes boring into Dan’s. “Now.”
Dan gives me one last look, but I don’t look up. I’m still looking down, trying to avoid eye contact. I see him scuttle away with Mia, and I notice that they don’t return to their table.
For a long time, the only thing in our way was you.
Fuck. That was harsh.
The sentence replays in my head—Dan’s icy words that seemed to come out so easily. How long had I held them back?
How long had this gone on behind my back?
“Hey,” Nick says gently. He grabs my hand, and this time I know it’s not for show. “You okay?”
I nod. Because… I am okay. Or I will be, at least. I now know that Dan is not the guy for me and never was. I smile gratefully at Nick, and he just scowls in the direction that Dan and Mia left. I see him fidget with his phone for a few seconds, and to distract myself, I ask Bria about her drawing. The waiter comes for our order. Though I’ve lost my appetite entirely, Nick orders me the pasta carbonara, telling me it’s the best thing I’ll ever eat. When he’s done reciting our orders, Nick jumps up and excuses himself.
“I’ll be right back. I have to use the restroom,” he says and walks away quickly.
I look down at the basket of bread and take deep breaths—in and out. At least Mia isn’t pregnant. I can’t wait to tell Violet that she’s just fat. I know it’s petty, but it makes me feel better, and right now, I need to feel better.
“Who wath that?” Bria asks after a minute.
“Who, sweetie?”
“That mean man.”
I smile.
“Just someone that I used to know,” I say. “You’re right. He is a mean man.”
“I’m glad he’th gone,” she adds, and I smile broadly.
“Me too, Bria. Me too.”
She goes back to coloring on her placemat.
I wonder if Nick was freaked out by the stepmom comment. That was a low blow, even for Dan. If he thought Nick and I were together, and Bria clearly wasn’t my child, it could look like I was dating a guy with a kid.
God, of all the things for Dan to say in front of Nick. Dan is always like that, though, so I don’t know why I’m surprised. He always speaks first, thinks second. He was always spewing awful things and then apologizing to me immediately afterwards.
How did I ever love him?
Perhaps I never really did. I thought I did, but looking back, I’m not so sure.
Nick returns, and he’s clutching his right hand in a dishtowel. I leap up.
“Oh my god, Nick, what happened?” I spot blood on his knuckle.
He waves me away.
“I’m fine. Just clumsy. Ran into one of the busboys, got cut with some glass.”
“Let me see it,” I say, reaching for his hand, but he pulls it away.
“I’m fine, really,” he growls, and his fiery, terrifying eyes make me believe him. “Just putting some ice on it.”
I look at him, but he avoids my gaze. I throw my hands up. “Okay, if you insist.” He can take care of himself, I guess.
“Sit,” he demands.
I obey, taking a seat, but my eyes don’t leave his face. He’s sweating.
What the hell?
The waiter brings our food shortly thereafter, and we all eat silently. I chat with Bria about her dolls, and Nick sits across from us, sulking and eating quietly.
“What Dan said…” I trail off. “I want you to know that I don’t consider myself… I don’t…”
“I know, Evianna.” He smiles weakly, interrupting me.
“Okay. You just seem quiet, and I wanted to make sure that—”
“Drop it,” he says lowly. “I know. Dan just said it to hurt you. Dan is an asshole.”
Bria’s head pops up, and she starts giggling.
“Daddy! You said a bad word!”
Nick’s face softens, and he nods.
“Daddy did say a bad word. You’re right.”
<
br /> “You need a consequenceth,” she says, crossing her arms. “For thaying a bad word.”
I smile at Nick. She’s right.
“Well… what should my consequence be?”
“Evi thould chooth.”
I almost spit out my water, and I look at Nick. He looks just as amused as I do. His eyebrows shoot up, and he watches me as I drum my fingers on the table.
“Hmm…” I say. He sets his mouth in a firm line, but I know he’s trying really hard not to smile. “No dessert for you,” I say. He balks.
“But they have the best tiramisu here!” he fake whines and pretends to throw a mini-tantrum. Bria starts to laugh hysterically. He just nods. “Fine,” he says, sighing.
Bria goes back to drawing, and he’s still smiling at me.
“Don’t worry, I’ll get some tiramisu, and you can have some,” I whisper, hoping Bria doesn’t hear me.
His eyes relax, crinkling. He winks at me, and my heart stops.
We finish dinner in a relatively good mood, although Nick refuses to let me see his cut, and he eats with his left hand—something that amuses both Bria and I. He is so stubborn. And he’s right. The pasta carbonara is amazing. So amazing that I let him have half of my tiramisu. Bria doesn’t notice.
We surprise Bria with a cupcake and candle, and she says that five is already so much better than four, which makes us laugh. So much wisdom already at five years old. Nick refuses to let me pay for my meal—of course—and we all walk out laughing. I’ve completely forgotten about my run-in with Dan and Mia until I see Dan sitting on a bench just outside of the restaurant. Mia is next to him, and she’s brushing his hair away and putting an ice pack on his eye. It takes me a second to realize that they’re there, and when I do, Nick steers me away suddenly before they see us.
I watch, horrified, as Mia lifts the ice pack and examines his swollen, bloody eye.
Holy shit.
Dan’s eye.
Nick’s knuckle.
How did I not realize sooner?
Nick grabs both Bria and I and steers us towards the parking lot. A couple of valet guys yell at us. One of them comes running after Nick.
And Then You Page 11