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I rub at my eyes, hoping the bags there don’t betray how sleepless my night was.
The coffee pot starts to sputter and Nolan shifts, rolling over on the couch. I glance his way and see he’s sitting there, elbows on his knees and head hanging. He’s shirtless and wearing black sweatpants. His golden skin is tanned and perfect, but his hair is messy and wild. He pushes it back with one hand, lifting his eyes to me. “Morning,” he says.
“Fuck you.” Whoops. I wasn’t exactly planning to come out with my guns blazing like that.
Nolan just chuckles. “Oh, are we sharing what we dreamed about last night? I’m flattered. Where did we do it? Did we use protection?”
I blush, despite his stupid comeback. “I’m not interested in talking to you, Nolan.”
“Right. That’s why you were banging things around in the kitchen to wake me up instead of sneaking out for work like you normally do?”
“Maybe you should just go back to sleep. I’m sure you had a long night.”
He’s rubbing at his eyes, smiling like this is all just so damn amusing. “What does that mean?”
“You went out to get laid. I guess you decided to just get it over with in a dirty bathroom somewhere instead of bringing her back here? Or maybe you went to her place and snuck out before you were at risk of her developing feelings for you?”
“Why do you sound so bothered?”
I set my coffee mug down with a click and close my eyes. I snap them open again. “Because you confuse me. Okay? I don’t want to feel anything for you. Especially not now that you’ve come back. But I–” I trail off and shake my head. “I hate you.”
“Alright,” he says. “Anything else?”
I want to throw my mug at his stupid head. Anything else? That’s all he can think to ask me right now? “I need to go to work. Maybe you could do us all a favor and stay home this time. Nobody needs you looming and glaring all shift. Especially not today. We’re just prepping and testing new recipes.”
“You want me to stay home?” he asks. “Why, so you can flirt with Zander and not get caught?”
“Really?” I ask. “You went out and hooked up with some random woman last night, but the idea of me flirting with Zander is crossing the line for you?”
Nolan’s carefree mask finally drops, just for a moment. “You’re the one assuming I slept with someone last night.”
I pause. “You didn’t?”
“I was tired,” he says, even though it sounds like a thin excuse. “Got to the bar, had a couple drinks, decided to head back home. End of story.” He waits, watching me as if I’m supposed to say something.
“Too bad for you, I guess,” I say. I’m trying to sound nonchalant, but there’s a frustrating amount of relief currently coursing through my body. Why the hell do I feel relieved? Every conscious fiber of my being knows I don’t want anything to do with Nolan. But my feelings can’t seem to get on the same page.
“Too bad,” he agrees. “I thought about taking you up on that offer to share the bed. This couch really is too small. But I thought you might stab me in my sleep.”
The smallest smile touches my face. “For once, it sounds like you made a smart choice.”
He chuckles. “We’ll revisit the topic, then. After I’ve removed the knives from the kitchen.”
I spend the first half of the day at Taste and head for Jesse’s cabin when we’re finished. To my surprise, Nolan never did show up. I can’t decide if it’s because he was trying to actually respect my wishes about not coming, or if it’s because he’s trying to prove he’s capable of not being overbearing about Zander.
Liam shows up to give me a ride to Jesse’s cabin.
He’s almost too pretty, and I find it hard not to stare at him like he’s some kind of art piece in a museum as he rests his hand on the wheel of the SUV. It’s cold, but he has the window partly down, letting the pleasantly crisp smelling air fill the car.
“Thank you for picking me up,” I say.
“Sure,” Liam says. “You didn’t want to ask Nolan for a ride?”
I hesitate, and he nods, making a sound of understanding, as if I’ve just explained everything that has happened so far instead of simply not answering right away.
“He’s a good guy,” Liam says. “Something happened two years back. He hasn’t told any of us what it was, but I know it shook him.”
I’m not sure what to say, because I don’t want to sound like I’m putting more importance on my influence in his life than is warranted. I decide to voice my thought. “You mean when I broke things off with him?”
