With one word, my anxiety returned. There was something he wasn’t telling me. “Why only mostly?”
“What do you think is going to happen when you two get close and he finds out you’ve lied to him the whole time?”
We both knew Nick would be angry and hurt. It would destroy any trust between us and shatter anything we’d started. “He’ll feel betrayed and mostly likely end things.”
“Which is the reason I called. Right now, you’ve promised not to tell him, but when the time comes, you’ll want to break your word rather than lose him. At that moment, youmustremember my warning. You will lose him forever if you tell him.”
I lowered the phone from my ear and stared into the air. My choices all ended the same way. How could this be happening.
Karma really did suck.
Bringing the phone up, I knew what I needed to do. “I understand, Uncle.” My voice cracked and I almost lost my nerve. “Can you please ask Uncle Michael to replace me. I can’t….”
“Henry,” he said softly. “Only you can protect Nick. I can’t replace you.”
I wanted to shout at him to find someone else, but he wasn’t being cruel. He must’ve seen this. If I was the only one who could keep Nick safe, I’d have to. Somehow.
“How?”
“All I can say is find a way to keep him safe and not lose him. There is a solution, but you need to find it on your own. Don’t give up. If you do….”
If I gave up, Nick would die and maybe me as well. “I won’t.”
I’d find a way to keep my word. Uriel wouldn’t have called me if there wasn’t real hope. I just needed to find it.
“One last thing,” Uriel said. “You and Nick areHKarlin.
Nick
Something was wrong.
Henry had been looking forward to dinner since he first suggested it. We talked about it for half the drive. He’d studied their menu, checked out their wine list, and prepared a list of suggestions. He should’ve been giddy. Instead, he was just there.
He was polite, attentive and sweet, but he lacked his usual zest. The spark that made him,himwas gone. He was gone. I wantedhimback.
I wished he’d never taken that work call. It ruined everything. His mood, our date, and my plans.
The entire run I’d thought of how to get him to shower with me. I sucked at seduction, but I’d come up with a strategy. I’d ask. Even if he wasn’t interested, he wouldn’t have been a dick.
Then he’d gotten that fucking text before I could even try my idea. Or maybe…. I’d taken off my shirt and he’d seen what he’d agreed to sleep with. Were they connected?
“Are you okay?” Henry asked. “Is there something wrong with your food?”
Did I tell him the truth? Lie? Deflect? I must’ve looked like a deer in the headlights. He kept his gaze on me and I could feel his concern growing. I don’t know how I knew it, but I did.
“No, the food’s amazing. You were right about this place.”
“You’re quieter than usual. Did I overdo it with the restaurant?”
Henry was too perceptive to think I was uncomfortable by the setting. I wasn’t sure he knew what was wrong, butheclearly had something on his mind. Time to man up and stop being passive. “I’m fine, the restaurant is fine, but you’re off. Ever since you spoke to someone at work, you’ve changed. It’s like you’re not into me all of the sudden. Do you want me to call an Uber and go home?”
“What?” He flinched like I’d slapped him. “No. Of course I don’t want you to leave.”
The conviction in his words relieved me, but it wasn’t an answer. “Then what happened? Why are you like this?”
To his credit, Henry didn’t blurt out everything was fine. He stayed quiet for a few more seconds, then set down his fork. “I haven’t been honest with you.”
Six words were all it took to take me from calming down, to ready to puke. I pulled my napkin from my lap and pushed back my chair. “I’ll go get my things from the room and call for a ride.”
