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“What really happened is he told Kent he could stay.”
“No, boo. He didn’t. I checked out his story. It’s true.”
“What?” Nico’s knees nearly gave out. He inched back and plopped onto his chair. “You checked? With who?”
“That’s for Luke to say.” She framed his face with her hands. “Just hear him out. If you still feel the same, you can come stay the next two days. But I don’t think that’s gonna happen.”
She smiled and pulled her hands back. “You two talk while I go check on my wedding cake.”
Luke needed a push from Elisa to move closer. Shuffling his feet, he slowly took the seat across from Nico. They watched each other until Nico couldn’t stand the silence. “I’m listening.”
Not the friendliest opening, but despite what E said, he still hurt.
“Nico, I’m so sorry you’re hurt, but I swear I didn’t send those emails. Kent did.”
“Kent?”
“I was talking to Coury about how he had the balls to ask me to stay and how I said no. I thought I heard someone outside my door, but I didn’t check at first. After I told Coury how I promised you I wouldn’t bring him around you, Kent walks in and says he needs to speak to me. He wouldn’t leave, so I left. I . . . I never locked my computer.”
He wanted to believe it, but believing left him shattered. “And how did E check this out?”
“I left to call Coury back.” He pulled out his phone. “I called him at 11:09 from outside the building. When I told her this, she told me to call Coury and give her the phone. She grilled him for a few minutes and then asked how she could help.”
Nico squeezed his eyes shut. The emotional Ping Pong match he was living left him disoriented. Luke touched his hand.
“Nico, I swear, I didn’t send those emails. I meant every word I said to you on Monday. I want you. Just you. All of you. The way you want to be. No filters, no changes. I know it looks like I betrayed you, but . . .”
“You didn’t.” He opened his eyes and felt a new clarity. “I believe you.”
“You do?” Luke sounded as relieved as he looked.
Nico nodded. “After spending the summer with you, it’s easier to believe you than those emails.” He turned his head toward his sister. “And if you could convince her, you must be telling the truth.”
Luke got up and launched himself at Nico. “Oh God, thank you.” He crushed Nico in a bear hug.
“I’m sorry, Luke. I should have given you a chance to explain.” He should have done so many things different during the summer.
“Please don’t be sorry. I almost believed I sent those emails.” He let out a giddy laugh. “You warned me that first day when we drove from Harrison.”
Nico put his fingers on Luke’s lips. “Shh. I don’t want to see or talk about him anymore.”
“Right. But I need to see him again. At least one more time.”
“Don’t hit him, Luke. He’s not worth it.”
Luke grinned. “Hitting him won’t be as satisfying as what’s about to drop on him.”
“What are you up to?”
Luke
Luke: Can you come to my office?
Kent: Planning to apologize for being a dickwad to me?
Luke: Something like that.
“Okay, I’m here,” Kent said before he stepped through the threshold to Luke’s office. “Let the apologies—”
Luke almost found the deflated expression worth the angst Kent had caused Nico. Not quite, but it was a start.
“Hello, Kent,” Chris said. “Please come in.”
Luke’s small office was crowded, but everyone stood at the edges to leave room for Kent.
“What’s going on?”
“Something unusual happened on Monday that I need your help with.”
“Monday?” Kent shot Luke a plea for help as the noose tightened.
Fat chance. “You remember, the day you refused to leave my office when I was trying to talk to my roommate. That Monday.”
“Um. Okay.”
“So. Luke told us someone used his email without his authorization at around 11:10 a.m.”
“He mentioned that.”
“I asked the IT department to run a diagnostic of his computer.” Chris pointed to the guy seated behind Luke’s desk.
“I ran the IP address and found that two different firm emails were used at the same time from this terminal. One using the desktop Outlook app, the other using the web-based version.” He spun the screen around so everyone in the room could see. “Luke’s email was using the desktop app. Your email, Mr. Waller, was using web-based Outlook.”
“Luke was using my email account?” Kent’s voice shook, and Luke snorted.
“Nice try.” Chris nodded to someone in a suit. “Mr. Young?”
“At your request, Mr. Rayner, I reviewed the security footage. Mr. DeRosa was seen exiting the building at 11:08 a.m. He didn’t return until 11:32 a.m. carrying a Panera Bread bag. We also pulled the floor lobby video and Mr. Waller entered this suite at 11:02 a.m. He left at 11:14 a.m., one minute after the last email was sent from this terminal.”
