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“You're not a burden at all, and I'm not saying it has to be forever, but you're welcome as long as you need to be to stay safe.” He releases me and together, we both walk back into my hotel room. “Do you need help packing up?” he asks.
I shake my head, already very aware that there is not much packing to do. “I've got this. Is there anything you need to do on your end to prepare anyone you need to call?” I'm thinking about his brother, of course. I know that his brother and Valerie sometimes use the cabin and I don't want to intrude, especially if they're planning on using the space.
“I'll shoot my brother text to just to let him know that it's in use so he doesn't stop by and announced an uninvited but that's all.” At the tail end of his words, his phone goes off. He walks over to the bed and picks it up off the bedside table.
Curious, I watch him, noticing how his brow furrows and concern seeps into his features as he reads whatever message he's been sent.
He lifts the phone my direction before speaking. “It's Karen. She says. It's an emergency. I'm going to step outside. I'll be right back.” With that, he heads for the door and steps out.
Faced with the thought that he's calling another woman, I try not to think about it too much. I know Karen is his friend. I also know that she's rich and his age, and that they have a long history together. Of course, that doesn't mean I have anything to worry about. Not that I have anything to worry about anyway, since our relationship is fake.
Seems like he's been talking to Karen more and more lately. Or maybe I'm just going crazy.
I can't possibly be feeling jealous of her, can I? I am not that kind of person.
As I grab my bags and prepare myself to leave my tiny motel room, I realized that I don't want Nathan to be with anyone else. It's messed up and selfish, but I don’t think I can handle seeing him with someone else.
I'm definitely going to have to get over that, and fast.
Chapter Nineteen
Nathan
I hate leaving Stacia behind but she told me to go support my friend after dropping her off at the cabin.
I'm worried about Karen, but as worried as I am for her, I'm actually more concerned for Lewis. After Karen reached out to me, Lewis reached out to me afterward. His phone call was much more terse, upset, and stressed out than Karen's message had been.
So now I'm headed into town outside the cabin. We'd agreed to meet up at a little coffee shop we both know and love to discuss what's going on in his life right now because the tone of his voice left me very concerned that he's not in a good place mentally.
By the time I pull into a parking spot, I can already see him in a little table in the corner by the window, staring outside, but his eyes don’t seem to really be seeing anything.
I parked my car, hurry inside, order myself a coffee, and then sit down across from him. He finally seems to notice me as his eyes focus on me, but they're slightly watery, leaving me even more concerned for my friend. I've never seen him so down in the dumps. He is a very resilient individual so seeing him this upset in public has me more worried for him.
“OK, what's going on?” One of the things I really like about Lewis is that he's a very straight from the hip kind of guy. There's no beating around the bush, no need for small talk. We can just dig right in like we've been talking all day long, even if it's been six months since our last conversation.
He lets out a slight chuckle, as if there's just too much to even convey. “Where to start?” he asks, curling his hands around his hot cup of coffee.
“In the beginning, in the middle, the end, wherever you're most comfortable, just get it out.” I understand the feeling of going through incredibly hard times, and I know sometimes the emotions aren't linear, so sometimes just starting a conversation helps get all of that stress and tension out.
Lewis seems relieved. “Well, Karen is driving me nuts. No matter how many times I tell her I'm not interested, she just doesn't get the hint.”
“Is it a hint if you're telling her you're not interested?” I'm joking around with my friend, of course, but I do understand where he's coming from. There aren't many things worse than an individual who won't take no for an answer. I like Karen, but I know Karen can be very pushy, especially when she doesn't get what she wants. One of the things that makes her a good millionaire makes her a bad friend and a bad person to be in a relationship with.
Lewis chuckles, spreading his hands slightly to his sides before gripping his coffee cup again. “Well, you've got me there.”
I can already see his shoulders lifting a little bit as if some of the weight is coming off them.
“I don't think I'm going to be friends with her after this one, and I worry that that's going to affect our friendship.” He glances at me, and I can see the worry in his eyes.
“My friendship with each of you is independent. I’m not worried about any drama or BS, and if things fall apart between you, I’ll just never speak of the other to either one of you again.” Shoulders trying to show that it's no big deal to me, because it's not and it shouldn't be. It's none of my business.
“Thank you for saying that,” Lewis says.
“Do you want to tell me what happened?” I ask. We’re both quiet for a moment as the barista brings over my coffee and places it before me with a wide smile. I thank her and we both wait for her to be out of earshot before we continue speaking.
“She told me that if I keep letting my son stop me from being happy, eventually I'll resent him, or worse, hate him.”
I wince. I don't even have kids, but even I know that you don't weaponize someone's children against them like that because they won't be in a relationship with you. “That was really uncalled for and unfair of her to say.”
