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“Want to talk about it?” he offered as he started pulling vegetables from the refrigerator and stacking them before me on the counter, no doubt to start preparing dinner.
“No,” I shook my head. “Yes. Maybe? I don’t know,” I cried. Could I really talk to Sam about any of my issues?
“I’m a good listener and anything you tell me stays between us,” he assured me.
I sat up and took a deep breath, looking around me to assure myself everyone was still out of earshot.
“Do you think Nico hates me?” I asked in a rush, needing to get it out. I was terrified I had done something to upset Nico and I needed some reassurance.
“What makes you ask that?” Sam asked. He had a chopping board before him where he stood opposite me now and was chopping peppers like a pro chef.
“Before, when we worked together, we talked all of the time. I thought he was my friend. He helped me when I ran away from my husband and he’s been calling me every day since we got here, but now that he’s here, he’s avoiding me and I…I just don’t get it,” I admitted.
“He doesn’t hate you, Maddie. Trust me on that,” Sam assured me with a smirk.
“How do you know?”
“The way he looks at you. His eyes barely leave you when you’re in the same room. He likes you, maybe even loves you,” he informed me nonchalantly with a shrug.
“What?” I gasped as my mouth dropped open and hung there in shock. “What d-did you just say?”
“He’s in love with you,” Sam repeated. “Think about it. He probably came here to come clean with you, make his feelings known, but when he gets here he finds you getting close and touchy with the others. That’s why he’s backed off and kept his distance. He’s jealous and upset that he’s too late for his chance.”
“No,” I shook my head. “You’re wrong. He can’t be. He…he’s my boss. He wouldn’t….doesn’t see me like that,” I denied.
“Deny it all you like, but I’m telling you, that man may as well have bright red hearts in his eyes when he looks at you. I know love when I see it,” Sam told me.
I turned to the side and looked to Nico, just as he looked up and met my eyes. He smiled a little before quickly averting his stare and returning his attention to Willow.
“Oh fuck,” I whispered as I thought over what Sam had said. Could that be true? Nico had been flirty in the past, but I just figured he was messing around.
I had never for one second thought he actually liked me. I mean he’s Nico. He’s six feet something of ruggedly handsome good looking and tightly packed muscle. He could be on the cover of some men’s magazine. He could have any woman he wanted. Why would he want me? Boring, plain, ginger me? It didn’t even make any sense.
Then again I thought the same about Hunter, Kai, and Cameron. They were also way out of my league, and look what they’d told me. This was insane. How did my life become so crazy?
I leapt up from my seat when I heard Willow, Hunter, and Nico heading closer to the house. I needed to get away until I could think straight again. I couldn’t face Nico yet. He’d know something was going on with me, and what if Sam was wrong? I didn’t want to make a damned fool of myself.
My feet hit the ground just as the glass door slid open and I turned to run, only for everything before me to flash with bright light. My head became hot in an instant and then the next thing I knew, everything was black.
***
“Has she even seen a doctor since she got here?” I heard Nico demand as things started to seep back into my consciousness.
“Did she need to? She got the all clear at the hospital,” Hunter replied.
“Of course she needs to. She’s pregnant. She needs regular checkups and sonograms and shit,” Nico cried, and I hated the fear I heard in his voice.
“Why isn’t mommy waking up?” Willow sniffled from somewhere in the background, and I knew she was crying.
“She’s okay, trouble. Just give her a second, okay?” Cameron soothed her. I worked harder to open my eyes, realizing I must have blacked out and scared her, and Nico too, by the sounds of it.
My eyes felt heavy, but I got them open and found Nico leaning right over me. He looked pale and his eyes were wild with concern.
“What happened?” I asked as I looked around me and realized I was laid out on the floor in the kitchen.
“Just lie still. You passed out,” Nico told me as he placed a hand on my chest to keep me where I was.
“Mommy?” Willow whimpered and I looked up and found her in Cam’s arms over by the counter. Sam stood beside them and Kai and Hunter were on their knees at my other side.
