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“I am taking it easy. I’m fine, Nico,” I replied. I didn’t exactly know where I was going, since I’d never been to the area before Hunter brought Willow and I there, so I was driving pretty aimlessly.
“Then where are we going?”
“To get coffee,” I told him as I saw a Starbucks appear up ahead.
“There’s coffee at the house.”
“We’re going to talk, Nico, some place where you can’t walk off and avoid me,” I told him firmly.
“Talk about what?”
“Coffee first, then we talk,” I clarified as I pulled into the parking lot and parked up.
Nico sighed but didn’t argue anymore as we both got out of the car and headed inside.
Even though I was anxious about the talk we were about to have, I was smiling as I stood at the counter ordering my large vanilla latte and chocolate muffin. How long had it been since I did something so mundane as go for coffee? How long had it been since I had such freedom to just do whatever I decided I wanted to? It felt so damned good.
Once we had our drinks, I led Nico back outside. We settled at a table and chairs, in the shade of a large oak tree. We were the only ones seated out there and I was grateful for that, completely clueless about where this conversation with Nico would go.
“Okay, talk,” I demanded as Nico nervously fidgeted with his coffee cup and avoided looking at me.
“About what? You brought us here,” he uttered, still not looking at me.
“Yes I brought us here, but you’re the one who seems to have a problem,” I sighed. “What’s going on, Nico? Did I do something to upset you?” I was already tearing up, and Nico must have heard the wobble in my voice because his head shot up.
“Maddie, Jesus, no. You haven’t done anything. Please don’t cry, sweetheart,” he pleaded.
“Sorry. I can’t help it. I’m just really emotional with this baby for some reason,” I sniffled as I dabbed at my eyes with a napkin. “I just don’t want to lose you, you know? You and Emilia, you’re the only friends I have.”
“You’re not going to lose me,” he promised as he slid his hand across the table and grabbed mine. “Whether you stay here, or come back to Chicago, I will always be your friend, Maddie, and you can always count on me to be here for you.”
“Then what’s going on?” I pushed. “Because I’m not imagining it. You’ve been avoiding me. Is this about work? Are you pissed I might not come back to the office?”
Nico released my hand and sat back in his chair, his face hardening.
“So you’ve decided then? You’re not coming back home?” he asked and his tone was as hard as his clenched jaw.
“It’s not home, Nico,” I sighed. “It never was. I moved there for Edward. I’m not sure I’ve ever even had a home.”
“You have people there, Maddie, and you have a job. It’s more than you have here, or it was,” he uttered the last part so I only just caught it.
“I haven’t decided yet,” I admitted. “I don’t know what I plan to do. Is that what this is about? Work?” I asked, shocked Nico would be so petty when he was the one who convinced me to come here with Hunter in the first place.
“No Maddie! It’s not about fucking work!” he snapped. He took a deep breath and rested both of his hands on his head in exasperation. More calmly he said, “It has nothing to do with the office.”
“Then you need to explain because I’m just confused. You say I didn’t do anything and it’s nothing to do with my job, so what is it? Do you wish you hadn’t gotten involved in all of this?”
Nico grimaced and took another deep breath like he was trying to keep control of himself. I took that as a sign that I was right.
“I’m so sorry, Nico. I never should have gotten you mixed up in my shit. If you don’t want to be here with us, you can go. Willow and I, we’re okay with the guys. We’ll miss you, but we’ll be okay,” I rambled as more tears dripped down my cheeks. It was lies. I didn’t get it, but deep inside I knew I wouldn’t be okay if he left and didn’t speak to me again. I had feelings for him, no matter how hard I had denied them, and having him close made me feel settled and calm. It was like he was the final piece of a puzzle I had been trying to solve and I knew I’d be a mess if he was taken from me.
“I’m falling in love with you,” he blurted all of a sudden, stopping my verbal vomit instantly.
“What?” I gasped.
“I love you, Maddie,” Nico sighed as he leaned in closer to me. “I think I started falling the first day I met you. I tried to deny it because you were married, but then all of this happened and my feelings, they just got stronger. I love you. I’m not falling. It’s too damned late. I already fell. I love you. I love your kid. I love the way I feel when I’m close to you. I want a future with you, Willow, and that baby in it.”
“Nico…” I didn’t even know what to say. It seemed so impossible that he would be telling me he loved me. He could have any woman he wanted. Why would he want me?
