AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Do you realize you’ve never even smiled at me?” she asked. “Not a real smile anyway. You’re so much warmer with everyone else.”
Nick rolled his eyes. “Hayley, you are worth so much more than what I give everyone else.”
There it was again, the same resignation that had been in his voice when he’d talked about his “damage.” It was like complimenting her went hand in hand with hating himself.
And now, finally, she understood: Nick was keeping her at arm’s length because he thought she was better off without him.
And where did he get that idea, Hayley Michelle? Was it when you saw his walker and lost your shit?
“Nick.” She tried to keep her voice even. “Ever since we met, you’ve looked at me like I’m miles away, or behind glass or something. Every word you say sounds like it’s gone through a million rehearsals in your head.” Her voice cracked a little.
Slow down, girl. Breathe. Don’t you dare cry.
“I know I did that,” she said. “I killed something in you as soon as I saw the walker. I’m so sorry. And I’m tired, and my head is going to split open, and instead of waking up with Kevin, I’m sitting in your bathrobe, watching you judge me. Help me undo what I did. Please.”
Hayley sat still, chest heaving, watching Nick stare into the sink.
“And what about Kevin?” he asked finally. “What’s the point of being friends with me if you’re with him?”
She frowned. “It’s not like I can’t do both.”
“Really?” he asked. “I mean, there are rules.”
“Rules?”
“Things you don’t do.”
She laughed. “I’m not going to sleep with you, Nick.”
He winced, and she wished she could take it back. She’d laughed at the idea of cheating on Kevin, but he’d heard her mocking the idea of sleeping with him. Not that any good could possibly come of trying to clarify.
“Nick,” she said carefully, “how many friends do you have? How many close friends?”
He took a second. “Two. Gavin and his wife.”
“Well, that’s a good enough reason for us to be friends, right there.”
“Because I’m a charity case?”
“No,” she said patiently. “Come over here.”
Nick walked over to the table and stood in front of her.
“Would you want to be friends with me?” she asked. “If it was possible?”
He didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”
“Then instead of thinking about how this is going to work, maybe just trust me that it will.”
He nodded, and she smiled at him as she stood up and headed for the dryer. “You haven’t told me why,” he said.
She turned. “Why be friends?”
“Yes. You don’t owe me this.”
She raised an eyebrow. “You know normal people don’t need a reason to be friends, right?”
“So I’m abnormal.”
