Chapter

Sixty-Six

NATHAN

She’s sitting on the sofa reading when I get home, looking lost and lonely. Fuck, I want to wrap her up and protect her from every goddamn thing in this world that could hurt her. And I want to spend the rest of my life doing it. I can’t let her go.

“Hey.” I perch on the coffee table in front of her.

“Hey. Did you have a good day?”

“I did actually.”

“That’s good,” she says, offering a feeble attempt at a smile.

“How do you feel about going out for dinner?” I check my watch. “I could get us a table at your favorite steakhouse.”

She wrinkles her nose. “I don’t really feel like peopling.”

I drop to my knees in front of her. “Then I’ll book out the whole place.”

That at least gets me a flicker of a genuine smile. “That’s such a Nathan James thing to do.”

“I just want to see a smile on your face, corazón. Tell me what I can do to make that happen.”

She presses her lips together like she’s deep in thought. “Food is always a good start. But takeout would be more my speed, I think.”

“Takeout will make you smile?”

“Not just any takeout. A pepperoni pizza from Jersey’s, and also …” She sinks her teeth into her plush lower lip.

“Also?”

“An old movie on the sofa? With you actually watching rather than working?” She winces like she’s asking too much, when it’s not nearly enough. An image of us curled up on the couch with her nestled against me, both of us snuggled beneath a blanket, makes my cock twitch in my pants. “That’s what you want to do tonight?”

She catches her bottom lip between her teeth. “More than anything.”

Why the hell is that true for me too? Cuddling on the couch and eating greasy pizza isn’t exactly me, but the thought of doing that with her sounds like heaven. “I have to send a few emails and take a shower. Can you order?”

Her eyes sparkle, and an actual smile flickers over her full pink lips. “And I get to choose the movie?”

I roll my eyes, feigning mild annoyance, but the truth is I’ll do anything as long as it involves being close to her. “If you insist.”

My pulse is racing as I dry off from the shower. We’re staying in and eating pizza on the couch, so why do I feel like I’m fifteen and about to go on my first date with Cindy Green? She was the head cheerleader in high school, and it took me months to work up the courage to ask her out. She said yes before I even finished the question, and I’ve never felt that nervous around a woman since. Until now.

I walk down the hallway toward the sound of her voice. Is she only just ordering the food? No, I can smell pizza. A familiar voice joins hers, and my heart drops through my stomach.

What the fuck is Tyler doing back in New York already?

I make my way into the kitchen and see the two of them hugging. They part when I walk into the room, and Mel looks at me, tears glistening in her eyes. “Tyler came home early.”

He spins on his heel. “Yeah. Thanks for looking after my girl while I was away. I can take care of her now.”

I lick my lips and stare at the two of them. She’s my fucking girl. At least I thought she was, but she’s so goddamn happy to see him. Maybe he is the right person to take care of her. She married me out of guilt over her family and nothing more. She’s already told me she wants to walk away from everything to do with them, and I can’t help but think that includes me too.

“He brought up the pizza.” Melanie nods to the box on the table.

“Great. You two should take it with you,” I say, having to force the words out of my mouth.

Her face falls, and I want to kick myself in the ass for saying it, then kick Tyler out of my apartment, but my stupid pride won’t let me.

“I guess I should go get my things then,” she says quietly.

I don’t answer her. Instead I glare at Tyler, the man responsible for ruining my fucking night, and quite possibly my whole fucking life.

Mel slips out of the room, and Tyler plants his hands on the kitchen counter, his lips pressed together in a thin line and his eyes narrowed with suspicion.

“You know I always respected you. Always thought you were this super smart guy who didn’t give a fuck what other people thought of you, but I …” He shakes his head. “Now, I guess I know better.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

He licks his lips and glances at the open doorway before turning all his attention back to me. “She’s the best damn thing that’s ever happened to you, Nathan. And I think you know that too.”

My hands ball into fists. “Don’t assume to know what I’m thinking, Tyler.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t dare.” He barks a sarcastic laugh and sits at the island, then takes off his baseball cap and runs a hand through his hair. “You know, she always loved animals. Begged her daddy for a dog every single Christmas and birthday from the day she could talk. And when she turned thirteen, a few months before he was killed, he finally gave in.”

Why the hell is he telling me this right now?

“But Mel didn’t want no new puppy. Nope, she made him take her to the pound. And when we got there, she chose the oldest, ugliest mutt you’ve ever seen in your life. I mean this thing had a gray muzzle and one eye, but she insisted he was her dog. Now Mel’s mom might be a stone-cold bitch, but Luke adored his kids. He didn’t want his little girl getting attached to a dog that only had a little bit of life left in him. When he sat her down and explained that this dog likely only had a few years left at best, you know what she said?”

I suppress a sigh. “No.”

“She looked him square in the eye and said, ‘We could get a puppy who gets sick and dies or gets run over. Love doesn’t care how much time we have. It just takes its happiness where it can find it.’ And he got her that dog on the spot. She called him Floyd, and he was her best buddy for three years. He died a few days after she turned sixteen, and she was fucking heartbroken. Her mom told her she was stupid for getting so attached to something she knew was going to die, but that dog brought her happiness and comfort that can’t be measured, and I know for a damn fact she still would have chosen him if she knew he only had three months left.”

A knot of emotion balls in my throat, making it hard to speak, so when I do there’s a distinct crack in my voice. “Cute story.”

Tyler gives a single shake of his head and huffs a laugh. “The point is, Nathan, nobody knows what tomorrow’s about to bring. You have to grab onto whatever little slice of happiness while you can, and you have to fucking live in it. If your relationship with Mel is truly over, yeah, you should absolutely let it go. Things die all the time, but killing them to stop them from dying is my idea of batshit crazy. So if you’re only ending this with her in case it might cause you more pain later on down the line, well then, for all your fancy degrees and your razor-sharp brain, you’re the biggest fucking fool I ever met.”

He walks out of the kitchen, and I’m left staring after him with so many questions and feelings running through my head that I sway on my feet.

The sound of soft footsteps shakes me from my daze. A second later, she walks through the door, dressed in a sweater and jeans, her cheeks pink and her eyes red like she’s been crying.

“Where’s Ty?” she asks, her voice thick with emotion.

I shake my head. “I thought he went to look for you.”

She glances behind her. “Maybe he went to the bathroom.”