“A bit too much sun, I think.” Good thing he didn’t bring his wineglass with him. “You didn’t see him, did you?”
She nodded, and Luke’s spirits rose. “He went inside the museum. It’s cooler there if you need to rest.”
He barely said thank you before rushing off. Nico wasn’t in the foyer. There were two doorways to choose from. He took the one straight ahead. Three steps in, his shoes squealed against marble as he stopped.
Nico stood bent over an exhibit. Both hands gripped the sides of the plastic case surrounding a model of some building.
“Nico—”
“Don’t.” It was barely more than a whisper, but it struck Luke right in the gut.
“It’s not like you think. Kent twisted my words.”
Nico snorted. “You told him what I said.”
“I found it endearing. I was telling him what a great guy you are.”
Nico held a palm up. “Just forget it. I’m just being overly dramatic. Did you tell him that too?”
“What the hell? No.”
Nico kept moving toward the next presentation.
Luke followed, voice growing more desperate, “I told him how before the Phillies game you spent time learning about baseball. That I thought it was sweet of you.”
Nico’s posture remained stiff, but he didn’t squeeze the display case at this stop.
“I know how it looks, but I didn’t say it to put you down.” And the asshole twisted it around and flung it back at Nico to make him look like a fool. “I should have known better than to confide in him.”
Nico’s shoulders slumped in defeat. “It’s fine.”
It wasn’t fine.
Nico should yell at him. Tell Luke what an idiot he was for trusting a lying, cheating jerk like Kent.
He inched closer. When Nico didn’t move, Luke shuffled closer still.
“Nico?” He tentatively put a hand on Nico’s shoulder and closed his eyes.
A hand landed on his and gave it a squeeze. “It’s okay. Really.”
Luke shifted beside Nico, and when Nico turned, Luke opened his arms.
He expected to be rebuffed, but his heart skipped a beat when Nico slid into the open space between Luke’s arms.
“I’m sorry,” Luke whispered into the tender embrace.
Nico’s breath shuddered over his throat and the crook of his neck. “C’mon. Let’s head back.”
Relief swelled in this chest.
The idea of losing Nico . . . even though he didn’t really ‘have’ him . . .
God.
Nico
Isaiah: Want to meet for drinks? The six of us are going out later.
Nico: Maybe? Not sure how late this picnic will go.
Isaiah: You’re still there with your pretend/not pretend BF?
Nico: Have a safe trip home.
The phone buzzed with ’Saiah’s reply, and Nico shoved it in his pocket without reading. He didn’t need to know that ’Saiah was kidding and Nico needed to lighten up.
This needed to stop. Getting upset over the baseball faux pas proved Nico was in too deep already. Friends wouldn’t have felt betrayed, they’d have laughed it off. Friends wouldn’t have run off because they felt so hurt they might cry.
And there it was.
Emotionally, they weren’t just friends, but Nico refused to let them be more. He couldn’t.
Despite all the shit Kent gave him, some part of Luke still saw good in the guy. Still wished things were different, maybe.
Nico couldn’t be a backup boyfriend. Didn’t want to play second fiddle. He needed to come first.
At least he knew what being in love felt like. It was fifty feet in front of him with a finger in Kent’s face. It didn’t take a lip reader to know Luke was standing up for Nico.
Nico scanned the area. No one seemed to be paying attention to Luke and Kent, but he needed to put a stop to their squabble. It wouldn’t help Luke if a partner saw them arguing. Curiously, he didn’t see Sebastian anywhere. Probably had enough of his ‘boyfriend’ constantly talking to his ex.
“Luke,” Kent whined.
“No!” Luke put his hand up. “Just go away.”
Nico steeled his emotions, grabbed Luke’s arm, and tugged gently. “C’mon. That’s enough. Don’t make a scene in front of the partners.”
That got their attention and they both looked around to see if anyone was watching. When Kent turned his gaze back to Luke, Nonna would have been proud of the evil eye Nico gave the asshole.
Nico hooked their fingers and made sure Luke followed.
“Thanks for saving me.” Luke squeezed their fingers. “I didn’t mean for you to have to face him again.”
“How about we socialize and then maybe leave?”
“Why? Got a hot date?”
“Sorta.”
“Huh?” Luke pulled them to a stop. “You never—”
Nico put his fingers over Luke’s lips. “Isaiah asked if we would like to join them for drinks later.”
Luke’s tension ebbed, and Nico couldn’t deny he liked seeing it.
Nico shrugged. “I already told him we had this picnic, but maybe after?”
Luke paused before responding. “You want me to ditch this work crowd to hang out with your friends?”
“Yes, and if it’s not too much to ask, one other thing?”