She pulled the scarf back over her face and said, “Thank you.”
As I winked, she scurried to the car. I put her shiny, red suitcase and her matching laptop bag in the back before getting in the vehicle myself. I had both seat heaters on high. Cars were lined up everywhere as people were scrambling to get to their loved ones before the weather set in.
“Glad you made it home. I missed you.”
Nikola, still in her coat, said, “Me, too. I missed you. Seems like it took forever for me to get home. I’m so glad I drove to Memphis to catch that flight last night. They said we were one of the last flights to leave before they shut down the airport again.”
“If I had to wait another day, I was coming to get you. I’ve done it before.”
It was true, I would have started driving this morning.
I moved an inch forward and a police officer held up his hands for me to stop. I complied. Police were out to keep people for idling too long in front. The officer blew his whistle and signaled for us to keep going. I pressed the gas, but we were moving at a snail’s pace due to the congestion.
Nikola pulled the scarf down; she smiled. “I remember. You came to get me during the last ice storm three years ago when I was stranded on Stone Mountain. I was at that conference and the company had put me up in a cabin. You ended up staying with me when they closed the roads for two days. Do you remember—,” Abruptly, Nikola stopped and turned to face the window.
I finished her sentence with memories of my own. “I remember making love to you in front of the fireplace in that cabin. I remember what it felt like to be inside you. I remember having you as mine. I remember it was the first time we said, ‘I love you’ to each other. Is that what you were talking about?”
Every chance I got, I’d remind Nikola of how happy we were—even though she seemed to remember everything¸ too.
She turned my way as we continued to inch along in the baggage claim traffic.
“It would be impossible to forget.”
“Yes, it would.”
As I left the covered area, the sleet had started and the temperature was now below freezing. My house was about forty-five minutes away. Concerned about Nikola going to her place alone with that shithead living in her complex, I started formulating a plan. I was either staying with her, or she would stay with me. Waiting for the right moment to try to convince her was important. I had a feeling the weather was going to work in my favor.
The sleet came down harder, tapping against the windshield. Ice started to accumulate on the wiper blades.
“Oh wow, Brandt, it’s starting to get bad out there. I’m going to call Grandmama to make sure she’s okay.”
“Good idea. I called her before I left to get you. She was going to call her neighbor to come and make sure the generator worked.”
“Thank you.”
Nikola gave me a gorgeous smile as she pulled out her phone, dialed some numbers, and then held it up to her ear. “Hey, Grandmama. Yes, I made it to Brandt. Are you okay? Good, I’m glad Steve is home and can help. Yes, he told me he called you. He is wonderful.” Nikola glanced my way before continuing. “I was going to either go home, I guess, or see if we could make it to you, but the weather is getting bad. Are you sure? Okay, let me know if you need anything. I’ll be glad when that cough goes away. Is it feeling like it’s breaking up at all? Good, that means the antibiotics are working. Okay, stay warm and keep your phone charged. I will. Love you, too.”
Nikola hung up the phone. “Grandmama is good. Steve, her neighbor, has already made sure the generator would start. He’s getting lots of gas now. So you can take me home, I guess.” She sounded a bit disappointed.
We were stopped at a light when I saw a text flash across my screen.
Anne: I believe you have changed. Here’s your chance to show Nikola and be with her alone for a few days.
Anne was like family to me, and it warmed my heart she was rooting for me, for us to be together.
I responded quickly before the light turned green.
Me: Thank you, I will.
Here goes nothing. “Why don’t we go to my place until the ice storm passes? That way I’ll know you’re safe, and we can spend some time together.”
Relief washed over her face. Raising an eyebrow, she said, “Will you be good?”
“The question is, will you be good?” I rebutted.
A car in front of us slid as Nikola grabbed the handle over the door. The driver righted himself before an accident could happen, but the roads were slicking up fast.
“Oh, Brandt, this is getting bad. Let’s go to your house.”
“I think that’s a good idea.”
Finally, things were going my way. I was going to have Nikola, alone, for a few days. I turned the defroster on high as the inside of the windshield began to fog up.
Nikola pulled up her messages and said, “I need to check on Wesley. He was on his way back from taking Diane to a new rehab facility they found in Florida.”
Diane had agreed to go to a better facility that specialized in heroin addiction. I’d suggested a place in Arizona, but Wesley and her parents had wanted Diane within driving distance. I thought it was better to leave the area and wipe the slate clean. My rehab had been in New Mexico. Sometimes, it’s best to leave the area permanently. I was glad relocating wasn’t a decision I’d needed to make—it had been easy to cut myself off from anyone I’d been involved with when I used. Luckily, I’d had the wherewithal to not use in our club.
Nikola and Wesley still talked often. I wanted to be okay with it, but I also wanted me to be her focus. My feelings were selfish, and I knew I was a prick, but there was still a lot about us that seemed up in the air. Once things settled, maybe I’d feel better.
She held the phone up to her ear. “Hey. Did you make it home? Oh, good. Yeah, I finally made it back. I’m with Brandt—I’ll be staying with him until the ice clears. I will. I’m sorry. I know it was tough, but this time will be better.” She paused to listen. “Don’t lose hope, Wesley. Call me if you need anything. You too. Night.” Nikola’s voice was somber as she ended the call.
Nikola took a deep breath and leaned against the seat. “Diane freaked out right before they got to the treatment center, begging for one more hit. They still talked her into going, but she cried and apologized for ruining his life, talking about the baby they’d lost and how she would’ve been a good mother. It was heartbreaking to hear.”
“Wait, she was pregnant?” I blurted, feeling even more like a selfish ass.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Nikola nod, sighing.
“Yes, she was. She miscarried two weeks before their wedding, at two and a half months. She canceled the wedding, gave Wesley back the ring, and turned to drugs to get numb. That’s why he calls her his girlfriend now, instead of his fiancé—they aren’t engaged anymore. All of Diane’s life, doctors had said it would be a miracle if she ever got pregnant. And if she did conceive, they thought it would impossible to carry to term.”
I imagined Nikola pregnant with our child then losing the baby. That would be so fucking hard. The amount of pain Wesley endured was unimaginable. When they lost their baby, he lost the love of his life to drugs.
Even though I’d royally fucked up, I had a lot to be thankful for. I had the love of my life back, and I was clean. Sometimes knowing what others were going through made me realize how lucky I was.
It had taken more than four hours to get home. I pulled up in the driveway and parked next to my Corvette and couldn’t help thinking that there had been some incredible sex on the hood of that car. But this was not the time to be thinking about sex. I was exhausted, and it was pitch black out, and the thermometer read six degrees. Nikola was asleep in the passenger seat. My phone had been vibrating like crazy, and I was finally able to look at my texts. They were from Adam and my mum.
Adam: Closing Club Envy. Going to get Ainsley from school.
Adam: We made it. All employees checked i
n and made it home. Let me know when you guys make it.
Mum: Hey, sweetie, let me know when you make it home. Adam said you were headed to the airport to get Nikola. Glad she made it home. Didn’t want to call in case you were driving on all this ice. Be careful. There’s no rush, but I’d like to have you both over for dinner.
I typed back a response to Adam first.
Me: Made it! Glad to hear everyone got home. Nikola’s staying with me.
Adam: Glad to hear it. That cock-block-timer you have is going to fucking suck.
Me: Tell me about it. But if I get her in the end, it’s worth it.
Adam: I’d feel the same way about Ainsley.
I texted my mum. She’d been over the moon when I’d told her last week that Nikola and I were dating again.
Me: I have Nikola. We made it home. She’s staying with me while the weather is bad. Let me know if you need anything and I’ll be there. We’ll do dinner sometime soon. We need a little time to work on us, if that makes sense. How about when you get back from your cruise?
Mum: It does make sense. After the cruise sounds perfect. I’m glad you guys are working it out. I always thought you’d be each other’s forever. Your brother is here at the house and hunkering down with me. I’ll be fine. Love you.
Me: Good. I’m glad Logan will be there. Love you, too, Mum.
Nikola stirred and sat up. “We made it. I’m sorry I fell asleep. Have you checked on your mom?”
I stroked her cheek. “Yeah, she’s fine. Logan is with her. Want anything to eat?”
She yawned. Nikola had been on standby, which meant endless hours at the airport. “No, I’m too tired to eat. But I’ll stay up and make you something.”