That’s it?! I know?! What the hell is that supposed to mean?!
James cleared his throat coaxingly, pressing gently forward.
“...and?”
The bubble burst, and Nick recovered himself quickly.
“And...nothing.” He took another swig from the flask. “You’re making a bigger deal out of it than it is.”
“Yeah,” James snorted, “that’s a fucking lie.”
Nick shifted restlessly.
“How would you even—”
“Because you took her on the helicopter, Nick.”
There was a long pause, as the fire crackled between them. Finally, after trying and failing to understand, Nick asked the question.
“Meaning?”
“Meaning—you didn’t leave her on the ship somewhere. Flown off with me to have an actually fun time without her, or worse yet—forget you’d brought her along in the first place.”
It sounded ridiculous, but it had been known to happen.
“Abby’s different,” James continued gently. “That means this relationship is different. In that...it’s an actual relationship.”
Nick paused, considered, then quietly panicked.
“I told you—you’re blowing it up out of proportion. Abby and I know what this is, and what it isn’t...and it’s fine, alright? It isn’t a relationship.”
A cold feeling settled in the pit of my stomach. Followed by a cold rush of air, as James apparently pushed to his feet.
“Nick, we’ve been friends since...what?”
Nick thought about it for a moment.
“Since that time you got me suspended at boarding school.”
“You know how sorry I am about that! Anyway—this is me talking, alright? It’s me.” There was a weighty pause. “This one is something special.”
“I know she is.”
He clapped Nick on the shoulder, and headed back into the house.
“Don’t fuck it up.”
Chapter 18
I DON’T REMEMBER GETTING to my room that night. Nick must have stayed outside for quite a while after James left, because by the time he’d carried me in—I was fast asleep.
When I woke up, we were in the same bed. His little conversation with James had obviously negated the need for secrecy (as if our racy dancing on the boat hadn’t already taken care of that), and I blinked open my eyes to see him staring lazily back at me.
“Good morning,” he murmured with a sleepy smile. “You were out cold last night. I hope you don’t mind, I set us up in here.”
A little chill ran down my spine, as my senses returned to me. As I slowly remembered where I was, and what I was doing here. And as I remembered the words he’d said last night.
This isn’t a relationship.