In a single motion, he pulled the metallic drive from his pocket and tossed it toward the trash but didn
’t bother to look to see if it landed inside. “I don’t give a flying fuck about the Board,” he replied shortly. “As for the dinner, consider this an official cancelation.”
Funny. He sounds so much like his son when he says stuff like that.
A smile spread up my face, one that was just as tentatively returned. We locked eyes for a moment before I headed back to the door and said over my shoulder, “Wait here for just a minute.”
I slipped back into Nick’s room without Nick or James being the wiser. In fact, judging by the intense looks on their faces as they discussed ways to con the system, I assumed they didn’t even realized that I’d stepped out. It wasn’t until I cleared my throat for the second time, that they looked up.
“What’s up, love?” Nick asked sweetly.
“Yeah, sorry. We’re kind of in the middle of something,” James teased with a wink.
I pulled in a deep breath and squared my shoulders. “I want you to talk to your father.”
After a beat and a smirk from both of them, James said matter-of-factly, “And I want a unicorn. What’s your point?”
“I’m serious, Nick. You should—”
“Why?” he asked quickly, cutting me off and betraying no emotion one way or another. The way he said it, he was merely curious as to why I’d had such a sudden change of heart.
I looked deep into his eyes, willing him to understand. “Because I think you’re going to be surprised by what he has to say...pleasantly surprised, in fact.”
We stared at each other for a long moment, one that seemed to stretch on for hours.
Finally, he nodded. “Fine. Let him in,” he agreed.
“What!?” James exclaimed. “You can’t be serious!”
Nick’s eyes never left mine. “Let him in,” he said again.
James stared at his friend entreatingly, his dark hair spilling into his eyes. “Nick, you’re on drugs, literally. Trust me. You don’t need your asshole father screaming at you right now about some fucking worthless dinner party! He doesn’t need to see you like this.”
Nick’s eyes softened as he turned to his friend, the one who’d seen him through so many difficult moments. He knew it was time for a change, because he was going to be a father soon himself. One way or another, something had to give. “James, let him in,” he said again.
James stood still for one more second, clenching his jaw, before he turned abruptly on his heel and yanked the door open.
Mitchell’s entire face lit up in surprise before he walked cautiously forward. Everything seemed to be fine for a second, but as the two men crossed paths, James leaned down ever so briefly to whisper something in the man’s ear. Mitchell froze dead still, his face paling before it softened into a rare smile.
“You’re a good friend, James.”
I couldn’t believe it, Nick couldn’t believe it, and James couldn’t believe it himself. For a second, time seemed to stand still, but then James swept out the door with a look of disgust on his face, shaking his head and muttering four-letter complaints, starting with, “Go fuck yourself, Mitch.”
Progress! I do believe we’ve seen a step in the right direction!
Nick and I shared a secret smile before he turned and braced himself for whatever Mitchell had to say.
“I want us to reconnect, son,” Mitchell said. “I’m so sorry for everything that has happened in the past. Please find it in your heart to forgive me. I’ll do whatever it takes because I love you more than anything. I want us to become closer. And I truly mean that. If I would’ve lost you today, my life would’ve been over.”
“Staring death straight in the eyes makes us see things in a different light.”
“This close call, well, it’s made me think. We can’t keep going down this same path.”
“I know,” Nick whispered.
“Things have to change between us.”
“I know.”