“You text her?”
“I am not apologizing to her over a fuckin’ text.” I sip my beer and mutter, “She deserves better than that.”
“You go over there?”
I shake my head. “Got Ash to make sure she got home okay.” I tap the side of the bottle. “After he threatened to cut my balls off and feed ‘em to me, he called later and said she got home around two. That was a couple of hours after she left.”
Nik narrows his eyes at me. “You love her?”
No hesitation. “With all my heart.”
He sits up in his chair. “Then why are you here, moping around like a fucking pussy?”
I open my mouth to respond, but nothing comes out. I try again and hate the weak state of my voice, “Because I don’t know how to fix this. What if she doesn’t forgive me?”
“Women like Helena don’t need grand gestures. I know, because she’s more like Tina than she is like Nat. You want to know how you fix this?” I look up at him and nod once. He rolls his eyes. “You get off your ass, go over there, and make a fuckin’ effort.”
My gut clenches. “I don’t know.”
Nik states, “I do.” He pushes at my shoulder, jolting me. “You gonna let her go without a fight?”
Fuck no.
I know what I have to do. Not saying another word, I stand and stride over to the door.
Nik calls out, “’Atta boy, Max. Go get her.”
***
Helena
“Don’t wanna be…all by myself…” Here it comes. The big one. Mouth full of ice cream, I belt out a garbled, “Anymooorrrrreeee.”
My phone chirps. Nat calling. I slide the screen and answer around my ice cream, “Yeah, what?”
Her small chuckle sounds in my ear as she whispers, “Dude, the walls are super thin.”
Oh. Seems my private performance has unknowingly become a concert. Eyes wide, I whisper back, “Oh. Right. Noted.”
The amusement now gone from her voice, she asks a careful, “You okay, ho-bag?”
When I finally got home and Asher was waiting for me, he asked if I wanted him to make Max a permanent soprano. With a smile, I told him no, but kissed his cheek and thanked him for the offer. I asked him not to tell Nat what happened, that I’d tell her when I was ready. He wrapped an arm around me and I walked him to the door.
He looked like he wanted to say something, but also wanted to keep quiet. After a moment, he blurted out, “Men fuck up. And we do it a lot. Thank God we got women who love us; otherwise, we’d be lonely sacks of shit.” He rolled his eyes and grunted, “I don’t think Max is good enough for you, but that’s not because Max isn’t a good guy. Max is one of the best guys I know. The reason I don’t think he’s good enough for you is the same reason I don’t think I’m good enough for Nat. It’s because you deserve better than the best. I know it’s your choice who you date, but chances are I won’t like any of ‘em. And I’ll like ‘em a whole lot less than I like Max.” Without waiting for a response, he kissed my forehead and went home.
I smile at the concern in Nat’s voice. “I’m fine. I think I’m just missing home.”
She hesitates. “You’re not thinking of leaving, are you?”
“No, I’m not,” I answer, even though I was earlier in the day. I thought about it, but it was a silly thought. “As long as the work is good, this is the place for me.”
She lets out a humorless laugh. “Thank God. I love having you here. If you went home, I’d be shattered.”
Wow. Nat never puts herself out there. I’m touched. I smile. “I wouldn’t leave you. Who would keep you out of trouble?”
She laughs then. “You’re almost as much trouble as I am.”
“Am not.”