Sam could all but hear Nik’s hand land on his hip.“I never meant to, either.It’s a sign of how excited I am to successfully offer sympathy to my best friend.”
Dammit.He’d been distracted for a minute or so until Nik reminded him he had worries.“Sorry, go on.”
“When he left after that first time and I told you about it, do you remember what you said?”
Oh no, a pop quiz.“Umm, did I say it was hot?Because if I didn’t, I should have.”
“Yes, ofcourseyou said it was hot, but what else did you say?”
“Umm ...”
Nik made a small, exasperated noise.“Sam!You asked me if I was still hung up on him being white and menotbeing white.”
“Oh, yeah ...”
Silence stretched between them.
“Do you see what I mean?”Nik asked.
Sam cast his eyes around the room, hoping for some inspiration.Nothing.“No.”
“Oh my God.This is why I never do this sympathy thing.I’m not very good at it.It’s really not my forte and I’m all right with—”
“Maybe if you just told me more explicitly what you’re trying to say, instead of dropping hints, I might understand the point.”
Nik took what sounded like a deep, calming breath.Very evenly, he said, “I had problems believing Jurgen was attracted to me forme, and you have problems believing Ian is attracted to you foryou.Maybe if you give him a chance, he’ll show you that you can believe him, just like Jurgen showed me.”
“Ooh,” Sam whispered, finally getting it.
Nik gave him a respectful few seconds before asking, “Okay, are we done?My well of sympathy is drying up.”
“Almost.But wait, I have a question ...”
“Ask it!Like sand in an hourglass, my sympathy is running—”
“Why was it less scary to have Marley use my self-image to hurt me than it is to have Ian want me to think I’m attractive?”
“Oh,” Nik said thoughtfully.“That’s a tough one.”
“Yeah.”
“You want my advice?”Sam was about to decline, but Nik didn’t wait for him to answer.“Don’t think about it too much, just go with it.”
“Thanks,” Sam said uncertainly.
“Anytime.So we’re done, right?”
It wasn’t until his last break that Sam managed to phone Ian.At first he’d still been waffling ...or freaking out, more like.Then Fatty’s had gotten busy, and he couldn’t take the time.Plus he had to shake Tineke off his tail long enough to call—her eerie sixth sense for relationship milestones or troubles had kicked in again, and she suffered under the delusion that she was entitled to know about them.
Finally, at nine thirty, Sam took his break while Tineke was busy with a garrulous old lady taken out far past her bedtime by her lame-ass son.The lady felt someone needed to share her displeasure, and Tineke was in the line of fire.Was it wrong that Sam had purposely seated the old lady in Tineke’s section, hoping this would be the result?Did he care?
Ian answered on the first ring.“Yeah?”he said gruffly.
“Hi,” Sam said uncertainly.
“Hi, kiddo,” Ian responded, still gruff.Had he been waiting for Sam to call?He answered on the first ring.
“Um, would you still pick me up after work?”
