“And I better keep working to support all this.” He waves his arm toward the monster Christmas tree in the foyer.
“What are you trying to say?”
“All this bullshit. Decorating the house like a fuckin’ department store.”
“Don’t worry about your precious money; I paid for all this because it makes me happy, and it puts a smile on Portia’s face. I also plan on paying for the party I’m hosting, but I’m not doing it alone unless you’re on board and willing to take the night off.”
“Right, take the night off to entertain people I don’t even give a shit about.”
“You don’t give a shit about Izzy, Samson and Jax?”
“Don’t twist my fuckin’ words again. You know what I mean. If I leave the guest list to you, you’ll have fifty people here.”
“Seventy-five, not including the kids.”
“Seventy-five people?” The vein pulses harder.
“It’s not like the house can’t accommodate that many people.”
“Doesn’t mean we have to pack ‘em in.” He throws up his arms. “This is exactly what I was talking about.”
“You used to like to go out and have fun, but lately you’re?—”
“Fuckin’ tired. I pulling ten, twelve hours at the club, and when I get home, I’m exhausted, but you just don’t seem to get it.”
“No, you’re right, I really don’t. You’ve been complaining since Thanksgiving about every little thing I do. Just because I want to make our house a home and entertain a few people.”
“That’s ‘cause you’ve been off the rails for weeks, and seventy-five people is not a few.”
“Off the rails?”
“Ever since Thanksgiving, you’ve been crazy manic with the decorations, the gifts and all the other shit that goes with it. When you’re not working, you’re on your computer buying shit we don’t need. Now, you wanna invite seventy-five people—of whom I’ll know maybe five.”
“Are you telling me how I can spendmymoney?”
“You’re driving me fuckin’ crazy with this shit. I don’t know what you’re trying to prove, but it’s too much.”
“Really? Well, maybe I’ve gone a bit overboard cause you act like it’s not even the holidays or our first holiday all together.”
“We got everything we’ve ever wanted, but for some reason, it’s not enough for you.” Nick’s eyes narrow. “You having second thoughts about us?”
“Why would you even say that?”
“‘Cause the only thing that’s changed in your life the lastfew months is you and me getting back together, and moving into this house with Portia.”
“Is that what you think?”
“You left me once.”
Nick’s words hung between us like a silent nuclear bomb.
“I can’t believe you’re throwing what my father did in my face. You know I didn’t want to leave that night, but if I hadn’t, you would’ve lost everything.”
He closes the distance between us. “Look, I shouldn’t have said that.”
“No, you shouldn’t have, but you did, so I guess the next thing you’re going to say is that I kept Portia from you for ten years.”
He cocks his head, and I push further. “Go ahead and say it. At least that part is true, but you know why I did that too, because I didn’t want you to feel obligated to me or to Portia.”
