“That won’t be the case.You’re amazing at what you do.And despite what a bunch of assholes decided to say under that hashtag, there are even more people who think you’re awesome.I know, because I’m one of them.”
He cracked a smile.“I think you’re awesome too.”
“You’re going to be a success, Lacey or no Lacey.”
“Still, I was relying on her to help me with this transition.I was so eager to start a new phase of my life, and now I just want to crawl back into the old one.”
“Look, Nick.We all feel like failures here and there, and sometimes others might agree.But you know what?To hell with those people.We’re doing our best.”
He nodded.During the pause in their conversation, he glanced around the room.“Did you move the furniture around?It feels different in here.”
She let out a weak laugh.“I demolished the shrine.”
“Oh, man.You’re right.The pictures of you and Arthur…”
“They’re upstairs in a closet.I packed up all his clothes too.They’re in bags now, ready for the charity shop.”She displayed her bare ring finger.“And I took off my rings.It was time.”
He held her hand, fingering the pale strip of skin where her rings used to sit.“Are you okay?”
“I had a moment, but it’s done now.”
“Geez.You’ve had a truly shitty morning, and then I swan in, moaning about my idiotic problems.I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.I felt like a failure too, for waiting so long to move on.So, you see, you’re not alone.”
“You’re the last person I would call a failure.”
“I don’t know.I was feeling like a boss when I loaded up the first bag of clothes in my car, but I fell apart afterwards.My hope is that when I hand over the clothes at the charity shop it doesn’t turn into a massive tug of war, with me trying to hold on to Arthur’s stuff.It could happen, you know.”
“Would you like some company?I could stop you if you initiate a brawl with the charity shop ladies.”
Claire laughed.“That would be helpful.I’d appreciate the company.”
“Great.”Nick smiled, as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
Funny—the heaviness around her shoulders had disappeared as well.
“Only I just remembered I’m still wearing yesterday’s very dirty clothes.Listen, there’s a charity shop near my place.Why don’t you come back with me?You could hang out while I shower and change, we could drop off your things and then maybe we could grab lunch.”
Maybe it wasn’t such a great idea.She could handle sex with Nick.Sex, she understood.It was easy to compartmentalize.
What he was suggesting seemed a bit more fraught with emotion, and her emotions were already raw.
Then again, if she was forced to hang out while a naked Nick Zorn showered a mere room away, it would probably end in sex.
“Yeah, I could grab lunch with you.Lunch would be nice.”
It was official.She had no willpower around this man.
And as she made that realization, something flashed in Nick’s eyes.
The merest hint of flirtation.
Amber lust.
In that moment, Claire knew she was in over her head.
But right now, she just didn’t care.
