Our impromptu dinner date, Nico saving me from Bradley—which earns a few hollers—the elevator kiss, our fight, his determination, the romantic gestures, and how it all fell apart when Charlotte saw Nico during our video call.
“You’ve been one busy lady,” Hollis teases, emphasizing the word “busy”.
“Shut up.” I roll my eyes at my friend.
“You love him,” Xanthe says, not holding back.
Hearing the L word punches me in the gut. I do love Nico. More than I’ve ever loved anyone. I thought I was in love before, but what I feel for Nico is next level.
My tears return and spill down my cheeks. “Yeah. I do. Nico’s just so…everything. Sexy, smart, edgy. My complete opposite in all the best ways. And when he kisses me, it’s like a wildfire has been lit inside me. And that fire translates in bed. But it’s more than that. He’s also thoughtful and sweet. He’s opened up to me, and I know that’s difficult for him, and yet…”
“You hold back. You haven’t opened up to him, have you?” Xanthe finishes my sentence.
“No, it’s hard.” My family is complicated. I come from a long line of proud doctors, and no one takes that more seriously than my mother. The stress and pressure of growing up with a perfectionist mother took a toll on my self-esteem.
Xanthe gives me a sad smile. “We know, Sav. But you have to let the family stuff go if you ever want to truly be happy.” Family stuff. She is being nice by not saying mommy issues.
“What do I do about Charlotte?” My sister means the world to me. I don’t want to lose her.
“Give her time. She’ll come around. She only wants the best for you,” Xanthe says.
My mind drifts back to when I was struggling the most after medical school. I felt so unsure of myself. Of my career. Charlotte saw. She encouraged me to be myself. To stand tall and follow my own dreams. To move away and be happy.
It took time and a broken engagement, but for a minute I was happy. With Nico.
I replay my last morning with him. He gave a piece of himself to me he’s never shared before, and what did I do? I blamed him for Charlotte’s reaction when it’s my fault alone. I should have told my sister sooner. Prepared her. Explained how I met and fell for him.
“I really messed up, didn’t I?”
“Duh.” Hollis rolls her eyes at me.
“Hollis! Be nice.” Xanthe hits Hollis in the face with a pillow.
“Hey, knock it off.” Hollis huffs, swooping her hair off her face and spitting out the fuzz in her mouth.
Ignoring Hollis, Xanthe turns back to the camera to face me. “Savannah, who cares what anyone thinks. It sounds like the sexy baseball player treats you like a queen.”
Hollis points at me. “And hopefully like a slut in the sheets.”
A loud laugh bubbles out of me, and my cheeks heat.
“Oh, he definitely does. You owe us some details. Soon, bestie.”
“Maybe. But I have to get him back first. What the hell do I do now?” I ask.
Nico’s had enough time on the road to rethink our relationship.
Xanthe, ever the reasonable one, says, “Tell Nico how you feel. If he’s still sending you food, you haven’t lost him yet. But you haveto let him in a little more. Help him understand your relationship with Charlotte and your family.”
Hollis scrunches her face in disgust as she shakes her head. “Fuck that. Show up at his door in just his jersey. Then, after you fuck his brains out, you can talk to him about all the mushy stuff.”
“Oh, yeah. Do that.” Xanthe nods with a grin. “Athletes love that stuff.”
“Seriously?” I had never dated an athlete before Nico. I kept to the nerdy, bookish types in college and other doctors as an adult. Neither worked out for me.
“Definitely. You can’t lose with jersey sex. It’s the whole ‘his name on your back’ thing.” Hollis fans her face.
Heat gathers between my legs thinking about Nico’s reaction. His possessive grip on my hips and rough kisses. The hunger in his glacial eyes as they worship my every curve. The pure reverence of his calloused hands roaming my body. He sees me. Makes me feel free and hopeful. Wanted and desired.
