“I don’t wanna make myself known. I won’t even talk to him. But if something happens there, something that you don’t agree with, I want you to know before you marry him.”
Nate has never once stepped in between Rob and me. There was a time back when I first started dating him where I was afraid that Nate was upset with me for some reason. But that faded, and he returned to being the best friend I always knew. He’s been there through some of the fights too. He’s clearly been unhappy with Rob, but stepped back when I said I would forgive him.
If he has concerns now, then I better listen to them.
“Fine, but please don’t get caught.”
“I won’t.”
“When you find nothing, come over. I’m gonna tell you I told you so a hundred times, but then we can have fun.”
Nate nods. “I think I can live with that deal.”
The conversation slowly slides into silence. I’m trying not to think too deeply into Nate’s worry when I see a familiar face walking into the burger shop.
“Be subtle, but my boss is behind you.”
Nate immediately turns around fully, staring Levi down as if he’s the coolest person in the world.
So much for subtlety.
“Come on, don’t you know how to not let people know you’re looking at them?”
“Nope,” he replied. Of course, Levi can tell someone is watching him and his gaze slides to our table immediately. “Oh, look. I can say hi.”
“You’re lucky he’s a nice guy,” I hiss as Levi walks over.
“Hey, Maisie. Out for lunch?” Levi smiles at me like he always does in the office. He’s kind and professional in the same way he’s always been, but I know a lot about him through his wife, who I hang out with every now and again. At first, I’d been nervousthat striking up a friendship with his wife would change things in the office. So far, he was the same kind boss I’d grown used to.
“Yep. He invited me out.” I point to Nate, who immediately holds his hand out.
“Nate Hansford. I’ve heard only good things.”
“You must be Maisie’s fiancé who I’ve not met.”
I’m glad that I’m finished with my bite or else I would have choked on it. “No, no, he’s not my fiancé.” I rush to say it.
Levi’s eyes go wide and his cheeks color. “Oh, brother then?”
That was a stretch. Nate and I don’t look alike, and we both hated it when we were called brother and sister.
“No, just a friend. Nate’s been around me for my whole life.”
Levi does what most people do when they find out Nate is not my partner. He looks between us, his brow furrows, and then he shakes himself out of it before smiling. “Well, it’s nice to meet you. Is the food good here? I’ve been meaning to try it.”
“I only take Maisie to the best places,” Nate says, his voice light as always.
Levi hums. “I like that. I do the same for my wife.”
Nate and I tense at the mere comparison of being like Levi and Amy. Those two are obsessed with each other in a way I didn’t know was possible.
“I’ll let you two enjoy lunch,” Levi says. “It was great to meet you.”
I let out a long breath when he walks away.At least Levi didn’t ask the barrage of questions we were used to. Those ranged from if Nate was gay or if we’d dated a long time ago and it didn’t work out.
The real answer is that we’re simply ... friends. We met when we were kids and dating wasn’t on either of our minds. Then we grew up, real life hit, and it never happened. Our friendship is worth so much to me that I would never risk anything.
Then I met Rob in college and that was that.
