“Stevie doesn’t hold a grudge forever. I mean, she forgave me.” A smile tugged at his mouth. “Eventually.”
Stone frowned, peering up. “For what?”
“After you left, she blamed me for it.”
“It had nothin’ to do with you.”
“I know that,” he said earnestly. “But she was heartbroken. It was easier for her to blame me than the guy she was in love with.”
Shit.
Stone met Nico’s stare. “If it’s any consolation, walkin’ away from her is my biggest regret. I’d do it all over again, though.” He gestured toward the space. “I would’ve held her back, and it looks to me like she’s happy.”
“She’s successful,” Nico clarified. “That doesn’t mean she’s happy. She pretends she is. But she’s livin’mydream, not hers.”
Stone wanted to ask him to explain that, but he refrained. Instead, he started walking toward the door. “Could you tell her I came by?”
“No.”
He turned and looked at Nico, surprised by his adamant tone.
“Go by the house,” Nico said. “Talk to her. You’ll know where you stand if she sends you on your way. The least you can do is make an effort.”
Stone stood taller. “I’d like to think I’ve been makin’ an effort.”
“By backin’ out of dinner?”
“It saved y’all from havin’ to cancel on me,” he shot back.
Nico’s eyes widened. “You heard that.”
“Yeah.”
Nico rolled his eyes. “It doesn’t matter. One canceled dinner or not, you’ve been back less than a month, Stone. You haven’t hadenough timeto make an effort.”
“I invited her to dinner,” he said hotly, not enjoying where this conversation was going.
Nico moved toward him. “Yeah. That was a half-ass request, and you know it. And you didn’t inviteher. You invited both of us.”
Stone held his ground. “My mistake. I thought y’all were a matched set at this point.”
“Don’t start with bullshit excuses. That’s beneath you. If you’re lookin’ to make amends with Stevie, you—”
Stone stepped toward him until they were practically toe to toe. “She’s not the only one I walked away from.”
Nico’s mouth opened, then closed quickly.
Considering Stevie was doing her best to keep her distance, Stone figured this was his best chance to lay it all on the line. It might not make a damn bit of difference, but he knew he had to try.
“I was in love with her, Nico, so yeah, I owe her an apology. She deserves that much. But that night changed me.Youchanged me. I didn’t just leave because of her. I left because I was feelin’ somethin’ I didn’t fully understand.”
Stone thought for sure that would spur some response, but Nico didn’t say a word.
“I’ll be honest with you. Walkin’ away again is not in my plan. I asked you both to dinner because I wanted to know if there’s even a chance of findin’ a way back into your lives. Both of you.”
Nico swallowed.
“As friends,” he clarified but held Nico’s stare. “Unless there’s an option for more.”
