Page 28 of Something Like That

They made it to the bottom, the salty scent of the sea calming her frazzled nerves. She loved the ocean. It was one of the reasons she’d decided to stay in the city, even after she and Kevin had split. That and because Em had carved out a life here. She’d been in school, with her friends and social activities and everything.

The sunshine had brought out the people, and they were all milling about. She and Nick wandered along the pier in silence, the air between them alive with all sorts of tension. Not all of it bad. Depending on how you looked at it.

The sexual tension practically had a pulse of its own.

He stopped, leaned against the pier railing, and stared out at the water. She pulled up beside him, resting her forearms on the wood. The water sparkled in the sunshine, although there was a rough and choppy quality to it, too. Today, more than any other, she understood that restlessness.

She didn’t know what to do with any of her feelings. This whole attraction thing wasn’t something she had a whole lot of experience with. Kevin had been her first real boyfriend. Then she’d gotten pregnant, they’d gotten married, and romance had died.

And if she was being honest, he’d never made her feel the way Nick did. They hadn’t even done anything other than flirt a little, and she was tied up in knots.

She didn’t know if it was because she was older now, or because of their past connection, but there was something about him that, for the first time in forever, actually made her want to give into her rogue hormones.

Not that she wanted anything serious. She was not in a place where forever was even in her vocabulary. Could she do casual, though? It wasn’t something she’d ever considered before, because no one had even tempted her. Her inexperience was pathetic.

She snorted. Inexperience was the biggest understatement in the history of time.

He glanced at her. “What?”

“Nothing.” She shook her head. “I was just thinking something stupid.”

“Somehow I doubt that?”

“Why?”

“Because you’re the smartest, strongest, most amazing person I know.”

She snorted at his joke. Except, he wasn’t laughing or chuckling. Or even smiling. In fact, he was giving her a bit of side eye.

“You obviously don’t get out much.” She nudged him with her elbow, kept her tone light.

And now he gave her the full-on side eye, the corner of his mouth pulling down. “Why do you do that?”

Okay, now she really had no idea what he was talking about. “Do what?”

“Diminish your accomplishments.”

She sucked in a deep breath. “You don’t beat around the bush, huh?”

He turned to face her, leaning his elbow on the railing. “I don’t see the point in playing games. And you didn’t answer the question.”

She tore her gaze from his, looked out at the water. Facing him right now just felt like too much. “Mainly because I don’t feel all that smart or strong or amazing.”

“Why not?”

She laughed, but it sounded hollow. “Why do you think? I got pregnant at sixteen and then just continued to make a bunch of stupid mistakes after that.”

“Shit, haven’t we all made dumb ass choices?” The bitterness in his tone made her look at him. “It’s what you do after you’ve done something stupid that defines you.” His eyes blazed with heat. “And you not only embraced your mistakes and made the best out of the consequences, but you turned your life around, created a great one for your daughter. I’m in awe of you.”

Her chest squeezed tight, the unexpected declaration knocking the words right out of her. Tears made the back of her eyes hot. Now was not the time. But her body refused to listen to reason, and a tear slipped past and slid down her cheek.

Uncertainty lit in his ice blue eyes. “Shit, I’m sorry.”

She wiped the tear away with the back of her hand. “No, please don’t apologize. That’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.”

He slipped his hand into hers and gave a squeeze. “Then you’re hanging out with the wrong people.”

She laughed and squeezed back.