Six Weeks of Seduction by Ellis O. Day
CHAPTER 48: NICK
Nick sat up in bed. God damn it. He was alone again. He was sick of this shit. He grabbed his phone and then threw it back onto the nightstand. Fuck her. He got out of bed and pulled on a pair of shorts.
He went into the kitchen and started the coffee. He searched his refrigerator. The cleaning lady who came once a week had thrown out all the perishables, like he’d told her. He shut the fridge and grabbed the cereal, tipping the box up to his mouth.
He went into the living room and opened his old laptop. He sat at the counter eating cereal and waiting for it to boot up. He had no idea what else he could do to make her trust him. He’d thought they’d made some inroads last night, but obviously he’d been wrong.
His phone rang. It’d better be Sarah apologizing. He wandered back into the bedroom and grabbed his phone. It was Patrick.
“Hey,” he said when he answered.
“Hey. Annie wanted me to call and see if you and Sarah can come by for dinner next Saturday.”
“I don’t know. I’ll have to ask her.” He was pretty sure she’d say no. She never wanted to go anywhere or meet his friends. He’d only met her sister on accident. She was keeping him at arm’s length emotionally and it was time it stopped. “Actually, why don’t the two of you come by my…our…Sarah’s house?”
“That’s okay with her?”
“I don’t know. I’ll tell her later.” They were going to fight anyway. He may as well make it a big one.
“Um…remember when you helped me realize what a dick I was being to Annie?”
“Yeah.” He knew what was coming. His friends were assholes.
“Let me return the favor. You can’t just invite people to her house without talking to her.”
“I’m living there too.” Let the shit fall where it may.
There was a long pause and then, “Really?”
“Yeah.” He couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face. He loved living with her—sleeping with her, waking with her in his arms—except today when she’d snuck out again.
“That’s great.” Patrick moved his face away from the phone. “They’re living together, Annie.”
“I have to meet this woman,” yelled Annie from some other room.
“Tell her she will. Next Saturday,” he said.
“Nick…You should still talk to her.”
“I will. Later. It’s my house too and I can invite friends over.” Sarah may not have accepted the fact yet, but he was there to stay.
“Um, yeah. I guess, but…”
“Don’t worry. Come over at eight.” He started to hang up and then said, “Hold on. Annie’s still cooking right? Or do I need to pick up something?”
“We’re going to their place instead,” yelled Patrick to Annie. “Are you still cooking or do you want Nick to get takeout?”
“I’ll bring dinner,” yelled Annie.
“Great. I’ll see you guys next week.” He gave Patrick directions and then packed more things to take to Sarah’s.
