The silence was good.
It was finally good.
Not filled with things left unsaid, things that needed to be discussed. A giant wall of emotions was always built in those silences.
But this silence was different.
She embraced it as Brant clung to her like she was his lifeline. For four years she’d thought she needed him. Never once did it occur to her that he needed her more.
Or that maybe it wasn’t the man’s job to chase; maybe the woman needed to choose to fight, too. Choose to fight for them when tragedy hits the man in the knees and keeps him down.
“I shouldn’t have pushed you away. I shouldn’t have said those things.” She ran her hands over his perfect face. “I shouldn’t have made it easy on you to leave. I was too hurt. Too rejected. Too angry. And I think a part of me felt like maybe I deserved to lose you too.”
His mouth fused with hers over and over again.
She pulled away. “Forgive me?”
“There’s nothing to forgive, Nik.”
They stayed in each other’s arms for another few minutes before they made their way back to the car.
Brant was quiet the whole way back to the resort, but a part of her wondered if he wasn’t just emotionally exhausted and needed to process what had just happened.
The driver opened the door, and Brant once again helped her out. “You’re free the rest of the night, right?”
She nodded.
“Good.” His voice was gruff. “I have one more date planned for us tonight.”
“And then what?”
He didn’t answer her, not right away. Insecurity threatened. She shoved it back.
“I have to check on something important.” His voice wasn’t the same. Again he sounded angry. Like the old Brant.
It fanned the already growing insecurity to life.
They had finally broken down all their walls, or so it seemed. They grieved. They had closure.
And now he was walking away?
She jerked her hand away from him just as the smell of mint and cologne permeated the air. Cole? What was Cole doing in front of the hotel?
“Thanks, Cole, I’ll be back in a few hours.” Brant said.
The sound of a car door slamming jolted Nikki’s thoughts into action. She analyzed every little thing about that day and tried to match it with Brant’s actions, with him getting in a car, with him leaving.
She touched her tearstained cheek for a few seconds before turning in Cole’s direction. “Do you know what’s going on?”
“Maybe.”
“And you’re not going to tell me?”
“Nope.”
“Four years of friendship, and you pick his side?” She wiped her tearstained cheeks and waited. What if that was it? What if all he needed was to be free?
“He plays dirtier.” Cole laughed. “Now, I’m under strict instructions to give you the best few hours of your life, and since sex is clearly out of the picture, that left me with only one option.”
“Nikki!” Nadine’s high-pitched voice had her nearly jumping out of her skin.
“Really?” she hissed. “That was really the only other option? Sex or Nadine?”
He laughed. “It’s not just her. The rest of the family thought it would be fun to have dinner together and drinks, and who am I to say no to free food?”
“You work here. The food is always free, Cole.”
“And drinks.”
“Oh, like George would ever charge you!”
“I hate to say this, but you look like hell. Why don’t I have Nadine take you back to Brant’s room first so you can at least freshen up real quick?”
Her clothes were wet. She’d most likely cried all her makeup off. And her hair was pulled back into a tiny low bun that felt like a rat’s nest on her head.
“I live across the street.” She sighed, suddenly feeling exhausted. “I think I can manage.”
“Want me to take you?”
“I’m fine.” Plus some time to herself would be helpful. In fact, a nice shower would do wonders for her right about now. “Besides, when you say drinks and dinner I’m assuming it’s going to be a long night. They won’t miss me for thirty minutes.”
Cole kissed her temple. “Go. Just be careful crossing that road.”
“I’m blind, not deaf. You can hear cars, Cole, just like you can hear the little Walk signal.”
“Smart-ass.”
“You love me.”
“Apparently it’s not enough to love you—you have to love me back.” He squeezed her hand. “Oh, and did you hear the good news?”
“What?” Something about his tone made her leery, or maybe it was just the fact that now that there was nothing keeping her and Brant from being together—she was afraid the universe would create another reason. She shook the feeling away and focused on Cole. “What good news?”
“Titus Enterprises is giving us money to hire more staff and increasing everyone’s salary. It seems that their new VP of acquisitions loves this place. Or maybe he just loves someone who works there.”
She elbowed him in the side. “You know it’s not me. It really is an incredible resort. You’ve done a great job, Cole.”
“Yeah—that’s why I’m getting promoted.”
“What?” Her stomach dropped. “Promoted? Are you serious?” She hugged him tight and then had a minor freak-out. “But you’ll still be my boss, right?”
“No, but I’ll always be your best friend.”
“Cole.”
“Nik, don’t do this, not now. It’s not like I’m leaving yet.”
“You’re leaving?”
“Do you really need me that bad?” he joked. “Nik, you have him. You have Brant.”
“Do I?”
“Let me be your eyes.” Cole sighed. “See what I see. A man in love. A man willing to lay down his life for you. A man willing to fight wars. A man willing to die a thousand deaths. A man who will stop at nothing to have you.”
“You see all of that?”
“I see it.” He tapped her chest. “But I know you feel it.”
“I’m still scared,” she admitted. “So scared I’m going to wake up and it’s going to be gone. He’s going to change his mind. Or freak out, or default to bad habits I just—”
“Trust him.”
“Says the guy who hates him?”
“Says the guy who finally found out a way to respect him despite our differences. Now, go shower—you smell.”
“Love you, too.” She smiled at him, then turned toward the direction of her apartment, her heart heavy, her mind confused, but completely hopeful that she could trust Brant, that he had a plan. Even though she was worried that he didn’t.
He’d held on to his hate for so long. She’d held on to her anger at him for abandoning her. And it was something they shared.
Now…that familiarity was gone.
And what did that leave them with?
She frowned the entire way to her door.