“Why? You haven’t followed any other rule the whole time you worked here,” Andrew countered before laughing.
“True.”
Nick felt stupid. Of all the rules, that’s the one he chose to follow?
Nick felt his dad studying him before he spoke. “Son, I feel like I’m missing something…when did you tell her you love her?”
Nick shook his head. “I didn’t. I wasn’t sure she was ready to hear it. I didn’t want to run her off.”
Andrew raised his arms. “Well?” Nick heard the unspoken question. How did that work for you?
Nick buried his face in his palms before looking at his dad again. “She probably thinks I have something going on with Laurel. She won’t return my calls, texts, or emails. She’s not home either. I just don’t know what to do anymore. I was hoping she would at least come to work…”
“Why? So, you can corner her in her office or make a scene?” Andrew leaned towards his son. “Have you tried leaving a voicemail telling her how you feel?
Nick shook his head. “I want to tell her in person or at least over the phone. I just want to talk to her.” He watched his dad nod and pull out his cellphone.
“Are you sure she’s the one?” Nick nodded in response to his inquiry. He was too emotional to speak. “Why did you think she wasn’t ready to hear this before?”
Nick explained his theory about her having commitment issues. His dad’s laughter surprised him.
“Commitment issues? Are you serious? You asked her a favor in April and didn’t follow through until September. Would a person with commitment issues stay around that long? Or, did you ever consider how much commitment it takes for her to do her job?”
The reality of what his dad said crushed him with such force that he had to struggle to breathe. He’d focused so much on his own preconceptions that he didn’t see the evidence in his face. He should have been clear about exactly what he wanted from her. All of her.
“You’re right, Dad. I was thinking for her, and that was stupid. I was scared to lay it all out in front of her.” He looked his dad in the eyes. “But, I’m not anymore.”
Satisfied, Andrew nodded and hit dial on his cellphone. Nick looked at the ground and mentally traced the designs in the carpet. He braced himself to explain things to his mother once she answered the phone. Somehow, the thought of rehashing everything with his mom sounded harder than coming clean to his dad.
“Hey, Kalilah.”
Andrew said into his phone. Nick’s gaze snapped back to his dad’s, and he felt his heart rate kick up a notch. His dad winked at him.
“I need to see you as soon as possible. I have an issue that needs to be worked out.” Andrew looked at his Rolex. “Yeah, okay that’s fine. See you in twenty minutes.”
Nick jumped up and started to pace around the room. He was so anxious, he didn’t know what to do with his body.
“Nick?”
“Yeah, Dad?”
Andrew pointed at him with a stern face. “This is the only time I will use my position for your personal gain. Understood? You fix it. Tell her how you feel. Come to an agreement because I love you… but if I have to fire one of you…”
Nick nodded. “I know, Dad. It would be me.”
Andrew laughed. “Sad, but true.”
“Mom? I have to run into work for a little bit,” Kalilah yelled as she prepared her briefcase with shaky hands.
Her nerves had been on edge since the moment Andrew phoned her. There was a different type of urgency in his voice that she’d never heard before. She just hoped that she wasn’t running to her own firing.
She knew Andrew would not allow her to work from home too long, but she needed time to rub some balm on her aching heart. If she had to work with Nick every day and not be with him, she needed time to construct a titanium case around her heart.
She missed him so much that it almost hurt to breathe but not as much as it hurt to arrive to the Gala and see him with another woman. She played it over and over again in her mind trying to find a way she was wrong, but the woman’s arms were wrapped around his neck, and he was smiling as she kissed him. She knew it wasn’t his sister because she had just met Deidre moments before deciding to search for Nick. Either way, it wasn’t the embrace of a relative; everything in her body language said she wanted to get him naked, and he didn’t look offended.
She didn’t have any right to get mad or cause a scene; he wasn’t hers. Instead, she left so her heart could break in a less public setting. As much as she hated it, she knew it was time to set him free. Trying to do the right thing wasn’t easy. Especially when she wanted to be with him. Wanting him wasn’t enough; he needed to want her. She hadn’t returned any of his calls because she didn’t want to hear explanations or apologies for how it ended. They needed a clean break.
“Okay, baby!”