Cara shrugged. “She was fine until a minute ago.” She glanced at Jake and lifted her eyebrows towards Nick.
Jake turned around and looked at his friend, expectantly. Nick rolled his eyes and sighed. “Fine. I’ll go.”
Jake grinned. “Of course you will.”
“I know what you’re up to Jake.” He shook his head and headed towards the door.
“Yeah. Yeah. Whatever. Thanks for the haircut.” He nuzzled Cara’s neck and she squealed happily.
“You seem like you’re feeling better.”
“I am.” He said his face buried in her neck as the door clicked closed behind Nick. “Thank you.” He whispered to her as he took both her hands in his.
“For?” She asked as she pulled his arms back around her.
“Thank you for not making a big deal out of me losing my hair.” He gave her a halfheartedly smile.
She simply shrugged and rubbed his head tenderly with her hands. “I love you it doesn’t matter if you have hair long enough to braid or none at all. It doesn’t change what’s in here.” She said laying her hand over his chest.
He leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to the tip of her nose. “I’m going to need a variety of hats.”
She laughed. “We can get all different kinds.” She said as she took his hand and led him over to the bed. What about a fedora?” Her eyes lit up and she smiled at him. “You’d look so sexy in a fedora.”
He laughed at her enthusiasm and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, staring down at the lips. “A fedora it is.”
Nick took the stairs two at a time to the first floor of the Lanza home. He walked through the kitchen, no sign of her. He knew she was upset, he could tell by the pained look in her eyes. When he made it into the living room he could hear her muffled cries. Turning towards the staircase that was in the front foyer of the house, he found her sitting on the bottom step with her head in her hands. He moved towards her, kneeling in front of her.
“Sam?”
She looked up startled by his voice. Quickly, she wiped at her cheeks. “What are you doing here?” She said as she stared at his head.
Well did he really expect her to be pleasant? Aside, from the night they went to the karaoke bar she was nothing but cold and distant to him. He sighed exasperatedly, but scolded himself as he did so. Even though his patience was running thin with this cat and mouse game, the real reason he came searching for her was because he knew she was upset over her brother, he saw it in her pretty blue eyes.
“You ran out of the basement looking upset.” He shrugged. “You want to talk about it?”
“I’m fine. I don’t need a knight and shining armor.”
He balled his hands into fists at his sides, as he rose to his full height. He wanted to shake her and demand she cut her ice queen routine with him, it was getting old.
“Lucky for you, I left my white horse in Seattle.” He said through gritted teeth.
“Amongst other things, I’m sure.” She said, rolling her eyes, and wiping her cheeks with her shirt sleeve at the same time.
His brows furrowed at her comment. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” He shook his head. “You know what I don’t even care. You seem fine, so I’ll just get out of your hair.” He watched her for a moment, watching her eyes dilate into narrow slits as she peered at him angrily. What the hell did he do to her?
“Nick Foti runs away again, shocker!” Her voice was rich with sarcasm and dripping with anger.
He took a dangerous step closer towards her. He didn’t know what he wanted to do more, strangle her or kiss her, either one would surely silence her.
“I get that you’re hurting.”
“No you don’t. Your brother isn’t suffering from Cancer, mine is.”
Nick felt as if she slapped him across the face with brass knuckles. They may not share the same blood, but he loved Jake like they did. He took a step back from her, and his jaw ticked. He had enough of her antagonizing him. He turned around disgusted and headed towards the front door.
Sam hurried after him, grabbing him by the back of his shirt. He went to shrug her off of him but she clenched her fist with the fabric of his shirt.
“Get off of me.” He said even tempered.
“No! You don’t get to just walk away from me whenever you feel like!” Her control was slipping, and he heard it in her strangled voice.
Nick turned to face her, and her eyes were full to the rim with fresh tears. “What do you want from me?” He asked gruffly.
She shook her head, as she bit down on her lower lip. “I don’t know.” She whispered shaking her head. “Why’d you do it? Why’d you shave your head?”