Ugh!
Nick clears his throat and looks at me. I can feel his eyes on my face, my hair, my neck… and my cheeks flush.
“You sure you’re okay?” he asks quietly.
I look over at him, and my face softens when I see the concern in his eyes.
“Yeah, it’s just… my ex.”
He stiffens, and I’m not sure why.
“Ah. The ex. Dan, right?”
“Yeah. And his fiancée, Mia.” I say this quietly and look away. I might be feeling better about the whole thing today, but it still stings. A lot. Nick seems to notice, because he doesn’t say anything or ask any questions. He just watches me as I continue to eat. I see him slide out of his chair and walk to the coffee maker. He pours coffee in a mug and hands it to me across the divider as he props himself up on his elbows, just inches away from me.
“Black, right?” he says, gesturing to the mug.
“Yes. Thank you,” I say, taking a sip.
“Well, I have something that might make you feel better,” he says, leaning down a little lower. Leaning closer to my face. I watch him—he’s facing me directly, and his eyes crinkle upwards into a smile. “We’re going on vacation in November. Yearly tradition.”
“Wow, fun,” I say, unsure of how that’s supposed to make me feel better. Maybe because it’s paid time off?
“Do you have a passport?”
My eyes swing upwards and meet his.
“Excuse me?”
“A passport, Evianna. Do you have one?”
I think of the dark-blue passport sitting in my mother’s safety deposit box. All of a sudden, I’m so grateful she made all of us get one for our trip to Vancouver.
“Yes,” I say slowly, hesitantly.
“Good. Because you’re coming with us.”
“What?” I say, and my heart starts to beat really, really fast. I try to convince myself it’s because I’m excited to go on vacation, and not because I get to go on vacation with Nick Wilder.
“Tulum. Mexico. Ten days on the beach. I have to attend a conference one of those days, so I’ll need someone to watch Bria.”
“That’s great!” I say, trying to hide my hesitation. Honestly, I’m not sure what to say. Of course I’m excited—it’s Mexico! And I’ve always wanted to go to Tulum. But… how will I handle ten days of Nick in an exotic, sexy location when just eating oatmeal with him makes me nervous?
He pushes back from the other side of the breakfast bar and starts to walk out.
“Just send me your passport info this week. I’m buying the tickets and booking the hotel rooms,” he says, walking down the hall. Rooms. Plural. Duh, Evi. Rooms. Rooms! I hate myself. “Have a good day, Evianna!” he shouts before I hear the front door close.
He didn’t even ask me if I wanted to go. I mean, I guess I had no choice, but still. He just told me that we were going.
The sound of the front door closing must’ve gotten Bria’s attention, because she comes skipping into the kitchen.
“Did Daddy leave?” she asks.
“Yes, he just left,” I say, putting the oatmeal bowls in the sink. I finish the rest of my coffee in one large gulp.
“Good. Leth go play!”
Before I can say or do anything, Bria is dragging me upstairs.
*
The day passes slowly. I’m not as energetic as I was yesterday, thanks to the wine, and hanging out with a four-year-old all day is all kinds of exhausting. But between playing with dolls, reading, and building forts, I have a lot of time to think.