Wild Nights With My Brother’s Ex-Best Friend novel Chapter 121

NICOLE

I step back and stare at my reflection in the mirror. I’m dressed pretty formally in black dress pants and a satin blouse. My hair is tied back. I mean business and I want The Bruiser to know that.

I drive to the location of the restaurant. I second-guess myself until the last possible second, when I park the car.

“Here we go,”I whisper to myself, reaching for my bag on the passenger’s seat.

I walk into the restaurant and someone comes to me right

‘away-the manager. “Good afternoon. Do you have a reservation?”

“I’m actually here to meet someone.”

“The name?”

I freeze. I have no idea what his name is and I can’t very well say that I’m looking for someone named The Bruiser.

“…l’m not sure.”

“But this person is here right now?”

“Yes.”

She walks away and I’m waiting at the front desk. I glance at the door, contemplate leaving. Hm, why not? Maybethis is a sign that things won’t work out.

But the manager returns and escorts me to my table with a smile. As kfollow her, I take note of how full the restaurant is. There are quite a lot of people here and that makes me feel safer.

The sight of The Bruiser seated alone at a table, though… that makes me have second thoughts. But he looks friendly enough. He even smiles at me as I approach and says to the manager, “Thank you, Carla.”

Once we’re left alone, he gestures for me to sit down. God, this is so surreal. Being here with him. In broad daylight. A place that isn’t Ashvale.

“Hello, Nicole,” he says warmly, like he wasn’t dismissive the other night. God, that feels like it happened a hundred years ago.

“Bruiser.”

Before we can continue, someone takes our order and then disappears. I search my mind for something to say, but nothing springs to mind. Thankfully, I don’t have to break the silence, because he says, “I’ve been looking forward to this meeting all day. I’m glad you decided to come.”

“I wouldn’t have been here if you weren’t insistent,” | mention. “And I also would’ve skipped this meeting if you hadn’t promised me that this would be the last time we’d see each other.”Nicole…I don’t see why there has to be so much hostility between us. We’re family, after all. Whether you like it or not.”

I frown. “And when did you realize that? After I left?”

“Yes, actually.”

I’m having water. He’s having wine. He orders a steak, and I go for a salad but only because he insists in front of the waiter.

“That makes no sense,” | point out.

It doesn’t make sense to me either.”

I frown. I don’t understand where this is going at all.

The Bruiser sits back in his chair and watches me closely before saying, “I remember your mother. I didn’t want to tell you at the time, but I do. She was an ambitious woman. Had big dreams.”

Hearing him talk about Ma makes my throat tight and irritates me more than I’d like to admit. “You don’t know anything about her, so don’t pretend that you do.”

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