Wild Nights With My Brother’s Ex-Best Friend novel Chapter 48

NICOLE

When Sebastian calls me letting me know that he’s downstairs, I enter panic mode.

Throughout all of yesterday, I was telling myself that I would be able to explain to him everything that happened to me, but now that our meeting is so close to happening, I’m not so sure I can get through the facts.

What was I thinking when I agreed to all this?

Before heading out the door, I glance at my reflection in the mirror of the bathroom one more time to ensure that I don’t look as tired as I feel. Newsflash: I do. There’s no way that I’ll be able to disguise all the trauma I endured during these last few days.

Sebastian is already here, though, so I don’t have a choice.

I meet him downstairs and try to keep a smile on my face. His eyes search mine, and concern is etched on his features. That’s the first thing I notice about him. “Sebastian. Thank you for coming.”

“Are you alright?” he asks with urgency as he follows me inside the building. Before I can say a word, he answers his own question. “No. Of course, you’re not.”

I refrain from saying a word until we’ve reached the apartment. Then, we sit across from each other. His hands are clasped and his eyes are on me. Intently, I should add. I offer him something to drink, but he declines.

It doesn’t take long for me to start recounting what happened to me starting from the last time we saw each other. I keep the story superficial and don’t mention any details, much like the story I told Esmeralda. Only, she knew more about Dan.

I also leave out the fact that I was pregnant among other things.

“This happened at the fundraiser?” he asks, shocked.

I nod.

I’m so sorry. I didn’t notice a thing. I thought you left because…” He hesitates, then gives up on what he was about to say entirely. “Is there anything I can do for you, Nicole?”

I don’t know if it’s because I’m in a vulnerable emotional state, but there’s something in his eyes that makes warmth spread all over my body. I can see that he cares…he’s not asking just for the sake of it.

It brings out something in me-a tenderness I started to feel toward him, but that ended up being interrupted when all that crap happened. I part my mood to jokingly tell him that he’d help me a lot by not firing me, but the apartment door opens, and Mason steps into the living room.

I narrow my eyes at him. I mentioned to him earlier that Sebastian would be here.

Did he really make use of his lunch break to drive all the way here?

Sebastian rises, and the two of them shake hands. I lead the introductions. “Sebastian, this is my brother, Mason. Mason, my boss, Sebastian”

Mason’s already sizing him up, and I can’t help but feel annoyed at him. My brother is another species of human. What’s he doing and why? He even looks Sebastian up and down.

Embarrassing.

“Well,” Sebastian says, turning to me after they’ve shaken hands. “I’ll be waiting for you on Monday, then, as we agreed.”

“Thank you for stopping by,” I tell him politely as I walk him to the exit. I feel Mason’s eyes on me the whole time, and I flip him off behind my back, letting him know just how upset I am at his intrusion.

In the elevator, Sebastian asks him, “You live with your brother? Or does he usually pay you visits in the middle of the afternoon?”

I roll my eyes at him. “We’re too old for this, have you realized that?”

Look, Nicole. I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing, and you’re just going to have to deal with that, alright?” He glances at his watch after popping the last bit of food in his mouth. “I’ve gotta run. Don’t want to hit traffic. Where’s Haley?”

“I thought you’d know, Mr. Stalker,” I murmur.

He grabs a can of soda from the fridge and heads toward the door. “When she shows up, tell her to give me a call, yeah? She’s not picking up.”

I don’t answer him, and he heads out. Like ten minutes later, Haley shows up. For some reason, she’s flustered and I have no idea why. Haley is usually really calin. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah,” she answers dismissively, not even looking at me.

“Mason wants you to call him.”

“I’ll do that, she simply says as she heads toward her room.

I watch her go, then shrug and stare back at the TV.