“Nothing,” I said, faking a cheery tone. I felt like such an idiot for worrying her, especially while she was on her honeymoon. “You know me. Living it up in New York City.”
“I do know you,” she quickly inserted. “Talk to me, Luke.”
“It’s nothing.” I blew out a frustrated breath. “I shouldn’t have messaged you. You’re supposed to be enjoying your honeymoon. Not joining me in my pity party.”
“You got hold of him?” I heard James ask her from the other end of the line.
“Yes,” she answered. I rolled my eyes when I heard kissing noises before she spoke again. “But he’snottalking.”
“Luke,” James spoke. “Nina has put you on loudspeaker. What’s going on, man?”
“I’m crashing your honeymoon,” I muttered.
“Yeah, you are,” James quickly agreed. “So get on with it so I can get back to —”
“James!” Nina snapped, which was resounded by what sounded like her smacking him on the arm.
“Come on, Luke,” James reasoned. “Did you let us avoid talking about this crap when you were trying your hardest to match Nina up with me?” he cockily asked.
“Awfully full of yourself, aren’t you?” Nina muttered.
“I’d like to be full of something,” he mocked. A second later, he added, “Come on, Luke. What is it?”
“I met someone,” I started. I ignored the gasp from Nina and quickly continued. “We spent the night together, but the following morning, he asked me to leave.”
“I’m sorry, man,” James inserted. “Didn’t you explain to him how much you liked him? That you wanted more? I’m guessing that’s what this is.”
“I tried, man. I got the feeling that he wasn’t interested.” I flopped back down on the mattress. “I left his place and messaged Nina. I guess I just wanted some advice.”
I expected them to both dive in and give their two cents on the subject, but when only silence met me, I began to fidget.
“Luke,” Nina started. “I’m kind of surprised by you.”
“What do you mean?”
She laughed. “Luke, you are one of the most stubbornly fierce people I know. After all the shit that James and I went through, you were the one person that believed we could be together. That after all the dramas of our lives before we met one another, there was always you that was telling us to take a chance on each other.” She paused. “And now here you are, giving up at the first chance?” She ended it as a question, but I knew it was rhetorical. “I expected more of you.”
I laughed when she said that. “Wow, what a way to guilt trip me. I’m not giving up,” I quickly inserted. “I just, I don’t know… How do you get through to someone who has decided that they are done with you after one night?”
“I know what I’d do,” James muttered.
“And pray tell,” I mocked. “What would you do?”
“Show him what he’s missing, man.” I could hear him grinning down the line. “You’ve already seduced his body. Now, you gotta work on the rest of him.”
I thought over what he said. How the fuck was I supposed to do that?!
“Luke.” He chuckled down the line, obviously knowing me well enough to know the path my mind was taking me down. “You’re good-looking, a good cook, a mean cocktail mixer and you’re kind of intelligent. Get to know him and show him what he’s missing out on.”
“I don’t know, man.” I blew out a breath. “I still think it’s a losing battle and I should just move on to the next place.”
“Luke!” Nina snapped. “If you give up on this, I will never speak to you again.” She paused and her tone was softer as she spoke again. “Please, Luke. Take a chance on someone. For me?”
I blew out a breath, feeling myself begin to give in.
“Fine. I’ll try. Okay?” I paused. “But if this all blows up in my face, I’m blaming you two.”
They both chuckled when I said that. “We’ll take the blame,” Nina agreed. “But I have a good feeling about this.”