“You’re right,” he admitted in a tone of a defenceless man. “I didn’t want her to be with you—not at first. You weren’t a guy any brother would want for his sister. Besides, I hoped she could work things out with Adrian. I saw them together, Thomas. Adrian loves her more than I love Mel. He would go above and beyond to make her happy.”
And I wouldn’t?
Nick lacked faith in me. He had no reason to trust me with Nadia at first, but there was no denying it—I changed when she came along.
“Then, I saw Nadia with you,” Nick continued, looking straight at me. “She dated Adrian for a year and a half, and while he tried to make her happy, youdid,and it only took you a few weeks.”
He got up to refill our glasses. At this rate Amelia was going to find us unconscious. I rubbed my face, focusing on the crystal glass.
The way we see things depends on our state of mind. I used to think I was born a pessimist, a glass-half-empty type of guy. It changed when Nadia’s presence pushed me to re-evaluate my choices. The man she shaped me into filled me with pride. For the first time in years, I looked forward to the next day. My life was no longer slipping through my fingers.
I took handfuls of every moment when we were together, but deep inside, I feared the happiness wouldn’t last, that the bubble would burst at any moment and I would crash with reality.
I pushed the dark thoughts aside, because Nadia changed me into an optimist. The glass became half-full.
I should have gone back to a pessimist’s mindset when she left, right?
I wish. She left, and I no longer knew who I was.
“I tried to stop her, Thomas,” Nick said, his voice weak, teary. “But I know what Adrian helped her through. Nadia fell apart when our father died. She couldn’t even look at me because I reminded her of Dad too much. She left to escape the grief andme.After a few months with Adrian, Nadia asked me to come over.”
Nick was grateful to the son-of-a-bitch, and I could see why. He loved Nadia so much, and I couldn’t imagine how crushed he was when he realised she couldn’t look at him.
“She wouldn’t stay no matter what I said or did,” Nick continued. “Adrian helped her get to the other side of grief, and Naida feels like she owes him help.”
“Old love never dies, huh?” I spat out, shoving more alcohol to the back of my throat. “I never stood a chance.”
Nick shook his head, his expression determined. “It has nothing to do with love. Half the time I think she’s uncomfortable when Adrian’s around. She didn’t go back to be with him. She went tosavehim.”
Nadia was the one who needed saving, but she refused to act selfish. Many considered selfishness a flaw, but when Nadia gave into me, it proved to be an advantage for the both of us.
Too bad she didn’t last long in the resolution of saving herself first before attempting to save the world.
The sound of an incoming face-time call chimed from the open laptop that stood on the coffee table. Nadia’s face appeared on the screen. My stomach somersaulted backward.
“Sorry,” Nick muttered. “I’ll tell her to call tomorrow.”
My palms grew damp, the need to see her hit me like a heat wave.
“No, answer it. Just don’t tell her I’m here.”
I scooted away, far enough to make sure the camera couldn’t see me, and watched the screen, completely unprepared for what was to come.
“Hey,” Nadia said, her voice weak.
I sucked in a harsh breath, scanning her thin face, protruding cheekbones and chapped lips. She must have lost at least eight pounds. A black, thick jumper hugged her frame, highlighting the pale skin and red, puffy eyes that lacked their natural glow.
“Hey, what’s wrong, sis?” Nick squeezed his neck to get rid of tension. “Why were you crying?”
“I wasn’t.” She rubbed her cheek on her shoulder.
“Don’t lie. What happened? Where’s Adrian? Did you fight?”
“No. Everything is fine. Adrian’s at the NA meeting. He should be back soon.” She glanced above the laptop, shook her head no, turning her attention back to the camera. “How was your trip?”
“You sure?” A male voice sounded in the background. “Come on, keep me company here. It’s good. Best I cooked to date. You can’t live on pop-tarts, you know.”
That explained why she lost so much weight. I had the urge to fly over there and force-feed her until she gained back what she lost.