“Do you believe him?” she whispered.
I nodded. I did believe him. The moment he mentioned his dad, I believed him.
“I do too. I’ve heard about Nick’s dad setting him up on dates before, so I don’t think he’s lying.”
“Then why are we in here whispering when we should be out there?” I whispered back.
“I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page.”
“Are we both dating Nick now?” I said with a laugh before we left my bedroom.
Wait, am I dating Nick?
Nick hadn’t moved an inch. His eyes tracked me as I returned to my spot in the kitchen, keeping the counter between us.
“Why did your dads set you up?” I asked, wanting to hear his reasoning.
“My dad sometimes tries to set me up with the daughters of his business associates. He’s been doing it since high school.”
“Seriously?” I couldn’t even wrap my head around that kind of weird archaic thinking. “So he thinks it’s good if you date someone whose family could help his business?”
“Honestly, I don’t even know his real reasoning,” he said, exhaling a long breath. “He tells me to take someone out, and I do it. It’s not like he really gives me a choice.”
“Sounds like a bad movie plot,” I added, remembering what Nick had told me in the bleachers about not being able to tell his dad no. I hadn’t seen it in action before, but now I understood a little better. Nick wasn’t exaggerating when he said he couldn’t do it.
“Welcome to my life.”
“Is he stuck in the forties or something?” Rachel asked, her gaze swinging between us. “Seriously?”
Nick shook his head. “I think it’s just another way for him to control me. He has plans for me, the company, and my life. He doesn’t give me a say, and I don’t always know what to do to make him happy.”
He stopped abruptly, but I didn’t push him. I knew talking about this made him uncomfortable, and was surprised that he’d shared that much in front of Rachel.
“Jess, tell me you forgive me.”
“I forgive you.”
“Can we go talk in your room now?” he asked, then glanced at my roommate. “No offense, Rachel.”
“None taken.” She waved her hand at us. “Go away.”
So we did.
We’re Doing This
Nick
I headed toward Jess’s bed and sat down the way I had last night.
Shit, had it just been last night? It felt like days ago instead of only hours.
Jess stepped toward me, stopping once she positioned herself between my legs. I wrapped my arms around her and pressed my face against her stomach. She tugged off my hat before raking her fingers through my short hair. That simple gesture felt so damn good, I think I moaned out loud.
“I don’t understand this thing with your dad,” she said, her tone hesitant.
“What do you want to know?”
I realized in that moment that I trusted Jess enough already to confide in her. Hell, I’d already told her that afternoon in the bleachers more than I told most people. Something about her comforted me. Her presence was steadying, and I was drawn to it.
“Do you guys have a bad relationship? I can’t quite figure it out. It seems like you idolize him one minute and then hate him the next,” she said, and her words struck a chord with me.
“That’s how I feel half the time. I love him because he’s my dad; he’s extremely smart and successful, and I know he wants the best for me. But I hate him because he’s controlling, and I don’t feel like I get a say in my own life sometimes. I never know what to do to make him happy. Whatever I do, it’s never enough. When I played football, he’s pissed that I’m playing. So I quit, and then he’s pissed that I quit. I join the same fraternity he was in when he was in college, but I had to be the president. Because just being in the same fraternity as him wasn’t good enough, I had to run the damn thing.”
Sighing, I added, “I date girls, but they’re always the wrong girls. That’s why I stopped bringing anyone home to meet him. He’s nice to everyone’s face, but then behind closed doors he rails the living shit out of me.” I dropped my head in my hands before continuing. “If the girl doesn’t come from money, he tells me I’m being stupid. That love has no place in business, and to get my head on straight.”
“I don’t know what to say. Obviously, I think that’s all insane. Him, not you.”
Time to change the subject. Take it away from my fucked-up father and back to us. “Jess, are you sure we’re okay? I’m really sorry. I should have told you about the date.”
I really was sorry that I hadn’t mentioned it to her, but the truth was that I was terrified she wouldn’t listen to reason. Most of the girls I’d dated in the past had run on emotion instead of logic, and instead of hearing me out, they’d just scream and yell. It was exhausting.
“Why didn’t you?” she asked. “About the date, I mean.”
“I wanted to. I almost did when I walked you to the library this morning, but . . .” I paused, thinking of exactly how to word it. “I thought you’d be pissed. Or wouldn’t understand, and I wasn’t allowed to cancel on her. I didn’t want you to be mad at me.” That was some more truth right there. The last thing I wanted was to piss Jess off. I liked her too much already.