Page 43 of Once Upon a Beast

His comment made me feel better and I knew he was telling the truth. It was what I had thought. “There’s an air of mystery about you. From what I can tell, she likes the attention. If she could get more by making people think she was dating the illustrious and private billionaire Nicodemus Murphy, then why wouldn’t she?”

“Because there isn’t much to dating me. People might think I am illustrious, as you said, but I don’t think so.”

“Modesty doesn’t look good on you. You should be proud of all that you’ve accomplished and all that you’re going to continue to do,” I said.

Nic looked away from me and out the window. “Assuming I get to do it,” he muttered.

I reached over and touched his arm, he quickly turned towards me. His eyes went to where my hand was and I moved it away. There was something in his eyes that told me I shouldn’t have touched him. It only confirmed my suspicion that he only saw me as a friend.

“You are. You will. Are you still worried about the story and your father?” I asked.

“I keep thinking about the demands he made for me to come and see him. I think I might have to.” Nic looked like he hated saying it as much as he hated the thought of having to do it. I hadn’t realized how much it was weighing on him but this was the second time he had brought up his father that evening.

“Why?” I prodded.

“I’m worried if I don’t, he’ll do or say something that could ruin the project. We might have been able to kill one story but that doesn’t mean he won’t come up with another. I wouldn’t put it past him.”

“Do you think he hates you so much that he would do something to ruin you and your life?”

Nic leaned his head back in the seat and looked at the ceiling. “I don’t know. I haven’t talked to the man in almost ten years. I never thought he was a man who would do the things he did. I was wrong about that. I don’t want to believe that he would hurt me, but I was wrong about him before. I could be wrong about that too.”

“You should talk to him if you want to talk to him. If you have things you want to say, if you think it will help you. Don’t do it for him, or the project, or any other reason. Only do it for yourself and if it’s right for you. Don’t let him or anything else dictate your decisions.”

“Wise words, my friend.” Nic lifted his head and looked at me.

“I just want to make sure you’re okay, friend,” I said, though saying the word ‘friend’ was hard to get out. I felt by doing so I was closing the door on the possibility of us being anything more. It hurt more than I thought it would.

“Thank you. I will be, now that I have you back in my life. I couldn’t have done this without you.”

“Nah, you would have done fine. You did well the last ten years.”

“I did what I had to do but I wasn’t fine. Life is better with you in it,” Nic said and smiled at me.

“Mine too.” It was my turn to look out the window to hide the sadness I was feeling. The man knew me too well and I was sure he would be able to see too much even in the dark car.

We pulled in front of my apartment and I got out. Before I could close the door, Nic was there. “You don’t have to walk me up,” I said.

“Yes, I do.” His words left little room for argument. His comment reminded me of how different this date had been from the time before. He was trying to be a gentleman and I needed to let him. I turned and walked towards the door. As I did, Nic reached out and took my hand. I looked down at our entwined hands and didn’t know what to think.

“I’m sorry it’s so late. Can you go in late tomorrow?” Nic asked as we got to my elevator.

“Could I? Probably. Will I? Doubtful.”

“That does not surprise me about you. Can I send you some coffee? Some sugar to get you through the day?”

“Not much of a coffee drinker and wouldn’t even know what to have. Thank you for the offer. I’ll plow through and then go to bed early tomorrow. It’s a Friday, so I can sleep in the next day,” I said.

“There goes my chance to ask you out on another date then,” Nic said as we got off the elevator.

“Another date?” I turned to look at him. I hadn’t thought he would want to see me again after how he had been acting.

“Unless you don’t want to,” Nic said slowly.

“No. That isn’t it. Yeah, that would be nice, how about Saturday instead? Does that work for you? Are you free?” I stammered.

“Yes. But for you and the chance to spend more time with you, I will make myself free.”

“That’s kind of you to say.”