Page 125 of Perfect Enough

We both walked to the front door, where I looked out the window. “It’s Nate.”

Sophia looked instantly worried, and I knew how she felt. Ever since Granddad’s heart attack, anytime there was an unexpected phone call or visit, I feared it was bad news. “Hope everything is okay.”

I opened the door. “Hey, Nate, what’s up?” When he looked up at me, I took a surprised step back. He had a black eye. “What in the hell happened?”

“Can I come in?”

“Yeah,” I said, opening the door wider for him to enter. “What happened?”

Nate walked past Sophia and me and headed toward the family room, where the bar was located. Sophia and I exchanged a look before following him.

“Mind if I make myself a drink?” Nate asked, already in the process of making said drink.

I let out a humorless laugh. “Have at it.”

Sophia sat down as I leaned against the bar and watched him pour a hefty whiskey. He downed it and poured another.

“Slow down there, Nate. Can you please explain why you have a black eye?”

He downed a third shot of whiskey, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and then looked at me. “She’s going to drive me insane.”

“Who?” Sophia asked.

Sighing, I glanced at her. “Haven.”

“Haven? Why in the world would she drive you insane? She’s the sweetest person I know.”

Nate stared at her, his mouth gaping. “Sweet? You think Haven issweet?”

“Yes, I do. She’s wonderful, and she has one of the kindest hearts of anyone I know. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be going into business with her.”

“Nate and Haven have a bit of history together.”

Sophia’s eyes went wide with surprise. “You and Haven…?”

“No! God, no,” Nate stated while pouring another drink.

“Oookay,” Sophia replied, looking at me with a confused expression.

“Haven has liked Nate for as long as I can remember, from middle school straight through college and beyond.”

Frowning, she shook her head. “Oh.”

“Why are you shaking your head?” Nate asked.

Sophia shrugged. “I mean, I guess you can still like someone and date someone else.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

Pressing her mouth together tightly, Sophia looked between me and Nate and finally said, “She’s dating someone.”

Nate slammed the whiskey glass on the bar. “She’swhat? Who?”

Taken aback by Nate’s reaction, she glanced at me. I nodded.

“His name is Ted.”

“Ted?” Nate and I said at the same time.