Page 189 of The Storm

“I was going to laugh,” Nick adds.

“You’re fired,” Callum says.

“I’ll pack my stuff.”

“But then I’d have to cook for myself,” Callum mutters, brows knitting into a frown. “Okay, you’re rehired.”

“What a relief,” Nick says. “Unemployment was hell.”

Callum turns his attention back to Dia. “Come on, Dee. One more campaign?”

Dia chews on the side of her lower lip, her eyes darting between me and Callum.

“I’m fine,” I say. “Seriously.” Only to have Nick’s gaze snap to me.

“Why wouldn’t you be fine?”

“I have a slight headache,” I say, just as Dia says, “The flu,” with the kind of grimness that suggests I’m about to go into the light any moment now.

“It’s not the flu,” I say. “I promise I can get home perfectly fine by myself.”

“I’ll take you,” Nick says.

“No,” I say quickly. “I’m fi?—”

“Problem solved.” Callum claps his hands loudly, then rubs them together. “Let’s go, Dee. Apocalypse waits for no man.”

Everybody suddenly scatters, leaving me alone with Nick. His eyes move up and down me slowly. The look burns. It rushes through me like wildfire and leaves everything a charred mess. Conviction? Never heard of it. Resolve? Not here.

“Let’s go.” He turns around and heads toward the door.

“You really don’t have to.” I rush after him. “I promise. I’m?—”

“Stop arguing, Blue,” he says over his shoulder without even looking back.

“But—”

He ignores me.

“Anybody else want to go home?” I ask, looking around the room. “Bridge?”

She looks up from her phone and blinks. “Huh? No. I’m heading out to drinks with some people in a bit.”

And that’s how I end up sitting in the passenger seat of Nick’s car, on my way home.

We’re both silent while he maneuvers the car through the thinning traffic. It’s late enough that most people have finished their workday already, so we get to my place pretty fast. He parks in front of my building and turns off the engine.

“Well. Thanks.” They’re the first words I’ve spoken since we left Callum’s, so I sound very loud in the otherwise silent car.

He doesn’t say anything, just keeps eyeing me with a mildly amused look on his face.

I nod and get out of the car.

He does too.

“Um,” I say, “everything okay?”

“I’d say so,” he says, all casual while I’m made up of nothing but nerves. “Show me your place.”