Page 220 of The Storm

“You’d buy your one cow a farm,” I say flatly.

He looks at me thoughtfully. “She’d get lonely by herself, that’s true. She’d need friends.”

I rub my forehead with my fingers. “This feels like it’s above my pay grade.”

“You know what?” Callum says. He glances at his phone with a thoughtful expression, then at me. His expression transforms, so now he looks suspiciously sympathetic. “You look tired. How about you take the rest of the day off? It’s Friday anyway. Go home. Relax a bit. Nick won’t be here tonight; may as well surprise him by heading home early.”

I narrow my eyes at him because he’s expertly playing on all my weaknesses, and I recognize what he’s doing, but I’m also really tempted to go.

“I won’t buy a cow,” he says. “Cross my heart.”

I hesitate, and he grins.

“Go on,” he says coaxingly. “You know you want to.”

I put the one shoe I managed to take off back on. “No cows,” I say sternly. “No motorcycles. No bungee jumping or skydiving. No fireworks. No jet skis. No?—”

“I’m quite literally losing the will to live here.”

I press my lips together. “I’m going,” I say decisively.

“Please do.”

I head out the door. Whatever happens, whatever he does or buys, that’s a problem for future me.

Instead of heading to the subway, I decide to walk. It’s a nice afternoon, sunny and warm. People are everywhere, sitting on park benches and grass and steps, some taking a long lunch, some just sitting around with friends, talking and laughing.

I take out my phone and call Nick. Maybe we can have a picnic or something. Enjoy the nice weather. He doesn’t pick up, though, so I slide my phone back into my pocket and head home instead.

I sprint up the stairs, unlock the door, and rush inside. My heart jumps when I see Nick’s sneakers lined up in the hallway. A smile blooms on my lips. My own shoes fly off in record time.

“I hope you’re naked,” I call out.

Then I turn the corner and clamp my mouth shut. There’s a man sitting at the kitchen table opposite Nick. A guy dressed in a perfectly pressed designer suit, with salt and pepper hair styled and combed back from his face. He doesn’t look too impressed with me storming into the room the way I did.

“Oh,” I say. “Hi?”

Nick gets up from his seat and comes to me. His palm goes to my cheek, and he presses his lips to mine in a kiss that momentarily makes me forget all about strangers in any apartment.

“Home early?” he asks me with a small smile. “Did you miss me that much?”

“Always,” I say softly.

The suit guy clears his throat pointedly. Nick closes his eyes and inhales slowly before he turns around and crosses his arms over his chest. “Was there something else?”

The man gets up from his seat and shakes his head. “You have my information if you have any questions.”

He walks out and a second later I hear the door shut behind him. I raise my brows at Nick. “Who was that?”

He rubs the tips of his fingers over his eyes and stalks back to the table, where he picks up a stack of papers, gives them a cursory look, and drops them again.

He meets my eyes. “Can we go sit down for a moment?” he asks.

We end up on the couch, and he puts the papers on the coffee table and glares at them.

I place my palm on his back and hold it there until he slumps against me.

“Apparently my grandparents are looking to make contact.”