Mine Would Be You (29)

“My favorite pizza shop.” When we reach the side street, shaded from the sun by the tall skyscrapers, I gently place my hand on her back, leading her in the right direction. The heat from her body, even through her shirt, burns my palm in the best way.

When we get there, she glances up at me, her lips twitching slightly like she wants to smile. I wish she would. “Wait, I love this place,” she says. The sign is simple, a faded red neon that just says PizzaOne.

I raise my brow, enjoying all the things that have tied us together since before we ever met. “They have the best pizza and you, have great taste.” She eyes me, amused and I just grin, pulling the door open.

We enter, and the secret is that past the ordering table and around the corner, they have about four tiny booths in the back. I nod to the chef, who knows my order by heart, and lead Nina to the back. She doesn’t seem surprised, which means she probably comes here as often as I do.

“Pick a seat, and I’ll go order.”

She frowns. “You’re not paying. You said it wasn’t a date.”

“It’s not a date. I’m still going to pay though.” She attempts to stride past me, and I step in front of her. “I’ll just tell them not to accept your money. Just sit down and let me treat you. As a congratulations.” I lean down, closer to her face, and to my surprise, her breath hitches just a fraction. “Please.”

Her cheeks flood with color, and after a second she nods. “Fine. Thank you.”

I smile. “My pleasure.”

I wait until she sits down before returning her bag and walking back to the front to place the order. When I’m sure she won’t follow me, I ask Tom, the chef, currently tossing pizza dough, who seems to know her, what she likes. He gives me a grin and spills her secret, which just happens to be extra cheese and mushroom, so I get her two slices of that and two slices of extra cheese for myself. And before I know it, I’m seated across from her with very large, hot slices of pizza before us. The light through the windows glints off the silver jewelry hanging on her ear as she tucks a hair back.

Nina sits back, pulling one leg up on the old booth and leaning on it as her eyes find my own. “Thank you, again,” she says, softer this time.

“Stop thanking me. I wanted to.” I study the sporadic little freckles on her face. They aren’t clumped together, but instead there are larger freckles spread all over. Two on one side of her nose, a few on the right side of her forehead and her cheeks. The desire to trace them rushes in.

After a few bites each, she grabs a napkin. “So, when is the trip again?”

I try to hide a smile but fail. “The fifteenth. How are you feeling about it?” I unbutton the end of my sleeves and begin rolling them up as I wait for her to respond. Her eyes are latched onto my fingers and their movements, causing her to hesitate.

Nina clears her throat, meeting my eyes again. “I do want to come.” She sighs, and my smile grows. “But I’m nervous.”

“About?”

“Two things, I guess. It just seems like a lot very soon. We’re not even—we’re not . . .” She stumbles and taps her leg with mine under the table until she takes a deep breath.

“First off, I expect absolutely nothing from you on that trip. I just want your company, and I think you’d have fun. There is no pressure from me, Nina. I promise.”

She seems to exhale a bit and settles back into the seat. “Then the other thing is Myles.”

I knew that was coming, knew it had to be brought up at some point. And I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think about it myself. As of now, I haven’t said a thing to him. He didn’t say anything about me dancing with her, so I’m hoping it hasn’t crossed his mind. At some point I’ll have to tell him, but I’m not there yet.

I want this to actually begin before it’s threatened.

“Well actually, he never said he was coming. I don’t think he or Emma will be there. If they tell me, I can let you know. I know it’s more than just him coming to the trip; it’s just him in general and the fact that I’m friends with him.”

She glances down, taking another bite to avoid the statement because it’s true. I understand the reservations. I don’t know fully what happened between the two, but I know she’s guarded. And I get that she’s looking for any excuse not to try.

“I understand. I know that if this continues or turns into something else, he’ll need to know. But he doesn’t yet, and you shouldn’t stress about it. If anyone needs to talk to him, it’s me, not you,” I finish.

Truthfully, I’m probably being a shitty friend, and I know I should be more upfront with him. But I don’t ask for much. I do a lot for my friends because they’re my family. They mean as much to me as my siblings and my parents. But I’m not sure I want to hear him say that I can’t or shouldn’t pursue her. It might be different if this was a few years ago when they first broke up. But they haven’t been together for years. And he’s married.

I want this chance for myself. Life is great, I won’t deny that. I have a great job, great friends, but Nina makes me excited, makes me want to push for more. The idea of dating has never felt as exciting as it does right now, with her. I don’t think that’s a bad thing.

I lean forward, pushing my empty plate away, and rest my forearms on the table, closer to her. “And aside from him, I want you to come.” My leg is now pressed against hers under the table, my foot hooked behind her own. “I want you to get to know me so that when I do ask you out on a real date, you say yes.”