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While Dominic called down to get food delivered, I slipped across the room to stand next to Nate. “What’s wrong?”
“It feels strange to be in here,” he admitted.
“It’s your home too.”
“But it isn’t. It’s yours and Greyson’s and Dominic’s. Not mine.”
Ah. That was the issue. He felt out of place in our lives now.
Thank God it was an easy fix.
“It’s your home too,” I promised, grabbing his hand and dragging him down the hall. The apartment boasted way too many rooms, but only one was left on the hallway where we slept. I pushed the door open and hauled Nate in with me.
There was nothing special about the room, other than everything being luxurious, but it just screamed Nate. Dark and peaceful. Homey, even. Deep blues and comforting greens, the faintest hint of charcoal here and there. Like being inside a forest at night. I loved it, and it was obvious Nate did too. Greyson had even managed to find a picture of Nate and his mom and set it on the bedside table.
“Grey had this one renovated for you,” I said while he took everything in.
“Before I left.”
“Actually, after.” Nate’s shocked gaze met mine, and I laughed. “He told me he was making it into a home office since things were getting dicey, but we have office space a few floors down. After you visited last time, I checked inside…and sure enough.” I shrugged, because that was the only thing left to do.
“He shouldn’t have,” Nate whispered.
“But he did, because this is your home and you’re our family. He just figured it out sooner than I did, and Dominic will too.”
“I’d understand if he didn’t.” I knew he meant it, but there was an ache in how he spoke that told me how much he missed Dominic, how much he’d missed all of us. This wasn’t the reunion we were supposed to have, with terror and worry. At least we were together.
“Well, I wouldn’t,” I said seriously. “The only way we survive this is if we do it together. He’ll come around eventually.”
We stayed in the room for a minute before I led him down the hallway, showing him the other rooms too. I wasn’t sure if he’d had a chance to snoop when he’d snuck in or not. When I said that, he laughed, and I felt the fog he’d been hiding in lift a bit.
Sometime during our mini tour, the others had come up, and so had the food. With a brief kiss to the cheek, Nate headed to the kitchen to help Dominic divvy things up, but before he could even step past the threshold, Shara swung.
The loud crack forced us all into silence. I stepped forward, but at her guarded glare, I decided whatever fight that was, it wasn’t my business.
“You’re mad at me,” Nate said, prodding his jaw. I bet he was hurting. Shara had a solid right hook.
“I’m furious. You’re a dick.” It was the catch in her voice that clued me in.
How had I not thought about Shara’s relationship to Nate before this? They’d worked together at Gilded. She’d told me straight up that he was a good guy. It was obvious now that she’d liked him as more than an employee, as a friend—and he’d walked out on her. On all of us. Of course she’d be upset.
His infiltration of my family started with her.
“I’m sorry, Shara. I didn’t want to hurt you, but I didn’t have a choice.” His voice was quiet, but he didn’t look away. He held her gaze, even when I knew it was hard for him to do it. Nate carried so much shame for his actions, something only time and forgiveness could heal. He had mine and Grey’s. He’d earn the rest eventually.
“Don’t you think I know that?” she snapped, shoving her braids over her shoulder. They were a brilliant pink, and I wondered if she needed the happy color to help her bleak mood lately. “That doesn’t mean I have to like you right now.”
He nodded. “It won’t happen again.”
I knew he wasn’t talking about his betrayal of her, but me, and so did she. Shara snorted. “I know that too, but I can still be mad at you.”
“I’d recommend it,” Dominic said.
Nate said nothing, and she huffed at him. “I hate that you’re so agreeable. Makes it hard to hate you.”
“Does it, though?” The barely audible whisper came out of nowhere, and I looked over to find Cameron breathing heavily on the couch with Ash at his side.
She grimaced at me, then turned to her husband. “I’ll grab you a plate, babe.”
