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This did not sound good. “She had Echo with her?”
“No, sir. Not yet. She brought bags to her car.”
Taking things to her car and dropping the key with Oliver? My stomach turned. This was all wrong.
The ride up to my floor took an unbearably long time. The door was closed but unlocked.
I tried a cheery greeting. “Nickels, I’m home.”
Serena and Duke appeared.
“We’ll let you two talk,” Serena said as they passed.
The door closed behind them, and the room was eerily quiet.
I spied Nicole sitting in the chair that faced the window. “Nickels?”
She didn’t answer or even look my way.
I came up behind her. “What’s wrong, honey?” I put my hands on her shoulders to rub them.
She jerked away and stood. “Don’t you dare. I’m not your honey. I’m not your Nickels. I’m not anything to you, and you’re not anything to me. Got it?”
My heart climbed into my throat as I moved around to the end of the couch. “What’s wrong?”
“Stop right there and answer one question honestly. When did you plan on telling me?”
I didn’t dare hazard an answer that could get me in more trouble. “Tell you what?”
“About going to London?”
Fucking Harold.This had to be his doing.
“I’m not going,” I said.
She stared daggers at me. “Your father thinks you are.”
“And I think I’m not. I’ll work it out with him.”
She seethed with anger. “I saw it. The stupid blue folder.”
“That’s old history.”
“I saw the date on it. Last fucking week isn’t old. You told me weeks ago you were going to talk to him, and you obviously didn’t.”
Her accusation cut me to the bone, because it was the horrible truth. “The timing wasn’t right,” I explained.
It was all I had. Dad had pulled me aside at Kelly’s engagement party to sign an amended plan, but with the whole family around, that hadn’t been the time to start an argument. It would have blown up Kelly’s big day.
Nicole walked around me. “I’m going back to Casa di Rossi.” She picked up Echo’s leash. “Here, boy, we’re going for a walk.”
“It’s not safe there.”
She ignored me. “And you’re not welcome. I don’t want you to come over. I don’t want to hear from you. Not ever.”
I walked toward her. “Don’t go. You don’t understand…”
She backed away with fire in her eyes. “Stay back. I understand perfectly.” She leashed up her dog before continuing to the door where she turned. “I can’t afford to quit, but I’ve got vacation time coming, so I won’t be in for the next two weeks.”
