Page 27

After he’d finished and showered, he went in search of Nico. He’d be in his office at this time of day doing some admin.

Sam knocked on the door and heard Nico call, “Yeah?”

Opening it and sticking his head around the side, he flashed a grin. “All right, arsehole?”

Nico laughed and stood. “Come in, you total ballbag.”

Sam crossed the room into Nico’s hug and as usual felt as if he was being cuddled by a bear. The man was huge, and despite Sam viewing himself as being lean and muscular, being near Nico made him feel like a pre–Super Soldier Serum Captain America. Nico could give the Rock a run for his money.

“Have a seat,” Nico said, moving behind his desk. “Want a coffee?”

“Go on, then,” Sam replied as Nico went to the high-tech coffee machine behind him. “Can’t say no to a hot guy like you, can I?”

Nico grinned. “Pretty hot yourself, Holland. Remember it’s you that’s the naked butler, not me.”

“Shh,” Sam said, glancing over his shoulder.

Nico rolled his eyes as the coffee machine hummed to life. “Stop acting all James Bond. No one can hear us in my office.”

Sam shook his head. “It was you that told me about it, so don’t act all innocent. I know about your previous naked-butlering days. I’m the apprentice here, and you’re the Jedi master.”

Nico passed Sam his drink, lifting his own. The espresso cup looked tiny in his large hands. He took a seat across from Sam. “So, why do you need the money? You’re the assistant manager now, so I would’ve thought you’d be set.”

Sam sipped his coffee. “It’s not for me, it’s for someone else. And my first pay packet for the promotion doesn’t come in until the end of the month.”

Nico frowned. “Who’s the money for, then?”

Sam met Nico’s charcoal-gray eyes. “They don’t want me to say, because they’re too proud.”

Nico raised his eyebrows. “I can guess who you mean. But I’ll keep quiet.” He leaned over the desk. “Maybe I could give him something too, to help out? Plus take the pressure off you.”

Sam set his cup down. “Don’t. He’ll be upset and think I’ve asked you to. I’ve not told him that I’ve taken on an extra job to provide the cash. He thinks that I’ve some spare after my promotion, and he keeps note of everything I give him so he can pay me back later.”

Nico nodded. “If you need me to, I can give you some money and then you could pass it to him as if it’s from you? Then you wouldn’t need to continue with your second job.”

The thought was tempting. Sam rubbed his chest as the heavy sensation gathered. He couldn’t reconcile himself with getting someone else to shoulder the burden. He had taken it on as his responsibility. “Thanks, man. But there’s nearly enough now, for the equipment he needs to buy.”

Nico leaned back to lift his cup again. “How’s it going with Cat?” He paused to meet Sam’s eyes. “Not great, I assume. If you’re back here again.”

Sam let out a breath. “Yeah. Not great.”

Nico eyed him. “Don’t take this the wrong way”—his voice was gentle—“but why do you take her back every time she asks? It’s always the same pattern. She finishes it, then asks you back as if she’s doing you a favor, and you say yes.”

Sam hesitated, attempting to fathom the answer to the question that he often asked himself. At first, Cat had been so loving toward him, acting as if she sympathized about his dad leaving and Maya dumping him. Over time, she’d become his emotional crutch.

Nico smiled. “You can be on your own, you know. You’d survive.”

Sam swallowed. Being rejected was the one scenario he couldn’t cope with, and the thought of that happening with him and Cat made him nauseated. It was safer to ease the pain by accepting her offer to come back to him. Especially when she’d start being really nice to him again. It would seem as if they were going back to how things had been, and he’d feel that if he just trod carefully enough, that’s how they’d stay. Plus, the fact they’d been together on and off since they were eighteen meant staying with Cat was familiar and, somehow, comforting. “Easy for you to say, with your commitment-phobic bachelor life.”

Nico shrugged. “It’s a choice. I’m better off on my own.”

Sam couldn’t understand that. It wasn’t that he disliked his own company. He enjoyed having time to himself. But only ever having a string of short-term relationships? That wasn’t his thing, and he’d never understood why it was Nico’s.

“Anyway,” Sam said, finishing his drink. “I’d better head, I’m walking home and I don’t want to be too late because she’ll be pissed off.”

Nico raised his eyebrows. “Walking? Did the car conk out again?”

Sam stood. “Yeah. It’s a pain in the arse.”