growl low in his throat.
Thankfully, he realized he was being foolish before he decided to storm up to them and stick his two cents in. He knew damn well it wasn’t a couple’s quarrel. She was probably giving Ostlund heck for trying to steamroll her life. That was another thing Nate didn’t like about the guy; the fact he’d tried to play matchmaker the way he had. Alicia was quite capable of taking care of herself.
As suddenly as it began, the argument was over. Nate’s gut twisted as Ostlund pulled her into his arms. They hugged, which, in and of itself, didn’t bother him. He was all for reconciliation and mending fences with friends, but it was dragging on and on, much too long for his liking. Sure, the man was dying and Alicia had a huge, soft heart. It didn’t mean they had to stay like that for so long. He watched and waited as time slowly ticked by. His blood pressure rose with each passing second.
After what felt like ten or more minutes, but was likely only five, Alicia and Ostlund finally broke apart and continued walking. She was directing them now and it looked like they were headed toward the boardwalk. Nate followed at a discreet pace, feeling more and more like a stalker as they made their way to a nearby hotel. Blood roared in his ears as he saw them both headed for the front doors. Just as he was about to approach them, they stopped and started talking again.
Ostlund shaking his head “no” made Nate stand at attention. The stubborn set of Alicia’s shoulders and the gesture she made toward the doors to the hotel made him uneasy. He wished like hell he could hear them. He wanted to know if she’d decided to be more than just his former employee during his final days, weeks or months. After all, she did mention how they were “once upon a time” attracted to one another, but had decided to keep things strictly business. Was this it now, the end of “business only”? He stood there, feeling both angry and helpless at the same time as he waited to see what would happen.
His head and shoulders slowly went up as he saw Phillip walk into the hotel alone. Alicia looked – worried – sad – uneasy? This last emotion gave him pause for thought. What could she have to be uneasy about? Then she was walking ever so slowly away, her shoulders hunched forward slightly and her neck rigid. Her beautiful face was flushed with emotion. He didn’t have to be Einstein to see she was struggling to stay composed as she headed back to their hotel. All of a sudden, he wanted nothing more than to comfort her and ease her pain.
Neither of them saw James until they were right on top of him. She started, surprised. He stopped short, just before reaching her. He heard James say he’d stay with Phillip and understanding dawned. Alicia didn’t want to leave Phillip, but her former boss didn’t want her to stay. That’s what the shaking of the head had been about. Nate felt like a shit for thinking she was going to suddenly change the status of their relationship. Even though he didn’t know her that well, he should have realized she would want to help in any way she could, not throw herself at the man.
James acknowledged his presence as he passed but Alicia was oblivious to it. Nate followed for about half a block more before calling out to her. When he saw she was full-on crying, despite her efforts to stay in control, he felt the urge to take her into his arms and never let go. The intensity of the emotion scared him a little and he was slow to react as a result. Thankfully she was too upset to notice.
* *
Alicia noticed the panic in Nate’s eyes when he saw she was crying. She saw, too, the hitch in his step as he closed the distance between them. For the briefest of moments, she considered turning and walking away. They really didn’t know each other well enough to make her being a wreck in front of him okay. But then he was holding her and telling her everything would be
Thankfully, he realized he was being foolish before he decided to storm up to them and stick his two cents in. He knew damn well it wasn’t a couple’s quarrel. She was probably giving Ostlund heck for trying to steamroll her life. That was another thing Nate didn’t like about the guy; the fact he’d tried to play matchmaker the way he had. Alicia was quite capable of taking care of herself.
As suddenly as it began, the argument was over. Nate’s gut twisted as Ostlund pulled her into his arms. They hugged, which, in and of itself, didn’t bother him. He was all for reconciliation and mending fences with friends, but it was dragging on and on, much too long for his liking. Sure, the man was dying and Alicia had a huge, soft heart. It didn’t mean they had to stay like that for so long. He watched and waited as time slowly ticked by. His blood pressure rose with each passing second.
After what felt like ten or more minutes, but was likely only five, Alicia and Ostlund finally broke apart and continued walking. She was directing them now and it looked like they were headed toward the boardwalk. Nate followed at a discreet pace, feeling more and more like a stalker as they made their way to a nearby hotel. Blood roared in his ears as he saw them both headed for the front doors. Just as he was about to approach them, they stopped and started talking again.
Ostlund shaking his head “no” made Nate stand at attention. The stubborn set of Alicia’s shoulders and the gesture she made toward the doors to the hotel made him uneasy. He wished like hell he could hear them. He wanted to know if she’d decided to be more than just his former employee during his final days, weeks or months. After all, she did mention how they were “once upon a time” attracted to one another, but had decided to keep things strictly business. Was this it now, the end of “business only”? He stood there, feeling both angry and helpless at the same time as he waited to see what would happen.
His head and shoulders slowly went up as he saw Phillip walk into the hotel alone. Alicia looked – worried – sad – uneasy? This last emotion gave him pause for thought. What could she have to be uneasy about? Then she was walking ever so slowly away, her shoulders hunched forward slightly and her neck rigid. Her beautiful face was flushed with emotion. He didn’t have to be Einstein to see she was struggling to stay composed as she headed back to their hotel. All of a sudden, he wanted nothing more than to comfort her and ease her pain.
Neither of them saw James until they were right on top of him. She started, surprised. He stopped short, just before reaching her. He heard James say he’d stay with Phillip and understanding dawned. Alicia didn’t want to leave Phillip, but her former boss didn’t want her to stay. That’s what the shaking of the head had been about. Nate felt like a shit for thinking she was going to suddenly change the status of their relationship. Even though he didn’t know her that well, he should have realized she would want to help in any way she could, not throw herself at the man.
James acknowledged his presence as he passed but Alicia was oblivious to it. Nate followed for about half a block more before calling out to her. When he saw she was full-on crying, despite her efforts to stay in control, he felt the urge to take her into his arms and never let go. The intensity of the emotion scared him a little and he was slow to react as a result. Thankfully she was too upset to notice.
* *
Alicia noticed the panic in Nate’s eyes when he saw she was crying. She saw, too, the hitch in his step as he closed the distance between them. For the briefest of moments, she considered turning and walking away. They really didn’t know each other well enough to make her being a wreck in front of him okay. But then he was holding her and telling her everything would be
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