could muster, not even convincing myself. I forced a smile as I
looked at my cell phone for the time. "I guess it's time to go."
"Okay,
honey. Okay."
I
knew Jordan didn't believe me, but like the best friend she was, she didn't say
a thing. She knew talking about it wasn't going to help now. "Tristan and
I would like you and Justin to join us for New Year's. We'll be at the
penthouse and it would mean so much to me if we could all hang out."
The
darkness that had covered her features lifted and her genuine smile lit up the
room. "That would be great! If his penthouse is anything like that suite
he put me up in, it'll be incredible."
I
couldn't help but grin. Tristan's penthouse was stunning, and I couldn't wait
to show it off to Jordan. Just the view was going to blow her away.
"He'll
have his cooks make some late night dinner for us and we'll watch the new year
come in high above the city. How does ten o'clock sound?"
"I
can't wait! It'll be fun!" she squealed as she enveloped me in a bear hug.
As she held me, I felt her grow serious. In my ear, she said quietly,
"Take care of yourself. I want you to remember something. I don't know if
you know what I always say, but it's true. Good things happen to good people,
and you're the best, so that means great things are in store for you."
Releasing
me, she smiled. "Now promise me you won't forget that."
"Not
unless I have another head injury," I joked.
Jordan screwed her face into a frown. "Not funny. Now you go have an incredible
Christmas and I'll see you at the top of the world at ten on New Year's
Eve."
"I'll
be there in sparkles and bangles."
Chapter Nine
Nina
I
couldn't help but think about everything Jordan had told me as the Town Car
rolled over the highway on my way back home. By the time Jensen got me back to
Tristan's house, my mind was filled with doubts about love. Why had Cal betrayed me like that? We'd been so close. Or at least I'd thought we'd been. Would I
ever feel the same love I'd obviously felt for Tristan before? Or was that a
remnant of my forgotten past I'd never have the chance to enjoy again?
God,
everything was so confusing! I felt like everywhere I turned were those
funhouse mirrors that distorted people and I kept seeing myself in
them—stretched out and wavy in one, flattened in another. Now Cal had to be
added to the distortion.
But
not Jordan or Tristan. Neither one of them ever veered away from what they'd
said to me that first time I saw them in the hospital. I was lucky to have two
people who cared about me. I knew that.
I
put away my new clothes and flopped back onto my bed. As I lay there, I
couldn't help but wonder why the memory of Cal was all I could think about.
Listen
to what Jordan said and don't be stupid, Nina. You have a great guy here who
tells you he loves you all the time and means it. Leave Cal where he belongs.
In the past.
I
knew I should leave him in my forgotten past. I just couldn't.
Tristan
and I had dinner promptly at five, as I'd come to find out was our routine. He smiled
when he saw me and said he'd had a great day after our rendezvous, but those
sexy brown eyes told a different story about his day. Perhaps after taking off
so much time to tend to me after my accident, the work he'd neglected had
finally caught up to him. Whatever it was that made him look so exhausted, I
wished I could make it all go away.
Pushing
his plate away from him, he forced a smile. "How was your day after you
left Le Ciel?"
I
felt a blush race over my cheeks at the mention of our time at the boutique.
"It was good. I went to see Jordan. She said she and Justin would come to
celebrate New Year's Eve with us. I think she's looking forward to it."
Tristan
reached out his hand to cover mine as it sat on the table. "And are
you?"
"I
am. I think we'll have a great time."
His
smile softened, becoming more genuine. "Good. Any idea what we should feed
them?"
"Cocktail
weenies?" I said with a giggle.
Raising
his eyebrows, he
looked at my cell phone for the time. "I guess it's time to go."
"Okay,
honey. Okay."
I
knew Jordan didn't believe me, but like the best friend she was, she didn't say
a thing. She knew talking about it wasn't going to help now. "Tristan and
I would like you and Justin to join us for New Year's. We'll be at the
penthouse and it would mean so much to me if we could all hang out."
The
darkness that had covered her features lifted and her genuine smile lit up the
room. "That would be great! If his penthouse is anything like that suite
he put me up in, it'll be incredible."
I
couldn't help but grin. Tristan's penthouse was stunning, and I couldn't wait
to show it off to Jordan. Just the view was going to blow her away.
"He'll
have his cooks make some late night dinner for us and we'll watch the new year
come in high above the city. How does ten o'clock sound?"
"I
can't wait! It'll be fun!" she squealed as she enveloped me in a bear hug.
As she held me, I felt her grow serious. In my ear, she said quietly,
"Take care of yourself. I want you to remember something. I don't know if
you know what I always say, but it's true. Good things happen to good people,
and you're the best, so that means great things are in store for you."
Releasing
me, she smiled. "Now promise me you won't forget that."
"Not
unless I have another head injury," I joked.
Jordan screwed her face into a frown. "Not funny. Now you go have an incredible
Christmas and I'll see you at the top of the world at ten on New Year's
Eve."
"I'll
be there in sparkles and bangles."
Chapter Nine
Nina
I
couldn't help but think about everything Jordan had told me as the Town Car
rolled over the highway on my way back home. By the time Jensen got me back to
Tristan's house, my mind was filled with doubts about love. Why had Cal betrayed me like that? We'd been so close. Or at least I'd thought we'd been. Would I
ever feel the same love I'd obviously felt for Tristan before? Or was that a
remnant of my forgotten past I'd never have the chance to enjoy again?
God,
everything was so confusing! I felt like everywhere I turned were those
funhouse mirrors that distorted people and I kept seeing myself in
them—stretched out and wavy in one, flattened in another. Now Cal had to be
added to the distortion.
But
not Jordan or Tristan. Neither one of them ever veered away from what they'd
said to me that first time I saw them in the hospital. I was lucky to have two
people who cared about me. I knew that.
I
put away my new clothes and flopped back onto my bed. As I lay there, I
couldn't help but wonder why the memory of Cal was all I could think about.
Listen
to what Jordan said and don't be stupid, Nina. You have a great guy here who
tells you he loves you all the time and means it. Leave Cal where he belongs.
In the past.
I
knew I should leave him in my forgotten past. I just couldn't.
Tristan
and I had dinner promptly at five, as I'd come to find out was our routine. He smiled
when he saw me and said he'd had a great day after our rendezvous, but those
sexy brown eyes told a different story about his day. Perhaps after taking off
so much time to tend to me after my accident, the work he'd neglected had
finally caught up to him. Whatever it was that made him look so exhausted, I
wished I could make it all go away.
Pushing
his plate away from him, he forced a smile. "How was your day after you
left Le Ciel?"
I
felt a blush race over my cheeks at the mention of our time at the boutique.
"It was good. I went to see Jordan. She said she and Justin would come to
celebrate New Year's Eve with us. I think she's looking forward to it."
Tristan
reached out his hand to cover mine as it sat on the table. "And are
you?"
"I
am. I think we'll have a great time."
His
smile softened, becoming more genuine. "Good. Any idea what we should feed
them?"
"Cocktail
weenies?" I said with a giggle.
Raising
his eyebrows, he
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