Fire on Ice

Part 17

Nora POV

"You clearly thought I wanted you. Try not to be so gullible next time".

Nikolas' words haunt me as I think back to that night. It's been three days since Gigi and I went to the club and I can't get what he said out of my head. I shouldn't have been so stupid to think his feelings towards me would change in one night but when we kissed I really thought things would be different. Yes, we were mildly drunk at the time, but everything that happened between us felt right. It felt igniting and powerful, and I wanted to continue all the way with him.

But the words he spoke to me at the bar ruined everything. I haven't seen him since I ran off that night but I know it's for the better. I honestly don't think I could take another one of his insults right now. 

Dr. Stevens called yesterday and said that my mom's condition is slowly worsening and her body is shutting down. I broke down in sobs when I heard that, not being able to wait until I hung up the phone. He said that there is still hope because while the cancer is spreading, it is spreading at a slower rate than it was before, and a change in her diet that the hospital is implementing may make matters better. I know he was trying to console me, but I wasn't able to speak a word once I started crying. That's what I should be focused on: winning the NIDC and helping my mom. That's what I came here to do, and obsessing over a stupid boy isn't going to help that.

I walk into the café and see Georgia behind the counter. I quickly wipe the few tears that spilled on the bus ride over and greet her.

"Hey! How was the wedding?"

"Amazing! The weather was perfect and Heather looked beautiful. Here let me show you some pictures." She pulls out her phone and her glasses and starts clicking buttons.

"Gosh darn it, do you know how to work this stupid thing?" I laugh and walk over to her to help.

We look at pictures for the next 20 minutes, most of them being oddly zoomed in selfies of herself. We're nearing the end of them when the door opens with a customer. I head to the back to get my apron while Georgia takes their orders.

About an hour later, I'm organizing the food shipment that just came in when I hear a deep voice from the front.

"Coffee, black". The same silky drawl that enticed me to go to the bathroom with him is here asking for coffee.

Georgia's cheerful voice breaks through my thoughts, "Coming right up!" I hurry to the back of the room so there is no chance he could see me.

"Oh shoot, we seem to have run out of coffee beans, just give me one moment sir." Shit. Georgia is going to make me come out there. Moments later, my worries are confirmed.

"Nora honey? Could you bring out the coffee beans, the machine ran out." I start panicking, not wanting to walk out there and face him, but I'll have to give Georgia a reason why and saying I don't want to see a guy I almost had sex with in the bathroom of his club could come off the wrong way.

"Yeah one second!" My voice falters at the end while I rush to get the coffee beans. Of course, now is the time where they are at the bottom of the stack and it takes me 5 minutes just to move the boxes that were on top of them.

"Nora? You okay back there?" Georgia calls out.

"Yup just fine! Just one minute."

"Look, I don't have all day so could whatever is going on back there go a little faster." My face heats up at Nikolas' words because I know he's directing them at me.

"Of course sir. I'll go see what the hold up is."

Georgia walks in the storage room to see my face flustered and boxes everywhere.