Always You - A Second Chance Romance

Chapter 23

I woke up the next morning and Nick was asleep next to me. I didn't know when he had gotten home, I had gone to bed before then. I woke up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and realized he was home. I was so angry when I realized how late he had probably gotten home that I tossed and turned all night in frustration.

I looked over at Nick, still asleep next to me. It was past 10 in the morning. I never slept in this late while it was common for him on a Saturday. I nudged his shoulder and he stirred a little.

"Nick," I said, pushing him again. He groggily opened one eye and looked at me for a moment before his eye shut again.

"Nick," I said louder, pushing him harder.

"What?" He croaked. He pulled the blanket around him tighter.

"What time did you get home?" I asked him. He shrugged.

"I don't know, like one?" He mumbled. I shoved him again.

"What the hell, Nick!?" I said, my voice raising slightly. He let out a heavy breath and opened his eyes.

"I'm sorry I got home late," he said, looking at me finally. He didn't look sorry or sound sorry. He sounded like he was saying it to be done with the conversation.

"Sorry? You're sorry for coming home way later than you said you would?" I said sarcastically. He rolled his eyes.

"I got carried away with my coworkers, I didn't want to be rude and leave," he said. "We were having fun."

"Oh I'm glad you were having fun," I said angrily. I kicked off the sheets and pulled myself out of bed. I went to the closet and pulled out a pair of jeans.

"I'm allowed to have fun sometimes, Em," he said. Nick sat up on his elbows looking at me from bed.

"Sometimes!? You say that like you never go out," I scoffed. I angrily pulled off my pajamas and started pulling my jeans on.

"What does that mean?" Nick asked, frustration in his tone.

"How many times in the past month have you and I gone out together, by ourselves, and had a date night?" I asked him, spinning around to face him. His jaw tightened as he had no answer for me. "Or how many times have you spent a day with me? Or a night doing something romantic? Or fun? Or sweet?"

"I helped you clean last week," he said with a shrug. I made a confused face at him.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean? Is that supposed to be the romantic thing you did?" I asked him angrily.

"I don't know Emily, I'm trying," he said. He flopped back onto his pillow, staring at the ceiling. I rubbed my face in frustration and groaned.

"I know you're trying. I'm trying. I'm trying so hard, Nick," I said. My voice started to tremble and I took a deep breath trying to calm myself down. Nick pushed himself up to sit in bed.

"I'm sorry, okay?" He said. "I got carried away with my coworkers and lost track of time."

"You were with coworkers?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest. His jaw tightened for a moment.

"Who else would I have been with?" He asked me.

"I don't know Nick, who else would you have been with?" I asked him pointedly. "Was it the same coworker you were out with when you went out with David a few weeks back?"

For a second Nick's face twitched, like he thought he was caught, or knew he was. But he quickly composed himself, furrowing his brow in feigned confusion.