The next morning, the trio continued to tackle Nina's apartment renovation with renewed energy. Max, Lukas, and Nina all donned old clothes, ready to get messy with paint, furniture assembly, and a lot of joking around. There was something liberating about the fresh start Nina was experiencing—especially now that Greg was behind her—and the support of her two closest friends made everything easier.
As the morning turned into early afternoon, the room started to come together. The pale green walls Nina had chosen brightened the space, and the combination of old and new furniture made the place feel homely yet modern.
Max had taken it upon himself to be the "interior design mastermind," though his suggestions were often ridiculous.
"Okay, hear me out," Max said, holding up a garish, multicolored throw pillow he had found in one of the bags. "This right here, centerpiece of the whole room."
Nina raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Max, that thing looks like it belongs in a clown car."
Lukas, sitting cross-legged on the floor while he assembled a bookshelf, chuckled. "Max's clown vibe matches his life decisions."
"Hey! I make fantastic decisions," Max said, dramatically tossing the pillow onto the couch. "Besides, I'm just trying to inject a little personality into this place."
Nina shot him a playful glare. "My place already has personality, thank you very much."
Max rolled his eyes and grinned. "Alright, alright. You win. But I maintain that my taste is impeccable. Speaking of impeccable taste—guess who scored some killer concert tickets?"
Lukas looked up from the bookshelf, intrigued. "Who'd you steal them from this time?"
Max feigned offense. "I do not steal concert tickets. I acquire them through very legitimate means."
Nina, already curious, set down the paint roller she'd been using. "Okay, spill. What concert?"
"Wildfire. Next week. Backstage passes, baby," Max announced, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
Nina's jaw dropped. "No way! Max, that's incredible."
"Not only that," Max continued with a grin, "but I happen to know that their manager is a super cool guy, and I figured maybe you'd want to meet him, Nina. You know, shake off the whole Greg situation with someone who's not...a total jerk."
Lukas shot Max a glance, but Nina just laughed. "Is this you trying to set me up?"
"Of course not," Max replied, though his grin suggested otherwise. "I just thought you might want to mingle with some industry folks. Also, it's a perfect opportunity for you to write an amazing piece for Starlight Magazine. Mrs. Greene will be all over it."
Nina beamed. "That would be such a great chance for me at work. I've been trying to get more exciting stories lately. This could be it."
Max clapped his hands. "See? I'm just here to make things happen."
Lukas smirked but stayed quiet. He wasn't exactly thrilled about the idea of Nina being set up with some rock band manager, but he knew Max meant well. Still, the idea of her moving on from Greg so quickly made him feel uneasy, even if he couldn't admit why.
As the day wore on, the three friends continued to work on the apartment, joking and teasing each other like old times. Every so often, Lukas would catch Max throwing him knowing glances whenever Nina wasn't looking. Max had picked up on something, but Lukas wasn't ready to have that conversation just yet. He needed to keep things normal between him and Nina. That was the most important thing.
YOU ARE READING
Late to Love
RomanceLukas and Nina have been friends since school, always sharing a close bond that carried them through the years. Now in their late twenties, they both work at a magazine publishing company. Lukas as an editor and Nina as a creative director. Over t...
