Blessing in Disguise (MM)

Chapter Twenty

NICK'S POV

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I barely slept the last few days. Ever since spilling my guts to Aris on Friday, I've felt rather empty and numb. I'm mortified that I went off into a tangent with every little detail that I didn't need to express.

Saturday and Sunday were two days that I needed off. I spent every second with Elodie. Sunday being Mother's Day and I thanked her for my card and how special it made me feel. We went out for a walk and to get ice-cream before coming home and making our own pizzas and a Disney marathon.

Yet I couldn't take my damn mind off Aris. I was a fucking asshole to him and he still sat down with me to listen to my sob story. Fuck. It's been haunting me ever since.

I'm not the sort of man who opens up. I've done well keeping this shit to myself because I hate letting people know that I'm struggling–I look like a weak father and that's the last perception I want people to have of me.

Work on Monday feels like a day from hell. My lack of sleep has been catching up on me and now Robyn has told me that one of our deals has fucked up and the client is sending me rather passive aggressive emails.

This is the last thing I need today.

"Do you want me to take over and start forming some emails?" Robyn suggests.

I sigh and run a hand down my face. "No, they'll turn around and tell me how unprofessional it is for me to pass it onto someone else. I have to deal with this myself."

Robyn studies me for a long moment when I slump back into my chair. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah," I rasp.

"Sure?"

My teeth crack together. "Robyn, please just get back to work. You're wasting my time."

She recoils from my snappy note and then follows it with a scowl. "Wow," her head shakes. "So much for asking how you are, don't have to bite my head off."

God. I want this day to be over. My eyes ache so much that looking at my computer screen it makes my sockets bleed from the inside out. "Sorry," I sigh. "I've had a rough few days."

"I can tell," she props a hand on her hip. "You look like shit."

I exhale a quiet laugh. I don't doubt it.

My eyes peek up at her and she's watching me with concern. I've come to work in various states but right now–this feels different. I despise feeling this, like I can't control anything because I'm so furious at myself.

"Let me know if you need me to do anything," Robyn's fingers close around my office door. "I'm here to help, you don't need to drown if you could just accept that you want me to help."

I merely nod. "Thanks."

When she's gone I breathe a heavy sigh and rest my hand over my trackpad. I run my eyes across the email before me but it's making my brain twitch with irritation. My phone vibrates beside me and I lean over to read the screen.

I immediately shoot upright when I see Aris' name across the screen. It vibrates once, twice, then three times. My brows crease for a split second. It's just before three o'clock so he wouldn't be with Elodie yet, probably at the school waiting for her.

My thumb hovers over the notification before I press down and read the message. My heart thumps in my chest and I'm desperate to read what he's said–to the point I'm literally vibrating with eagerness.

Aris: Hey, I've just been thinking about you and about Friday night.

Aris: I promise you, Nick, you're more than enough. You are a great father to Elodie. Please don't let anyone else tell you otherwise.