If I Can't Have You || (N.M.)

Chapter 4

I rolled my eyes at Nate's sarcasm then pushed past him so that I could go ahead and get to bed. Dealing with him was proving to be exhausting and he hadn't even been in my house that long.

This is just for the night, I reminded myself, tomorrow you can forget all about him.

It was funny how I'd wanted him back all this time, but now that he was here I just wanted him out. I always imagined that if Nate ever returned it would be so romantic. He'd bring flowers, take me out to my favorite restaurant, and tell me that leaving me was the biggest mistake he'd ever made. But instead he came back with another woman's baby and not even so much as a hallmark card for all the trouble. I just needed to sleep it off and refresh so that I could prevent myself from breaking down into tears. I had shedded enough tears over Nate, and he hadn't deserved a single one.

That night I tossed and turned up until morning. I'd gotten only three hours of solid sleep and the rest were spent miserably overthinking all of the shit I was trying to forget about. That's why I groaned when the sun came up and its bright beams forced me out of my slumber.

"What the fuck," I mumbled groggily as I pulled the blanket over my head as a shield.

I attempted to fall back asleep but failed miserably once I took a deep breath and immediately recognized the smell of bacon. I didn't even eat bacon, but kept some in the fridge because Calvin liked to eat it for breakfast whenever he stayed the night.

I got up from my bed and stretched before slipping on some sweats then making my way to the kitchen. Nate stood there shirtless over the stove, frying away. His tattoos were just as I remembered them, except there was a new one on his arm that I hadn't noticed before. It said Miracle in elegant cursive lettering.

"Looks like you made yourself comfortable," I said to him from the walkway that connected the kitchen to the living room, where Miracle was still sound asleep on the couch.

Nate turned his head to look at me and chuckled, "Well good morning to you too."

I scoffed.

"So now you're into politeness?"

I'd let him into my home when anyone else in my shoes would have turned him away and he didn't even have the sense to say thanks. So no, Nate Maloley would not be getting a good morning from me.

He ignored my smart mouth comment and changed the subject as he continued to cook.

"Since when do you eat bacon?" he asked.

"I don't," I crossed my arms, "it's Calvin's. And you shouldn't be eating it."

"Oh, that guy?" Nate raised an eyebrow and laughed, "I think he'll be fine."

"That guy," I neared him, "is my boyfriend."

It wasn't something I would normally brag about, but I only said it so that Nate would hopefully take a hint and realize where his boundaries lied. My comment didn't seem to faze him in the least, as he just continued to smile.

"I could tell." He turned off the stove and walked over to the cabinet to grab some plates. He still knew exactly where everything in the kitchen was. It was like he never left.

I noticed he took out two plates, but I didn't say anything. I only watched as he prepared each one and listed off the items as he did.

"Eggs, bacon, and waffles for me." he said as he fixed one plate. "Cardboard toast, eggs, and fruit for you because you're so obsessed with keeping that pretty little figure of yours."

I couldn't help but grin at the way he still referred to my whole wheat bread as "cardboard," but that still didn't excuse him from anything and he could see that.