Secret Diaries (Heartlake Cliche #1)

Chapter Nine

 October 5, 2010

 There is no venom more poisonous than that of a snake you call a friend.

 

     “He said I’m easy to read,” Grace told herself over and over. “Does he know about my feelings for him?” She shook her head. “No, it’s not possible. No,” she muttered then made another shake of her head.

      Thanks to Rachelle, she and Nick managed to end up being together for four times in the past week. It all seemed like a dream but every time she covertly pinched her cheeks, she was sure she felt a slight tingling—meaning everything was real. She smiled to herself as she typed the feature she was writing about Nick. She couldn’t have been happier. Well, except maybe if Nick would actually go on a date with her—which, of course, was impossible.

       She stopped and stared at the computer screen. Because of everything that had happened previously, she had expected him to be aloof and cold during their interview. She had been prepared to ask simple questions and receive monosyllabic answers. Amazingly though, Nick turned out to be quite attentive and willing to share his thoughts about various matters. Not anything soul-deep, though. He was definitely a very private person.

      Those times together had allowed her to find out more about the mysterious St. James heartthrob. His family, their business, his passion for music and judo, the way he valued his friends, and even his ideas about love and relationships. During the interview, she had been embarrassed when she blurted out a question about dating two women at the same time. She immediately tried to tell him to forget it but he laughed when he heard that question.

      And she almost died upon hearing that sweet sound.

      “And Rachelle insisted you’re the sensitive type,” he said, still smiling. “I never thought I’d hear you talk about infidelity.”

      Grace opened and closed her mouth three times before she could answer.

      “Well,” she took a breath, “it’s just that I’ve always wanted to know what guys think about it and why they do it.”

      She turned the page of her reporter’s notebook.

      “Let’s discuss something else. What do you thi—”

      Nick had raised his hand.

      “What?” Grace asked.

      “I’ll answer that question.”

      Grace’s eyes almost came out of their sockets.

      “You see, Grace, I think one reason why a lot of men do it is because a lot of us are egotistical.” He shot her a warning look, stopping her protest. “Now I’m not generalizing anything but if you come to think about it, there is always a good feeling when you know you’re wanted. And an even better feeling if you know you can manage to get away with something that is supposedly a no-no. It boosts one’s self-confidence.”

      “That’s a jerk’s point-of-view,” Grace said, annoyed.

    “Exactly,” Nick answered with a nod. “There are also guys who can’t seem to make up their minds. Yes, Grace, men can have doubts too. There are also others who just can’t find the right time to tell the first girl that they have already fallen in love with someone else.” He shrugged. “So it’s just a problem of timing.”

      “Ha!” Grace exclaimed. “So guys like you think that way too?”

      He gave a bark of hearty laughter.