Page 99 of Heartache & Playdates
“Really? Who?”
“Peyton.”
“Aww, that’s sweet. Did you love her? Do you think?”
It wasn’t past tense. I still loved her.
I nodded.
“And you said it wasn’t puppy love, right?”
“No, it was real. It’s the realest love, the only love I’ve ever felt. I mean, romantic love.”
“Wow. Does Peyton know that?”
“I think so.”
“If you’re not sure, you should probably tell her,” Lina suggested as we walked off the elevator.
I started to explain why that wouldn’t be the best idea when I heard. “Bro, why don’t you pick up your phone?”
When I looked up, I saw Nick walking toward me at a clipped pace.
“My phone?” I pulled it out of my pocket and saw that I had two missed calls from Nick. He must have called when I was in the parking structure and wasn’t getting service. “Did Sadie have the baby already?”
“No, better than that.” Nick glanced beside me and did a double take. “Wait is this—”
“Nick, this is Lina Chaplin, Lina this is one of my oldest friends, and basically brother, Nick Locke.”
“I’ve heard so much about you.” She smiled up at him as she held out her hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“You’re family.” He pulled her into a hug. “We hug in this family.”
I checked to make sure she was okay with his outburst of affection. Apparently, Nick wasn’t caught up on the whole not touching people without consent thing. Thankfully, she was smiling from ear to ear.
He stepped back and stared down at her. “I hear you’re smarter than your old man. Thank god, someone can finally knock him off his high horse.”
She didn’t deny the statement as she beamed up at me.
As much as I was happy that Lina was meeting Nick, I was also interested in what could be better than Sadie having the baby. “So why were you calling me?”
“Oh, right.” Nick stepped away from Lina. “Guess who’s here?”
“Here at the hospital?”
Nick nodded.
“Alex and Sadie?” I ventured.
“Yes, but not them.”
“Steph Curry?” Lina asked excitedly.
“No, but good guess little one.” Nick smiled in approval. “I’m so happy you didn’t say one of the Kardashians.”
“They live in Calabasas the probability of them being here would be slim.”
“You’re right.” Nick smiled down at her before gripping my shoulder. “She really is smarter than you.”
