Didn't Expect You (Against All Odds #2) - Claudia Burgoa Page 0,80

water works are over.

“I’m building the baby a crib,” Dad announces.

“Thank you, Dad,” I sniff.

“Are you okay?” Mom asks.

I nod. “Sorry. Lately, everything makes me cry.”

“It’s like someone broke her,” Persy jokes. I glare at her and she smiles. “What? You’re the hard ass of us, and now…well, look at you. So, how’s the sale of the house going?”

“The realtor mentioned there are a couple of people interested,” I tell her. “We don’t know what’s happening. Demetri is going to check it next week to ensure the staging looks good and there aren’t any issues that might be swaying away any potential buyer.”

“Well, I’m moving in with Ford. You can have the penthouse,” she offers.

“Of course, let’s just shove her into the apartment you don’t own and ignore me, the owner,” Nate complains, pointing at himself.

Persy glares at him and says, “It doesn’t bother you that she lives in New York with you, but it upsets you that she can use the place you never lived in? My God, you Chadwick men are infuriating.”

“One of us is a handful,” Nate agrees. “Fortunately for your sister, the annoying one isn’t me. So, when are you two moving in together?”

“We’re looking for a place,” Ford grunts and keeps glaring at Nate.

“Demetri is helping us look for a place for Nyx. Why don’t you talk to him?” Nate offers and then looks around the room.

He sighs, kisses the side of my head, and releases me.

“Follow me, Langford. We need to discuss a few things.”

Persy and I look at each other and shrug while they leave for the terrace and shut the door.

“Let’s go and take a walk around the park,” Mom suggests. “I love sightseeing around this city. In the meantime, you can tell me more about your work.”

I look towards Nate one more time before I agree on leaving the house with them. Nate sounded too serious and concerned. Ford looked pissed, but what do I know? I barely know the guy.

Thirty-Two

Nate

“What part of don’t fuck this for me didn’t you understand?” Ford questions as soon as I close the door. “I fucking told you to stay away from her. But you didn’t give a shit. This is exactly why we can’t have nice things.”

I cross my arms and glare at him as he paces around the terrace. This is why I told him to come out with me. I’m not sure if his girlfriend knows him this well, but fuck if I don’t know exactly what his red face and murderous gaze means.

He’s pissed at me because I was holding Nyx.

“You done with the temper tantrum yet?”

“I fucking warned you,” he repeats flustered.

“Warned me about what, Langford?”

He points toward the house, fuming. “Are you unaware of the little show you had going on in there?”

“Do I need to ask you to forgive me for holding my friend because she was crying?” I laugh and shake my head. “You are priceless, man. Obviously, you have no fucking idea what’s happening between us.”

“You hugged her and kissed her,” he continues.

I facepalm and say, “I keep forgetting that emotionally, you’re a toddler. Friends can hug and kiss too. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“So, if I ask you to swear that there’s nothing between the two of you…” he trails his words and looks toward the house. Then he frowns. “Where the fuck are they?”

“Focus, Langford,” I redirect his attention.

He exhales harshly. His hands open and close into fists. “Okay, then tell me, what is going on between Nyx and you?”

“You sound like a fucking broken record,” I complain, walking toward the end of the terrace.

I rest my arms on the stone wall railing and stare at the park.

Nyx loves the view. Not as much as she loves the one from Seattle, but she can spend hours outside just staring at the park.

“Nathaniel, don’t ignore me,” he orders.

I look over my shoulder and glare at him. He wants me to answer a loaded question. I have five words for him: Nothing, everything, I’m fucking confused. Which I don’t say because he won’t like them.

A few beats later, I turn around to face him and say, “At the moment, we’re friends and roommates. She’s going through a lot of changes. I can’t offer her anything more than a place where she can stay, my friendship, and my badass cooking skills.”

“But you’re still attracted to her,” he states, serving me with a nasty glare that would frighten others, but it just pisses me off. “Which means there’s