“Whatever.”
“See,” he says, smiling casually. “My point exactly. You aren’t hearing me out. Go ahead. Run.”
I grab my wallet, my phone, and then push past him. He follows after me as I reach the front door and pull it open. “Where are you going?”
“Out.”
“Please don’t tell me you’re going to fuck with that Sharon chick. She called your phone like ten times earlier but I didn’t answer.”
“That’s actually not a bad idea,” I say sarcastically, pulling my phone out. “I might just have to give her a call. Time to go back to the Old Nolan again.”
“Whatever,” Mills mutters. “I’m done giving you advice. You’ll never learn.” With that, he makes his way to his bedroom and shuts his door behind him. Sighing, I slip my phone into my back pocket, shutting the door behind me.
“What the hell am I doing?” I mutter to myself. I know it’s hard to face, but maybe Mills is right. Natalie didn’t seem very interested in that Tyler guy but she was with him. And he wasn’t a bad looking guy. He had the potential to steal Natalie’s heart away from me without a problem. I can’t blame anyone but myself for ignoring her to begin with anyway.
****
After a few hours of walking the city, I’d decided to call Dawson and tell him to meet me at the bar. For a Tuesday night, the bar is packed but I manage to find a table in the corner with four seats.
I pull my chair out and sit while scanning the bar. It’s the same old scene. Guys who’ve just turned twenty-one and want to show off by buying everyone drinks. Girls who are clinging to a few men’s hips for a free one. I used to love places like these but not anymore. It just doesn’t seem satisfying after being away from a bar for so long . . . after falling in love with someone.
The front door swings open and in comes Dawson’s whose long blonde hair is pulled up into a sloppy ponytail.
“If you had tits and shaved your beard, you could past for a really tall girl,” I tell him as he sits across from me.
He laughs, shaking his head. “You’re jealous. Get over yourself, bro.” I grab his hand to do our handshake and then he sighs, leaning against his chair. “So, what’s up? I went by the condo before getting here and Natalie’s was kinda happy.”
I look away from him to one of the television screens above the bar. My chest tightens but I force myself to get over it. “That’s because she’s seeing someone else.”
“Who?” he asks quickly, sitting forward.
“I don’t know. His name was Tyler or some shit. He seems like one of those rich kids and of course he had a smart ass mouth.”
“Did you punch him in it?”
I narrow my eyes at him and Dawson laughs as he runs his palms across the thigh of his jeans. “That’s crazy, dude. Maybe he’s just a friend of hers. He could know about you through Natalie and he might be trying to steal her away from you. Guy code, man.”
“That’s the same thing Mills said, but I doubt it.”
Dawson laughs silently and my eyebrows knit. “What’s funny?”
“Why the hell aren’t you fighting for your girl, man?”
I frown, fixing my lips to speak but change my mind instantly. There’s no point in arguing because he’s right. I’m not fighting as hard as I should be. “It’s not that I don’t want to fight, I just know she can do better than someone like me. I guess that’s what hurts to know the most.”
“Nolan, dude, you’re fucking changing. I don’t understand why you’re still so hard on yourself. You’re not like how you used to be and I’m kind of glad about it.” Sighing, he brings his hands up to push a strand of hair out of his face. “It’s just crazy when the person you love most is the complete opposite of you. You and Natalie each have something that makes you two meant for each other. You two may not be completely on track but I know y’all can get there. A relationship takes time to build—trust me, I’m still learning with Harps. That girl is wild but she’s toning it down a bit. You’ve got it easy compared to me. Sometimes I feel like she only got with me to get over someone else.”
“Like you didn’t,” I say, narrowing my eyes.
“That’s beside the point,” he counters. “Plus