Lori clapped her hands. “These are the best burgers and fries in the world, Nico. Marcus, you ordered them, didn’t you?” She turned to Nicola. “You can stay to eat something, can’t you?”
Nicola looked at Lori in alarm. What was Marcus doing? Had he forgotten that he’d turned her down flat this morning? Couldn’t he feel how awkward this was for her?
“I’d love to, but I think I’d better just call it a night. Besides, you two probably have some catching up to do, so thanks, but—”
“Stay for dinner,” Marcus said. “Please.”
Marcus’s low words pulled at Nicola, so hard that she could almost feel herself leaning toward him. It hadn’t been a request, not quite a command either. But whatever it was, it had turned her brain to mush. Just as his one kiss had stolen her control that morning.
A few moments later she found herself sitting with them at the small table by the window, unwrapping a burger she couldn’t possibly eat. Not with Marcus so close that her belly kept clenching.
“So what did you think, Marcus? Isn’t Nico amazing?”
Nicola felt like she was blushing with her whole body. During rehearsal, she’d tried to keep eye contact to a minimum, because every time she accidentally looked at him she lost her footing. As they’d gone over and over the song, she hadn’t been able to read his expression, couldn’t tell if he was impressed with her...or if he thought her song—and dancing—sucked. She told herself she didn’t care if he liked it. Thirty-six-year-old men weren’t necessarily her core audience, after all.
“Did you write that song?”
“I did.”
His mouth moved up into a small smile. “You’re very talented."
Nicola let out the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding just as Lori’s phone started bouncing around on the tabletop. Whoever was calling had her jumping up and saying, “Sorry, guys, this will just take a sec."
Nicola could see from the look on Marcus’s face that he wasn’t happy with the name and face he’d seen flash across his sister’s phone. True to her word, Lori was back after barely saying two words to the caller, but she was flushed and clearly flustered.
“I’m really sorry, but I completely forgot about something I promised I’d take care of tonight. Will you be all right without me until tomorrow, Nico?”
Nicola could tell something was wrong and she didn’t want to add any extra pressure to Lori’s life. “Of course I will. Don’t worry about it for another second.”
Looking relieved, Lori turned to her brother and said, “Marcus, could you make sure Nicola gets back to her hotel okay?”
“Of course,” he replied at the exact moment that Nicola said, “I’ll just get a cab.”
But Lori didn’t seem to hear either of them as she gave Nicola a quick hug goodbye and apologized again for needing to leave so suddenly. Nicola picked up her burger and dropped it into the trash as Marcus followed his sister to the door.
Nicola didn’t mean to eavesdrop on their conversation, but they weren’t exactly doing a great job of keeping their voices down, so she couldn’t help but overhear.
“I thought you weren’t seeing him anymore. Didn’t we agree that he isn’t good for you and that you can do better?”
“I’m not seeing him anymore...and it’s complicated.”
“At least call me when you get back home tonight so I know you’re okay.”
“I’m a big girl, Marcus. I don’t have a curfew anymore.”
He was the perfect, protective older brother. Nicola could feel herself melting more with every word out of his mouth. Because even though she should be making sure her guard was all the way up, seeing how concerned he was about his sister got to her in a serious way.
When he came back over, running his hand through his hair, she had to ask, “Is everything okay?”
He shook his head. “I don’t know. She says I worry too much about her, but I can’t help it.”
Certain that she was bound to do something really stupid if she hung around him any longer, Nicola said, “I’m not hungry, so I’ll just catch a cab back to my hotel.”
But before she could turn and leave, he asked her, “Why didn’t you tell me who you were?” The hunger in his eyes was still there, but so was a hint of anger that she couldn’t possibly miss.
Hating how off-kilter she felt around him, she knew she sounded defensive as she replied, “I didn’t lie to you. My name is Nicola.”
“You should have told me you were also Nico. Why didn’t you?”
“You wouldn’t understand."
“Try me.”
She didn’t want to explain herself to him, but she also knew she was being stubborn and unreasonable. He had a point that it hadn’t been fair of her to keep her fame a secret from him, especially if the pictures taken of the two of them in the club had been good enough to print. And for some reason she wanted him to understand.
“For one night it seemed exciting just to be normal.” To be myself again. “I almost never meet someone who doesn’t know who I am.”
“Nico.”
She didn’t like the way he said her stage name, didn’t like the idea of Marcus treating her like everyone else did.
“My name is Nicola. And I really need to go now.”
The last thing she expected him to say as she turned and headed for the door was, “I was wrong, Nicola.”