�Nickolas�
�C�mon, Sugar Bear� I helped Evangelique out of the car after leaving the hospital the next morning. She looked up at me and I smiled. I smiled because I seen a glow in her eyes. A glow I haven�t seen in five years. She smiled and slowly got out of the car. I closed the door and went to pick her up, but she stopped me.
�I can walk.�
�I don�t want ya to overdo it.� I grinned.
�It�s just walking.� I just looked at her. �Please?�
�Alright, but if you start walking funny I�m carrying you.� She nodded and started walking. I walked beside her and looked down at her. How I wanted so much to tell her that I�m in love with her. I couldn�t do it though. Something was stopping me and I had no idea what it was.
�Whoa!� I looked back at Evangelique and she stopped walking and so did I.
�Are you all right?�
�Yeah; I just got light-headed.�
�But you�re all right?�
�I�m fine.� She started walking again and so did I. We got to the porch steps and she just looked. �They seem like so many.�
�C�mon.� I picked her up and walked up the steps. I got to the door and she opened if for me. I walked inside and kicked the door shut.
�Wow!�
�What?�
�Walking through the door like that was�it reminded me of when people get married and the husband carries his new bride over the threshold.�
�Yeah.� I grinned.
�It wasn�t weird, it was just�I can�t explain it.� I smiled.
�Like it was the right thing?� She smiled.
�Yeah; you always know.� I started walking.
�I�m your best friend. We share a connection.� Such a great connection it was.
�I think that connection only got stronger that night we spent together.� I stopped walking and looked at her. �It was the most beautiful, romantic, magical best night of my life.� I smiled. �I�m extremely glad it was with you. I wouldn�t want to have it any other way.�
�It�s been five years, Evvie.�
�I know. I want to talk about that night.�
�Why?�
�I want to know what it meant to the both of us.� What it meant to the both of us? Damn if she only knew. If she only knew that was the night I realized I love her more than a friend. I couldn�t talk about this now. I just couldn�t.
�We can talk about this later when you�re feeling better.� I had no idea what to say.
�Fine.� She shook her head and laid it on my shoulder. I knew she was upset, but I couldn�t talk about this now. She probably would never understand. I wanted her to be healthy before we talked about anything. Some people say crazy things when they�re sick. I didn�t want Evangelique to be one of them. She had to say what�s in her heart and not what she thinks she feels because she�s sick. It had to be right for the both of us. I sighed and she looked at me. �I know you�re upset, Sugar Bear, but I want you to save your energy. I mean you�re, uh�you�re, uh, getting married. You need to be healthy for your big day.�
�Ugh!� She laid her head down again.
�Are you all right?�
�I�m fine. Can we just not talk about me getting married and how much you hate Cameron? That�s all we�re been talking about since you came home. Can we please talk about something else?� She looked at me.
�Consider it done.� That wasn�t a problem for me. We�ll stay far away from the subject as long as she wants.
�Thank you.� She kissed my cheek.
�You�re always welcome.� This time she kissed my mouth and I definitely kissed her in return.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
�Evangelique�
I have no idea why I wanted to constantly kiss Nickolas lately. I didn�t understand it. Not any of it. It was just too weird, but Nickolas didn�t seem to have a problem with it and I was glad. I wanted him to kiss me. I didn�t care where he kissed me, just as long as he kissed me.
�Sugar Bear��
�What?�
�Maybe we shouldn�t do this.�
�Why not? You had no problem before.�
�I know. It�s just that�� He stopped our kissing and we looked at each other. �You�re sick and I want ya to save your energy, not waste it on foreplay.� I looked at him, understanding where he was coming from. �Plus if we keep this up I just might get sick.�
�Well don�t get sick now. Wait until my wedding that way I have to postpone.� Whoa! Where the hell did that come from?
�Excuse me?� I just looked at him not knowing what to say about what I said and laid my head down. �I suggest you get some rest.� He started walking. �Should I take you upstairs?�
�The couch is fine.�
�Alright.� He walked into the parlor and stopped, as I lifted my head.
�Hey guys,� Gabrielle said.
�Hey,� Nickolas said and we both spotted Cameron. I put my head back down and left out a disgusted sigh.
�How are you feeling, Honey?� Cameron asked.
�Fine; what are you doing here?�
�Why didn�t you call and tell me you were in the hospital?� Cameron asked. �I would�ve loved to have known that my fianc�e was in for the night.�
�I�m perfectly fine. Nick was with me the whole time.�
�I wouldn�t want to be anywhere else,� Nickolas said and I looked at him. He smiled and kissed my forehead.
�Why don�t you put my fianc�e down,� Cameron said and I looked at him. �I can take care of her.�
�If she wanted you to take care of her,� Nickolas began, �she would�ve called you.�
�I�m sure you had a hand in her not calling,� Cameron accused.
�It was her decision,� Nickolas rebutted. �She told me who to call.�
�And who was that?� Cameron asked.
�Gabi. Will you take me upstairs, Nick? I don�t have time for this.�
�Sure thing,� Nickolas said. �Excuse us.� He walked away and carried me upstairs. He walked into my bedroom and laid me on the bed. �Better?�
�Yeah; thank you.�
�You�re welcome.� He sat beside me.
�I can�t even come home to peace.�
�Maybe you should call the wedding off.�
�Why? This is what I want. I want to get married and I want to have a family.�
�I know you do, but are you sure CJ�s the one you want to have children with?� I just looked at him. �Ev, I don�t want ya to make a mistake with this guy.�
�He asked, Nicky. What other guy is willing to spend the rest of their life with me?�
�A lot.�
�I�m going to be 25. I�m tired of waiting around for Prince Charming, because I know he ain�t going to come.�
�How do you know he ain�t right in front of you?�
�Wh-Wh-What are you saying?�
�You�re so quick in saying �yes� to the first guy that proposes instead of looking at the guys who are actually worthy of your affection. You have tons of guy friends. How do you know none of them are your soul mate?�
�I have nothing in common with them�only you, but you�re my best friend.�
�Right; of course.� He sighed and I watched him take his hands through his hair. �Um�� He sighed again. �I�m going to go downstairs and let you get some rest.�
�You don�t have to.�
�Well ya need some rest so ya get better.� I sighed and turned from him, as I coughed. �Alright, um�� What was wrong with me? I was practically throwing a fit about this whole resting issue. I just didn�t want him to leave me alone. For some unknown reason I just needed him more than ever. �What is it, Evvie? What�s wrong?� I didn�t say anything and felt his hand go in mine. I squeezed his hand, but still didn�t move. �Sugar Bear.� I felt him lay beside me and he wrapped his arms around me. �Please talk to me.�
�It�s just that we haven�t seen each other for, like, three months and now that we do I get sick.�
�You�ll be better before you know it.�
�Yeah, but I have a wedding to finish by July 15. We will never get time together then or after.�
�Sure we will, Baby, we�re best friends. We promised we�d be there for each other no matter what. I don�t plan on breaking that promise just because you�re getting married. We can always hang out whenever ya want and ya can come on the road with me whenever ya want also. Nothing�s going to change.� I looked at him.
�Ya promise?�
�I promise.� He smiled.
�I�m glad.� I hugged him and relaxed in his arms.
CHAPTER 13
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