I Choose You (18 page)

             
“Great,” Briana yelled over the music. “How are you? You look good.”

             
“You guys look good too,” Kent shouted back. “I’m gonna grab a drink. You guys need anything?”

             
He got their orders and went to join Rich at the bar. He couldn’t help but notice that Nicole was surrounded by a group of horny monsters, and he felt sick to his stomach when he saw a tall dark vampire leaning in to speak in her ear. He forced his eyes forward and kept moving towards the bar.

             
He couldn’t help but wonder if he’d been hasty in his decision to cut things off when he did. He still thought that she could do better than a guy like him, but he really missed being with her. He missed the sound of her laugh and the way she smiled to herself when she was writing. He missed her soft lips and the sweet smell of her hair.

             
He almost walked in to Rich when the other man called his name and snapped him out of his thoughts.

             
“Dude, you’re out of it tonight. Let me get you a drink.”

             
Kent thanked him and ordered the drinks for Briana and Colin.

             
“Gonna be a busy one tonight, eh Pete?” He yelled to his ginger haired friend. Pete nodded in agreement and turned to grab a couple beers. “Who are you supposed to be?” Kent asked when he saw the bow strapped to Pete’s back.

             
“Hawkeye,” Pete yelled, then he nodded towards the swinging door where Kara was coming out of the back with a full tray. She had on a red wig and a tight black body suit.

             
“Black Widow?” Kent guessed, and grinned when the other man nodded and handed him his drinks. “See ya in a bit.”

             
When he got to the table to pass out the drinks, he noticed Rich was flirting with a hot blonde in a Grecian outfit. When he heard the snort and the sarcastic remark, he whirled the girl around and found Roni standing before him.

             
“What in the hell are you wearing?” Kent asked loudly.

             
“It’s a costume,” Roni answered wryly.

             
“Barely,” Kent retorted as he took in the sexy shoes and what appeared to be a twelve year olds dress.

             
Roni just rolled her eyes at him and said, “Calm down. I’m going to go see Nicole.”

             
He watched her walk away and then turned to see Rich was doing the same thing. “Hey. Stop it.”

             
Rich just shrugged his shoulders and smiled at him, then tipped his head back to take a swig of his beer.

             
Kent watched Roni walk up to where Nicole was still talking to the lame vampire guy, and saw Nicole say something him, then turn to follow Roni. When he saw the guy put his hand on her arm to stop her, he saw red.

             
Kent walked quickly through the crowd and heard Nicole asking the jerk to let her go.

             
“Can you please let go of my arm,” She asked loudly. “I’m going to go with my friend to get a drink.”

             
“I’m not ready for you to go yet,” the vampire replied, not letting go.

             
Kent walked right up to the shorter man and towered menacingly over him.

             
“She said let go.”

             
The vampire looked up at him, his eyes already bloodshot and sneered. “Back off, Man. Find your own bimbo.”

             
“Kent,” Nicole put her hand on his arm, as if to hold him back. “He’s not worth it.”

             
Kent looked down into her eyes and felt himself grow calm. He nodded at her, then reached over and peeled the guys hand off of her arm.

             
“Walk away.” He said to the other man, then turned and dismissed him.

             
Nicole took her hand off of his arm, then turned to follow Roni.

             
“Nic, wait,” Kent said quickly. “Can we talk?”

             
Nicole looked up at him, the hurt he had caused her apparent in her eyes, and for a second, he thought she was going to say no, but instead she held out her hand to him.

             
“Why don’t we go over and say hi to everyone first and enjoy the party a bit,” Nicole said as he took her hand. “We do need to talk, but just give it a little time, okay?”

             
Kent nodded, he’d give her all the time she needed, as long as she’d give him a chance to explain and apologize for hurting her.

             
When they got to the table, Kent heard Rich filling Briana in on his plan to open the Rec Center.

             
“Oh my gosh,” Briana exclaimed, giving Rich a hug. “That sounds amazing. I would love to give some cooking lessons when I come in to town.”

             
They all talked over each other about what they wanted to contribute to Rich’s plan, and by the end of the conversation he was grinning from ear to ear.

             
“You guys are the best,” Rich said sincerely.

             
Kent pulled Roni to the side while everyone continued to talk.

             
“Sounds like a great idea, right?” He asked her.

             
Roni looked at Rich thoughtfully, then smiled at her brother. “Yeah, it really does.”

             
“He mentioned wanting to include dance lessons the other day. You would be great at that,” Kent said.

             
“I don’t know…” Roni replied.

             
“Just think about it.”

             
Roni nodded and accepted his brief hug.             

             
“I still think you should have more clothes on,” Kent teased her, causing her to smile again and punch him playfully in the arm.

             
“Shut up.”

             
Once it looked like the party was winding down and people were starting to leave the party, Kent scooted next to Nicole and asked if he could give her a ride home.

             
Nicole looked up at him and gave him a hesitant smile. “Sure.”

             
They walked around and said goodbye to their friends. Kent stomach began to twist as he thought about the conversation they had to have. He knew after they did, there was a possibility that Nicole would be out of his life, at least romantically.

Epilogue

              When they got outside, he realized that it was pretty cold out and she wasn’t wearing much. As he looked down at her beautiful face, he wished more than anything that he had the right to touch her, to kiss her, to pull her into his arms and keep her warm.

             
They hurried to his car and got in.  He turned it on to allow the heat to warm her chilled arms. Then he looked over at her and said, “You look amazing.”

             
Nicole looked down at her scantily clad body and tried in vain to pull the dress down over her legs, but smiled softly at his compliment.

             
“Thanks.” She looked up and into his eyes.

             
He looked at her sweet face, so full of hope, and he worried that he’d never be able to give her everything she deserved.

             
He grew nervous and started to wonder if his initial decision to let her go was right. Was he just being selfish by trying to keep her in his life?

             
“Kent?” She questioned softly when he didn’t start driving.

             
He turned to look at her and said, “I don’t know exactly what to say, Nic. I mean, I know that I hurt you the other day, and I wanted to apologize for that. But I also want to say that I miss you, and I hate to think that I have caused you any pain.”

             
“I won’t lie to you,” Nicole replied. “You did hurt me, but I understand where you were coming from.”

             
Kent nodded, happy that she understood him, but sad that she may in some way agree with him. Agree that he wasn’t good enough.

             
“I’m sorry for the things that you went through as a child, but where you come from and how you were raised is not a factor in the way I feel about who you are now.” Nicole put her hand on his cheek; she wanted to make sure he was looking in her eyes as she continued. She wanted him to see that she was sincere in what she said.

             
“Kent, I think you’re the most wonderful, talented, kind-hearted, amazing person that I‘ve ever met. When I’m with you, I feel strong and invincible. You make me believe that I can be anything I want to be.”

             
She smiled shyly at him and continued, “Kent, I’m in love with you.”

             
Kent couldn’t help the pride that he felt at her words. The way she described him is the way that he always hoped people would perceive him. Not as his father’s son, or the boy who came from nothing, but as the man he was today. He was still afraid and unsure, but he felt he owed it to Nicole to tell her what was in his heart as well.

             
“Nic, I think you’re a strong, beautiful, and capable woman. The way you stood up for yourself and your beliefs, even when you knew that your parents wouldn’t understand, amazes me. You have a kind heart and are the sweetest woman I’ve ever met. I want to strive to make you proud of me and hope that you’ll always look at me the way you do now.”

             
He looked deep into her eyes and declared, “I’m in love with you, Nicole.”

             
Nicole smiled broadly and a single tear fell down her face.

             
Kent wanted to kiss her, but he had to make sure that she understood everything he was feeling.

             
“I love you. That’s why I think you deserve better. You deserve a man like Jake. One who is as innocent as you, who hasn’t seen and done unmentionable things. Any man would be lucky to be able to marry you and raise children with you, and I want you to be sure that you can see a future with me.”

             
He paused to give her a moment to process everything he’d said. ”Your parents will probably never approve of me, and my parents will never be in the picture. It’ll just be us… and Roni. I don’t want you to feel that you’re settling by staying with me.”

             
Nicole took his hands in hers and held them tight.

             
“We have Roni, Rich, Bree, Colin, Kara, and Pete. They’re our family. I don’t need anyone else. If my parents won’t approve of you or our relationship, then I don’t need them in my life.” She squeezed his hand in hers and said, “I don’t see being with you as settling. I feel like the luckiest woman in the world when I’m with you. Jake’s not the man that I want or need, you are.”

             
Kent saw the truth in her eyes and relief flooded him.

             
He finally did what he’d wanted to do since he first saw her that evening. He pulled her to him kissed her thoroughly, putting everything he felt into the kiss.

             
When they pulled away, Nicole looked happily up at him and said simply, “I choose you.”

Keep reading for an excerpt from the third book in the Friends & Lovers Trilogy

Trust in Me

Available in Spring 2013