Feeling This

Chapter Twenty-two

"I feel like I should apologize."

Nicolette raised her eyes from Tess of the d'Urbervilles and glared up at Rick. "You are literally the last person I want to talk to right now."

Rick sighed and sat down next to her on the couch. "How was I supposed to know that Tom was going to lose his mind and give Mark a black eye?"

"What did you think was going to happen, Rick?" Nicolette asked, frustrated and annoyed. She never thought that she would actually want to read a book for school, but it was better than listening to his excuses.

"I don't know," Rick shrugged. "I thought you guys could work things out and have a threesome or something."

Nicolette looked at him with disbelief. "What the actual fuck is wrong with you?"

"Okay, I'm sorry!" He spoke earnestly as Nic tried to go back to her book. "I just figured he already knew. And I'm sure he did and just hadn't wanted to admit it to himself."

"Whatever, Rick," she huffed, turning back to her schoolwork.

"Please, Nic," Rick begged. "I really am sorry. I didn't mean for all that to happen and for Travis to find out."

Nicolette looked up at him, sighing when she saw the remorseful look in his eyes. As much as she wanted to, she couldn't really blame Rick, only herself. Nicolette was the one who had chosen to fuck Tom's best friend after they had broken up and lie to her uncle about it. Even if Rick had pulled the trigger, Nicolette had loaded the gun.

"He was going to find out eventually," she replied. Rick smiled tentatively, correctly assuming that that meant Nic was accepting his apology.

It was easy to forgive Rick, but it was a lot harder to forgive herself. Especially when Travis was still mad at her. Her uncle had always been a quiet person, but he was acting even more distant than usual after he had found out about the secret relationships. It nearly broke her heart when, after the show in Dallas, he told her she wouldn't be staying for the rest of the tour. She had never even wanted to go on this tour in the first place, but now she hated the thought of leaving.

"Is this about the fight yesterday?" Nicolette asked, wondering if Travis was worried it was going to happen again. "I'm really sorry. I never meant for that to happen."

"You're sorry you got caught," Travis sighed.

"No! That's not what I meant," she protested. "I'm sorry for all of it, for seeing Tom in the first place and then Mark and not telling you about any of it."

"Why didn't you tell me, Nicky?" Nicolette used to hate hearing that nickname, but now it reminded her of the old days when Travis would take her to the aquarium or the beach or the zoo just to help her mom and grandma out. It reminded her of better times, before she had ruined their relationship.

"Because...because I was scared you wouldn't let us be together," Nicolette answered quietly. She felt so stupid about it now. Why had she risked everything with her uncle just for a dumb guy who had ended up breaking her heart?

"Yeah..." Travis nodded his head understandingly. "Well, you're probably right about that. They're good guys; they're both just so much older than you, Nicky."

Nicolette just nodded, not wanting to argue.

"I just can't believe this happened," Travis shook his head incredulously. "Your mom wanted me to look after you, and it turns out you've been having sex with two older men."