Nothing Personal [*Complete*]

14

For the rest of the weekend I couldn't stop grinning, even with Logan from Special Projects blowing up my e-mail and voicemail about me not distracting Mr. Emery well enough. All I cared about was the fact that he finally opened up to me and that I managed to have such an impact on him. Essentially I spent the rest of the weekend in a delirious haze like a high schooler who just found out their crush likes them too. Mr. Emery and I were the last people to leave so we got to watch all of the others slowly filter out through Sunday until only Colin, Steve, Mr. Emery and myself remained.

It was sunset when Colin was loading up his car. I decided to go out and wish him a safe trip since no one else seemed to. Mr. Emery was busy listening to the news on the television while he read more news on his tablet.

"Is it okay if I see Colin off?" I asked as I got up from the couch. Mr. Emery smiled at me.

"Of course. You should put a coat on though the temperature dropped again." His voice was so neutral but I'd picked up on what he was doing. It was him subtly commanding me. I complied of course snagging my coat out of the closet before walking out into the November cold.

Colin was still trying to get his bags to fit in the back of his car, a newer Camaro in in that same gunmetal gray as the Mustang. His cigarette was hanging out of the corner of his mouth as he tried to fit his bags and a canvas in the backseat.

"Need some help?"

When he heard my voice he spun around and instantly put the cigarette out on the drive.

"I should think before I paint." He chuckled and sighed.

"Too much canvas?"

"Yeah and there's no space in the trunk. I have a bunch of paint and stuff back there that I meant to take out before I drove up here but time wasn't on my side."

"Why don't you just put your bag on the passenger seat?"

He sucked his teeth. "But where would my imaginary girlfriend sit?"

"You completely forgot about it didn't you?"

"Yeah, I was kind of pissed that I grabbed the canvas size I did."

"What's the painting of? It's not my face again is it?"

"No. It's the house. I've crossed over into a new period I think. Still abstract but..." He leaned in and lifted the corner of the sheet. It was the house clearly but the colors were different and it didn't look half as angry as his other paintings.

"You have a real eye for capturing emotion in color."

"Thanks."

"So why this painting?"

"Well home changed. I don't know when we were at the festival and after it was like I had my brother back. He laughed when we were alone and we actually had a conversation where he said more than six words in a row. It was nice and I know I have you to thank for that."

"You're welcome? I think?"

"He needs you. He might not say it but he does. You've changed him, Natalia, in ways I didn't think were possible anymore." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Now he's still a bastard, but he's opening up more. Yesterday he actually sat down and talked to me about what happened to us and how he felt about it. He's never done that." Colin but his bag in the passenger seat and sighed. "Part of me wishes I had you in my life but he needs you more. You're a very special lady, Natalia."

"And you're kind of creepy, but tolerable." We shared a laugh. "Are you going to be in the city?"

"Yeah, for two more weeks and then it's on to either Paris or London until Christmas."

"Well have fun, and be safe. Okay?"

"Of course."

"C'mere." I held out my arms for a hug and embraced him. Again he seized the opportunity for a kiss and I broke it but he didn't let me go even as I covered his lips with my fingers. "Colin, we've been over this. Friends don't kiss friends at least not like that."

"I know. I just... I'm sorry."

"Now, let me go or I'm going to knee you in the nuts." He released me and I took a step back from him. "Look, I know you have issues with closeness and getting signals crossed M—Aidan understands it too, but next time you do that I'm either going to punch you in the face or knee you in the balls. Got me?"

"Yeah. It won't happen again. If you ever need to talk about him give me a call okay? Here." He took a business card out of his pocket and handed it to me. I took the card and he got in his car and drove off. I lingered for a moment in the driveway and looked up in time to see the curtain fall back into place.