Book Two - It Should Have Been Us

Chapter Thirteen Page Two

{James' POV}

I don’t like where this is going but yes.

May problema ka ba?

None that I know of. Well, if you consider our situation a problem… then there’s that.

I mean like… ngayon? With you know… personal, friends, love life ganyan…

I chuckled. We’re not discussing my love life Nadine.

Okay. She turned to the pool and stayed quiet. But she keeps chewing her lower lip.

Damn. I hate it when you do that. Fine. What do you want to know really?

Her face beaming, she turned to me. Nath? Are you guys okay?

What made you think we’re not?

I don’t know. She just left too soon.

She must have somewhere to be.
She just looked at me, doubtful. I closed my eyes and rubbed my eyebrows.
Truth is. I have no idea.

What’s going on James? Kami ba? She doesn’t like the setup does she? With me and Reese here? Us pretending we’re a happy family?

We don’t talk about that.

What do you mean you don’t talk about it? At the meeting with Viva. She said she was okay with all this. Did she say anything otherwise afterwards?

You wanna know something? What Nath and I have – it doesn’t even come close to what you and Paulo have. We don’t talk. Or we do. But not about the important stuff. We’re both avoidant and it works for the both of us just fine.

How does that work?

It just does.

And now?

I sighed. I honestly have no clue.

Call her.

Huh?

Call her up. Ask her why she left early. Invite her on an out of town rendezvous tomorrow.

Are you being serious?

Yeah. I mean, it’s your off tomorrow. You don’t have any pictorial or event scheduled. Maybe you guys just need time together. Has she met Reese?

Briefly.

Does she want to get to know Reese?

Where are you going with this?

James, I think it’s just fair that Reese gets to know his future stepmother. Don’t you think? She smiled at me briefly.

I didn’t say anything. She looked back at the pool while she finishes her drink. I couldn’t help but stare.

What she said – about Nath being a stepmom; she couldn’t be more far-fetched. If I’m being honest, that was never in the cards. I felt a little guilty but along with the guilt comes a bit of fluttering in my stomach at the thought of Paulo being Reese’s stepdad. Maybe she’s thought about it. Hell, maybe it’s even part of her future plans.

I try to visualize my future and I only see Reese. And Nadine. I see Nadine too.