The Billionaire's Personal Shopper

Brotherly Advice

That night at the Merigold Chocolate launch party I did something horrible. Well, it wasn't something I regretted but I knew I should regret it. A good person would feel guilty about what happened that night. Lucas had been wonderful. He made me laugh, he showed he cared. He was the best date ever. Yet my date wasn't the one I kissed at the end of the night. It was Mr. Blackwood. Thinking about that kiss which barely lasted for a second made me brush my fingers over my lips. I needed to talk to someone about it. I needed to get it off my chest. I had barely any friends I shared personal things with though. They betrayed me one too many times for me to trust people outside my inner circle. Most of the time I was happy living like this. At times like these though, I wished I had someone I could share my concerns with. I didn't dare to talk to mom about it. I knew she was already fantasizing about my wedding with Lucas. We had one date and the moms were already giggling like teenagers sharing a secret. I couldn't tell her about my kiss. I stood before the office of the one person I could run to. We never really had a great bond, but I felt like that night we spend together watching movies and eating take-out made us grow a little closer together. Nick was all I had right now. I knocked once, a firm knock which radiated confidence. It was unlike me at the moment, I didn't know where that came from. Nick heard it though, he told me to come in. I stepped into his office and closed the door behind me. My brother was seated behind a glass desk, his jacket discarded, the first two buttons of shirt undone and his tie missing. He was having a rough morning. I shouldn't have come here.

"Nina." He greeted.

"Nick." I greeted back in a small voice, "It seems that you're busy. I should go."

"Don't be silly." He looked away from his laptop and flashed me a warm smile, "Come on, take a seat. Don't just stand there looking all awkward."

His voice was gentle and his eyes were soft. He looked genuinely happy to see me. I hesitated, but when Nick raised an eyebrow at me in question I did take a seat in the chair across him.

"You okay?" I asked him.

He looked amused with me, "I should be asking you that question, shouldn't I?"

"What do you mean?"

I placed my bag on the empty chair beside me, fixing my already perfectly straightened hair. It was groomed to perfection this morning yet I felt so nervous I kept fidgeting around. Fixing my hair, straightening the skirt of my black dress. I was a nervous wreck right now.

"You've never come to see me in the middle of the day. Something is up." He shut his laptop and gave me his full attention, "You can tell me what's on your mind. I'll listen."

He showed me that he would. Yet I had no idea where to start. I decided to just say it and get it over with, like ripping off a band-aid.

"I kissed Mr. Blackwood at the launch party."

Nick was quiet for a minute, it looked like he needed to take it in. He reached for his cup of coffee, it was probably cold right now. He sipped it, the face he made was funny but laughter wouldn't leave my lips. I just stared at him, hoping he'd say something. He placed his cup back down, looking more at ease despite that coffee probably not being good.

"Wasn't that tall guy your date?"

"Yes, and I didn't kiss him. I kissed the man who is kind of my boss."

"Well, being your date doesn't mean you owed it to him to kiss him goodnight. You aren't in a relationship so you also don't have to feel bad about kissing someone else. I mean, it wasn't ideal especially since Jacob is more or less your boss. But things happen you have no control over. Instead of worrying about something you can't change how about you focus on something you can change?"