Deserving Love: A Contemporary Romance Series (Nick & Lexi Book 1) by Kay Brody Page B

we’d decided on.  
    “Are you serious?” she was laughing uncontrollably. “This is the best thing I think I have ever heard!”
    “How can you say that?” I cried out. “This is horrible!”
    “Are you kidding? The man you have been attached to turns out to be a super hot rich guy? How the hell is that horrible?”
    “I hate Evan Monroe!” I squealed trying to make sure no one heard me.  
    “Do you? Or do you hate what he was doing? Because seems to me when you took away the name and the retail center, you liked him a hell of a lot!” she argued.  
    I had to think about what she was saying. Truth was she was right. I had liked Nick more than I should have. And Nick was Evan without all of the things I didn’t like about Evan.  
    “This is just too weird,” I admitted. “I don’t know what to think.”
    “What does he think about it?” she asked sincerely and it was in that moment that I realized I didn’t know.  
    “I’m not sure,” I shrugged. “I made him leave.”
    “What? You didn’t even hear his side?”
    I shook my head. I felt bad once I thought about it. I was busy dealing with my own reaction and unaware that he was having his own. Nick or Evan or whoever he was had to deal with the same sudden realization that I’d had. I’m sure it was just as hard.  
    “He will contact me,” I stated. “I have no doubt about that.”
    “And what will you say?” she asked as we finished up the drink and I dug in my purse for money.
    “I’m not sure yet,” I threw the bills down onto the countertop. “I’ll figure that out when the time comes I guess.”
    “Lexi,” she spoke softly as we stood up to leave. “Don’t fuck this one up. You have it all in one package. Hear him out.”
    I nodded and turned to walk towards the parking lot. I didn’t have any more words. More like I didn’t know what words to say. I knew that Kendall understood the position I was in and how I felt. She wouldn’t assume I was being rude to her.  
    My bath that night felt better than usual, but I found myself missing Nick and his teasing and flirting. Then I remembered that Nick was Evan and I wasn’t sure if I missed him or not.  
    I didn’t stay in and soak like I normally would. Instead, I made it out quick and then went to the kitchen to fix something for dinner. Nothing sounded good and I ended up grabbing some chips and heading to the sofa to veg out and watch TV.  
    When I heard my phone chirp I wanted to ignore it. It was him. That I knew and I was almost afraid to see what he had to say. But the curiosity killed me. And if I was honest, I missed him, and this made me grab the phone. Before I looked at it I thought about the situation. What was I hoping he’d say? Did I want him to be okay with it? Did I want him to end it?  
    I realized the thought of that scared me. I didn’t want to think that Nick, or Evan or whoever he was, would disappear. So I said a quick prayer as I unlocked my screen and pulled up the message.  
    Do you hate me? You certainly seemed like you hated me.
    No. I don’t hate you. I was just….surprised. And confused. And I don’t know.  
    You don’t think I was?
    I wasn’t thinking of that when I found out. I was too overwhelmed.  
    You made me leave Lexi. You wouldn’t even listen to me. You wouldn’t look at me. It was like being in that church all over again. Only worse.  
    I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel like that. I just didn’t know what to think or what to say.  
    So what do you think?
    I don’t know Nick….Evan. I don’t know.  
    You realize I’m the same person, right?
    Yes. I also realize we had a deal. No meeting. We would never know each other.  
    Did you really plan to stick with that?
    Yes. I did.
    Why Lexi? What is so bad about us knowing each other? Do you not enjoy this?
    I do. I like it a lot. But nothing works out like that. Now that we know each other, we know the bad. The things we dislike. That’s where it gets