“Babe,” she says, and when I squint my eyes at her use of the endearment, she almost cracks another smile. I consider it a victory. I’d like to go on with this silent communication game with Noli, but then she continues, “This is Nelson.”
I tense as I try to remember everything I know about this man and his relationship with Noli. Nelson is her ex-boyfriend. He’s the reason Poppy flew back to Pensacola nine months ago when Noli was in trouble, thanks to some scuffle between the two of them. I keep my gaze steady on Noli’s face. She hasn’t broken eye contact with me, and I’m trying to talk to her with my eyes.
Are you okay? What do you need me to do?
“Collin is my fiancé,” she blurts.
Oh.
Whoa.
“Fiancé?” Nelson snorts. “For real?”
Noli blinks. She widens her eyes for the briefest second and then looks away from me with a determined flicker in her gaze. She sticks up her nose at Nelson. “Yep.”
“Since when?” Nelson gives me another up-and-down glance, the disbelief evident in his gaze.
“It’s pretty recent,” I say easily. “We didn’t want to make a big deal about it. Noli and I like our privacy.”
I don’t take my focus off of Nelson, so I feel more than see Noli nod next to me.
He’s staring back at me, and I have to physically work to stop from clenching my fist at my side. Noli hasn’t told me the full story of what happened with this guy. I’ve heard bits and pieces from Poppy and Mack, so I know he treated her poorly. The extent of that mistreatment is unknown, but it doesn’t matter. I don’t have time for any man who can’t treat his partner with respect.
I size Nelson up again, making the split-second decision to try to knock this guy down a peg or two. “How do you and Noli know each other?”
Nelson puffs up his chest and smirks at Noli. There are about fifteen ways I can think of to wipe that smug expression off his face, and I’m getting real close to employing at least half of them.
“You didn’t tell him about us, Noles? After we dated for all those years?” He clicks his tongue and turns to me. “I don’t know if I’d trust her, man. Withholding information like that. What else isn’t she telling you, ya know?”
Noli’s body starts trembling under where I’ve still got my arm wrapped around her. I tighten my grip, willing some of my strength to act like a buoy for her.
“Oh! You’re the ex-boyfriend?” I say, as if it’s just dawning on me. “I forgot what your real name was. We always call you…well, never mind.” I shoot him an apologetic smile.
Nelson purses his lips, and the leathered skin of his face turns a shade darker. He’s trying to pretend like it’s not bugging him that I’m here with Noli—that Noli’s engaged—but it’s clear he’s not happy.
“It’s funny,” he says, all casual. “I always thought Noli and I would end up together.”
Noli’s shaking intensifies. Her face has gone white.
“Sorry, man. But that’s not going to happen.” I drop a kiss onto the top of her head.
“Guess it figures,” he says.
“What’s that?”
“That she’d move on from me to someone new so fast. She always was a little loose—if you catch my drift. I’d watch out if I were you.”
“What did you say?” My voice comes out with barely controlled fury, and I take a step toward him. Who does this guy think he is?
Nelson stuffs his hands into his pockets and rocks back on his heels. “You heard me.”
“I’m pretty sure I didn’t. Because it sounded like—”
“Like what? Like I implied that your fiancée is a tramp? Like I said, you heard me.”
I move into his personal space. All clear thought has fled, and I see red. I’m about to drag Nelson outside when Noli’s hand comes to rest on my chest.
“On that note, we should get going,” she says quietly.
