chapter Ten
Somehow, Adam found out I was feeling better and, after talking to our manager, informed me I was to work double shifts on Saturday and Sunday to compensate for the days I’d missed during the week.
As a result, when I arrived home Saturday night and was invited by Raisa to go to the club with her, I had to refuse. I felt exhausted and useless. There was no way I could go out, even if there was a possibility of the real Victor being there. As it was, I found out on Sunday he’d been at the club with two classmates.
“He’s totally hot, but Nad, please, he has this permanent I’m-mad-with-the-world look.” Raisa also told me a few girls tried to talk to him, and he turned them down. “I think he was rude to them.” Then she mentioned how his stance was stoic and detracting at the same time. “He doesn’t look like a bad boy. He just looks antisocial and annoyed.”
So I wasn’t the only one he mistreated or the only one who noticed how his posture shouted “back off.” That was sort of a relief.
When the hospital called me to schedule an interview, my hands started sweating. There was a big chance I would run into Victor there, and despite the fact I wanted to see him and talk to him, I didn’t know if I was ready to face him yet. But there was nothing I could do. I needed this job. I agreed on an interview time, right after my shift was over on Monday evening.
Destiny or not, I literally bumped into Victor’s grandma when I left the human resources office after my interview.
“I’m so sorry, ma’am.” I grabbed her arm to steady her. Bianca Gianni was old and fragile, with a neat white bun and gentle wrinkles adorning her still beautiful face. Sadly, she was alone. No Victor.
“I’m fine, dear,” she said, her parched tone revealing how sick she really was. But she found the energy to smile at me. She wasn’t as tall as her grandson, but she was still much taller than I. “I was close to the walls and doors. You know, in case I trip.” She chuckled and I grinned.
Hmm. Ideas sprouted in my mind. “Do you need any help getting somewhere?”
“No, no, dear. I’m just stretching my legs. I get tired of spending most of my day in these damned hospital beds.” Her dull laugh became a couple of dried coughs. “I apologize for my inappropriate words.”
“No need to apologize.” I stepped back, letting her pass me and get on with her walk. If what my vision Victor had told me was right, she stumbled over her feet all the time, and I would be there to offer her my arm for support.
Not even ten seconds later, Bianca did trip and, when I offered assistance, she accepted it.
“There aren’t many nice young ladies around anymore,” she said with a gentle smile. Oh, if only she knew.
“You know,” I said, prepared to use bribery to find out what I wanted to know while we strolled through the hospital’s sterilized corridors. I had a chance to prove if all I knew about the Gianni family was right. “I was on my way to the cafeteria to buy a cocoa cappuccino. Would you like one?”
Her green eyes brightened. “I would love one,” she exclaimed, then lowered her voice. “My grandson would kill me if he knew I had one. You see, I shouldn’t eat chocolate or drink coffee. And certainly not both at once.”
I chuckled at the old lady’s enthusiasm. I loved the fact that during one of my visions, Victor had commented how it was hard to keep his grandmother away from chocolate and coffee and some other things she shouldn’t consume in excess.
My heart rate rocketed. Oh God, it was true!
“I won’t tell him if you don’t,” I whispered, and she eagerly agreed, looking like a child who was about to get a new toy.
After getting cocoa cappuccinos, Bianca and I sat at one of the cozy internal gardens the hospital had built after the darkness had taken over. By then, we had formally introduced ourselves, and she had told me about her illness—like in my visions, she had stomach cancer.
“I don’t think I have much time left,” she confessed, seated by my side on one of the wooden benches. She had on a heavy wool coat, but she looked cold. I considered getting her inside, but she seemed so relaxed next to the living plants. “I try to be strong, you know. I have to. Otherwise, I don’t know what will become of my grandson.”
To keep her talking, I pretended I didn’t know what she meant. I asked questions I knew the answers to just to make sure we were talking about the same Victor. “Where are his parents?”
“Oh, they died when Victor was thirteen, dear.” Her voice was strained. “My husband, my son, and his wife were in a store that was robbed. The criminal became nervous and shot everyone.”
I nodded, recalling when he had told me about it. “I’m so sorry.”
I was going to ask more, but a shadow fell over me. I glanced back and found Victor glaring at me.
“Grandma.” His tone was dangerously low. “What are you doing outside? And with a stranger?”
“She isn’t a stranger,” Bianca said. “Her name is Nadine, and she’s a nice young woman. She’s in the NYU pre-health program and just had an interview for a position within the hospital.” His grandma sounded like she was trying to sell him on me. I didn’t like it. And, from what I could see, neither did Victor. She turned to me. “I apologize for his behavior.”
“You don’t need to apologize for me,” he retorted. “I’ll apologize when I think it’s necessary.”
“Then at least be polite,” she chided him. I guessed that was a regular situation, seeing as she had raised him since his parents’ deaths.
He puffed up but remained quiet.
“I’m sorry,” I muttered, smiling feebly at Bianca. “It was nice meeting you.”
“Oh, it was nice to meet you too, dear.” She reached out and patted my face. “If you ever come around again, I wouldn’t mind your visit.”
My weak smile widened, but it was short lived since Victor’s glare made my whole being wilt.
Afraid of answering, I just nodded. “Goodbye,” I said.
I stalked away, wanting distance from this rude, cruel Victor whose sharp voice I could hear behind me. He reproached his grandma for talking to me and for trusting a stranger. Even as tears brimmed in my eyes, I hummed to myself to mute his offensive words. How could the two Victors look so alike yet be so different?
***
The next day I left my apartment in a hurry, nearly late for work. Ugh, I had never been this disorganized before. I was usually the most punctual, ordered, and responsible person. Now, I was a jumble of messy thoughts and goals. I wanted to get on with my life, to make it to the end of a normal day like a normal person with normal problems.
When Micah stepped in front of me, I realized my normal day would have to wait. The air swept out of my lungs. With thoughts of Victor consuming my energy, I had forgotten about Micah and how gorgeous he was.
Like some dark stallion, he was dressed in black, except for the T-shirt, which was white. Black pants, boots, and leather jacket. Added that combination to his endless ebon eyes, jet hair, full lips, and tanned skin. I wondered if he was real at all. Like Victor, he was too handsome to be true. Perhaps he was another trick of my mind, another hallucination sent to haunt me and make my legs tremble.
“What do you want?” I asked, walking past him. Why did I become irritable every time he was near me?
“What? Can’t I just want to see you?” With his long strides, it didn’t take him more than three seconds to catch up with me.
“Last time I checked, no,” I snapped. Poor guy, I was releasing my anger and frustration on him. Was it because I was mad that real-life Victor wouldn’t give me the attention Micah did? Mad because I wanted the attention to come from Victor, not Micah?
Micah grinned slyly. “Come on, you must know you’re beautiful enough to make a guy want to see you again.”
I skidded to a stop. “What? Is that a joke?”
He stepped toward me, closing the gap between us, and ran his fingers over my cheek, taking my breath away. An ice-cold shock came with his touch, but it was much fainter this time. I shivered and realized he was taking advantage of my vulnerability to make contact with my skin.
I pulled away. “Back off!”
He was laughing, but, oh God, he was so sexy when he laughed. “Sorry. Couldn’t resist.”
“I knew it.” I stomped on. “You’re after my touch.”
He fell into step with me easily. “Will you stop running from me?”
I didn’t answer him. Instead, I asked, “Why do you need to touch me?” I kept my gaze fixed ahead.
“I’ve told you. You’re too beautiful to resist.”
“Cut the crap.” I halted and faced him. “If you’re not gonna give me real answers, then leave me alone.”
“Well.” He raised his hand as if he were going to touch my face again, but gave up and buried his hand inside the pocket of his jacket. “I just wanted to see you.”
My heart skipped a beat. “No. You want my touch.”
He leaned closer, his intoxicating scent making me dizzy, and whispered, “That wasn’t the only reason.”
My throat was suddenly dry. My pulse accelerated. It was impossible to resist him. “Here.” I extended my hand, curiosity corroding my stomach. I wanted to find out if the touch of our hands would bring that bizarre effect again.
For a second, his black eyes shone with surprise. But soon eagerness took over, and he clasped my hand. The icy shock that returned with the contact made me gasp. I watched him close his eyes and tilt his head back. I was hallucinating again, wasn’t I? How could a person touch another and—I don’t know—gain energy from it? Drink from it? Feel better because of it?
I hadn’t thought of this before. Victor said my touch made his pain go away. Was this what happened to Micah, too?
He released my hand. “Thank you.”
“What does it help you with?” I asked, the wheels in my mind starting to function. “Pain? Is that it? You feel constant pain, and my touch relieves it?”
His eyes bugged. “I—” He closed his mouth. “How do you know?”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I resumed walking toward the café, Micah by my side. No more stomping now that he’d told me the truth.
He shrugged, his hands inside his pockets. “You’ll think I’m crazy.”
I laughed out loud. “Oh no. That’s not even close to craziness in my dictionary.”
He smiled at me. A true smile. “You should laugh more.” Then he sighed, returning to his somber mood. “Not just pain,” he continued. “Your touch also helps with queasiness.”
“Are you sick?” I touched his arm, worried.
He glanced at my hand on his arm and showed me his sly grin. Self-conscious and flushing, I pulled my hand back.
“I don’t think I’m sick. If I was, wouldn’t I feel aches and nausea all the time? It comes and goes without reason. And there are times it’s so intense, I can’t get up.”
So that was what had happened with Victor. He had crumpled to the ground because of this intense pain. But what was it? How could both of them feel the same thing?
Now I was super curious. “Does something trigger it?”
“Not that I have noticed.”
“Who else besides me can relieve your pain?”
“No one. I’ve never thought it was possible to lessen the aches.” His smile widened, and he halted then continued, “Until I met you.”
I stared into his eyes, hypnotized. “What?”
“We’re here.” He motioned behind me.
I turned around. The heat of embarrassment flushed my cheeks. We had arrived at the café, and I never noticed. Should I invite him in? I wanted to. He was a charming guy who actually wanted to talk to me. Dreamy.
A knock on the glass behind me snapped me out of it. Adam. He pointed to his wristwatch and glared.
“Well, see you later,” Micah said. He took my hand and kissed my palm, his eyes on mine the whole time.
I felt hot again. “See you,” I muttered. He released my hand, bowed, and started walking away.
I stood there, watching his perfect form grow smaller and smaller, my mind so lost.
Another knock on the glass made me jump. I didn’t even turn to see Adam glaring at me. I entered the café, my mind divided between warm thoughts of Micah and cold moments with Victor.