When she smacked straight into Brian in the hotel hall and dropped all her stuff, she nearly lost it. “Are you all right, Liz?” he asked.
“I’m fine. Just really stressed out. Today has not been a very good day,” she replied, holding back tears.
“Come on. I think you need some tea. You look like you’re going to burst,” he stated. He led her into his room and sat her down on the sofa before going into the kitchen area.
In a few minutes, he came back in with a cup of tea. “Do you want to talk about anything?”
She opened her mouth and spilled everything that had happened that day, leaving out the part about Nick. Surely, Brian would stand up for his best friend, and she didn’t want to bring his name into this. “I think I’m losing my mind, Brian. I’m taking all this way too seriously.”
“No, you’re not. You just need to hit pause and take some time for yourself. Why don’t you go back to your room and take a long bubble bath?” he suggested.
She nodded and got up. “That sounds like a good idea. That always relaxes me.”
He opened the door for her. “Listen, if you ever need someone to talk to, I’m here.”
“That’s what Nick said, too,” she blurted out.
“What?”
“Did I say that out loud?” she asked.
“Yeah, you did. What do you mean?”
She let out a sigh. “He hasn’t talked to me since a couple weeks ago. It’s driving me nuts because I don’t think I did anything that would make him mad at me.”
“It’s his damn girlfriend,” Brian muttered.
“What? What about her?”
“Look, I’m not supposed to tell you this, but she was insecure about how he supposedly flirted with you, so she made him promise not to spend time with you anymore. I think it’s insane, but I can’t make him see that.”
“That would explain it.” She took a deep breath. This day was just getting better and better. “I’m gonna go take my bath now. Thanks, Brian.”
“Anytime, sweetie.” He gave her a big hug. “And don’t worry about Nick. He’ll figure out he’s being an idiot sooner or later.”
“Thanks.”