“I’m thinking he doesn’t deserve you.”

“You are?” Tears came to her eyes. Maybe he was right. Maybe she didn’t want to hear what he had to say. “You’re wrong, though,” she whispered. “You don’t know him.”

“I know enough. At a time when your family was in crisis and you needed him most, he was seeking comfort with another woman.”

Lina blushed. “He made a mistake.”

“He doesn’t deserve you.”

“That isn’t true.” Anger bubbled in her chest. “And your judgment is impaired. You told me I can’t value your opinion, remember?”

“Oh, I remember. But it’s true.”

“I like you better when you’re talking like a therapist.”

“Maybe you don’t want to be my friend after all.”

“Maybe I don’t,” she agreed. She knew she should get up and walk out of the restaurant. He’d crossed the line, and it was disloyal to Phil to stay, but as she met his eyes she knew she’d regret leaving. She didn’t understand exactly why, but she wasn’t ready to walk away from him. “You don’t understand.”

“You’re right. I don’t.”

“He saved me,” she whispered. “Without him, I don’t know what would have happened to me.”

He brought his eyebrows together. “What do you mean, ‘saved’ you? Saved you from what?”

She could feel her palms begin to sweat. “Something happened to me when I was sixteen—to me and my younger sister, Shiloh. It’s not important what, but Phil saved us. And then his family took me in because Phil refused to leave me. He was only seventeen years old, but he sacrificed everything for me. He had a scholarship to Duke, but he gave it up and went to Maryland instead because he didn’t want to leave me.”

Nick watched her in silence for several seconds before speaking. “Without more details, I’m operating with one arm tied behind my back. Would you give me a little more?”

“It’s not important. Just know that he saved me.”

“Tell me this. Did you at least receive counseling after this trauma? I’m assuming it was a trauma.”

“I tried. I went a few times. It didn’t help. Only Phil could help. I only feel safe with him.”

“Feel or felt?”

She considered his words. “I don’t know. He’s with me.”