Chapter 12: Thursday Evening

Thursday evenings had quietly become their thing.

Neither remembered exactly how it started.

One dinner became two.

Two became weekly.

Eventually it felt normal.

Comfortable.

Which should have worried them both.

This particular Thursday found them sitting in a small Italian restaurant near the academy.

"You know," Nadia said, "most people would assume we're dating."

Dominic nearly choked on his coffee.

"That's a terrible assumption."

"Is it?"

"Yes."

"You sound nervous."

"I'm not nervous."

"You're lying."

"Possibly."

Nadia laughed.

"Relax. I'm joking."

The problem was that she wasn't entirely joking.

And judging by Dominic's expression, he knew it.

The conversation shifted.

Training.

Competition.

Future plans.

Safe topics.

Until Nadia asked a question.

"Why did your last partnership end?"

Dominic became quiet.

Very quiet.

"That's a complicated answer."

"I have time."

For several seconds he stared at the table.

"We stopped trusting each other."

Nadia blinked.

The answer sounded painfully simple.

"That's it?"

"That's enough."

Something in his voice made her stop pushing.

"I'm sorry," she said.

Dominic looked surprised.

"It was a long time ago."

"Still."

He nodded slowly.

The conversation moved on.

But later, driving home, Nadia couldn't stop thinking about his answer.

Trust.

Such a small word.

And apparently powerful enough to destroy everything.