You Deserve Each Other

Later the same night, Naomi’s phone buzzes with a notification. Naomi refuses to check, not wanting to be crushed by a rejection from another job. Nicholas becomes suspicious, and while Naomi doesn’t blame him, she also doesn’t tell him what the notification might be, because she’s scared of looking like a failure. Nicholas goads her, saying he’s going to get his boss flowers or jewelry for the Secret Santa gift. Naomi flips out, clearly jealous. Suddenly, Nicholas is right in front of her, looking so expectant. Naomi wants to fight him, but she can’t and admits she’d be hurt if he got someone else flowers and jewelry. Nicholas confesses he made up the Secret Santa because he wanted to know if Naomi would care if he cheated.

Naomi wants to be mad, but she feels she can’t be, because she’s played similar games. Instead, she kisses him, and the two get lost in each other. To Naomi, they both seem like new people, to the point where she thinks, “It’s like I’m cheating on my fiancé” (221). When Nicholas pulls away, Naomi runs to her room and lies awake, staring into the dark, unsure how to feel.