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Once secluded by the door marked ‘Private,’ Nicole leaned against it, allowing the coolness of the wood to seep into her skin, a stark contrast to the heat flushing her cheeks. Here she allowed herself a moment of vulnerability.
Theodore’s absence was a chasm in her chest, the distance between them magnified by the echoes of her racing heart. She felt as if she stood on the beach, trying to observe a storm, but it came and washed her out to sea.
Every twitch a person made seemed to signal danger to her mind now. She had once relished her time alone, thankful to not have people around her, and now all she could think about was getting back to Theodore. Even when she was in a crowd, she felt unsafe without him there.
“Hurry back,” she whispered to the empty room, her words a prayer to the silence. “I need your strength to still these tremors in my soul.”
Theodore, with his steadfast gaze and gentle reassurances, had become more than her partner. He was her confidante, her protector, her grounding force. And without him, the gallery seemed like a dangerous place where every stranger’s glance held the weight of unseen dangers. She couldn’t ask people not to put their hands in their pockets, yet when they did, she trembled.
Nicole straightened. She couldn’t give in to the fear that sought to cripple her spirit. But as she steadied her breath and prepared to face the crowd once more, she knew she had to put on a brave face. Her future husband was a busy man who couldn’t afford to spend all his time babysitting her.
“Nicole,” came Theodore’s voice, and she turned to see him walking toward her, carrying a wicker basket, the scent of fresh bread and herbs wafting from within. His eyes found hers, brimming with concern.
“Your lunch,” he said, setting the basket down before taking a seat opposite her. “I thought you might like something from that little bistro next door.”
“Thank you, Theodore,” she murmured, though she wasn’t sure she could eat with as nervous as she was.
“You’ve been quiet,” he observed, watching her with an intensity that seemed to pierce through her defenses.
Nicole exhaled. “At night, every creak of this old building sets me on edge. I lie awake, straining against the silence for any sign of danger.” Her voice broke on the last word.
Theodore’s expression tightened, his jaw clenching at the admission. “You shouldn’t be afraid,” he stated. He sat down beside her, putting an arm around her shoulders.
“I’m haunted by shadows instead of inspired by light,” she confessed, her gaze lowering to her hands that now clasped together in her lap. “I know the danger has passed, so why am I still so scared?”
“Then come away with me, back to the palace.” His offer was tender but firm. “You are safe here, Nicole, but it’s not enough to be safe—you deserve to feel safe.”
A sigh escaped her, one that seemed to carry the burden of countless sleepless nights. “To leave the gallery...” she began, torn between her sanctuary of art and the refuge found with him.
“Is to heal,” he finished softly. “The gallery will thrive, as it always has. But you, my dearest, need respite.”
Nicole’s heart fluttered with a mixture of anxiety and longing. To abandon her gallery felt like a betrayal, yet the very notion of being enveloped in the protective embrace of the palace walls brought a sense of solace she could no longer deny herself.
“All right,” she whispered. She hated to feel she was giving up, but perhaps she could come back after she’d spent some time feeling safe.
“Good.” Theodore reached across the space between them, his hand enveloping hers. “We’ll go as soon as you’re ready. Until then, I’m here.”
Nicole spent the next couple of hours getting her employees ready to take on her job for a while. All of them knew what she’d been through, and no one thought less of her, but Nicole thought less of herself. The danger was gone with Christopher in jail, and she shouldn’t be so worried all the time.
When she felt as if the next few exhibits would be handled well, she gathered her personal belongings and left with Theodore.
“Nicole,” Theodore began as they got into the back of the car he’d called for, a guard and driver in the front, “I’ve been thinking. If being alone makes you so nervous, maybe we should rush the wedding. Then you don’t need to worry about being alone so much.”
Nicole’s heart skipped at his words. A quick wedding? The notion was both exhilarating and daunting. She envisioned the intricacies of royal nuptials and felt a flutter of panic at the enormity of such an undertaking.
“Do you really think we could?” Her voice held a note of disbelief, though not displeasure.
“Definitely.” He took her hand in his and held it tightly. “My mother, Amanda, and Eloise will help you. They’re all ecstatic that we’ve found one another, and they want to do all they can to help.
The idea of becoming his wife in mere weeks wrapped around her like a silken shawl, both comforting and luxurious.
“Three weeks,” she said, the words spilling out with an unexpected rush of clarity. “We could do it in three weeks.”
His gaze snapped to hers, surprise and delight mingling in his deep green eyes. “Truly? You believe we can arrange everything in such a short time?”
“Absolutely.” A laugh bubbled up from within her. “It’ll take a whirlwind of planning, but I’m no stranger to orchestrating grand events. And besides, I have Amanda, Queen Beatrice, and Princess Eloise. Together, we’re a formidable force.”
“Then it’s settled.” Theodore hugged her to his side. “In three weeks, you shall become my wife, and no shadow will dare touch you again.”
