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“Nick, this isn’t a good idea. I’ll agree to stay with you at your condo, but we can’t go away.”
“It’s done.” He kisses along my hairline, and my heart starts to beat faster.
“What about the movers? They’ll be there tomorrow according to Shaw.”
“I asked Gail to reschedule for Saturday afternoon, so you could be there.”
“Nick, I have far too much going on right now. It’s irresponsible.”
He leans back and bends a bit, bringing his face eye level to mine. “Grace, we need this. I can’t let you go away with the way things are between us.”
“I told you, I forgive you.”
“You lied. You’re still lying.”
“Don’t you have football stuff to do?”
“It’s taken care of.”
“Nick, please. We can’t.” I’m prepared to beg.
His hands move to my head, his fingertips sifting through my hair and forcing me to keep my face to him.
“Grace, I fucked up, and I know it. I’m sorry for that. But you aren’t leaving Miami with any doubts of how much I love you. It was an act, a charade. It was all lies. Not one word that came out of my mouth that morning was the truth. You are everything to me. If I could go back in time, I’d change everything.”
Hearing his confession breaks the last remaining pieces of my heart. It’s the validation I’ve been praying for, but it’s too late.
“Nick, we can’t be together while I’m gone. Regardless of your reasons, I now agree with you. We should take a step back and see what happens when I return.”
“Not fucking happening. You’re mine, Grace, and when you step foot on that plane, you’ll still be mine. Seattle isn’t that far. As soon as the season is over, I’m coming to you, and until then, I’ll pay for you to fly home every free day you have.”
Pain shoots down my side, and my knees give out. I double over, falling into him. He catches me easily, sliding an arm under my legs and lifting me. He carries me inside and sits, cradling me in his lap as I concentrate on not hyperventilating.
“Baby, I’ll buy a plane if I have to. Nothing is going to keep me away from you.”
This is it. I have to tell him about my change of plans and my rash decision that will likely end any chance of a continuing relationship.
“Nick?” I take a deep breath and raise my face back to his. He’s looking at me with such love and concern, I know I’ve made a huge mistake. “I need to talk to you about my trip.”
“Not tonight. Maybe not tomorrow either. This is our time.”
I lose my courage and nod, agreeing because I’m a coward.
“Give me this, Grace. Please?”
“Okay, Nick.”
Internally, I’m at war with myself, but I’m giving in. Because when he finds out what I’ve been hiding, he’s likely never to speak to me again.
Chapter 29
Nick
It’s all wrong.
My stomach and chest both tighten at the same time, forcing me to balance against the railing. The sun beats down as I stare out onto the horizon and think about the woman asleep inside the cabin who’s emotionally unrecognizable to me.
Grace is quiet, closed off, hesitant to give me any type of clue what’s happening in her head. Maybe it was selfish of me to try to whisk her away for this time alone. She’s uprooting her entire life in a few days, and I basically stole her from her responsibilities.
