Terms + Conditions (Strangers #3)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

THEN

May 2019

“THANK YOU FOR DROPPING those pies off to your mom earlier,” Elizabeth says from the doorway.

Warm light with an orange hue streams through the windows of my home office, signaling that it’s way past time to be working, but I had taken a little extra time off this afternoon to help my sister put her plan in motion. Elizabeth looks radiant standing there, and I lean back in my chair, admiring the woman who is about to become my wife. We have four months until we’re supposed to say I Do , and wedding planning has been nonstop since January. Who knew there was so much shit to do before walking down the aisle? I didn’t. Luckily, she has been taking care of most of it with Nina’s help.

“They were a hit at the PTA meeting, or so your mom says.”

“They always are.”

Elizabeth had picked up baking after her parents died. It gave her something to do, something to take her mind off things. Recovery was a long road, and baking gave her a sense of purpose again. There was a great sense of accomplishment in transforming simple ingredients into a delectable treat. Not only was it her escape, but it offered new challenges, bringing a sense of pride every time she was able to conquer a tough recipe.

“Why did you drag Nick with you to Nina’s office today?” she asks, raising her brow as she sits in the chair across from me. She crosses her legs before folding her hands on top of her knee.

“He needed to grab a part from the store. I was already going into town, so I offered him a ride, and thought we could grab a bite.”

“ And stop by Nina’s with the pies for your mom when you could easily drop them off at school?” Elizabeth laughs when I shrug. “I’m assuming MJ told you about Brina threatening to set Nina up with the neighbor.”

“She may have mentioned something about it.”

“Let me guess.” She lightly taps her chin before turning to me with a smirk. “She told you about it, and then you both decided Nick was the answer?”

The plan was simple. I’d call Nick and invite him to lunch. It just so happened that fate was on my side, and Nick needed to go into town anyway. When Michaela mentioned Nina was in a predicament and wondered if Nick would go for it, I told her absolutely not, but it was worth a shot. Our cousin was in desperate need of a vacation. The past six years had been anything but kind to him. Why not give him a shove in the right direction? I never anticipated the two of them already knowing each other. Nick had always avoided any interaction with her that I was aware of; I should’ve known something was up when his mood instantly changed the second we pulled up to DV Designs on the square. I just assumed it was because of whatever his previous presumptions were. Until…

“What are you doing here?” Nina had asked, genuinely surprised when Nick turned away from her older designs displayed on the wall.

“You know each other?” Michaela asked, sharing a confused glance with me.

“He’s the guy who spilled coffee on me.”

“You’re coffee boy?” My sister all but shouted.

“Coffee boy?” I asked, confused by the entire interaction.

“Nick ran into Nina two weeks ago and spilled coffee all over her.”

“Correction, she ran into me,” Nick interjected, a smirk spreading across his lips as he stared down the woman I brought him to meet. After a quick re-introduction, Nick had no interest in sticking around to get to know her, ready to get back to work at the garage. He didn’t say much on the way back from town, but then again, I didn’t expect him to.

“I know my cousin,” I say to Elizabeth. “He needs a break. It’s been six years since Aunt Evie died and…I don’t think he’s come up for air since.”

Elizabeth sucks in her bottom lip, chewing on the thought. If anyone should understand something like that, it’s her. Standing from the chair, she sighs and shakes her head, done with the conversation.

“You love Nick. Why do you care if he’s the person Nina decides to ask?”

“She already decided to ask him.”

I wonder if MJ knows. Who am I kidding? Of course she knows.

“Isn’t it better for her to take someone we all know instead of some random guy off the street?”

“Joshua Davis, are you a secret romantic?”

“It’s not a secret, Sugar,” I say with a wink, and she rolls her eyes, but I can see the blush rising in her cheeks.

“You’re pretty confident Nick will say yes.” Elizabeth shrugs, leaning back into the chair a little further. “Maybe you don’t know your cousin as well as you think.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You and I both know Nick would never go along with something like this. Lying to the family, betraying that trust…You know how much family means to him. That’s why you never told him about our little arrangement.”

“Legally, I’m not allowed to.”

“Well, you could if you wanted to. I wouldn’t mind. Out of anyone, Nick would be the only person I’d trust to keep his mouth shut. But we can’t risk anyone screwing this up for either of us. Then again, you have a lot more to lose than I do.” The smirk on her red lips makes my stomach churn. It’s true, I do have a lot more to lose, and I cannot let anyone screw this up. If the truth comes out, I risk losing everything. I risk losing Elizabeth.