Chapter 21
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Taylor eased the hospital room door shut behind her, exhaling softly as she turned to find Nick waiting for her. His broad frame looked tense, his sharp blue eyes flickering with concern the moment he saw her face.
"He wants to speak with you," she murmured.
She lifted a hand to brush a stray strand of hair from her face, her limbs weighted with exhaustion. The sterile hospital air felt thick around her, and the events of the past twenty-four hours pressed against her shoulders like an unbearable weight. She should have been relieved—Grandpa Bill looked better than she’d feared—but the emotional toll of it all had drained her to the bone.
Nick studied her, his expression tightening. "Are you okay?"
The warmth in his voice nearly unraveled her. She forced a smile, one she hoped would convince him she was fine, even if she wasn’t.
"I’m fine." The words felt hollow in her mouth.
She’d expected him to be gone by now. She’d asked him to come into the room with her, but he had refused, saying that the family needed their time alone. And yet, here he was, still standing outside the door, waiting for her.
"Would you mind staying with him for a few minutes?" she asked softly.
Nick hesitated. The slight flicker in his expression was so fleeting she almost missed it.
"I’m sure your grandmother?—"
"--Is going to take a walk with me to the cafeteria," Taylor interjected. "Believe me, it took a lot to convince her. But she won’t leave him alone."
She studied him, puzzled by his unease. Over the past few months, he and Grandpa had formed an easy friendship. She would have thought he’d be happy to sit with him. Instead, he shifted uncomfortably, his jaw tight.
Taylor reached out and placed a hand lightly on his arm. "Please, Nick."
His gaze met hers, and for a moment, something flashed across his face—something that made her breath hitch.
"Even if you won’t do it for me," she continued, her voice barely above a whisper, "Nana needs to get some food in her."
Nick held her stare for a long moment before finally nodding. "I’ll be happy to stay with him."
Relief flooded through her, and yet, her composure wavered. Her voice shook as she whispered, "Thank you."
Nick caught it. His sharp eyes softened, and before she could step away, he tilted her chin up with a single finger.
"Hey," he murmured, his touch sending warmth through her. "Don’t go getting all weepy on me."
Taylor stiffened, blinking back the moisture burning behind her lids. "I’m not."
The spark of amusement in his gaze deepened, and she caught the twitch of his lips.
He was teasing her.
She let out a breathy laugh, shaking her head. "What am I going to do with you?"
His expression shifted, something deeper creeping into his eyes—something that made her stomach tighten. His voice dropped to a husky whisper. "I don’t know. Maybe keep me around a while longer? Maybe?—"
"Nana."
Taylor stepped back quickly, clearing her throat as her grandmother approached.
"Nick will stay with Grandpa while we get some food."
Nana hesitated. "I’m really not hungry."
Taylor slipped her arm around her grandmother’s frail shoulders. "You told me you haven’t eaten all day. Even if you’re not hungry, I’m starving."
Nana opened her mouth to argue, but before she could, Nick stepped forward.
"Kaye, go ahead and keep Taylor company," he said smoothly. "It’ll give me a chance to talk to Bill. There’s something I want to discuss with him."
Taylor lifted a brow at his easy delivery, impressed despite herself.
"Are you sure?" Nana frowned. "I’m sure you have work to do."
Nick’s voice was firm, brooking no argument. "Nothing that can’t wait."
Still, Nana wavered. "What if they need to reach me? Sometimes you can’t hear those overhead pages."
Taylor glanced at Nick in silent plea.
His lips quirked, and before she could protest, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, offering it to her grandmother.
"Take mine."
Nana shook her head. "I couldn’t possibly?—"
"With all the monitoring equipment, I can’t take it in there anyway," he said easily. "It’ll be safer with you."
Taylor took the phone and slipped it into her purse, her gaze lingering on Nick. "Thank you."
He smiled. "Take your time. Bill and I will be just fine."
To Taylor’s surprise, Nana reached up and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek.
Nick, looking momentarily taken aback, recovered quickly and enveloped her grandmother in a warm hug. His voice dropped as he whispered against her ear, "It will all be okay."
Taylor felt something tighten in her chest.
Who was this man?
Her grandmother straightened, appearing stronger than she had all day. "A bowl of soup might be a good idea, after all."
They had barely made their way through the cafeteria line and settled at a table when Nick’s phone rang.
Taylor’s hand froze around her spoon.
Nana, mid-bite into her grilled cheese, paled slightly.
Taylor exchanged a quick, worried glance with her before lifting the phone to her ear.
"Hello?"
The cafeteria hummed with noise, the clatter of trays, the low murmur of conversation. Taylor pressed a hand against her other ear, straining to hear.
"Hello?"
The static crackled.
"Nick, it’s Erik. We’ve got a bad connection. I can barely hear you."
Taylor froze.
It’s for Nick. She mouthed the words to Nana.
Her grandmother exhaled, visibly relaxing.
Taylor turned back to the call, but before she could correct Erik, his voice pushed through the interference.
"Okay, you listen. I’ll talk. I rescheduled that meeting with Henry. You owe me big, buddy. The old barracuda wanted to know why you wouldn’t take time to sign the papers. Asked if you really wanted his company. I improvised. Told him you’d been kidnapped by space aliens. He laughed, but I don’t think he was convinced. So, two p.m. tomorrow. No excuses. Ciao."
The call ended.
Taylor sat motionless, her heart hammering against her ribs.
Nick had canceled the meeting.
She barely noticed as she set the phone down, her mind racing. That merger—he’d spent years working for it. She knew how much it meant to him.
And yet…
He had stayed.
For her. For her grandparents.
Her throat tightened. None of this made sense.
"Who was it?" Nana asked, cutting her sandwich into careful fourths.
Taylor hesitated, her voice oddly unsteady. "Nick’s lawyer."
Her grandmother lifted a brow. "And?"
Taylor’s fingers curled against the tabletop. "Apparently, Nick canceled an important meeting today. A very important meeting."
She shook her head, whispering more to herself than anyone else. "Why would he have done that?"
Nana’s soft laugh broke the silence, light and airy—a silver tinkle of a laugh, like the chime of wind bells.
Taylor blinked at her in confusion.
Her grandmother’s smile was knowing.
"Why, my dear, I should think that would be perfectly obvious."
Taylor’s pulse pounded in her ears as Nana set down her sandwich and met her gaze.
"The man loves you."
* * *
Once they returned to the hospital room, Nana gently placed Nick’s phone into his hand. “Thank you, sweetheart. For everything.”
Her voice was warm with gratitude, and she squeezed his hand before moving back to Grandpa Bill’s bedside, her love for her husband evident in the way she brushed a stray wisp of hair from his forehead.
Taylor watched the quiet exchange, a lump forming in her throat.
She caught Nick’s eye and gave him a small, grateful smile. Then, with a subtle tilt of her head, she motioned toward the door.
They slipped out unnoticed, the hush of the hospital hallway pressing around them.
Once they reached the quiet of the corridor, Taylor turned to him, fingers tightening around his hand. “Thanks for staying with him.”
Nick shrugged, as if it hadn’t mattered. “It was nothing.”
But it wasn’t nothing.
She could feel the weight of what he’d done—the choice he’d made to be here instead of in a boardroom signing the most important deal of his career.
Taylor took a deep breath, steeling herself for what had to be said. “We need to talk.”
Nick’s gaze darkened, as if he knew what was coming.
"Yes, we do." His voice was a husky rasp. "But not here."
Taylor hesitated. The cafeteria was too noisy, the walls too thin for the words they needed to say.
“The park across the street,” she murmured. “It’s quiet there.”
“Fine with me.”
He turned toward the elevator, but before he could press the button, Taylor touched his arm.
“Wait.”
She peeked into the room and spoke softly. “Nick and I are going to take a little walk. Maybe go over to the park and get some fresh air. Will you two be okay?”
Grandpa Bill gave her a knowing smile and reached for Nana’s hand. “We’ve managed just fine for almost fifty years. I think we can handle a half hour or so.”
Taylor smiled, closing the door behind her.
Even though the day was bright and golden, the park was eerily quiet, as if the world had paused just for them. The leaves rustled in the warm breeze, the late afternoon sunlight dappling through the thick branches of a massive elm. She led the way to an old wooden picnic table, the surface worn smooth from years of use.
She sat across from him, her heart thudding.
"Erik called for you." The words came out before she could stop them. It wasn’t what she’d planned to say first, but they sat heavy on her mind.
Nick arched a brow. “Yeah? What did he say?”
“We had a bad connection. He thought I was you.”
A ghost of a smile tugged at his lips. "Must have been a really bad connection. Erik doesn’t usually have trouble telling men from women."
She didn’t smile.
“He told me your meeting to sign the merger papers is rescheduled for tomorrow.”
Nick nodded, unconcerned. “Good.”
Taylor swallowed. “Why didn’t you sign them today?”
He leaned back against the bench, his gaze steady. “I was busy.”
Her chest tightened. “You could have lost everything, Nick. You know how Henry is—he could have pulled the deal. Why would you risk that?”
He didn’t hesitate.
“Because you needed me.”
The breath rushed from her lungs. “You should have told me.”
Nick exhaled slowly, dragging a hand through his hair. “The point is, I didn’t want you to be alone.” His voice was raw, stripped of all pretense. “I wanted to be here for you.”
Her vision blurred. She had misread him so many times, doubted his intentions, pushed him away. But now…
"Thank you," she whispered, meaning it with every fiber of her being.
But the weight of reality settled heavily between them.
Their contract was almost up.
“Nick…” she hesitated, feeling the ache of impending loss. “Once those papers are signed, we’re done.”
His jaw tightened. A flash of something—anger, frustration, maybe even regret—crossed his face.
Then, quietly, he said, “This whole fake engagement thing was a stupid idea.”
Taylor’s stomach twisted.
“It was?”
Nick’s gaze locked onto hers, intense and unwavering. “I don’t like being engaged.”
Her heart clenched. She tried to force a smile, to joke, to lighten the moment. “I’m sure you’ll change your mind when you find someone you actually want to marry.”
He reached across the table, capturing her hand in his. His touch was warm, steady.
“I already have.”
The air rushed from her lungs.
For a second, she just stared at him, stunned. Then something sharp cracked inside her, and the words tumbled out before she could stop them.
“Who is it? No—don’t tell me. I don’t want to know.” She yanked her hand back, heat burning her cheeks. “What an idiot I’ve been.”
She stood abruptly, her heart slamming against her ribs.
Nick shot up from the bench, moving swiftly to block her escape.
"Wait." His voice was urgent, his hands firm but gentle as he caught her arms. “This is coming out all wrong.”
“You don’t need to explain.” Taylor blinked furiously, fighting the tears burning her eyes. “You’ve said enough.”
“No, I haven’t.”
With careful fingers, he tipped her chin up, forcing her to meet his gaze.
“Have I said it’s you I want to marry?” His voice was low, deep, shaking. “Have I said it’s you I love?”
She swallowed, heart hammering. Slowly, she shook her head.
His lips quirked, but his eyes were dark with emotion. “See? I didn’t say it all.”
His fingers slid to the side of her face, tucking back a loose strand of hair.
“I love you, Taylor.” His voice was thick with conviction. “It took me longer than it should have, but I finally got it. I finally know what’s important.”
A sob caught in her throat. “What about the company?”
Nick exhaled, shaking his head. “It matters to me. I won’t lie about that. But I was wrong to put it first. You were right—God and family deserve top billing.”
She searched his face, her heart raw and vulnerable. “Are you sure?”
He gave a small, crooked smile. “I’m positive.”
His hand cupped her cheek, his thumb tracing over her skin. “Will you marry me, Taylor? I’m asking for real this time.”
She longed to throw her arms around him, to cry out her yes to the sky.
But something held her back. One last thing.
"Nick, remember when you said no more lies?"
His expression sobered. "I meant it."
She pressed a trembling finger to his lips. "You’ve been honest with me. Now I need to be honest with you."
Praying for strength, she took a steadying breath and told him everything—her father’s gambling debts, the choices she’d made to protect his reputation. Her voice wavered, but she got it all out.
Somewhere in the middle of her confession, Nick laced his fingers through hers. When she finished, he lifted a hand to brush away the stray tears slipping down her cheek.
"You must have felt so alone." His arms came around her, holding her close. "I wish I’d known sooner."
Warmth spread through her.
"I’m just glad you’re here now," she whispered.
Nick pulled back just enough to look into her eyes.
“You never did answer my question.”
She smiled, her heart swelling. “Maybe I need a little reminder.”
Nick grinned. “Of the question?”
She laughed softly. “No. Of how much you love me.”
A thrill of anticipation shot through her as he lowered his head.
“Will this do?” he murmured against her lips.
She melted into him, her arms sliding around his neck.
“For now,” she whispered, kissing him back.
And for now, it was more than enough.