Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
Nate
As usual, I woke early. The room was still dark, and Juliet slept on her side, facing away from me. She had one hand tucked beneath her cheek, the way she always did.
I loved that I was getting used to these little things about her, like how she needed strong coffee first thing and wouldn't speak much until she'd had it.
I enjoyed the way she hummed to herself when she was cooking and went quiet when she was thinking something through.
When she was overwhelmed, she cried and tried to deny it afterward.
That was another tidbit I'd picked up. I'd also learned she was braver than she gave herself credit for and more vulnerable than she let most people see.
Telling her I loved her had been so unlike me. I was not a man who spoke before he'd thought through the implications of what he was saying. Last night had been an exception. I simply couldn't hold in what I felt. That Juliet had said it back was more than I'd dared hope.
I got up carefully so as not to disturb her and dressed in jeans, a clean shirt and the same battered brown leather boots I wore every day out here.
As I reached the door, I glanced back at the woman sleeping in my bed, and my heart warmed.
I could easily lose myself in Juliet, and I didn't even care.
Stepping out into the hallway, I pulled the door quietly behind me and headed downstairs. Eileen was already at the stove. I crossed the room and kissed her cheek, startling her. We didn't often show our affection for one another, but my aunt and I knew how tight our bond was.
"You need to sleep in once in a while," I told her as I moved to the coffee pot.
"You're a fine one to talk," she scolded me. "Anyway, you know I'm a morning person. I'm always in bed by nine so it's not as if I'm not getting enough sleep."
She stirred the eggs in the pan and glanced over at me, a sly grin on her face.
"Should I go and wake Juliet for breakfast?"
"No, she'll get up when she's ready."
"Aye, pet, but whose bed will she be getting up from?"
I sent my aunt an admonishing glare, but it bounced straight off her. She enjoyed riling me.
"I think you know the answer to that."
"I do, pet, and I'm thrilled for you. For both of you." She smiled as she saw the irritation on my face. "But that's the last I'll speak of it."
"Thank you, Eileen."
I took my place at the table and sat down to look out over the valley.
Autumn was fading, and it would be winter soon, but the conditions here were nothing like I was used to back in England.
It could be dull and rainy here, but I'd never seen snow.
Ramon told me once it was possible, but rare.
He'd advised me to head for the Sierra Nevada if I wanted to experience snow.
I wondered if that was something Juliet would like to do.
Perhaps we could ski. I hadn't done that since I was a teenager when our school had raised the money to take us on a trip to Glenshee in Scotland.
As I thought about it, my phone buzzed. I unlocked it and read the message from Scott. It was succinct as usual. Chicago woman confirmed for next week. Lawyers briefed. Everything in order.
Things were moving fast, but I'd expected no less from Scott.
He was the type of man who got things done.
This woman in Chicago going on record was the last building block we needed for our case against Kane.
The financial irregularities were a separate matter, but Scott's contact at the SEC had been working to unpick the carefully structured shell companies and Cayman Islands accounts.
That would take longer to put together, but it would come.
He'd be exposed as an abuser and a financial fraud.
His world would crash down around his ears.
Kane had been carefully covering his tracks for years. His thoroughness in concealing his abuses was almost commendable, but he hadn't accounted for someone who was equally patient and considerably more motivated to uncover his lies.
I glanced up from my phone when I heard Juliet on the stairs.
She appeared in the doorway in my shirt and a pair of leggings, her hair loose, her feet bare.
She looked at Eileen, then at me. Her expression was neutral, but there was something in her eyes that hadn't been there before last night, a certain sparkle.
"Morning," she said.
"Morning."
"Juliet." Eileen grinned mischievously as she saw she was wearing one of my light denim shirts. "Have you run out of clothes, pet? If you need me to do more laundry, just say."
Juliet hoisted herself up on the counter, her favorite place to perch, and surveilled the room around her.
"Eileen," she replied. "You know perfectly well I'm wearing Nate's shirt because I woke in his bed."
"Well I guess the cat's out of the bag," I said.
"That cat was never in the bag," Eileen replied. "Do you think you two have been discreet with the lovey-dovey eyes? I know you, Nathaniel James Harrington. You've been in love with this girl since the moment you first tasted her hotpot."
"Ugh," Juliet grumbled, but I could see she was hiding a grin. "Sounds kinky when you say it like that."
Eileen picked up a dish towel and flicked it at her. Juliet jumped down from the counter and headed for the coffee machine while Eileen put a large plate piled high with toast on the table and returned to the stove. Juliet poured her coffee and took the seat opposite mine.
"So where do we go from here?" she asked, completely unconcerned by Eileen's presence in the kitchen. "Are we an official couple now?"
"You mean like Facebook official?"
"Oh, hell no, I am not posting my relationship status for the world to comment on. I mean, do you see us as a couple?"
"Of course."
"So what happens when Kane is dealt with? Do we — do I go back to L.A.?"
"Like hell you will," Eileen blustered from across the kitchen. "We didn't put all that effort into planning our supper club just for you to go swanning off to the city."
Juliet laughed. "I didn't plan to dump that on you. I just thought I would go back to representing my family's business during the week and come out here at the weekends to help make the meals."
"And drive back and forth, all the way from Los Angeles?" Eileen came and slammed the pan of scrambled eggs down on the table, her disapproval obvious. "Not bloody likely. You can't…"
Though I was pleased my aunt cared enough about Juliet to become impassioned about the future, this was something Juliet and I needed to sort out. I held up a hand to silence her. "Eileen, I've got this. Why don't you enjoy your breakfast on the porch this morning?"
My aunt huffed but took the hint. She loaded a plate with eggs and toast, grabbed a knife and fork, and headed outside.
"I'm sorry about her."
Juliet shook her head. "Don't be. It's nice to know she cares."
I nodded, glad that Juliet could see Eileen meant well.
"So going back to L.A. and working for your family again. Is that what you want to do?"
"No," Juliet admitted.
"Then stay here with me. Run your supper club with Eileen and see what develops from there."
"Okay." Juliet reached for a slice of toast. She buttered it and then took a large bite. "If you're happy for me to do that, I'll stay."
"I'm more than happy. I don't want the woman I love to spend so much time away from me." I helped myself to some toast and spooned a heap of scrambled egg onto my plate. "There's been some news on the Kane front."
"Oh?" Juliet set down the piece of toast she was eating to give me her full attention.
"The woman Scott found in Chicago is willing to tell her story. Things are moving along nicely."
She nodded slowly. She picked up her coffee cup and set it down again. I watched her process the information.
"How long will it be before we can go public with what we know?"
"Not long. Days, rather than months, I think."
"Good and my mother? Do we know any more about her involvement with him?"
"Scott is looking into it."
"Good." The tension in her shoulders eased. "I should call my mom. Not yet, but soon. She needs to know I'm not coming back."
"But?"
"But I want to enjoy us for a while before she starts demanding to know every detail."
"That's fair."
Juliet glanced toward the back door. "Should we put Eileen out of her misery and tell her I'm staying?"
"No, let's enjoy a little peace for a while. If we tell her we've decided to make a go of things, she'll be planning weddings and christenings before we can blink."
Juliet blanched. "Oh, I'm not sure I'm ready for that."
"Don't worry, I'm not either."
But one day I would be, and I knew with bone-deep certainty that Juliet would be the woman I'd want to marry and have children with.