Chapter 34
Chapter Thirty-Four
Palmer
TWO YEARS LATER
“Grant Anderson called,” Howie told me. “He wants to see those quarterly reports.”
I shook my head, staring out across our brand new, expansive and incredibly bare office. It was a big upgrade on the cramped building we’d been in the first year.
“Tell Mr. Anderson that I said he’s a silent partner for a reason,” I told him, only half-joking. “He’ll get the reports when we send them.”
I stood as Dannika entered the building, her arms spread wide, mouth agape. “Girl, have you seen who’s outside?”
“Who?” I asked.
“Oh, no. We’re gonna need to barricade the doors and windows. It’s Nate!” She set her bags down, watching me.
My jaw dropped with shock. “Are you serious? What’s he doing here?”
“I don’t know. I hurried my happy ass inside when I saw him. What do you want Howie to do?” she asked, grabbing a bag of chips from her purse and popping one into her mouth.
Howie scowled. “Me? I’m not security!”
I giggled. “Okay, calm down. I’m fine, guys. Honestly. If there’s one thing in this world I’m no longer concerned with, it’s Nate Creswell.” I walked across the room, my heels clicking on the floor.
Two months after the Kat ordeal, Dannika and I had finally opened up our firm, bringing Howie along with us.
It was the happiest I’d been in a long time.
Gray was happy and healthy, and his doctors didn’t believe he’d be affected in the slightest by all he’d gone through.
He was too young and blissfully unaware.
Ben and I were working through our issues with monthly counseling.
We’d started dating again, but he’d moved out and gotten his own place.
We shared custody of Gray, but I had no intentions of filing for divorce.
Despite all we’d gone through, I wanted to work on us.
I believed Ben cared for me. I knew he cared for Gray.
I just wanted to give myself time to process.
Ty’s phone call had saved my life. The doctors said if the EMTs hadn’t arrived when they did, I might not have made it. I’d never be able to thank him enough for that.
The house Ben and Kat owned finally sold, and Ben paid me back in full for the money he’d borrowed, even though most of it was his own, apologizing profusely for letting it get so out of hand.
I’d gone through something so terrible, something I wouldn’t wish on anyone, but I’d grown stronger because of it. I had stronger friendships, a stronger bond with my son. I’d faced my fears and finally taken the leap with my business.
After going through something like I did, nothing could really seem so scary in comparison.
I pushed open the door to our building, narrowing my gaze at Nate. Two years ago, I would’ve cried or walked away. I never would’ve faced him. Now, I was a new woman.
“What are you doing here?”
His chest rose and fell with a heavy breath. “I, um, hi, first of all.” He stepped closer, and I felt my stomach turn a flip. He’d always been able to do that to me. “I heard you opened up your firm. Congratulations.”
“How’d you hear?”
“I’ve been…keeping tabs on you, Palm.” He sighed, rubbing a hand across his chin.
“What are you doing here, Nate?” I pressed.
He frowned. “There’s no easy way to say this, but you deserve to hear it. I’m sorry—”
I pursed my lips, holding up a hand. “Oh, you don’t have to—”
“No, I do. I really do. I’m sorry for hurting you and for lying to you and for…for all the other shit I did. You didn’t deserve any of it.”
“I didn’t,” I agreed.
“And I know you’ll never forgive me, but for what it’s worth. I’ve grown up a lot. I grew up a lot from losing you. I wanted to come back so many times and beg you to forgive me, but I don’t deserve your forgiveness.”
“Well, I appreciate it, nonetheless.”
“But you don’t forgive me…”
“Forgiveness is earned, Nate. You’ve never done anything to earn it.” Ben had. Ben was working every day for it. Doing whatever I demanded.
“Would you be willing to let me try?” He rubbed the back of his neck, a crooked grin on his lips.
Ben and I were separated and working on our issues. It wouldn’t be cheating, but I still wasn’t sure it was what I wanted.
I swallowed. “What are you proposing?”
“Just one dinner? Even if it’s just to catch up…as friends.”
“We can go out for brunch tomorrow. It’s not a date. I get my son back in the afternoon, and I won’t see you while I’m with him. My time spent with him is all his.”
He nodded. “Brunch tomorrow is perfect. Thank you. You…look beautiful, by the way.”
I flushed red. “Thank you. Now…quit stalking my office building. My coworkers were ready to barricade the door.”
He laughed, giving me a wink as he took a step back. “Whatever you say, boss. See you tomorrow at ten?”
“Tomorrow at nine,” I corrected, just to have the upper hand. I was learning that was something I liked.