Chapter Ten
Nora never thought she would ever consider stopping her pill. Her feelings for Gabriel made no sense to her, and yet she stopped taking it. She knew exactly what her feelings were, and they terrified her. She was in love with him, deeply.
Arriving at Trudy’s desk, she smiled at the older woman. Trudy looked up from the phone, and held her finger up, telling her to just wait. While she did, she glanced toward Gabriel’s office, and there was no sign of him. This wasn’t strange since he was always off on some meeting or another.
His employees were already aware of their relationship. Nora had expected some gossip or at the very least some backlash, and much to her surprise, nothing. She figured most of his employees were afraid of him, or of losing their position. Either that, or they were happy that he was settling down.
Trudy finished with her call and smiled at her. “Sorry about that. It seems no matter what I do, there is always some kind of trouble.”
“Gabriel wanted to meet me for lunch,”
Nora said.
“Yes, Gabriel said to tell you he would be here as soon as possible.”
Trudy got to her feet. “Until then, we have lunch, so you can catch me up on all of the gossip.”
Nora laughed, taking the seat opposite Trudy, and thanking her for the food. She was starving.
“I don’t know what gossip you’re talking about,” she said.
“Work, or you know, the gossip attached to you and Gabriel.”
Trudy chuckled. “I already know he took you to his home out in the country. You met Lawson and Esther. What did you think?”
“I was terrified. I didn’t think Esther liked me.”
Trudy chuckled. “They liked you. They have called me nonstop since they met you. They were not happy that I kept your relationship a secret.”
She shrugged. “They clearly don’t know Gabriel like I do.”
“They were amazing,”
Nora said. “Gabriel’s home is incredible. I wish I could have met his grandfather.”
Trudy nodded. “You’d have loved him and he would have loved you.”
“Gabriel keeps saying that but I don’t know why.”
She glanced around at his office. “He’s a billionaire, and I’m nothing.”
“And that is what made his grandfather so different. Yes, he came from money, but he also knew the value of money. Unlike Gabriel’s father who was not interested in making money, Gabriel is different. His grandfather taught him everything he knows. He was a down-to-earth guy, and he didn’t judge people on their status or how much money they had, or how many businesses they owned. He judged them on their character and if they were lacking, he didn’t have much of any time for them.”
“And you think he would have had time for me?”
Nora asked.
“Yes, I do. He didn’t take fools gladly. I think it hit him hard that he didn’t like his own son.”
Nora took a bite out of her sandwich and sat back to think. She could understand that. It must have been hard.
“Do you think Gabriel would like to rekindle a friendship with his parents?”
Trudy snorted. “No. There was never any friendship to begin with.”
She frowned.
“You find that hard to believe?”
Trudy asked.
“It’s just that they’re his parents.”
“Yeah, and they wanted nothing to do with him. Trust me, I’ve met them, and all they care about is making money, and his dad is irritated that Gabriel has more money and more respect than he does. Even if Gabriel wanted to try and have a relationship, I would caution him. Unlike his grandfather, his father would stab him in the back to get what he wanted.”
“Really?”
Nora asked.
Trudy nodded. “It’s not good.”
She took a deep breath.
“Have you thought about what you want to do with your folks’ house?”
Trudy asked.
“I’ve been thinking about renting it to a charity. I’ve been speaking to Nancy, and she knows a couple of charities that could use properties to help kids get off the streets.”
“That sounds like the right place,”
Trudy said. “You don’t want to move back in?”
Nora thought about it and shook her head. “No, I don’t. My aunt and uncle changed it to the point that it was unrecognizable, and now I’ve got what I wanted—the photograph albums, the few items they didn’t sell. Gabriel is helping me locate the jewelry they did sell, so I can get it back.”
Trudy reached out and put a hand on hers. “You’ll find it.”
“Do you think so?”
“Yeah, I do. I know Gabriel, and he is not the kind of man to let this go. He will find everything you’ve been looking for.”
Trudy smiled at her. She was about to say something else, but her phone rang. “Hold on.”
She picked up. “It’s taking a long time.”
A brief pause. “Yes, she’s here.” Trudy chuckled. “Gabriel would like to talk to you.”
She took the phone and placed it against her ear. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, I’m stuck in this fucking meeting. I should have had it at the office, that way I could have taken a break for lunch. Tell me you’re eating.”
“Trudy is feeding me.”
“That is good. I’ll make it up to you. Dinner?”
“How about I cook for you?”
Gabriel’s idea of feeding her was always a restaurant or takeout. She loved home-cooked meals, and he enjoyed what she cooked for him.
“But it’s my treat.”
“Then let me treat you. I’ll cook you dinner, at my place?”
she asked.
He wanted her to move in with him. They had already talked about it, and she did want to move in with him, but she was also a little nervous. Moving in was a big step, a giant one, and she didn’t want to run the risk of losing herself. Although, losing herself seemed like the right thing to do right now.
Her and Gabriel living together. She couldn’t think of a single reason not to.
“I’ll be there. Love you,” he said.
Nora glanced over to Trudy. This was the first time he had ever said he loved her. She didn’t know if it was a slip of the tongue, or if he meant it, or … there were so many possibilities.
“Love you too,”
Nora said.
There was a brief pause, and then he hung up the phone. Nora handed it back to Trudy. The other woman looked excited.
She smiled at her and her heart raced. With her sandwich finished, she needed to get back down to work, and to think about what she had just said.
“I better head back,” she said.
“You can stay. We could have coffee?”
“Another time. I don’t want anyone to think I’m getting special privileges.”
She offered Trudy a smile, got to her feet, and made her way toward the elevator.
She just told Gabriel she loved him. That was insane, but it was exactly how she felt. She did love him. She had fallen hard and fast for him, and now she didn’t have a clue what to do. This felt like such a revelation.
The elevator stopped at her floor, and she stepped out of it and got straight to work. It was easier to deal with her feelings when she was working, because she didn’t have to think about them.
Did Gabriel love her, or was it just an expression? Rather than saying “see you later,”
he just said “love you,”
to bring the call to an end? “Nora.”
She jumped as she turned to Felicity who had interrupted her internal panic.
“Felicity,”
she said, hoping she didn’t look as crazy or panicked as she felt. “What’s the matter?”
“You got a call from Reception. Some guy is asking after you, and he wants to see you upstairs.”
Felicity shrugged. “They were vague.”
“I’ll go,”
Nora said.
She had no idea who could be wanting to speak to her. The only man she could think of was Lawson, or possibly her uncle.
****
“You think you’re ready?”
Trudy asked.
“What do you think?”
“It’s your grandmother’s ring, Gabriel, and you’re telling me that tonight over dinner, you’re going to ask Nora to marry you.”
“Is there something wrong with that?”
Gabriel asked.
“No, there’s nothing wrong. I just want to make sure you know what you’re asking and that you’re ready. Remember, your grandfather refused to give this to your dad when he married your mother.”
“I know. I know. He told me that only a special woman can have this ring. The woman you don’t divorce.”
He took a deep breath. “It has to stay within the family.”
Trudy put a hand on his arm. “Nora’s the one?”
“She’s the only one.”
“I have never seen you this nervous over a woman, so that can only mean she is definitely the one.”
Trudy kissed his cheek. “I’m proud of you and I know your grandfather would be too.”
That meant a lot.
“What do you think she will say?”
“Yes,”
Trudy said. “There might be a little hesitation, but just slight. I think she is going to love you, and you two are going to have a wonderful life together.”
“You like her?” he asked.
“Yes, and so do Esther and Lawson. We all have given her the seal of approval.”
Not that he needed it. He would have married Nora regardless of their approval. He’d found the ring today. His grandfather had always been protective of this ring and had told him only the right woman for a Williams man could wear it. Throughout the day, he found himself reaching for it, and all he wanted to do was place it on Nora’s finger. He wanted to make her his wife.
“Right, I better get home as I have a dinner to cook,”
Trudy said. “Good luck.”
He watched Trudy leave, and he told her goodbye.
Checking the time, he saw it was close to five-thirty. He promised he would meet Nora at her place, but seeing as she would still be at work, he didn’t see the point in them traveling separately.
He made his way into his office and dialed the mail room, only to not have Nora answer. Nora never left on time. She always stayed late. Gabriel hung up, redialed, and there was no answer.
She must have already left. Pulling out his cell phone, he found her number and dialed, only to stop as the sound of the ringtone came from his office.
He looked up, not expecting to see Nora standing in front of him, her lip bleeding, and his father standing behind her with a gun pointed at her head.
“Hello, Son,” he said.
It had been a long time since he’d seen his father.
“Dad,” he said.
He knew his old man hated when he called him that, but he refused to use his name. This couldn’t be happening. There was no way his dad would fall this low, to put a gun to Nora’s head, and yet that was exactly what he saw.
“What the fuck are you doing?”
“Well, you see, Son, you must learn to resort to drastic measures. Williams is in the toilet. There is no money. It is all gone, and your mother has left me.”
His dad growled. “Took everything she could, exactly like my dad said she would.”
He shook his head. “I’m out of options.”
“Leave her out of this,”
Gabriel said. “She has nothing to do with this.”
“You see, Son, that is where you’re wrong. She has everything to do with this. I’ve seen the pictures. I’ve seen the way you look at her, and like my fucking dad said, she is the right woman. The one you want to spend the rest of your life with, the woman you want forever with.”
Gabriel hated this. His father had done some crazy stunts over the years, but nothing like this.
“Leave her alone.”
“I’m broke and there is no way I’m begging for scraps. No one is going to help me. The debt is too much. You’re going to give me your company, and in return, you’ll get Nora back.”
Gabriel stared at his father. He should have known he would get desperate. That morning, he’d seen the headlines about his grandfather’s old company. Even Lawson had phoned him and told him about it. This was insane.
Everything his grandfather built, and his father before him, and his father before him, was in the toilet. The debt had mounted. There was no chance of bringing it back from the brink. His grandfather had warned him, even told him to let it burn to the ground. That it was time for his father to see the consequences of his actions.
“Give me the paperwork,”
Gabriel said.
“No, Gabriel, you cannot do that,”
Nora cried out.
“Shut your fucking mouth. You see, I told you. He loves you so much he is willing to give up his company for you.”
Nora stared at him. “No, you cannot do this. This is your company, Gabriel.”
His father held out the paperwork. Gabriel took it and walked over to his desk. His father had taken the time to have it written up. The simple handing over of his company. Gabriel put his pen to the paper with every intention of signing, when he heard the thud.
He looked up and was shocked to see Trudy holding a wooden vase, and his father conked out on the floor.
“Don’t,”
Nora said, rushing over to him.
Trudy grabbed the gun. “The cops are already on the way.”
“How did you know?”
Gabriel asked, pulling Nora into his arms.
“I saw him.”
Trudy shook her head. “He didn’t see me but I followed him. You were going to sign your company over to him?”
“I was not going to allow him to kill Nora,” he said.
He pulled Nora close and took possession of her lips.
“Why?”
Nora asked.
“Don’t you get it, Nora Pierce, I love you,”
he said. “I have loved you from the first moment I saw you, and that love got deeper when you fell on me.”
Her face went bright red.
Gabriel had intended to find the right moment over dinner, but now was as good a time as any. He sunk to his knee in front of her.
“Nora, marry me, and make me the happiest man on earth.”
He did have a big speech prepared, but nothing could have prepared him for the chance of losing her.
“You’re serious?”
“Yes. I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You’re the right woman for me.”
He saw the tears in her eyes, and he didn’t want to make her cry. He loved her so damn much.
For the first time in his life, he saw a future. He saw a family, one he knew his grandfather wanted for him.
“Yes,”
Nora said. “Yes, I love you, Gabriel Williams, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”