Chapter 15 Nathaniel #2
Color rises to her cheeks and she bites her lip like she’s holding back a deeper confession. I tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear and allow my fingers to drift down the side of her face.
“You don’t have to be afraid to say yes to me,” I murmur. “Not to Manhattan. Not to anything.”
Her only response is an almost imperceptible nod, but it’s enough for me to feel the tide turn. She lets me pull her into my arms, and this time, she doesn’t pull away.
We finish the walk in companionable silence, hand in hand. I savor the proximity—how her weight fits against my side, how the cadence of her step matches mine—but my head is already working, mapping the gaps I have not yet closed.
The reprieve is real, and I am grateful for it, but gratitude does not make me complacent. If there is any road that could lead her away, however unlikely, it must be rerouted. If she is, in truth, still a flight risk until she bears my name, then I cannot be idle.
After all, her future has already been decided.
By me. For us.
I pull into the diner’s lot, the familiar neon sign of Bennett’s Place flickering against the midday sun.
The parking lot is full, a testament to the popularity of the establishment despite its modest appearance.
Through the windows, I can see the bustle of activity within and the new staff I hired moving seamlessly between tables.
A small victory, perhaps, but it’s not enough. Not yet.
The staff I placed here have already proven their worth, lightening the load her parents seemed so eager to pile onto her shoulders. But even as I admire their efficiency, I hate that she feels obligated to return here at all.
Olivia shifts beside me, her gaze fixed on the diner. “It’s so busy!” she says before glancing at me, offering a small, hesitant smile. “Thank you for this. For everything.”
Her gratitude stirs something deep inside me, a mix of triumph and tenderness that makes my resolve all the stronger. I will ensure she never has to thank me for what she should have always had.
We step inside, and the noise greets us like a wave.
Claudia is the first to spot us, her face lighting up with the kind of beaming smile that has nothing to do with seeing Olivia and everything to do with seeing me. She approaches quickly, her voice overly bright.
“Nathaniel! Olivia! Welcome back!” she exclaims, her eyes darting briefly to the hired staff before returning to me. “Everything’s running so smoothly. Those workers you brought in—they’re a godsend.”
I incline my head. “I’m glad they’re helping,” I respond coolly, my hand resting on Olivia’s lower back as we move toward a booth.
Claudia follows, her tone turning sweeter than saccharine.
“You know, I was just thinking…it would be wonderful if they could stay a little longer. Maybe a few more months? That would give Olivia so much more time to focus on her job hunt after graduation. Such a thoughtful gesture, don’t you think? ”
The audacity fractures my patience. Still, for Olivia’s sake, I nod. “I’ll consider it.”
As we slide into the booth, Olivia offers me a menu, but I shake my head.
“You decide,” I tell her, watching a blush rise in her cheeks. She orders two club sandwiches as Claudia hovers like a shadow until we place our order.
The kitchen door swings open, and Ronald steps out.
His gaze sweeps the room briefly before landing on us, though his expression betrays no warmth or welcome.
“Back for lunch, huh?” he says curtly, his tone carrying the same dismissive edge I’ve come to associate with him.
His attention flicks to Olivia for the briefest moment, but it doesn’t linger. Instead, his focus shifts almost immediately to the floor staff, his eyes scanning the diner’s operations as though we’re nothing more than background noise.
“Things have been busy,” he adds, the words directed at no one in particular, his voice more commentary than conversation.
I straighten, my fingers brushing against Olivia’s beneath the table in a subtle gesture of reassurance.
“It seems the staff I hired are doing their job well,” I note, my tone calm but pointed.
Ronald pauses, glancing briefly in my direction. There’s something in his expression—a flicker of acknowledgment, perhaps—but he says nothing further. With a grunt, he turns and disappears back into the kitchen, his dismissal as clear as it is deliberate.
I feel Olivia shift beside me, her posture tensing. She doesn’t look up, but I can see the clench of her jaw.
I lace my fingers through hers beneath the table.
“Ignore him,” I coax softly, my voice for her ears alone.
The food arrives quickly, and we eat in relative silence, save for a few quiet compliments Olivia makes about the sandwiches. I can tell she’s trying to focus on the meal, trying to carve out a moment of peace despite the charged air around us.
But peace is fleeting.
Ronald returns to the booth, leaning against the counter as he speaks, his voice carrying a sharpness that slices through the space.
“You know, Olivia, it’s nice of you to visit now and then.
We’ve been fending for ourselves ever since you went off to Halford.
I hope you remember how much we’ve sacrificed for you. ”
The words have their intended effect, and I feel Olivia shrink beside me. My grip on her hand tightens as I turn my gaze to Ronald, my voice measured but cold. “What sacrifices, exactly?”
The question hangs in the air like a blade, the weight of it pressing down on the space between us.
Ronald falters, his mouth opening and closing as he searches for an answer.
Claudia approaches, trying to come to his rescue. She laughs nervously, her hand fluttering as though to wave the tension away. “Well, you know,” she begins, her voice too loud, “managing the diner is so stressful—”
“Olivia’s on a full scholarship,” I say, cutting her off. My tone remains calm, but the steel beneath it is undeniable. “She’s never asked for a cent from you, has she?”
Ronald’s face darkens, and Claudia’s laughter dies in her throat. The silence that follows is deafening, a void neither of them seem willing to fill.
Good.
Let them choke on it.
I glance at my darling girl, her gaze fixed firmly on the table. She isn’t defending herself. She doesn’t need to. I’ll do it for her.
“Where are the twins?” I ask, leaning back but keeping my attention sharp. “If the family is in such dire need of help, I would have thought they’d be here contributing.”
Claudia blinks, caught off guard, but quickly recovers with a flustered laugh. “Micheal and Sampson? Oh, they’re out with their friends. I figure they should enjoy being kids while they can.”
The words settle over me like a dark cloud, each syllable sharpening the edges of my anger.
Enjoy being kids. My gaze shifts to Olivia, who still hasn’t looked up, her silence is a scream in its own way.
She hasn’t been afforded that same luxury.
While her brothers gallivant through their carefree adolescence, she’s been tethered to this place, carrying burdens far beyond her years.
“And Olivia didn’t deserve the same?” My voice is calm, but each word cuts through Claudia’s pretense like a blade.
Claudia’s face freezes for a split second before she forces another laugh, shrill and empty. “Well, of course, but Olivia’s always been so responsible, so mature. She’s different. Special.”
Special. The word tastes sour, as though she’s praising Olivia while simultaneously absolving herself of guilt. I don’t miss the way Olivia’s shoulders hunch as she tries to shrink into herself.
Claudia scrambles to pivot, her voice turning syrupy as she continues, “And we’re so proud of her! Halford University—such a big deal! She’s going to secure a great job after graduation and really help the family. We’re counting on her.”
Counting on her. The words ignite something dark and primal within me. This isn’t pride—it’s entitlement, a transactional expectation that reduces Olivia to nothing more than a means to an end.
Help the family. As if her accomplishments exist solely to serve them.
I force my expression into a veneer of polite detachment, masking the storm brewing beneath. “I see,” I say lightly, though my thoughts burn with fury.
Watching Olivia withdraw further is unbearable. Each interaction chips away at her spirit, her radiance dimmed by their constant taking.
Ronald mutters something under his breath and retreats to the kitchen, leaving Claudia to fumble with her forced cheer. I seize the opportunity, rising to my feet and pulling Olivia with me.
I take out my wallet and leave enough cash on the table to cover the bill three times over. Claudia’s face lights up at the sight, but my focus is already on Olivia.
“Ready?” I ask, placing a protective hand at the small of her back. She nods wordlessly, and I guide her out of the diner, the oppressive weight of her parents’ presence lifting with each step toward the car.
As I open the passenger door for her, I catch her mother’s gaze through the glass, her opportunistic glee still plastered across her face. Disgust rolls through me, but I keep my composure as Olivia slips into the seat.
Sliding into the driver’s side, I close the door with finality, shutting out the noise of Bennett’s Place and everything it represents. Olivia’s silence persists, but I don’t press her—not yet. I will wait until we’re far from here, where the stench of greed and entitlement can’t reach us.
But one thing is certain. This town, this family—they don’t deserve her.
And I will ensure that when we leave, she will never look back.