NORA #2
“Oh. You really don’t need to do that,” I hurried to say, my eyes going wide as I watched the employee take the card. “I’m sure Ky wouldn’t mind helping me out.”
“Consider it another job perk.” He shrugged like this was nothing more than grabbing the check at dinner.
“I need to be able to contact you while I’m at work, so you having a working phone is really for me.
” His mouth curved slightly. “Plus, how else are you going to send me all those cute photos and videos of Charlotte?”
I blinked. “You don’t mind the videos?”
“I love them,” he said easily. “All the little updates make my day. It’s nice seeing the small moments I miss.”
“Well,” I said, warmth spreading through my chest at that. “Thank goodness for cloud storage. Otherwise, I would’ve lost all of those memories.”
That thought alone was enough to make my stomach drop.
Next, we headed to a giant superstore that sold everything from groceries to garden hoses.
I moved through the aisles in a daze, grabbing shampoo, conditioner, body wash, toothpaste, makeup wipes, mascara, and a hair dryer.
The mundane things that you usually acquire over time instead of all at once in one big, expensive chunk.
By the time we reached self-checkout, I was silently calculating how high the bill would be and how many paychecks it would take to pay off my credit card bill.
But before I could even open my new digital wallet to pay for all the supplies that made me feel put together, Theo reached around me and tapped his card against the reader.
Approved.
“Hey.” I looked up at him, attempting a scowl. “I was going to pay for that.”
He gave me an innocent look, and with a shrug, he simply said, “Oops.”
“Are you going to try and tell me that me having basic hygiene items is somehow essential to my job? That you don’t want your daughter’s nanny looking unkempt when we go out in public?”
He chuckled. “I mean, if you need an excuse, I’ll say it.”
Then, softer, he reached out and lightly brushed his fingers through a strand of my hair near my temple.
“But honestly, I kind of like your hair a little wild.”
My stomach dipped deliciously from the unexpected touch.
“Careful,” I muttered, trying to keep my cheeks from turning too red. “That almost sounded like flirting.”
To which he only smiled as he put his card back in his wallet once more.
We finished the rest of our errands around four o’clock.
By the time we got back to Theo’s house, my brain was tired from all the decisions I had to make today.
But instead of going upstairs to take a nap like I wanted, I pulled out my new phone and started making the calls I’d been avoiding all day.
My mom answered on the second ring.
“Oh, honey,” she said as soon as I told her what happened. “You should just come home.”
I closed my eyes briefly. “I don’t want to. I really like it here. And I love my job.”
There was a pause on the other end.
“Okay,” she said finally. “But just know you can always come home if you need to.”
“Thanks.”
After we hung up, I called Ky.
He reacted exactly the way I knew he would.
Within thirty seconds, he was offering to transfer me a chunk of money and insisting on paying for a hotel while I figured everything out.
“Just send me the total,” he said. “I don’t care what it costs. Put it on my card. I’ll cover it.”
“Ky—”
“I’m serious, Nora. Don’t try to tough this out. I got you.”
There was no hesitation in his voice. Just steady, protective big-brother energy.
Which only made my throat tighten with gratitude. This wasn’t the first time he’d used his money to save me from a bad situation.
By the time we reached the end of the call, he casually said, “See you soon.”
“What do you mean?” I frowned. “Are you in town or something?”
“Yeah. For Ian’s wedding. Miles told me he’s bringing you.”
My stomach dropped.
“Crap,” I breathed. “I completely forgot all about that.”
“You’ve had a lot going on,” Ky said dryly. “Will you still be able to go?”
“I don’t know,” I admitted, trying to think through the logistics with my tired brain. “I don’t exactly have a dress to wear anymore.”
I pulled my phone from my ear to glance at the time.
Miles was supposed to pick me up in less than an hour.
Was there even time to find a dress?
A dress appropriate for a billionaire’s wedding?
I ended the call with Ky and stared at my reflection in the dark screen of my new phone. Today had already felt like a month long. But apparently, it wasn’t finished with me yet.
“It sounds like you might need a dress for tonight.”
I looked up.
Theo was standing just inside the living room, one hand braced on the doorway like he’d been there long enough to catch the important parts of my conversation.
“Yeah,” I said, glancing down briefly. “I completely forgot about the wedding.” I blew out a breath. “I don’t even know if any of the dress shops in town are open this late on a Saturday.”
And even if they were, there wasn’t enough time to do my hair and makeup and find something that didn’t scream I bought this in a panic an hour ago.
Theo seemed to think for a moment.
His eyes flicked over me, not in a way that made me self-conscious, but like he was calculating something. Assessing.
He cleared his throat.
“I don’t know how you would feel about this, but…” He hooked his thumb over his shoulder toward the hallway that led upstairs. “There’s a closet full of fancy dresses up there, if you want to take a look.”
I went still.
It took a second for my brain to catch up.
He was talking about Alisha’s closet.
He was offering me one of his late wife’s dresses.
My chest tightened, unsure what emotion was rising first. Gratitude. Guilt. Hesitation.
Before I could respond, he continued, quieter now.
“I’ve actually been thinking about giving them away. Or maybe doing some kind of charity auction for the really expensive ones.” He shrugged. “They’re just collecting dust at this point. You might as well look.”
I studied his face carefully, not sure he was actually okay with what he was saying.
But there was no strain there. No forced bravery. Just sincerity and a calm steadiness that told me he wasn’t about to unravel if I stepped into that room.
Still, I swallowed.
“That’s a really generous offer,” I said softly.
“It’s practical,” he replied, shrugging nonchalantly. “And you need something tonight.”
I searched his eyes one more time.
“I’m not going to fall apart if I see you wearing one of Alisha’s dresses.” He gave me a small nod, like he understood exactly what I was checking for. “She was a bit taller than you, but I’m sure we can find something that works.”
“Okay,” I said, sighing. “That’s really generous of you. I-I’ll take a look.”