“Your boss overworking you?”
She smiled, “There are diseases to cure and treat.”
She might not love me, but she’d internalized my vision. She had a passion for ending suffering too.
“The house is okay?” I hoped I didn’t sound like I was fishing for compliments.
Her eyes softened, “I love it. My parents love it. I thought it would be hard to get them to move in with me, but once Gabe showed them everything in the house, they went home and started planning to move.”
I smiled away my pain. She’d gotten what she wanted - her parents a home they could live in with her taking care of them. Even if she loved me, it wouldn’t change her needing to care for her folks.
“I’m glad to hear it,” I said, forcing a smile.
“The pool…that was …too much. I don’t know how to thank you.”
You could love me. “No, thank you is needed. It was my pleasure.”
She stared at me like she wanted to say something, but finally, she looked down.
“So, your parents are getting ready to move in with you?” I said, not ready to end this conversation.
“Yes. We’re weeding through all their stuff trying to figure out what to keep what to toss. They’ve been in the house over thirty years. It’s a lot of stuff.”
“If you need help with heavy things, I’ve got three strong brothers.”
“That’s sweet, but I don’t think we need that,” she said.
How was it my heart could tear more simply at hearing she didn’t need my help?
She bit her lip, “But maybe we could use your help.”
I was like George with his dog toy; wanting to chase after the little bit of hope she tossed me.
“I know my parents would love to thank you for helping us,” she added.
And then hope fell. She didn’t want to see me. She wanted her parents to thank me. “They know about the deal?” Had she told her parents?
“No. But they know you were involved in getting Gabe and other aspects.”
“They don’t need to thank me,” I swallowed down the lump in my throat as I said, “It was a part of our deal.”
Her eyes went sad as she nodded.
I stood to leave, when her head bobbed up, “Still, if your offer to help stands. We do have some furniture and heavy boxes we want to move.”
“Tell me when and where.” Jesus. I was desperate for any crumb of hope.
She scribbled her parent’s address on a piece of paper, “Tomorrow?”
I took that paper like a lifeline, “I’ll be there.”
She smiled, and it was like the sun had come out on my dreary life.
As I walked back to my office though, I tempered the hope that started to bloom in my chest. Just because she was willing to let me help her parents didn’t mean she liked me. But it did mean I’d have the opportunity to woo her. Maybe I could ask her for a drink or to dinner. I could start a new relationship with her. I had hoped to be able to do that when the deal was done, but then she left. But perhaps I could approach a relationship like a normal person - dating, getting to know each other, and then whatever came after.
I still felt like shit, but less so. All of a sudden, there was a glimmer of hope that I could win Hallie’s heart.
The next morning after my swim, I looked over the half dozen t-shirts strewn across my bed, wondering when I’d become an indecisive teenage girl. Why couldn’t I decide what shirt to wear? I’d thrown on a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt because the goal of the day was to pack and move things. But the shirt was snug over my chest and showed a good amount of the tattoo on my right arm, and I worried Hallie’s parents might not like that. So then I tried on a looser fitting black shirt, but got concerned I looked like a biker. Then came the red golf shirt, but packing and moving meant dust and sweat, which I didn’t want to get on my shirt. Jesus, Nate, What. The. FUCK. If my brothers could see me now, they’d strip me of my manhood.
After discarding three other shirts, I finally found another white t-shirt that wasn’t too tight. I tossed on a white and blue striped button-down shirt over it that I could take off when I started working, but also made me a little more presentable to meet the parents.
This brought on the next waves of concern - What if her parents didn’t like me? That lead to me wondering if it would even matter? Did Hallie like me? Or could I win her heart? I was a fucking mess.
Somehow, at eight a.m. Saturday morning, I arrived at her parents’ home. It was a brick ranch with a garage and tidy yard, not all that different from my mother’s house. I took a deep breath and rolled my shoulders, hoping I looked calm and relaxed, and then knocked.
Hallie opened the door, and my heart did wild flips in my chest. She looked radiant as always. Her jeans hugged her curves enticingly. I shoved my hands in my front pockets to keep from reaching out to touch them. She wore a sleeveless green shirt that accented her emerald eyes. Her hair was up in a messy bun with pretty auburn tendrils hanging loose. Thank goodness my hands were in my pockets because I might have kissed her and loosened that bun otherwise.
“Hi,” she said, lightly biting her lower lip like she did when she was unsure. Was she nervous about today too?
“Hi,” I stared at her like an idiot for a moment. “Nate’s packing service ready for work.”
She laughed, “Come in.” She opened the door wider to let me in. I followed her to an open living area. Her mother sat at a table with boxes of photographs on it.
“Mom, this is my boss, Nate Sloane.”
I’d have preferred something other than boss, but I had time to change that, “Mrs. Thorne, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” I reached out my hand to the tiny woman.
Her hand shook slightly as she took mine, which I attributed to her MS. More than ever, I wished I had a treatment for it.
“Mr. Sloane, thank you so much for coming to help. You’ve done so much for us already. I don’t know how to thank you.”
“It’s been my pleasure,” I cast a glance at Hallie, unable to keep my eyes off of her for too long.
A tall, lean man about ten years older than Hallie’s mother entered carrying a box.
“Dad, this is my boss, Nate Sloane.”
The man set the box on the table his wife was working at, wiped his hand on his shirt, and then extended it, “Mr. Sloane.”
“Please, call me Nate,” I shook his hand.
“We’re honored to have your help and your brother’s help on Hallie’s house.”
“It was my pleasure,” I said again. It was either that, or I’d move heaven and earth to make Hallie happy, and that was probably over the top at the moment.
“I thought we could work in the garage before it gets too warm,” her father said to me.
“Sure, just show me what you want me to do.”
He made a follow-me gesture with his hand, and I went with him through the kitchen and out a side door. I could sense Hallie behind me.
“We have an attic in our garage that we’ve stored junk, holiday decorations and who knows what else,” her father said, “but my wife and Hallie think I’m too feeble to bring the stuff down.”
A ladder stood in the middle of the garage under an attic access.
“I’m happy to do it,” I said.
“It gets pretty hot up there. Be careful,” Hallie said from behind me. “I put a cooler of water on my dad’s workbench.” She pointed across the garage.
I looked down into her gorgeous green eyes and wished I could kiss her, “I’ll be fine.”
It took me a couple of hours and four bottles of water to get the boxes, old furniture, and other items out of the garage attic. Then her father and I worked on packing up other items in his garage, such as his garden tools.
Hallie’s mother made a simple yet delicious lunch of sandwiches, potato salad, and homemade cookies. It made me think of what my mother would have made in a similar situation. Both of Hallie’s parents were sweet, like her. Her father
asked me questions about my work. Her mother asked questions about my personal life in a way that made me wonder if she was keen on my taking an interest in Hallie. If only she knew the truth. But until Hallie knew, I couldn’t let Mrs. Thorne know my intentions.
After lunch, we finished up in the garage, but by then, her parents’ energy was waning. I didn’t want to leave but knew they needed to rest.
I sat on their porch, finishing the last bit of water before heading out. Her mother sat on a chair with her husband standing behind her. Hallie sat on a porch loveseat.
“You know, Nate, Hallie’s house has a porch swing now. How’d you know to add that?” her father asked.
I shook my head, “That was probably Gabe’s idea or Sam’s.”
“But it was your idea for a pool, right?” Mrs. Thorne asked. “Whatever made you think of that?”
I chanced a glance at Hallie, who looked down, but I swore I saw her blush.
“It’s hot in Virginia. I have a pool, and it seemed like it would be a nice thing. I know they’re working to keep up, but I’ve got a great pool service—”
“You’re going to spoil Hallie,” her mother interjected, reminding me of my own mother yet again.
I couldn’t help but flash a grin at Hallie and instantly regretted it. Jesus, I wanted to take her hand or touch her hair, “Hallie is a valuable part of Sloane Labs. She’s given me just as much.” Worried I might be revealing too much, I added, “I’m glad you like the house. I know it was important to her that you did.” I finished my drink and then stood, “I should be off.”
“Thank you so much, Nate,” Her mother started to stand, but I waved her down.
“It was my pleasure,” I said, taking her hands in mine and giving them a little squeeze. I shook her father’s hand, “Sir.”
“I’ll walk you to your car,” Hallie said, rising from her seat.
She didn’t say anything until we reached my car, “Thank you.”
I looked at her, and again, the urge to kiss her was nearly more than I could resist. I opened the car door to keep from doing so, “You’re welcome.”
“You haven’t seen the home, have you?”
I shook my head, “No.”
She bit her lip and shifted from side to side, “I could make you dinner there - to thank you for today.”
My hands clenched the door of my car as I looked over it at her, “I’d like that.”
“Seven?”
“I’ll see you then,” I got in the car feeling happier than I had in a long time. If I was lucky, by the end of the weekend, I could convince Hallie that I wasn’t a horndog and she would be mine again.
Taking a Chance
Chapter Twenty-Two: Taking a Chance
Hallie
My heart beat a million times a minute every time I looked at Nate today. He was so sexy in his jeans and t-shirt. Carrying boxes, his muscles bulged, reminding me of the times he was laying over me, those strong arms supporting him as he pumped his body in and out of mine. My entire body throbbed with the need for a repeat.
I didn’t know why he was being so nice to my family, except that he was a nice guy. Our deal was done, so he didn’t need to help my family and me. I wanted desperately to think he was here because he wanted to be around me. That he wanted more than just to be my boss. But I worried that it was just wishful thinking on my part. Maybe he felt it was his duty to finish the deal by making sure me and my family were settled.
It took all my courage to get the nerve to ask him for dinner. I veiled it as a thank you for helping my family, but the reality was, I wasn’t ready to be away from him. I wanted him. Not just his fantastic body, but his heart as well. I was probably setting myself up for more heartbreak, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself. I missed him so much, which was weird because I saw him every day. What I missed was being able to be myself with him. To laugh and joke, and yes, to touch him.
After I got my parents settled in to rest, I headed home, stopping at the store to pick up dinner supplies. The advantage of having a new home was that it wasn’t messy or dusty, so I didn’t need to do much to make sure it was presentable. Even so, I clipped some flowers from the garden and put them in vases around the living area.
At seven, there was a knock on my door. My nerves went into overdrive as I opened it and saw Nate standing there. This time he was in khaki slacks and a red golf shirt. He looked like a model. He took my breath away.
He held up a bottle of wine, “Housewarming gift.”
“Come in,” I opened the door and took the bottle. “I’ll open this now. We can have it on the tour.”
He looked around the large open space that made up the living area and open kitchen, “Gabe did it again.”
I remembered that every time I’d praised Gabe, he’d always say something about Nate, “And you. I can’t thank you enough, Nate. I know it was part of the deal, but, I feel like I got the better end of that.”
The brightness in his eyes faded slightly. Panic rose. What did I say wrong?
“I just hope it works for you and your family.”
I led him to the kitchen, my mind a whirl on how to get this evening back on track. Unsure what to say, I showed him all the features that were added for my mother’s convenience and comfort.
“She loves to cook, and this will help her,” I said of the lower countertops.
He ran his hand over the granite, “There are some things that medicine can’t help.”
I nodded, taking in the poignancy of his statement, “Yes, cooking is a type of therapy for her.”
I gave him the house tour, showing off the smart features. I wasn’t sure I should show him my room, but in the end, he’d paid for all this, he should see it all.
“Not as girly as the room in your parent’s house,” he said when I showed him my bedroom.
“I’ve grown up a little bit.”
During our fake marriage with benefits, my comment would have led to innuendo and eventually sex. It made me feel sad that even the fun banter we used to engage in was gone.
I led him downstairs, and out the back door, “This was the biggest surprise. I couldn’t believe you did this.”
He walked to the end of the deck and stood at the rail, looking over the pool and the beautiful garden, “You seemed to like it at my house.”
There was something in his voice that made me feel like I was losing whatever connection we’d had earlier in the day. Did he feel sad too about what we’d lost? Had it been worth it? I decided it was. What was the saying? It’s better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all. It hurt like hell, but I’d never forget the fun and sweet moments I’d had loving Nate.
“I did. I enjoyed it a lot,” I said, answering his question. “It means a lot to me that you’d do this. I know our deal was a lot on your end and that you’re glad it’s all done.
He turned abruptly, his wine sloshing in his glass, “What do you mean?”
I swallowed as I realized I was going to have to admit to eavesdropping, “I…ah….I heard you on the phone saying you wanted to move on.”
He frowned, “What are you talking about?”
I bit my lower lip, “I didn’t mean to listen in on your call. You were on the phone, probably with Gabe and you told him that you couldn’t move on until the deal with me was done. Doing all this probably put that off a bit. But now it’s done.” I couldn’t bring myself to say, now you can move on.
His gaze drifted off like he was trying to think back or sort out what I was saying. Finally, he turned back to me, “Is that why you left?”
I nodded, “Our agreement was essentially done. I mean, I didn’t know about all you’d already done on the house, but I knew you’d take care of it. I sensed you were ready to move on, and I didn’t want to hold you back. When I see how much you did, I know it took a long time. I can see why you were ready to be done.”
He let out an exasperated breath and ran his fingers through his hair, “Oh Jesus, Hallie.”
Nerves prickled up my skin. I wasn’t sure why, but his reaction was strange, and I couldn’t decipher what it meant.
He looked at me with pain in his eyes, “When I said that to Gabe, what I meant was that I couldn’t move forward with you until the deal was done.”
I frowned, not sure what he meant.
He stepped toward me, putting his hands on my arms and gently rubbing. I wanted to melt into him, but for all I knew, he was about to give me a gentle brush off.
“I wanted to be with you, Hallie. Not a fake marriage, but a real relationship. But this deal stood between us. I needed to meet the terms of the deal so that you’d know what I was asking for was real, not part of a business arrangement. I wanted a clean slate between us.”
I swallowed, not sure I could believe my ears.
“But you left. The deal was done, and you left. You didn’t seem to feel the same about me.”
“That’s not true,” I gripped his shirt to make sure he’d stay close, and I could tell him the truth. “I wanted to stay, but I didn’t want to hold you back. I thought you were done with me.”
His hands cradled my face, “I wasn’t. I’m not.”
I looked up into his dark eyes through my own tear-soaked ones. Was he really saying what I thought he was saying?
“Hallie, I love you.”
My heart burst with such joy and relief, it was a wonder my chest could contain it, “Oh, Nate.” I threw my arms around him, “I love you too. So much.” I clung to him like a lifeline. I savored the feel of his strong arms as they banded around me, held me to him.
“Thank fuck,” he groaned. “I’ve been dying a slow death every fucking day - to work with you and not touch you.”
I leaned back to look into his handsome face, “Me too. I didn’t think my heart could break anymore and then I’d see you and it would.”
“No more,” his palms held my face again, “no more heartbreak. No more yearning.” He nodded like he wanted me to agree.
Of course, I did, but I asked, “What about your rule?”
Her Hero Boss Page 17
