“What do you want?”
“Nicole.” He sighed her name. “May I come in?”
“No.”
“Please.” He stared into her eyes, easily recognizing the hurt beneath the anger. “I know I hurt you. I was wrong. Please let me explain.”
She relented. “Say your piece and leave.” He followed her into the apartment, and she turned to face him. “I’m waiting.”
“I know you had nothing to do with stealing my designs.”
“What changed your mind?” Her frown increased when he hesitated in answering her.
“I saw the security footage. Nina bribed one of the guards at the office to let her in last night.”
“Let me get this straight.” She smiled humorlessly. “You’re sorry because you found proof of my innocence—not because you knew in your heart that I was innocent? Is that right?”
“Nicole...”
“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” He remained silent, and she angrily continued, “How could you think I would ever betray you, Alexander?”
“I didn’t want to.”
“But you did!” She balled her fists at her sides. “I deserved better than that!”
“Yes, you did—you do,” he quickly agreed.
“You could have given me better. You could have given me everything.” Her voice trembled slightly. “All you had to do was trust me. After all we’ve been to each other, have I ever given you any reason to doubt my love or loyalty?”
“No, you haven’t.” He was losing her; he felt her slipping away with each word spoken.
“No,” she repeated sarcastically. “Alexander, we were as close as two people can get. How could you not trust me?” Her eyes begged for understanding.
“I wanted to trust you. I tried, I really did, and as much as I’m capable, I do trust you.”
“How can you say that?” She shook her head in disbelief. “You don’t accuse someone you trust of theft and betrayal. Those three things are not synonymous.”
“You’re aware of my history with Nina and my parents.”
“I am not them, Alexander, and I’m tired of you comparing me to other people!” He could tell she meant every word, and icy cold fingers of fear gripped his heart. “I want to be judged for who I am and what I’ve done. Is that too much to ask?”
“No, it’s not.”
“Then why couldn’t you do that?”
“I should have.”
“Yes, you should have,” she agreed, opening the door for him. “I’d like you to leave now.”
“Nicole—”
“Goodbye, Alexander,” she sharply cut him off.
He wanted to say more but left as she asked. Had he known how final her words would turn out to be, he would have stayed and talked himself blue trying to convince her of the sincerity of his apology.
* * *
Nicole wiped away a tear from her cheek and leaned against the door as her heart broke into a million pieces. She would not cry; she would purge her love for Alexander from her soul—somehow. She laughed bitterly. Who was she kidding? She might as well try to stop breathing than try to stop loving him—but that love was useless. They had no future because he didn’t trust her. He didn’t even know what the word meant, and without trust, there could be no love.
* * *
Nicole didn’t come in the next day and wouldn’t return his calls, and he couldn’t blame her. He called Monique into his office.
“How’s Nicole?” Alex motioned for her to sit down, but she defiantly remained standing.
“Do you really care?”
“Of course I care. What kind of question is that?”
“After you broke her heart by accusing her of stealing from you and betraying your trust, I’d say it’s a fair question.”
“Where is she, Monique?”
“Why? So you can hurt her some more?” At his pained expression, she glanced at her watch. “About now, she should be touching down.”
“Touching down?” He leaned forward in his chair. “Where is she?”
“New York.” Monique walked out before he could say anything else.
Alex sank back onto his chair, utter disbelief and shock evident on his face. Nicole was gone? She had left him? Now what was he going to do?
* * *
Alex spent the rest of the day telling himself it was for the best that he and Nicole were over and that he really didn’t miss her and definitely didn’t need her. A funny thing happened in the midst of trying to convince himself of those lies, though—he found the truth. Despite his resolve not to, he had fallen head over heels in love with Nicole. He wanted and needed her back in his life, but would she have him? There was only one thing to do—go and find out.
He now sat on his private plane bound for New York. He was going to do whatever he had to do to get her back. He forced the nagging possibility that she wouldn’t forgive him to the back of his mind. She loved him and he loved her; they would work this out. She’d forgive him. She had to because he honestly didn’t know what he’d do if she didn’t.
Picking up the phone, he dialed his brother’s number. “Hey, Vic, it’s me. Can you look after Alexander’s for a few days or a week—maybe longer?”
“Sure I can, but where will you be?”
“In New York.”
“Yes!” Alex managed a smile at Victor’s exuberance. “Bring your lady back, bro.”
“I’m going to give it everything I have,” he solemnly promised.
“You’ll succeed.” Alex envied Victor’s certainty. “I have faith in you.”
“Thanks, Vic.”
“De nada, bro. Now get off the phone and get going.”
“I’m already on my plane. Talk to you later, Vic.”
“Bye, bro. Good luck.”
As he rang off, he prayed for a miracle. He had a feeling he was going to need one.
Chapter 18
Nicole walked through the front door of her parents’ house without being seen. She had been back in New York since last night and had taken a little time to pull herself together before coming home. She stood unobserved in the hall, watching her family with envy.
Natasha and Damien sat side by side on a sofa to the left of the fireplace. His arm was around her shoulders, his other resting on her protuberant stomach. Nicole smiled genuinely for the first time in days. At least she hadn’t missed the birth; Natasha was a few days late and was scheduled for induction next week if she hadn’t delivered by then.
Nathan sat on the opposite sofa with Marcy. He was running his fingers absently through her hair. She turned to smile at him, and he placed a light kiss on her lips before pulling her head down onto his shoulder, his fingers still entwined in her hair.
Her mother and Marcy and Damien’s mother entered from the kitchen, presumably after checking on dinner, chatting happily before sitting down beside their respective husbands, who were engaged in a game of chess.
They all fit together. They were so perfect for each other. Why couldn’t she find what they had? She had, she sadly reminded herself, but she couldn’t force Alexander to realize they were meant to be together. Though he had hurt her terribly, buried deep among the hurt of her tattered heart, she still believed they belonged together. If only he did, too.
“Hi, everyone!” She made her voice appropriately light, hoping she could convince her family she was as happy as she had been when she had left them six months ago.
“Nicole!” Natasha exclaimed as she stood with Damien’s hel
p and walked toward her.
“Tash, how are you?” Nicole touched her huge stomach.
“Ready for my darling baby to make an entrance.” Natasha groaned, and everyone laughed.
“He was just waiting for his aunt to come home,” Nicole said.
“I hope so.” Natasha rubbed her stomach. “Your aunt Nicole has returned. Now it’s time for you to come out.”
Damien hid a smile behind his hand and kissed his very pregnant wife’s cheek. “Why didn’t you tell us you were coming?” he asked Nicole.
“That’s Nicole for you—always doing the unexpected,” Nathan said.
“My baby is home!” her mother exclaimed, hugging her tightly. Then her father enveloped her in his strong arms.
“What’s wrong, Nicole?” Her mother inspected her artificial smile. “And don’t try to tell me it’s nothing. I’m your mother,” Linda chided.
“I’m fine, Momma, really.”
“This sadness in your eyes is the work of a man,” Linda correctly deduced. “Isn’t it?”
Nicole remained noticeably silent. She wasn’t ready to talk about Alexander; the wounds were too fresh and the pain too sharp.
“You look wonderful, Nicole.” Marcy intervened. “Now, the most important question is did you do a lot of shopping, and what did you bring us?” Everyone laughed and looked at Nicole expectantly.
Nicole gave Marcy a grateful smile for changing the subject. She hoped everyone would take her lead, which thankfully they did, at least for now.
“Yes I did do some shopping, and I have something for everyone.” She laughed as the room erupted in cheers.
The doorbell chimed, and because she was still standing and nearest to the door, Natasha went to answer it.
* * *
“Yes, may I help you?”
“You must be Natasha.” Alexander smiled, recognizing her from the photos Nicole kept on her desk.
“I am, and you are?”
“I’m Alexander James. I worked with Nicole in Paris. Is Nicole here?”
“Yes, she is.”
“May I come in?”
“I’m considering it.” Natasha studied him coolly for a few seconds longer before stepping aside.
“May I see Nicole?” he asked anxiously as he removed his jacket.
“I don’t know if she wants to see you.”
“Please, I’ve come a long way, and it’s urgent that I talk to her.”
Again he was treated to intense scrutiny while she considered his request. After what seemed like hours, she came to a decision.
“She’s in the living room.” She motioned for him to follow her. “This way.”
All talking and laughing ceased when Natasha and Alexander entered the room. Everyone stared at him questioningly.
* * *
Nicole’s mouth dropped open in shock as she slowly rose to her feet and walked over to the man she was trying to purge from her heart. “What are you doing here, Alexander?”
“I came to talk to you.”
“We said it all in Paris.” She silently cursed her heart for nearly jumping out of her chest at the sight of him. From somewhere deep inside, a flicker of hope sprang to life. He had come all this way for her. He must have left Paris shortly after she did. The fact that he had dropped everything touched her; however, it all depended on what he said and did next.
“Can I talk to you alone?” He glanced at the occupants of the room, who glared back at him.
“No. If you want to talk to me, talk.”
Every pair of hostile eyes in the room rested on him. He recognized them all from the pictures on Nicole’s desk, but they had looked much friendlier on paper than they did now. This was too important for him to mess up, so he sighed before forcing himself to focus only on her instead of the stares sent his direction from her family.
“I’m sorry for hurting you, Nicole,” he began. “I’m so sorry for the things I did and didn’t say.”
“You think saying you’re sorry makes up for everything, don’t you?”
“No, but I am sorry.”
“Too little, too late, Alexander.” She wasn’t giving an inch until she heard the one thing that would convince her of his sincerity.
“I don’t believe that.”
“What exactly do you believe?” Her eyes burned angrily. “Do you still believe I’m a thief and a liar?”
“I never said that.” He shifted uncomfortably as the unfriendly stares were now laced with outrage.
“You didn’t?” A perfectly arched eyebrow rose. “The man accusing me of stealing his precious designs looked so much like you.”
“Nicole, I—”
“Knowing how I felt about you, how could you entertain for a second that I would ever betray you?” Without giving him a chance to answer, she continued, “Every time I tried to show you what true love was, you threw it back in my face.”
“I know. All I can say in my defense is that I’m used to being hurt, and for self-preservation’s sake, I couldn’t let you all the way into my heart. But you got in anyway, Nicole, and I’m glad you did.”
“Well, I’m not,” she whispered. “No one has ever hurt me the way you did.”
“I know I did.” His hand reached for her, but her angry expression stopped him from touching her. She wanted to feel his arms around her, his lips on hers, but she wasn’t going to forgive him for not trusting her—not until he said the words she longed to hear. “Nicole, I never had anyone love me the way you do. I didn’t even know that type of love existed. I didn’t know how to handle such devotion and selflessness.”
“I gave you everything I had to give. I laid my heart open for you, and you trampled on it.”
“If I could go back and change things—if I could take away the pain I caused you, the one person I never wanted to hurt—I would do it in a heartbeat. When I found out you had left Paris, I’d never been more scared in my life because I finally realized I don’t have a life without you.”
She felt herself weakening, but refused to give in to her love for him until he realized what he put her through.
“Just words, Alexander.”
“No, not just words. For once I’m being completely honest with myself, and especially with you. God, Nicole, I don’t know what else to say except that I love you.” He spoke the words she had waited so long to hear. “I love you with my heart and my soul and with everything that I am. I didn’t believe in us, and I’m sorry. I don’t deserve it, but if you give me another chance, I promise I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to you.”
He waited for her to speak, but she could only stare at him with tears welling in her eyes. He had finally said the one thing that would allow her to forgive him—he loved her. She was paralyzed with joy.
“Nicole, love hurts sometimes, but that’s just love,” Natasha promised. “Give Alex another chance.”
“Listen to your sister, Nicole,” her mother chimed in. “Her words are wise and true.”
“Give the man a break, sis,” Nathan suggested, patting Alex on the shoulder comfortingly. “After all, he came all this way and faced down your entire family, didn’t he?”
“Yes, you pigheaded men do like to stick together, don’t you?” Marcy screwed up her nose at her husband and laughed when he encircled her waist and kissed her before pulling her into the dining room.
“I don’t think we could have done better ourselves, Linda,” Margaret Johnson whispered.
“He does seem like a nice man,” Linda agreed as they headed out of the room. Their husbands trailed behind them, shaking their heads. Damien and Natasha followed.
“Maybe I will forgive you,” Nicole said finally.
* * *
Once they were alone, Alex took
her hand in his, led her to the sofa and waited until she sat down before kneeling in front of her, still holding her hand. He took a midnight blue velvet box out of his left jacket pocket and opened it, revealing a princess-cut diamond solitaire engagement ring.
“I love you, Nicole. You taught me to love. You breathed life into my cold heart, and I’m so sorry for trampling on your trust and your love. I would understand if you throw this ring back in my face, but please don’t.” Taking the ring from its bed, he slipped it onto her finger slowly. “Marry me.”
She lowered to the floor until she was kneeling in front of him. She took his face between her hands; the look in her eyes gave him her answer.
“What took you so long to ask?” she whispered through tears.
He smiled ruefully. “I was a fool.”
“Yes, you were, but a fool I’ve always loved.”
“Will you marry me?” he asked again, needing to hear the words from her.
“Yes.” She ended his torment, pulling his lips to hers.
“Nicole, I thought I’d lost you,” he brokenly confessed, crushing her to him. “Thank God I didn’t.”
“I’ll love you forever, Alexander.”
They kissed, tentatively at first, as if neither could believe they were actually together again, and then with increasing fervor when the passion between them erupted as it always did when they touched. When he tried to end the kiss, she wound her arms around his neck, prolonging contact for innumerably pleasing seconds.
“Just don’t try to live without me again,” she warned.
“I don’t have a life without you. You own my heart, Nicole.”
“And I plan on keeping it,” she whispered into his mouth.
“Hey, you two, come on. Dinner is going to get cold!” Nathan shouted from the dining room.
“Nathan, leave them alone,” Marcy scolded.
“Dinner is going to get cold,” Alex reiterated against Nicole’s lips as her arms tightened around his neck.
Our First Embrace Page 19
