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Which scares me to my core, because I’ll have to tell him who I am sooner or later, but when? When will that happen? Will I trust my gut on the timing? Will I just know?
If I hadn’t slept with Nathan all those weeks ago, my life wouldn’t be this complicated. Yet, here I am. Maybe if I just asked him about my family’s case, be truthful about who I am, would he help me?
No way. Not if it’s questioning his father’s ethics.
What the hell are you thinking, Arianna? Keep mum.
So I’ll keep hiding who I am. For now.
And if we crash and burn—sorry,whenwe crash and burn—then I guess I’ll have to eventually deal with the consequence. Something I can’t even think about now.
And as much as I keep telling myself that saying yes to Nathan and stepping into the wild unknown with him will get me one step closer to his father, it couldn’t be further from my goal now.
I’m in so deep with Nathan because I like him. Really like him, and there isn’t a goddamn thing I seem to be able to do to stop us from happening.
Of all the men in all the world, why does it have to be him that I see myself having a future with?
This is terrible.
And wonderful.
Why does he have to be so handsome, and have a brain that’s as big as his dick, and why is he so goddamn irresistible?
He’s the whole package.
My stomach feels like it’s full of leaping frogs and I slow my steps down to steady myself.
“Relax,” Nathan says, as if sensing my inner turmoil.
“I’m fine.” I shake out my shoulders to ease the tension in them.
“You’re as tense as hell.” His lips find my ear. “Relax, baby, you’re about to meet my mother.” He chuckles when I groan, then plants a soft kiss on my cheek, which settles me a little.
Inhaling a deep breath, I prepare myself to meet the matriarch of the Hart family.
“Darling, you made it.” A stunning, wide-smiled, gray-haired woman wearing a stylish black gown strides toward Nathan with her arms open wide.
“Mom.” Nathan greets her with a kiss to each cheek and a one-armed embrace. Only one arm because his other is still wrapped firmly around my waist.
“How’s Dad today?” Nathan asks, sounding sorrowful.
“Much the same,” she replies with a sigh, stepping out of his hold, her voice heavy and weary. “He was sleeping when I left.”
What happened to his dad? And why is he not here?
This is something I’ve yet to find out because no one in the office ever talks about him. I’ve asked; trust me, I’ve tried very hard to find out what happened to Nathan’s father, but either no one knows or everyone has been asked to keep their mouths shut.
I’m thinking it’s the first one.
I can’t deny I’m slightly disappointed but also relieved that he’s not here tonight because I’m not sure I’m ready to come face-to-face with him just yet.
Nathan’s mother inhales a deep breath as if summoning all her willpower and paints on a smile and turns to me.
“And you must be Arianna.” She reaches up to cup my face. “You are very beautiful.” Her smile genuine, her eyes soften around the edges. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Have you?” I look up at Nathan in question. What the hell has he said about me?
“Oh, don’t worry, dear, the boys talk to me. Nathan, not so much.”