Page 63 of Storm Warning
Nick tried to gauge Kate’s reaction, but her expression remained so blank his stomach twisted. He rubbed the back of his neck, trying to ease the tension, but it only amplified his nerves.
“She got the invitation to come here by email, so David hacked in and got a copy. It came from a spoofed email, not from mine. Of course, Jessica wouldn’t know better. David is trying to track it back to whoever sent it.” He gulped a breath before continuing. “It’s logical to think it came from the same LLC that paid Victoria, or the same people, anyway. We think it was meant as a distraction for me. We’re guessing they hadn’t heard we’d supposedly left the resort when it was sent.”
He paused again, stomach knotting as he again tried to readher reaction. She focused on the horizon, leaving miles of distance between them. Taking a deep breath, he braced himself for the hard part.
“As for us, regardless of everything that’s happened, you asked a fair question. Where do I see us going? I’ve been thinking about it for the past couple of days, which is why I didn’t come find you sooner. You deserve an honest answer.”
Nick shifted his gaze away from her, looking out over the water, the waves lapping against the shore. It was easier to speak if he didn’t analyze every fleeting emotion crossing her face.
“If someone had asked me that before all the chaos with Jessica, I would’ve brushed it off, said I didn’t do relationships, called it a fling. I never planned on anything serious; I never trusted anyone enough to let them in. But now? I’ve shared things with you that I’ve never told another. I want something real. I want to give us a genuine shot. You’re special, Kate. I really want to try—us, together.”
Anxiety bubbled up inside him as he waited for her response. The silence stretched on, heavy and uncomfortable. “Kate?” he called softly, his heart racing as he searched for any sign of her reaction.
She dropped her head onto her arms, her confusion palpable in the air between them. When she turned to face him, her expression revealed a mix of uncertainty and anguish. “I don’t know what to say, Nick. I wanted that too, before, when I wasn’t thinking, only feeling. Now I’m just confused.”
“I did hear what you said about Jessica, and I do believe you. I also owe you a major apology for not giving you a chance to explain before. Everyone should have the right to defend themselves.” Her voice shook, and he glimpsed the strain in her eyes.
She sighed and looked down at her twisting hands again. “But Nick, you’re never photographed more than once with thesame woman, and they are always gorgeous. They are never ordinary people like me, just trying to make a living. We have nothing in common.”
Her words punched into him, the sting acute. He swallowed hard. “You’re right,” he said, his voice steadier than he felt. “I was a player in that regard, but I never cheated on anyone. I always made it clear that I was not looking for a relationship, and they would get nothing from me other than a good time.”
He took a breath, gathering his thoughts. “As for you, there is nothing ordinary about you, Kate. You are gorgeous, smart, and caring.”
He studied her beautiful features, the way her brow furrowed as she processed his words. Every second stretched; Nick wished she could see herself the way he did. “Anyone would be lucky to have you in their life,” he added, hoping to break through that wall of doubt that shadowed her.
“You mentioned something the other day about us being from different worlds. It may be true, but that doesn’t have to stand between us. Look at my family. Marguerite was our butler. David was an orphan, about to be homeless, and Zach and his mom were struggling in poverty.”
He searched her face. “Now, we’re one big, messy family. Our backgrounds don’t define us, Kate. It’s where we choose to go from here that matters. Just because we come from different places doesn’t mean we can’t share the same space going forward.”
Seeing the stress in her beautiful eyes made a knot form in his stomach. He hated that he was the cause of her upset.
“I won’t pressure you. Just… think about it.” Leaning over, he pressed a quick kiss to her temple, then slid down off the rock. “I took the last couple of days to do my own soul-searching, to confront my fears. I’ve always been afraid that nobody would see the real me—and love me for who I am under the public mask. But you know what? I’ve finally realized that’s just leftover nonsense from my parents.”
He looked up at her, voice steady. “I have an amazing family now. People who chose to be there for me and have stuck by me through everything. There’s room for more in that family too, if you’re willing to take the leap.”
He offered her one last small smile before turning toward home, a turmoil of hope and fear twisting inside.
Chapter 33
Swell
The heavinessin Kate's chest mirrored Nick's slumped shoulders as he walked away. Each step he took carved a small, measured blow—a reminder of the tension now stretching between them. She pressed her toes against the hard rock beneath her, trying to ground herself in something solid, but her mind spun like a storm.
He had opened up to her, let her past the polished veneer, and she'd just... sat there. Frozen. Unsure how to respond. Guilt curled in her belly. How could she want him this much and still freeze like a coward?
The thought of being with him thrilled her—exhilarated her—but terrified her in equal measure. If parting for a few days hurt this bad, what would it be like to lose him for real? Love never came without a price. She knew that all too well.
Jessa was a symptom of something bigger. Kate understood that now. The threat, the manipulations—none of it was real. But Jessa also embodied everything that scared her about Nick's world: wealth, glamor, a polished confidence Kate had never possessed. Those were the women in Nick's world.Of course they were. She had been naïve to think she wouldn't shrink standing next to them.
None of those relationships had lasted. If she were honest, that scared her too. What if she couldn't hold his interest either? What if this ended like every other past relationship—with her needing to piece herself together?
She was doing that now, of course, and it was her fault. She initiated this break. Kate closed her eyes and took a slow breath, dragging salty air into her lungs. The ocean breeze whipped her hair across her face, and somewhere down the beach, gulls cried out as they chased the receding waves.
One thing at a time. He said there was room in his life for her, and he hadn't hesitated when he said it. Did she believe him? Did she even believe she deserved that kind of certainty?
She pictured Zach's wry grin, David's easy warmth, Marguerite's kindness. They hadn't treated her like an outsider. They'd welcomed her in, as if she belonged without having to prove herself first. It was a start.
The mansion still intimidated her. From the outside, it looked like something out of a fairytale—beautiful and unattainable. Inside, it had surprised her. Cozy corners, soft sofas, the quiet comfort of a place that had been loved into something more than just expensive. She could almost picture herself there. She'd need time to settle in, but it didn't seem impossible.