Page 19 of The Hookup Situation (Billionaire Situation #5)

Before I can respond, Mayor Hutchinson’s voice booms over the speakers. “Ladies and gentlemen, before our main entertainment tonight, I’d like to ask Nicolas Banks to come up here for a moment!”

Nick freezes. “What?”

“Did you know about this?” I ask.

“No. I just helped with setup. I didn’t?— ”

“Mr. Banks, don’t be shy!” The mayor waves him forward.

The crowd starts chanting his name, and Nick shoots me a panicked look before heading to the stage. “What do I do?”

“Go,” I say, encouraging him.

“Folks, before we start the kickoff, I wanted to give my appreciation to this generous young man. Nick here decided earlier that he would make a very large donation to our literacy program to help us rebuild and expand the library.”

“How much?” someone yells from the crowd.

The mayor laughs. “He’s funding the entire project.”

Whispers circle around the crowd, and I stare at him. I had no idea any of this was going on.

“That’s millions,” I hear someone say behind me.

My stomach drops. Nick isn’t just wealthy; he’s in a different stratosphere.

“We’re so appreciative that you’re here, sir. Would you like to say a few words?”

Nick looks nervous as hell. The entire town square has gone quiet, and hundreds of faces have turned toward the stage.

“Hi.” He finds me in the crowd, and I give him an encouraging nod. “I didn’t expect this. I don’t really do speeches. I typically leave the talking to my brother, Asher. And I know he’ll see this somehow, so I’ll give a preemptive, Shut up, Asher .”

“You’re hot!” someone yells, and I hear all the women in the crowd swoon.

Nick takes a breath. “My sister Eden loved books. She loved fall. She would have loved this festival.” His voice gets stronger.

“She passed away five years ago, but she believed in the power of literacy to change lives. This donation is in her memory—because every child deserves to discover the magic of reading.”

The crowd is silent for a moment, then erupts in applause. I’m crying, and I don’t even care.

“And,” the mayor adds, taking back the microphone, “let’s give a round of applause to his lovely girlfriend, a local. Nick told me earlier that Julie brings out the best in him!”

Every head turns to me. Phones come out. Flashes go off.

Nick escapes the stage and makes his way back to me, looking overwhelmed.

“I’m sorry,” he says immediately. “I had no idea they were going to?—”

“Are you kidding? That was amazing. You just changed hundreds of kids’ lives.”

“But people will find out. The attention?—”

“I can handle it. I’m so proud of you.”

I shut him up by kissing him in front of everyone.

Not for show. Not for Craig, who I can see watching from near the beer tent.

But because this man just honored his sister’s memory in the most beautiful way.

His fingers thread through my hair, and everyone and everything around us disappears to nothing.

I can taste the cider on his tongue, and my heart is so full that it might burst out of my chest.

When we break apart, the crowd is cheering.

“That was …” Nick seems dazed.

I feel the same; he makes me dizzy.

“Come on. You need a drink after that ambush,” I say, pulling him away.

We escape to the beer tent, where Nick downs half a beer in one go.

“I hate public speaking,” he admits.

“You were perfect,” I offer as we stand at the edge of the tent.

“I saw you crying.”

“Happy tears. What you said about Eden … that was beautiful.”

He’s quiet for a moment. “She would’ve liked you.”

“Yeah?” I ask.

“You remind me of her sometimes. The way you make everyone feel seen. How you find joy in small things. Your obsession with fall. ”

“Nick …” I swallow hard.

“Sorry, that’s probably weird?—”

“It’s not. It’s … thank you for everything. I’m sure I would’ve liked her too.”

“You would’ve both ganged up on me,” he says, laughing, but I see the sadness in his eyes.

“Guess I’ll have to go harder on you to make up for it,” I say with a wink. “Want to dance?”

“Yes,” he tells me.

We walk across the grass to the dance floor that’s set up in front of the stage.

A country band called The Heartbreakers is playing, and the lead singer, London, is so damn talented.

Afterward, we share a funnel cake and end the night by watching the fireworks burst over the mountain.

As the festival winds down, he walks me to my condo.

“Want to come inside?” I ask as we take the sidewalk that leads to my condo.

“Is that a pickup line?” His mouth quirks upward.

“Maybe. Or maybe I just want to keep pretending this is real for a few more hours.”

He grabs my hand; the streetlight casting shadows across his face. “What if we stopped pretending?”

“Nick …”

“I know. I know we have rules. But, Jules, today didn’t?—”

“Come inside,” I say softly, not wanting anyone to overhear this conversation. “We need to talk about this. About us. About what we’re doing.”

“Yeah,” he says, following me. “We really do.”

My hands shake as I unlock the door, knowing that whatever happens next could change everything between us.