“I’m afraid.”
“What is it that’s scaring you?”
It bubbled up like bile.She tasted its horror in her mouth, and it made her eyes burn.
There was a truth that once admitted, could never be retracted.
It was Claire’s greatest fear.
“I’m afraid,” she said, tears clinging to her eyelashes, “that if I say the words, that if I admit my true feelings for you, the universe will take notice.That it will take you away, just like it took Arthur.I can’t live through that twice, Nick.I can’t.”
Nick pulled her into his arms, and she wept against his chest.Each sob shook her body harder than the one before, but his grip was strong and steadfast.For those numb moments following her confession, she thanked her stars for the sanctuary his arms provided.If only they could stay like this forever, warm and safe.Each other’s haven.
When her sobs subsided, Nick kissed her face, as if taking her tears might help to remove her sadness.He then brushed his lips against her forehead in a soft peck, and looked her in the eye.“Sweetheart, I wish I could promise you we’ll live forever, but I can’t.”
“I know.”
“But I’m glad you told me what was scaring you.Claire, I can’t tell you what the future holds, but I know one thing.I want you in my future.I want to share everything with you.And I’m tired of calling it something it’s not.”
She wanted it too.
Now that she’d admitted her deepest fear, it didn’t lurk quite as ominously in the background.It had faded, just a little bit.
It turned out there was a fourth prong on her plan to move forward, although she hadn’t realized it was there at first.
She needed to trust in love again, even though it might one day be taken away.
“Can you take that leap with me,” he asked, “even though we can’t see the bottom of the pool?”
She grasped both of Nick’s hands in hers and brought them to her lips, kissing his knuckles.“This is me, jumping into the pool with you.”
The furrow in his brow relaxed as he let out a long breath.“So, we’re doing this?For real?”
“We’re doing this.I want to be with you.”
Even though the fear of losing him rode her hard, and probably always would, hope took flight inside Claire.Nick looked so happy, and it was because she’d told him she cared.
It was the most wonderful feeling in the world.
He slid his fingers into her hair, cradling her skull as he drew her in for a nourishing kiss.Claire took it all—his tenderness, his need, his breath.And when he urged her back onto the mattress, cocooning her in his heat, she took that too.
Within minutes, he’d sheathed himself in a condom.Another few seconds, and he was thrusting deep.
He buried his face in the crook of her neck as they came together.“I’m going to make you happy.I won’t ever hurt you.I swear it.”
For a few, glorious moments, Claire allowed herself to believe the world wouldn’t hurt them either.
Chapter Twenty
As theHandymenteam finished up work in those last days before the Haven open house, Nick had to take a couple of mornings to attend business meetings at Inspiration.Details were quickly being finalized forNick of Time.
He was so accustomed to heading into the Inspiration Network offices with his brothers in tow, but of course, Michael and Eli had nothing to do with the new show.Lacey wasn’t around either, for the same reason.As a result, when Nick walked in on an early Monday morning, he couldn’t shake the sensation that he’d forgotten to put on his pants somehow, leaving him totally exposed.
Surely someone from the executive team would point and laugh, and break it to him that they’d made a huge mistake and his career was over.
Only that didn’t happen.
Instead, he met with the producers, who introduced him to his new director.Teagan Shipp was energetic and bubbly.She wore ripped jeans, a white T-shirt and a blazer.Her hair was cropped short and dyed green, giving her a definite hipster vibe.Although he didn’t watch a ton of TV, he recognized her name.She had gotten her start directing another Inspiration Network show, one about new buyers in the real estate market.
