“I think that’s what Noah was trying to say, except he used a terrible example. Another woman.” She shakes her head in disgust. “No wonder you were too distracted to see the point!”
“So I really messed up, but Nicholas won’t even talk to me now. Or respond to my texts. It’s like he wants to break up.”
Georgia snorts. “No, he doesn’t. If he wanted to break up with you, he would’ve told you to grab your stuff and get out. I don’t know where he’s staying, and I doubt Nikki does either. He has six brothers in the city, not to mention his friends. And if all else fails, he can just stay at a hotel.”
“But I don’t want him to stay away. Should I go to his office?”
“I wouldn’t. Not until you’re sure about what you want.”
“I am. I want to apologize.”
“That won’t be enough, Molly. If that’s all he wanted, he wouldn’t have left.” Georgia pats my shoulder, half sympathetic and half encouraging. “He’s handed you ultimate control over your future.” She gives me a significant look. “And his. So give it some serious thought before trying to see him.”
Chapter Forty-Six
Molly
The next week passes in a blur. I have a few interviews with other companies and text Nicholas every night to ask him how he’s doing. But he doesn’t respond.
However, flowers, cupcakes and chocolates continue to arrive as usual. And short notes come with them, still in languages I don’t understand.
The people taking care of his home continue to come and stock the fridge with food I like. The huge mansion gets cleaned. It’s like nothing’s really changed except for Nicholas’s absence.
But it’s that lack that leaves me bereft at night. I should’ve asked the housekeeping staff to leave the sheets in his bedroom alone, because now I don’t have anything that smells like him. The things in his closet have been freshly laundered and smell of soap as well.
“Is there anything of his that you haven’t cleaned yet?” I ask Carla. Steely-haired and no-nonsense, she’s the most senior member of the crew that handles Nicholas’s household matters.
“No,” she says. “Nicholas likes to keep his home tidy.”
Of course.It’d be nice if his people were less efficient, but I try not to be too disappointed. It isn’t her fault.
Her expression softens. “Would you like to try some new coffee? I can stock the library with a sampler of specialty coffees.”
Her kindness only depresses me further. She must’ve sensed something wrong between me and Nicholas, but she’s still doing her best to perk me up. Someone else might blame me for upsetting her boss.
And the library… It’s still as beautiful as before, but it’s the most painful room in the mansion. I’ve been avoiding it since Nicholas walked out. He saidfuck reality—we weren’t supposed to settle for anything less than a happily ever after. I feel like I’ve ruined our happy ending.
Carla is waiting expectantly. “Thank you,” I say. “But whatever Nicholas drinks is fine.”
She gives me an odd look. “He doesn’t.”
“Doesn’t what?”
“Doesn’t drink coffee.”
“What?”Everybody drinks coffee.And he always had it with me in the morning.
“He prefers Earl Grey. The tea. He only has a coffeemaker in the kitchen for when his brothers come over.”
“What about the one in the library?”
“He bought it a few months ago, but I’ve never seen him use it.”
My eyes prickle as I realize he must’ve bought it for me. Georgia doesn’t hang out with Nicholas much, and he said he doesn’t have people over. The romance novels—which he wouldn’t normally read—occupy a huge section of the library and living room. The truck he bought to help me move out of Owen’s place is sitting in the garage. I haven’t seen him drive it again.
Nicholas has quietly done things that he knows are going to make me happy. The cost and effort are immaterial to him.
Cold shivers run through me, like a wintry wind. Sniffling, I take my phone and crawl into the bed where we spent hours entwined. I bury my face in the pillows, wishing I could smell something of him, but no. All that’s tickling my nose is fabric softener.
