Dad leaned forward, his elbows on the table and his voice low. “You wouldn’t be surrendering anything. You would be heading the account. Once it’s set in stone, Hinds would be yours to run. Fully yours.”
I blinked hard, thrown by the shift, but he kept talking. “You’ve earned that. You’ve already proven you can handle it. Obviously, you would need to remain in Chicago with your husband, though.”
I curled inward, but not because of Nate or Chicago. Something else folded in on itself deep inside, like paper burning from the outside edges in. A quiet, private panic sped through me, but I couldn’t show it. I couldn’t even acknowledge it without unraveling completely, so I forced my shoulders back.
“Of course,” I said evenly.
Mom studied my face, her eyes searching. “Honey?—”
“I said I’ll do it,” I repeated, sliding out of the booth before either of them could stop me.
The vinyl squeaked sharply, the sound echoing loud in my ears. I grabbed my phone, my bag, and every piece of myself Icould gather before the cracks showed. Then I stopped to look back at them.
They were both watching me like they were afraid if they blinked, I’d change my mind. I held myself upright through sheer power of will, pressing my lips together to trap the tears threatening to spill.
“You know, it would have been nice if you asked me before you went ahead and traded me like livestock.”
Mom’s lip trembled, her hand flying to her mouth as her eyes glassed over. Dad’s shoulders fell, the weight of my words settling visibly across his frame. I blinked hard in an attempt to keep containing my emotions, but one tear escaped anyway, sliding hot and traitorous down my cheek.
I wiped it away impatiently, lifting my chin before I turned and marched out.
I had to go home, shower, fix my hair, put on some makeup, and button myself into the version of Kate Vanderhaul the world was allowed to see. Because in just a couple hours, I’d be walking into the office and pretending my entire life hadn’t just been signed into a contract I hadn’t even been allowed to read yet.
CHAPTER 15
NATE
Halfway through answering emails I hadn’t actually read, I looked up from my computer when my office door flew open without a knock. Kate walked in carrying her laptop like today was just another workday and wehadn’tboth had a live grenade thrown into our lives just twenty-four hours ago.
She hadn’t come back to the office after the big reveal yesterday. I’d thought about knocking on her door a few more times after I’d gotten back from my run, but in the end, I’d left her to process in whatever way worked best for her. All I knew was that having me in her space would probably only make things worse.
Before I could say a word to ask if she was okay or even to say hello, she crossed the room, set her laptop and bag on the conference table, and faced me with that sharp, unflinching composure I’d come to admire about her.
“My parents are leaving for New York this morning,” she said curtly. “You should know that I’ve agreed to this scheme, but I have some conditions.”
I leaned back in my chair, working hard to keep my expression carefully neutral even though my heart had just popped like a firework in my chest. There was no tremor in Katevoice and no hesitation about her at all. Her ponytail was pulled tight, her hair hanging smooth and sleek behind her back and her makeup flawless.
If I hadn’t known any better, I would have thought that she was taking all this completely in her stride, but I’d seen her yesterday. Enough to know that this was a meticulously polished veneer and no more.
For at least a little while, I was going to have to tread lightly with her. This was hard enough for both of us without one of us scratching at scabs in the other that hadn’t even started to heal. I’d do well to remember it.
“I have some conditions too,” I replied, nodding. “Is this where you want to have the conversation or do you want to go somewhere else?”
“We’re already here.” She gave a small shrug. “We might as well.”
I stood and walked around my desk, sitting down across from her at the table as she lowered herself into a seat. From this vantage point, looking at her head on, I could see the faint shadows beneath her eyes that she hadn’t quite managed to conceal.
“I don’t want to live together,” she said bluntly, folding her arms neatly on the table and holding my gaze.
Surprised at how quickly she’d fired the first shot, I just nodded in response and waited for her to continue. Honestly, as much as it surprised me that she’d dived in head first, I wasn’t shocked at the condition itself. It wasn’t uncommon at all in situations like ours.
Hell, Jane and Alex had only moved in together after she’d had a falling out with her mom. Callum’s wife, Maisie, had refused to move out of her tiny suburban home because it would’ve disrupted their son’s routine too much. Charlotte hadonly moved in with Trent because we’d sent her to Texas to get her off Dad’s radar.
“Westwood and Sons will continue renting that apartment for me until the deal is settled and we’re married,” Kate said, drawing me back out of my thoughts. “After that, I’ll decide on next steps, but long term, I’m going back to New York.”
My jaw tightened slightly. “The plan was to transfer Hinds’ financial portfolio here.”
“I don’t agree with that,” she said evenly. “Hinds’ businesses have always been managed from New York. The investment network is established there. Uprooting it weakens the infrastructure.”
