“What are you doing here?” she asked flatly.
“I—”
“No, don’t answer that,” Nina sighed. “You’re here for your image. I know that. Just please don’t confuse Jack by letting him know you’re here.”
“He already saw me,” Theo admitted.
“Great!” Nina flung her hands up. “Please, go now. We can’t be your props anymore. I’ll… I’ll call you later, and we can talk.”
She turned to go, but Theo reached out and took her hand. At her closed expression, he let go, but he’d gotten her attention as he’d hoped.
“Can we talk now? Just for a minute?”
“Fine,” she looked around, “but not here. People are watching.” She walked out of the auditorium and down a darkened hallway. She didn’t look back, but Theo followed, hoping she meant for him to. She opened a door part way down. The darkened classroom was a little unnerving. Nina snapped a light switch on, and Theo blinked in the sudden light. The room was decorated with handprint turkeys and hearts filled withThings I’m Grateful For,classic Thanksgiving crafts just like he’d made in school.
“Okay,” Nina turned back to him, hands on her hips, “you have one minute.”
Theo didn’t doubt that she meant it. This was his one chance. He cleared his throat. “Nina, I’m not here for my image. I’m here for Jack and for you. I miss you both so much. The house is empty without you. Mylifeis empty without you. I realized that the legacy I’ve built is meaningless if I don’t have anyone to share it with.”
“Good for you,” Nina said flatly. She would barely meet his eyes. “I’m glad you’ve had some self-discovery, and I hope you find someone to share your life with. But it isn’t going to be us.”
“Please,” Theo’s voice almost broke. “Nina, listen. I walked out on my signing dinner with Charles to come here. I told him the truth, even though I’m sure it ruined our working relationship forever. I had to. The contract doesn’t matter anymore. Nothing matters, except for you.”
Nina bit her lip. Finally, she looked at him, unshed tears shining in her blue eyes.
“You hurt me,” she said. “When you told me we were done pretending, you broke my heart. But that’s fine. It doesn’t matter. I can take a little more heartbreak. Jack, though? He can’t. He deserves better. He deserves people in his life who love him no matter what, and who will always put him first.”
“You’re absolutely right.” Theo took a tiny step closer, and Nina didn’t move away. “Jack deserves the best in this world, and so do you. I haven’t been the best. I’ve been selfish and confused and, well, arrogant. But I promise, things are different now. If you give me just one more chance, I swear I will always put you and Jack first. The last thing I want is to hurt you. Either of you.”
Nina looked up at him, “You said you didn’t want a family. Ever.”
“I was an idiot,” Theo shook his head. “I thought I didn’t, but I was wrong. You and Jack brought so much light into my life. When I told Charles that everything had changed since I met you, I was telling the truth. Nina, you’re the most wonderful person I’ve ever met. You’re strong and fierce and funny and gorgeous. You showed me that the independence and distance I’d built for myself were just an elaborate prison, not freedom. And Jack? He’s amazing, too. I hadn’t spent much time around kids before, but now, I want to see him every day. I want to watch him grow up. I want to play superheroes and catch, even if he breaks a few things.”
Nina laughed softly, and Theo’s heart warmed. He was getting through to her.
“Please, Nina. Let me show you that I can put you first. Let me be with you.”
She took a deep, shuddering breath and took Theo’s hands. Warmth surged through him from her fingertips. She was so close. All he wanted was to pull her into his arms and kiss her until they were both breathless — and he could see from the warmth in her eyes and the flush in her cheeks that she wanted that, too.
“I love you,” Theo said quietly. “I wish I’d known that sooner.”
Nina’s eyes lit with warmth, and she leaned closer. “You do?”
“I do. I think I loved you a little bit from the first moment we met, and every moment since has just made me love you more. Please, Nina, I want to be with you. I want to help raise Jack. I want to be a real family.”
She took a breath and her lips parted. Theo’s heart surged. “I…” Then her head sank, and she sighed as she dropped his hands. “We need to talk. I can’t be with you, Theo, not unless you know everything.” She took a step back.
Theo’s breath caught. What could she have to tell him? Was she still angry? Had she found someone else during the weeks they’d been apart? Could she never trust him again, no matter how many promises he made?
Theo had come so close to the family he’d never known he wanted. Nina was right here, just inches from him, but he could feel her slipping away again. His head spun, but he forced himself to stay calm.
“Tell me,” he said.
Nina bit her lip and took another slow breath. “Okay.”
CHAPTER 24
NINA
