Page 94 of How to Train Your Billionaire

“I need to tell you both something.” Charles struggles to sit up higher, and Hayes immediately adjusts his pillows. “The trips you went on, the places we were able to visit before—it all meant so much to me, you know?”

My throat closes up. “Charles—”

“Let me finish.” He squeezes my hand. “I spent fifty years alone after Betsey died. Fifty years convincing myself I was fine. That I didn’t need anyone.”

His gaze moves between Hayes and me.

“Then this crazy girl shows up in my nephew’s office, arguing about God knows what. Forces chocolate muffins on me and changes my Wi-Fi password to something ridiculous. And suddenly I wasn’t alone anymore.”

Tears streak down my cheeks. I don’t bother wiping them away.

“You gave me the best summer of my life, Frankie. You made me remember what it felt like to laugh. To live.”

“Don’t talk like this is goodbye.”

“It is goodbye, sweetheart. And that’s okay.”

“No, it’s not okay.” My voice breaks completely. “You’re supposed to get better. We’re supposed to go to Spain. You promised me liverwurst in Barcelona.”

Charles laughs, which turns into a cough that makes my heart stop.

“I promise you’ll still go to Spain. Both of you.”

Hayes shakes his head. “Charles—”

“You two are the best thing I ever did. Even if I had to trick you into it.”

“Trick us?” Hayes frowns.

“You think I hired Frankie just to travel with me?” Charles’s eyes twinkle despite everything. “I hired her for you, you idiot.”

My brain stutters. “What?”

“From the moment you stormed out of that interview, I knew. You were exactly what he needed. Someone to call him on his bullshit. Someone real.”

I stare at Charles, then at Hayes, who looks just as stunned as I feel. But Charles isn’t done.

He draws another slow breath. “Don’t waste time being scared. Life’s too short for that shit.”

Hayes chokes out a laugh. “Did you just sayshit?”

“I’m dying. I can say whatever I want.”

We sit with him through the night. Taking turns holding his hand. Sharing memories ofWordlegames and Scrabble matches and the way he’d fall asleep watchingJeopardy!every night at seven thirty.

Hayes tells stories about childhood tennis matches and college graduation. How Charles never missed a single important moment.

“I love you both,” Charles whispers just before dawn. “Live the life you want. Not the one you think you should have.”

Those are his last words.

The beeping stops at 6:17 a.m.

I dissolve.

There’s no other word for it. I just ... fall apart. Like someone cut the strings holding me together and I collapsed into a pile of broken pieces.

Hayes’s arms come around me, and I don’t have the strength to push him away. I sob into his chest while he holds me, his own tears falling into my hair.