Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 33020 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 165(@200wpm)___ 132(@250wpm)___ 110(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33020 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 165(@200wpm)___ 132(@250wpm)___ 110(@300wpm)
“And we are about to talk in private. We’ll be back.”
Nora felt panic rising inside her. Gabriel looked at her and winked. “I’ll be right back.”
She was about to be left alone with Lawson, and she had a horrible feeling neither of them liked her. Her hands were still clammy and she felt sick to her stomach.
“Don’t worry about anything. Esther is just going to question him and make sure everything is … aboveboard,” Lawson said.
“I’m not after his money,” Nora said. She didn’t know why she just blurted that out, but it felt important to do so.
“You’re not? You know he is a wealthy man, and I do believe once he marries, that also allows him unlimited access to his inheritance.”
She frowned. “Gabriel hasn’t said anything about an inheritance, and I don’t think he needs it.”
Lawson leaned forward. “If he demands a prenuptial agreement?”
Nora’s eyes went wide. “You mean, if we decided to get married?” she asked.
“You cannot tell me you have not thought about that?” he asked.
Her heart raced. “Uh, I can, actually. I’ve not thought about marriage or any of that.”
He frowned. “You expect me to believe that?”
“I don’t expect you to believe anything. I work hard for Gabriel. I’m not after his money and I know that is hard to believe, and if he needs me to sign anything, then of course I will. I want to protect him.”
“You do?” Lawson asked.
“Yes, I mean, he already has a lot going on with the way his parents treat him.”
“You know about that?”
“Gabriel told me. Did he tell you about the visit he got from one of his exes, claiming to be pregnant with his child?”
She saw her words had surprised him, so she explained what happened.
“Fucking hell,” Lawson said. “Pardon my language.”
“It’s okay.”
He sighed. “Just when I think his parents wouldn’t sink to a new low, they never fail to surprise me.”
“I’ve not met his parents. Are they really that bad?”
Lawson sighed. “I don’t like to speak ill of family, and his dad likes to remind me that I am not a Willams, and I have no right to be here.”
“He tells you that?” Nora asked.
“Every time we see each other, which is not often, trust me.” Lawson shook his head. “You’re really here for Gabriel, aren’t you?”
“I know you don’t believe me, but I think he is quite something.”
Lawson stared at her for several seconds, and then he smiled. “I have a feeling you and Gabriel are going to do okay.”
****
“I don’t appreciate you doing this,” Gabriel said.
“I know you don’t appreciate it, but I’ve got to make sure you’re not making any kind of rash decisions, Gabriel,” Esther said. “We’ve not seen you in close to six months. You barely speak to us on the phone, and now out of the blue, you bring a woman here.”
“Am I not allowed to bring a woman home?”
Esther sighed. “Do not attempt to guilt me, Gabriel. I am taking care of you, and if you were not so damn stubborn, you would see that.” She glared at him, and he laughed.
“I know you are, and trust me, I love you for it. You don’t need to worry about Nora.”
“I don’t? There are a lot of women out there who would gladly manipulate you, to gain something!”
“And I know you’re right about that. Trust me, I’ve met a great many of them, and Nora is not like that. She is different, and if you stopped judging her, you’d be able to see, she is nothing like the other women I’ve dated.”
Esther snorted.
“What’s that?” Gabriel asked.
“Dated? A brief fling is not dating.”
“For the past four months, I’ve been dating Nora,” Gabriel said.
“Four months?”
“Yes, four months, and still counting. She is … something else, Esther. Trust me, Granddad would have loved her. She is strong and loyal and brave.”
He saw Esther’s eyes go wide, as if he was making it up, so he told her a few little facts about the woman she was judging.
“Oh, my,” Esther said, once he finished.
“That is the brief version. Trust me, that woman in there is not after my money. She is not after anything, and I pursued her. She’s real. She’s…”
“The one?” Esther asked.
Gabriel took a deep breath and nodded his head.
“Son, if you can’t even admit it, how do you hope to propose to her?” she asked.
“I’ve … not gotten that far.”
“But you love her?” Esther asked.
“Yes, I love her and I intend to spend the rest of my life with her.” He stopped and smiled. “She’s the one.”
Esther stepped toward him and cupped his cheeks. “I am so proud of you. Come on, come on, I better go and meet her, and show her I’m not a first-class bitch.”
Gabriel laughed, and once he entered the sitting room, he saw Nora had moved closer to Lawson, who had pulled out his wallet, along with his never-ending photographs. He always kept several of his favorites, as close reminders of good memories. Gabriel remembered his grandfather always did that and was always finding an excuse to look at them, especially ones of his wife.