Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 86335 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86335 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
And the next morning, as Nate drives me to the airport, my heart clenches in my chest. I feel as though I’m leaving home instead of going back to it.
When we arrive at the airport, I’m shocked to see Joanne waiting for me with a carry-on bag next to her.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, giving her a hug.
“I’m coming with you.”
“What?” I glance from her to Nate in confusion.
“I love my husband, but he’s driving me nuts at home,” she says with a wink that tells me she’s not being serious. “The nurses are taking care of him, and Nate is taking care of Bradford Hotels. So, I want to take care of you.”
Her words cause me to sniffle back a sob.
“You don’t have to—”
“I know,” she says, not letting me finish. “But I want to. You’re family.” She places a loving hand on my belly. “I don’t want you to be alone, so if it’s okay with you, I thought I’d come along to keep you company. I know you have to go to work, but I figured I can help get the baby stuff and nursery ready. Nate mentioned you haven’t started on any of it yet since you’ve been in Dallas.”
A sob I was holding in releases, and I throw my arms around her.
“Thank you,” I cry. “That would be wonderful.” I’ve been stressing about the house not being ready for the baby, dreading going back and having to face it alone.
After I give Nate several kisses goodbye, promising to call as soon as we land, Joanne and I take off to Houston. Since I left my car at the airport when we flew to Dallas, it’s still there—along with a hefty parking bill.
I call Nate to let him know we’ve arrived and then order dinner for Joanne and me.
As she bustles around the nursery, gathering the baby’s clothes to wash them, I try to picture the nursery again, but I still can’t.
I thought being away would help me see my home with fresh eyes, but it’s only made me realize something: It’s not the house that makes it a home. It’s the people inside it, and Nate is my home. Whether we’re here in Rosemary or with his family in Dallas, as long as we’re together, that’s what’s important.
“You’ve been standing here for a while,” Joanne says with a soft smile. “Are you envisioning the nursery?”
“Actually, no,” I admit. “I was thinking about how I can’t picture the nursery, and I finally know why. The baby doesn’t belong here, and neither do I.”
Joanne’s eyes go wide. “Paige, what are you saying?”
“I thought by being independent, I was saving myself from being heartbroken again. But what I didn’t realize is that my heart has been safe all along because it’s in Nate’s hands and he loves me too much to ever break it. This is just a house, a dwelling with four walls. But it’s no longer my home, and my heart doesn’t belong here.”
“And where does your heart belong?” Joanne asks, hopefulness laced in her words.
“In Dallas…with our family.”
chapter thirty-three
NATE
“I know this isn’t ideal, but I can’t be here,” I say, scrubbing my hands over my face. “I missed her doctor’s appointment, and I get that she said it was fine, but it’s not. The baby can come anytime in the next several weeks, and I can’t be here when it happens.”
“I get it,” Dustin says with a smirk. “But how about we focus on these numbers, and we can discuss this later?”
Carmine chuckles, and I glare at my brothers, who don’t seem to give a shit that I’m being pulled in a million different directions and the only one I want to be pulled in is where Paige is. I appreciate her supporting me taking over as temporary CEO, but this isn’t where I should be. I should be with her, in Rosemary—
My thoughts are cut off when there’s a knock on the door, followed by Paige walking into the office. Since she’s supposed to be in Rosemary, I shake my head, wondering if I’m seeing shit, but, nope, she’s here, dressed in a beautiful maroon wraparound dress that shows off her belly.
“Hey,” I say, pulling her into my arms.
I don’t know why the hell she’s here, but I’m so glad she is.
“We were just talking about you,” Dustin says. “Nate was about two seconds away from getting on a plane and going to you.”
Paige laughs, and the melodic sound hits me straight in my chest. I love this woman so much, and I can’t go another month without seeing her. FaceTime and texting aren’t enough.
“You’re not going anywhere,” she says, taking my hand and threading our fingers together. “This is your home, and it’s where you belong.”
“No.” I shake my head, confused as fuck. “My home is with you.”