Page 53 of Texas Tycoon's Christmas Fiancée
Instead of going after Grace, he turned to the window, but he saw nothing outside. He was thinking over his future and what he needed to do to provide for this baby. His baby. It amazed him each time he thought about it, something he had never expected to happen. He pulled out his cell phone to call his dad.
Grace sat in a rocker in her bedroom. Tears stung. It was foolish to cry, because she shouldn’t have expected a big, enthusiastic response from Nick. He hadn’t been in love when they married—wasn’t in love now. Words of love had never crossed his lips. He was happy in their marriage, but always in the back of his mind had to be the fact that it wasn’t a permanent relationship.
She faced what really hurt. She wanted his love. She wanted Nick to love her and be overjoyed about the baby. His baby. She covered her eyes and cried quietly.
She dried her eyes and raised her chin. She would have two beautiful babies. Nick said he wasn’t ending the marriage, but she wondered. She had poured her love into this relationship and it wasn’t returned. She could stay and try to win his love, but did she want to? If she did, she would become more deeply in love with him.
She had to make a decision what to do. Right now she wanted to shower and dress because she expected to see Nick again before he left for the office.
Soon she was wore a tan sweater and matching slacks and had her hair tied behind her head with a silk scarf.
A slight rapping at the door made her wipe her eyes again. “Coming,” she called, trying to pull herself together and hide her feelings. She didn’t want Nick’s pity.
She opened the door to find him standing there. Her heartbeat reminded her how she always reacted to the sight of him. He was the most handsome man she had known. Why had she been so foolish to dream he would fall in love with her and want this marriage to become real? She thought of pictures she had seen of him before she had met him and the beautiful, sophisticated, wealthy women he had socialized with before his marriage.
Why had she expected so much? She had been carried away by Nick’s charm, the showering of presents on her, lust, but nothing that was deeply meaningful.
“You look beautiful,” he said.
“Thank you.”
“I called my dad and told him we would stop by to see him tonight.”
“Fine.”
“You’re not happy,” he said, reaching out to caress her throat. His touch was light and in spite of her hurt, the contact sizzled.
“I’m all right, Nick. This is a change in both our lives and I’m adjusting and reassessing.”
“We should talk about this.”
“We can later. You go to work as you planned.”
He stood studying her and leaned forward to brush a kiss on her lips before he turned and left.
Watching him walk away, she closed her bedroom door. How long would it take to get over Nick?
She felt as if it would take forever. She looked around the beautiful bedroom they shared. Did she want to walk out on this or stay and take her chances? Again, she thought about the women that used to be in his life. She knew some still called him because she had heard him talking to them and politely getting rid of them. She didn’t want to be one of those he politely got out of his life. Why had she ever thought she could win his heart?
Aunt Clara had warned her not to foolishly think she could gain Nick’s love. Nick would not stay in a relationship because of an unplanned pregnancy; nor would he because of Michael.
Tears threatened again and she blinked them back, clamping her jaw and going to get her phone to call Aunt Clara. If they were going to see Eli tonight, she would have to pick up Michael. She also had to tell Clara about the baby.
Michael was asleep when Grace arrived at Clara’s house so they went to the kitchen to talk and have a cup of hot tea.
“I’ve wanted to see you and have a chance to talk. I went to the doctor this week. I’m going to have a baby.”
Clara shrieked and laughed, throwing her arms around Grace and causing another pang, because this was the kind of jubilant reaction she had wanted from Nick. She hugged Clara as hot tears spilled on her cheeks and her aunt pulled away. The minute she saw Grace’s tears, her smile vanished.
“You’re crying. Aren’t you happy?”
“I’m delighted. It’s Nick. He’s stunned because we hadn’t planned on this. Aunt Clara, common sense tells me I shouldn’t expect Nick to react like a man in love would, but I want him to,” she confessed.
“Oh, Grace, I was afraid of this,” Clara said, hugging Grace again. While Clara returned to her seat, Grace wiped her eyes.
“I’m okay. I’m thinking about what to do. I don’t know that I can stay with Nick. It’s going to be difficult to stay in a relationship that is so one-sided.”
“What’s one-sided about it?” Clara asked, her eyes narrowing. “You’re in love with Nick.”
