Page 88 of Strictly Business

“How the hell do you walk around with that thing?”

I feel a flush creep up my neck, but I try to keep my composure as she turns her gaze toward Nicholas, who’s standing behind me.

“I’m assuming this is the fiancé who gave you this ring?” she asks, a touch of suspicion in her voice.

I can’t blame her for being skeptical. I’ve never once mentioned Nicholas, and now here I am, introducing him as my fiancé.

Nicholas steps forward and gently takes her hand, his smile smooth and confident, the kind that probably seals more deals than I’ll ever know. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ma’am.”

Her brows lift at the name, and she lets out a small laugh. “Oh, god, please, call me Mary. ‘Ma’am’ makes me feel like I’m a hundred.”

Nicholas chuckles. “Of course, Mary.”

I watch as Nanna’s initial hesitation fades under his charm, and I can’t help but feel a little relieved. I’m so grateful he’s here, I could almost cry.

Nicholas sits beside me, his knee brushing mine, grounding me, even though my nerves are still buzzing beneath the surface.

Nanna shifts in her wheelchair, folding her hands neatly in her lap. Her gaze sharpens, locking onto me, like she can sense the hesitance I’m trying to hide. Her smile softens, but there’s no missing the curiosity in her voice when she asks, “Well, come on then. Tell me how this happened.”

Beside her, Annie raises an eyebrow, leaning forward, her eyes flicking from me to Nicholas, eager for the story.

I glance at Nicholas, my heart racing. “Well…” I begin, the word coming out a little wobbly as I struggle to find the right words. I give a small, nervous laugh, trying to ease the tension. I grip my knee to keep my fingers from fidgeting. “It’s a long story.”

“That’s all right. I’ve got all afternoon.”

My gaze falls to my hands, which I’m twisting nervously on my lap. “Liam and I broke up a couple of months ago,” I start, my voice trailing off. “He, uh… He cheated on me.”

Nanna’s smile falters, her expression freezing. She sits up straighter, her mouth parting slightly. “He cheated on you?”

I nod, keeping my eyes trained on a spot on the coffee table. Saying it out loud again feels like a fresh wound reopening.

Nanna’s voice softens, her concern evident. “Oh, sweetheart. I’m so sorry. I warned you about him. I knew he wasn’t good enough for you.”

“I know. I should’ve listened,” I admit, my voice tight. “He wasn’t who I thought he was. But I’m okay now.” My eyes flick to Nicholas, grateful for his steady presence. “Nicholas helped me through it.”

Nanna’s attention sharpens, her gaze moving to him. “You did?”

Nicholas nods. “Of course. Amara’s important to me.”

Annie leans back in her chair, narrowing her eyes. “Okay,” she says slowly. “But how do we go from you comforting her to being engaged? I mean, it all happened pretty fast.”

“It wasn’t sudden for me,” he tells them, sitting up straighter, his gaze flickering from Annie to Nanna, his expression softening as he continues. “I’ve been drawn to Amara since the day we met.”

Nanna raises an eyebrow, and Annie leans forward, both women now fully invested in his words. And so am I, turning my head to glance at him.

Nicholas shifts his gaze to me, the intensity of his stare making my breath catch. “I admired her from the start. But we worked together, and I didn’t want to cross any lines. I convinced myself it wasn’t the right time, that I’d keep things professional. But…” He hesitates, his jaw tensing before he exhales deeply. “It became impossible to ignore how I felt. The more time we spent together, the harder it was to pretend I wasn’t falling for her.”

His words hit me like a jolt, knocking the wind from my lungs. I stare at him, momentarily forgetting this is all part of the act. The vulnerability in his eyes is too real, and for a heartbeat, I wonder if any part of his words is real.

Nanna smiles, her gaze warm. “Well, it sounds like you’ve found yourself a good man, Amara.”

Her words linger in the air, weighing heavy on my chest. The guilt swirls within me, mingling with the knot of confusion I’ve been carrying since this whole thing started. I manage a smile, but it feels strained, as though I’m forcing it past all the unspoken things I’m too afraid to acknowledge.

I glance back at Nicholas. He’s still watching me, his face unreadable, but there’s something in his eyes that makes my stomach twist.

“Yeah,” I say, my voice quieter than I intended. “I guess I have.”

The sound of dishes being rinsed and set down fills the kitchen as I pass another plate to the drying rack. Annie stands beside me, sponge in hand, scrubbing at a stubborn casserole dish. It’s quiet except for the running tap water. Comfortable. Normal. Or it would be if my chest didn’t feel like it was caving in.

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