Page 24 of The Billionaire and His Forever

But I can’t help but wonder: is this a good omen, or a bad one?

Chapter Ten

Graham

The entire driveback to the estate, I keep my phone gripped so tightly in my hand that my knuckles turn white. I don’t know which impulse is stronger—the hope or the fear that I’ll get an update from the hospital. But by the time we arrive home, hours later, I’ve still heard nothing.

Meanwhile, Jude has been buzzing nonstop with over-the-top proposal ideas and fantastical wedding planning suggestions, buoyed by the conviction that her mother is just as excited as she is for me to marry Abbie. I certainly won’t disabuse my daughter of that notion, but if Natasha really does wake up any time soon, Jude is going to find herself facing a very different opinion from her mother regarding my future nuptials.

And while I’m doing my best to match Jude’s enthusiasm, the shadows of my past continue to loom. Part of me can’t stop thinking that all of this is going to blow up in my face in spectacular fashion. But dear God, I hope I’m wrong. Because being with Abbie, even for such a short while, has already made me a better man. Thanks to her, I’ve narrowed my focus in a way that has completely rearranged my priorities and my life goals. All for the better.

No longer do I feel the burning fire of ambition driving me the way I once did, nor the need to prove myself to the world. In retrospect, I was never ignorant of my true motivation, either: attempting to remedy the perceived failures of my youth and the disappointment I felt knowing that I’d never live up to my father’s expectations.

It’s difficult to believe I spent so many years measuring my own success solely against the success of others, putting the acquisition of power and financial ascendancy above all else. Now, all that matters is my family. My daughter and my future wife. As long as I can love and cherish and provide for them, the rest is all just a bonus.

And I’ll ensure my family knows how much they mean to me, too. Because I want nothing more than to continue making indelible memories with them going forward. We’ll ride horses more, laugh more, play more, experience more. Together. I’ve made sound investments and my stock portfolio is both diverse and strong—if I didn’t loathe the idea of early retirement, I could walk away from the banking empire I’ve built and be comfortable. It would require a change of lifestyle, and I’d probably need to sell a few properties, but I could manage it. So even if my business doesn’t bounce back from this PR nightmare with Natasha, I know I’ll be okay. Which is why I’ve decided that I can afford to slow down on the career front and let myself truly live, do more of what I love with Abbie and Jude at my side. And that is exactly my plan.

Starting right now.

First stop is the kitchen to talk to Mary. Jude bursts into the room ahead of me, practically bursting at the seams with excitement.

“My mom said it’s okay for Daddy to marry Abbie!” she announces, beaming from ear to ear.

When I step through the door, I find Mary and Esmeralda sitting at the island drinking tea, both shooting me raised brows. That’s when I remember that Abbie and I have been keeping our relationship under the radar for so long, I now have to start filling in the blanks.

“We’ve tried to be as discreet as possible,” I explain. “For the sake of both Jude and her mother. It seemed prudent to see how things played out before making any grand announcements. I also didn’t expect to come to this kind of decision so quickly, but what’s that saying? The heart wants what it wants.”

“You think I didn’t see what was going on, Mr. Ratliff?” Esmeralda says with a smirk. “Congratulations. She’s a fine young woman. And Jude adores her, of course.”

Mary’s excitement almost matches Jude’s. “A wedding! Goodness! How exciting! Have you two chosen a date yet? And what about the venue? Of course, I’m sure Abbie has an idea—”

“I haven’t actually—” I start.

“He hasn’t proposed yet!” Jude cuts me off.

When Mary and Esmeralda look at me aghast, I nod sheepishly. “I’m planning to do that tonight.”

Despite this whole plan seeming last minute, I’ve had the ring for ages—it’s an heirloom piece that belonged to my grandmother. I never considered giving it to Natasha, since she’s definitely not the antique jewelry type, but now that everything is aligned, I finally see how right I was to hang onto it all this time.

Jude adds, “We’re going to take Abbie on a picnic and then Daddy’s going to ask her! Can you help us?”

“A picnic? Are you sure that’s the way you want to propose?” Esmeralda asks hesitantly.

“I think it’s terribly romantic,” Mary says. “Picnics are romantic.”

“Abbie loves it here, and so do I,” I say. “The mountains, the trees, the asters and lilies and butterfly bushes all over the property this time of year. I can’t imagine any place she’d rather be proposed to, especially not some fancy restaurant or anywhere public.”

Esmeralda just laughs. “Well. Look at you. Taking a leap of faith and going after what really makes you happy. It’s about time, Mr. Ratliff, if I do say so myself.”

“I appreciate the vote of confidence,” I tell her. “I know it must seem sudden, but I’ve never been more certain about anything in my life.”

“Leave the food to me, and I’ll make sure it’s a picnic to remember,” Mary reassures me.

“What can I do?” Esmeralda asks kindly. “Or shall I just help Mary in here?”

“I would love it if you could help Mary,” I tell her. “And thank you both. Jude and I are going to go prepare the proposal site.”

“It’s going to be so pretty!” Jude says, hopping up and down. “We’re going to have lights and flowers and horses and cupcakes! Oh yeah, don’t forget the cupcakes please! Abbie likes salted caramel the best.”

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