Page 37 of Meant To Be - Irresistible Bachelors

“Nikki,” she whispers, her voice cracking.

“Yes, Mom.”

I lean in closer to her.

“I’m so happy you’re back from your tour,” she says.

“Mom, why didn’t you tell me you were this sick?” I ask.

She stares up at the ceiling quietly. I can see tears forming in her eyes, and I can’t hold mine back any longer.

“I didn’t want to worry you, sweetie. You had your huge tour with Leo Colt, and I didn’t want to stand in the way of that. Your career is important, and you shouldn’t be putting things on hold because of me,” she says.

“Mom, you’re way more important than a tour; you’re more important than my career, too. You should’ve said something,” I sob as tears stream down my cheeks.

“Nikki, don’t cry. I’m so sorry,” she says as she squeezes my hand tightly.

“I should’ve been here with you,” I say.

“There was nothing you could do. The doctors say there’s nothing that anyone can do. It’s only going to get worse from here, and I didn’t want you stressing over something that can’t be fixed,” she says as she looks into my eyes.

“Mom, what are you saying?” I ask.

She sighs as she gently strokes the back of my hand with hers.

“I’m saying I want you to continue living your life even when I’m not around anymore. You have so much ahead of you, like love, marriage, and children. Don’t let your world stop just because I’m no longer in it.”

My heart stops, and I feel like I’m going to throw up. Is this her way of telling me that she’s dying? This can’t be happening. I just came back from an amazing tour where I found the love of my life. I’m supposed to be completely elated right now, but instead, it feels like my heart is shattering into a million pieces.

I scoot the chair closer to her and rest my head on her shoulder. She kisses my forehead. Tears stream down my cheeks as she tries to soothe me. Kenny rubs my back as I cry uncontrollably on my mother’s shoulder. This isn’t fair. Why did it have to be her that got sick?

“It’s okay, baby,” she tries to console me.

“No, it’s not,” I weep.

“You might not feel like it right now, but eventually, you will be fine. You have a wonderful career, and someday, you’ll meet a man who loves you more than anything else in this world,” she predicts.

I’ve already met the man of my dreams, but she doesn’t know that. Should I tell her? At this point, I don’t think there should be any secrets between us because I don’t know how much time we have left together. Maybe she’ll feel more at peace if she knows there is someone in my life who loves me with all his heart.

I’m just worried that she’ll be upset if she finds out that I’ve been seeing Leo for the past two months. She might be disappointed if she finds out the truth. Leo’s wonderful, but I’m sure she didn’t envision me with a rock star twice my age.

I slowly sit up as I try to muster the courage to tell her about Leo. My heart races as I try to find the right words. I have to tell her; I don’t want anything to be left unsaid between us. I just hope what I’m about to say doesn’t make her sicker.

“Mom,” I whisper softly.

“Yes, honey?” she asks.

I take a deep breath as I keep my eyes on the ground, avoiding all eye contact with her.

“Um, I have something that I need to tell you,” I begin.

“What is it?” she asks.

She coughs harshly, and I immediately regret mentioning that I want to share something with her. I swallow hard, trying to get the lump out of my throat.

“Well, I’ve met someone,” I stammer.

“You did? Honey, that’s great! Who is he?” she asks.

Oh gosh, my heart is beating a mile a minute, and my mouth is getting dry. Kenny places his hand on my shoulder. I glance up at him, and he flashes me a warm, loving smile. I’m glad I have him here to support me; his presence makes this easier.

“Tell her,” he orders softly.

I nod, finally ready to say what I need to say.

“Mom, I’ve been dating Leo Colt for the last two months,” I announce.

She stares at me without saying a single word.

My heart stops as I wait for her to say something. What could she be thinking? I know what the tabloids have said about him, but he’s different in person. She knows how much those magazines lie about celebrities; you can’t believe a word that’s written in them.

“Leo Colt?” she asks with an eyebrow raised.

I nod, unable to speak.

“Kenny, did you know about this?” she asks.

“Yes,” he answers hesitantly.

She lifts my face until our eyes meet.

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