Chapter 19: I Still Love Her

THEO

It was hard leaving Nadia, but I knew it was for the best. She needed to figure things out, and she couldn’t do that if I were around.

I took the first assignment available. It took me to California, and I kept myself busy because I was afraid I would text or call her.

I wanted to make sure she was doing well. My willpower to leave her alone was at an all-time low. This assignment wasn’t an undercover assignment.

The resort had asked us to review them, and the resort lived up to its reputation of being all inclusive and a great getaway. Everything was taken care of for me.

If I requested something, the staff remembered and made sure it was included in my routine every day after requesting it. After a while, it got boring.

I thought I would rather travel with someone now. The company of having a companion was nice when I had it.

“How was your stay, Mr. Hart?”

“It was great, and I think you’ll be happy with the review.”

“I’m pleased to hear that, and your airport shuttle is already outside waiting for you.”

“Thank you.”

The flight to Etta’s was uneventful; it wasn’t until I got to Etta’s house that things got complicated. I quickly found out that Etta and Reece had contacted Nadia, and Etta felt the need to keep me updated.

“I can’t believe you’re not with her.”

“Can you leave it alone?”

“No, I’m not going to. I can’t let you ruin one of the best things to happen to you.”

“I’m not the one that ended things, Etta.”

“You gave up; you didn’t even fight for her.”

“Etta, leave him be; he will not stay if you keep hounding him.”

Reece pulled me away from Etta and into his home office.

“I wanted to let you know Nadia is working on gaining custody of her brother. We talk about once a week to make sure she has everything in order, and she has a court date set already.”

“Do you think she has a chance?”

“It depends on what the mother does, so it’s hard to tell.”

“Thank you for helping her.”

“It’s not a problem. What happened between the two of you?”

“She wasn’t ready to be with anyone.”

“She told you that?”

“No, she said she was scared and couldn’t be with me because I would get too bored and leave her.”

“Is it true?”

“Of course not!” I yelled.

I didn’t mean to, but I did. I was angry that Nadia didn’t want me.

“I love her, Reece. I know it’s only been a few weeks, but I love her, and it fucking hurts to know she thinks so little of me.”

“She asks how you’re doing when she calls. I think she misses you.”

“I doubt it. She made it pretty clear that she didn’t want me around.”

“Etta was the same way. She refused to be with me, especially when she found out she was pregnant with Caroline, but I didn’t take what she said to heart, and I stayed, and I’ve never been happier. Relationships are hard, especially if one person has trauma or trust issues, but don’t give up.”

I knew Reece was right, and I should fight back and be there for her regardless, but what she said about me hurt. “Again, thanks for helping her.”

***

The week I spent at Etta’s put things into perspective. I wanted a family; I was ready to settle down.

Having the kids around was something I didn’t think I would enjoy at the moment, but I loved it. Returning to work was different this time around.

I didn’t take another assignment. I asked Bill to give me something local; my goal was to find somewhere to settle down to show Nadia that I could be here when she needs me.

After I talked to Reece, I understood why she expected the worst. I didn’t have a place to call home or a place that gave me ties to the city.

The one thing I loved about my job was the financial freedom. If you were a traveling employee, you got paid well, and since I took assignment after assignment and didn’t have to worry about rent, I could establish savings, and I was going to use my savings to purchase my first home.

***

I did not know where to start when searching for houses, but I knew someone who did. I called Eric, asking him to put me in touch with the person who helped him with his home, and within a week, I was looking at the first potential house.

“As you can see, Mr. Hart, this house is perfect as a starter’s home. The two bedrooms and one and a half baths work great for a family just starting,” the realtor said, gesturing around the living room.

“This is nice, but I was hoping to see something with at least three bedrooms,” I replied, trying to keep my tone polite.

This realtor was annoying. When I filled out my preference sheet, I put down three bedrooms or more and my price range, and with this house, she ignored it all.

It needed a lot of work, and it would still be too small if Nadia and Nathan were to move in one day.

“Well, I have a four-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom that hasn’t hit the market yet but will in the next week. We can see that tomorrow if you prefer,” she offered, her smile a little too bright.

“Thank you,” I said, relieved.

The realtor did not disappoint with the four-bedroom house. It even had a finished basement with a full bath, so it actually had three full bathrooms, and it was in my price range.

“I’d like to put in an offer,” I said, excitement bubbling in my chest.

“Great, let’s go back to the office and discuss the process and get the paperwork started,” she replied, already turning toward the door.

This was the house; I knew it the moment I walked in. This was the house for not only me but for Nadia, too.