She Was Never Just the Billionaire’s Wife (Natasha and Chase) novel Chapter 195

(Piper)

His door is open.

I close it behind me when I come in.

He's at his desk reading something on his computer screen.

"Piper. What are you doing here?"

"It’s nice to see you too, Nathanial."

I deserve the look he gives me. We don’t do casual drop-ins.

I sit in the chair across from him and cross my legs.

He puts his pen down, waiting to hear what I want.

"How was your trip to Shell Cove? Your mother is fine I presume?"

A look I can’t decipher flashes across his face before it clears.

“Oh. Your call the other night. She was fine. I did text you to let you know. Not that you bothered to respond.”

There’s something behind that flash of panic that I’m not privy to, but I barely care right now.

Whatever drama has been dogging Clarice’s heels all her life has nothing to do with me.

"I came because we should talk about Gloria."

He leans back in his chair, his expression immediately turning inscrutable.

"What about her?"

"You stood her up. Again."

"That’s none of your business."

"She deserves better than constantly coming second to your family emergencies."

“You’re the one who called me!”

"Yes. About something that wasn’t actually an emergency. But you dropped everything in a heartbeat and drove all the way to Shell Cove. You could have called the local police to do a wellness check."

I watch the pieces falling into place for him.

“You were never concerned about my mother. You were setting a trap for me.”

“And you fell right into it, Nathanial. Because you can’t help yourself.”

"Why are you here, Piper? Why come and tell me this?"

"Because she's going to forgive you. Or she has already. And I think you should leave her."

He laughs once. Short. Not quite mean.

"You think I should leave her? Why would I do that?"

"Because it’s what’s best for her. If you actually care about her, you’d be able to see that. You’ll never put her first, and she deserves to be put first.”

He sits back and glares at me. His blue eyes looking more tired than angry.

"Piper. I'm not leaving her."

"Because you’re too selfish. I know."

"Then what the hell are you doing here?"

"Telling you anyway."

He shakes his head. "You're exhausting."

"I try."

The door opens to reveal Gloria, a folder under one arm.

Her curly hair starting to slide out of the clip she has it pinned up with.

She always complained about not having straight hair.

Bemoaning the fact that it wouldn’t stay in position past four pm when she put it up.

Not without half a bottle of hairspray, and she hates how sticky and hard that makes it.

Her hair is glorious. She never believes me when I say that.

I love her wild, fiery curls that feel like silk between my fingers and smells like a herb garden from the shampoo she uses.

"Sorry. I'll come back."

"No, Gloria. You should stay and hear this," I tell her.

Nathanial looks at me sharply.

Gloria glances between us. Smart enough to read the temperature in two seconds.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify