Waiting For You (24 page)

A smile graced Abby’s mouth. “You should have. I would have gotten up just to be with you.” She touched his arm. “Do you remember about dinner tonight at my grandmother’s?”

“Yes, I remember. I’m looking forward to it.”

“If you don’t mind, I’d like to buy you some clothes. The ones you have with you will not do.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Nick said sincerely. “I have some money on me. Besides, I’ll be fine with what I have.”

“You may be, but I’m not.” She closed the space between them, keeping her hand on his shoulder. “Please let me do this. It’ll make me happy.”

He sighed. “I don’t want you for your money, Abby.”

“I appreciate that, but I’m going to do it whether you like it or not.”

He threw back his head and laughed. “You’re a tough woman, aren’t you?”

“This is only the beginning. You haven’t seen anything yet.”

He took her hand from his shoulder and kissed her knuckles. “Do you know how much I want to be alone with you right now?” he whispered.

She sucked in a quick breath. “I would think not nearly as much as I do.”

“Abby, if you don’t want me to take you in my arms and show everyone watching how much I care for you, I think you’d better let me get back to work.”

“Well, all right.” She wagged her eyebrows. “I’ll be in my father’s office.”

“Do you mean
your
office?”

“I believe you’re correct, sir. If you want me, I’ll be in
my
office.” She winked at him and headed for the front doors.

It was going to be a long day.

Chapter 22

Abigail knew Nick felt uncomfortable with her buying him new clothes, but she wanted to do it anyway. Her father had taught her to always look her best, and if she was going to be escorted around town on Nick’s arm, she wanted him to look his best. Then again, that man looked good no matter what he wore.

He put up an argument at the clothing store, even took out a hundred-dollar bill from his wallet, but she took it, slipped it into her wrist purse, and paid for his clothes herself. She’d show him who was in control today.

In the car ride to her grandmother’s house, she cuddled beside Nick, resting her head on his shoulder.
Being beside him like this felt so right, and Abigail never wanted it to change.
If this was a dream, she hoped to never wake up.

She patted his vest and then adjusted his tie. “I must admit, you’re the most handsome man I’ve ever laid eyes on.”

He lifted her chin with his knuckle. “That’s because I’m wearing the most expensive suit in the store.”

“No, you’re not. There was actually one other that was more expensive, but I didn’t like the color.”

Nick shook his head. “Abby, you’re wonderful.” He kissed her nose. “I’m so lucky to have found you.”

His mouth moved down and captured her lips. It didn’t matter that Hudson could probably see them through the rearview mirror, because she didn’t care who knew that she was falling in love with Nick. In fact, tomorrow, she would tell Harry and anyone else who cared to listen.

Nick cupped her face in his hands and kissed her more passionately. She slid her hands over his chest, and his heart beat crazily beneath her palms.

When he finally pulled his lips from hers, he kept her close. “Are you sure you want everyone to know about me, about us?”

“Yes.” Abigail sighed. “People will be shocked. I mean, I’m supposed to be in mourning.”

Nick pulled back to look deep into her eyes.
“Yes, what about that?
How long is it acceptable to be in mourning?
A year?”

“No, that limit was condensed years ago. I think it all depends on the people, the family, and the situation. Since it’s just me, I think I can stop wearing black now. In fact, tomorrow I’ll wear a colorful dress. I’m tired of black and gray.” She laced her fingers with his. “I’ll always love my father and miss him terribly, but I want to live. You make me feel alive, Nick, and I never want that to end.”

His fingers trailed over her cheek. “I’ll do everything in my power to see that it will never end.”

His voice choked, and the sadness in his eyes made Abigail’s heart ache. Why was he looking at her in such a way, like he was afraid he’d never see her again? “Nick, there are so many things I don’t know about you. I trust you with all my heart, but I wish I knew more.”

“Like what?”

“Like where you came from. How did you find out about my father and me? How did you know you were supposed to protect me? And if you have a lot of money, why do you only have two suits?”

He frowned and rested his head back on the seat, closing his eyes.
“Oh, Abby.
I knew you’d ask these questions one day. And now that you have, I’m afraid to answer them.”

“Why?” Her heart jumped to her throat. “You’re not married, are you?”

Nick turned and looked at her. “I told you before I wasn’t, and I swear that’s the truth. You are the only woman in my life, and I’d like to keep it that way.”

“Me, too.”

He breathed a deep sigh and shook his head. “What I want to tell you is so far-fetched you’re not going to believe it. I’m having a hard time believing it myself.”

“You forget, my darling. I have a very gypsy grandmother that predicts people’s future. If that isn’t far-fetched, I don’t know what is.”

He adjusted in his seat and took both of Abigail’s hands in his. “Do you remember when I asked you if you believed in ghosts?”

She shook her head.

“We were in your office,” Nick explained. “It was right after I kicked your uncle out.”

“Yes, I recall it now.” She caressed his fingers. “So what does that have to do with anything?”

“Do you believe in ghosts?”

She shrugged. “I suppose they could be real. My grandmother says she’s seen one a time or two, and I know she wouldn’t
lie
.”

“What about traveling through time? Do you believe that could happen?”

Abigail giggled. “No.
Certainly not.”

He groaned and rubbed his hands over his face. “Then I definitely don’t want to discuss this.”

She pulled his hands away. “Nick, look at me. Why do you want to know this? What has this got to do with you?”

He glanced at Hudson in the driver’s seat, then back at Abigail. “When I first met you,” he said in a low voice, “I worked in your father’s building as a lawyer. It was in the twenty-first century.”

Was he saying he was from the future?
Impossible!
Why would he tell her such an outlandish lie? Yet the look in his eyes told her he was dead serious.

“You were a…ghost,” he continued softly, “looking for someone to help you. You’d been murdered and needed help finding the person who killed you.”

Even though he looked very serious, Abigail couldn’t help but laugh. This story was too unbelievable to be real, and she sincerely hoped he wasn’t losing his mind. “Nick, even if that were true, do you realize how long I would have been a ghost?”

“Yes. Ninety-nine years.”

A lump formed in her throat. “Then what happened?”

“I didn’t believe you. I didn’t believe in ghosts. You told me that on your eighteenth birthday, your gypsy grandmother, a very spiritual woman, had a dream that a solicitor with the initials N.M. would help you. That’s why I knew about your grandmother. You told me that yourself—in the twenty-first century. That’s how I know about you, about your life. You told me everything.”

Abigail’s heart sank. Nick had just confessed he didn’t know her grandmother like he’d said he did. Was this some kind of joke? She quickly pieced everything together, from the way he acted to the clothes he wore and his mysterious past. Even some of the words he had used while speaking to her didn’t make sense. If ghosts were real, could time travel exist too?

She pulled away slowly. “Are you saying you’re from the future?”

“Yes. I know it sounds bizarre—”

“Nick, it sounds utterly ridiculous. How am I supposed to believe that? How did you get here from your time?”

He glanced at the heart-shaped locket around her neck before touching the gold metal. “I believe this was what brought me here, but I don’t know. All I know is the moment you finally passed over into the next world, I came back in time.” He took Abigail’s stiff hands in his. “How would I have known about your uncle and his threats the other day?”

“I don’t know.”

“There are so many things that you don’t know yet, and I’m afraid to tell you. Don’t you think I realize how crazy this sounds? The reason you and others commented about my clothes at the cemetery was because it’s an expensive brand of suits that I wear in
my
time. The clothing designer Giorgio Armani hasn’t even been born yet.”

Pulling away, Abigail covered her ears. How could this be? Was he being truthful, or was he insane? And would she know the difference? After all, she’d never met anyone who’d lost his mind.

“Abby,” he said, pulling her hands away from her eyes. He met her gaze. “Please believe me. I’m telling you the truth.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You’re saying you traveled here from the future to protect me?”

“Yes.”

“Why, because someone is going to murder me?
Or so you say. All right then, when?”

He shook his head. “I’d rather not say.”

“But if you tell me, I will be prepared, or I will be able to stop it somehow.” Although she didn’t want to believe him, he seemed so serious. Maybe he really could see her future. Abigail would have to talk to her grandmother about this when they were alone.

“When we were back in my time,” Nick said, “with you as the ghost, we figured out who the suspects were. Your uncle and Anthony are on that list.”

“Who else?”

“Cassandra Brown.
She was actually still alive in my time, and I talked to her before she died.”

“I don’t know this woman.”

“No, you don’t. She’s supposed to be engaged to Anthony. If she’s not, she will be soon.”

Abigail wrapped her arms around her middle as a hollow ache filled her. “Was that all the suspects?”

“I’d suspected Harry, but that was before I met him. I don’t suspect him now. But there is one more.”

“Who?”

“Your maid, Lily.”

Abigail gasped and nearly flew off the seat. “Lily? Are you insane?”

“I sure hope I’m not insane, my dear, but yes, your maid.”

“Why her?”

Nick’s expression changed, and Abigail could tell she wasn’t going to like this answer, either.

“What is it?” she asked. “What don’t I know about my maid?”

“That she was in love with your father,” he whispered.

Abigail stared at Nick in shock. But then she remembered the times during the past several years when she’d caught her father and Lily alone together. They were never doing anything improper, but her father always gave a reason why Abigail’s maid was with him.

“But…why would Lily kill me?”

“I don’t know. All I know is that a few months after your death, Lily tries to sue Alexander for some of the inheritance she thought should have been hers because she and Edward were planning to marry.”

With a groan, Abigail covered her eyes and sank back in the seat. This was all too much. She wanted to curl in a ball and cry.

Nick gathered her in his arms and kissed her forehead. “I’m sorry, my love. I didn’t mean to upset you. I told you I didn’t want to tell you.”

“I know. But let’s not talk about it anymore. I’m getting a headache. Besides, we’re almost to my grandmother’s house.”

“Anything you wish, Abby.”

* * * *

In many ways,
Syeira
Taylor—Abby’s grandmother—reminded Nick of his mother. He connected with the older woman immediately, and she treated him as a friend.
Syeira
supported his story because of her dream that something terrible would happen to Abby. She couldn’t say what it was, except that Nick had been sent to protect her granddaughter. Nick almost kissed Abby’s grandmother on the mouth when she said that, but instead, he coddled Abby and waited on her every time she turned around. He wanted to show her that although he might be insane, he still loved her.

Abby complained of a headache, which cut the night short. On the way home, she didn’t say much, just stared out the car window. Nick’s heart broke, knowing he was the cause. He shouldn’t have told her the whole truth, yet she needed to know.

“Do you want me to rub your neck?” he asked, scooting closer to her and placing his hands on her shoulders. “It helps relieve tension headaches.”

“All right.”
She offered him her back and removed her hat.

As he worked her muscles with his fingers, she sighed. He leaned closer and brushed his lips across her ear. “Will you find it in your heart to forgive me?”

Abby stiffened again.
“Whatever for?”

“For causing you so much doubt and heartache.
It was not my intension. In fact, I hadn’t planned on telling you about where I’d come from. Unfortunately, there was no other way to answer your questions.”

The stretch of silence lasted longer than he liked as he continued to rub her neck. Finally, she said in obvious frustration, “It’s just so unbelievable, Nick. As much as I want to believe you, logic dictates otherwise.

“I know.” He kissed her ear. “Back in my time when you tried to convince me you were a ghost, I thought I’d gone cuckoo. That’s not an enjoyable feeling. But being with you and falling in love with you made everything worth it.”

Abby turned until her gaze met his. “We were in love?”

He nodded. “You fell as hard for me as I did for you.”

“Even though I was a ghost?”

Nick chuckled.
“Yeah.
Crazy, huh?”

She smiled and turned herself into his embrace, resting her head against his shoulder. “Then it wouldn’t be wrong for me to say I love you now, right?”

His chest clenched. “I love you, my dearest Abby. And I always will.”

How he hated himself for telling her she would be murdered, but maybe the truth would save her life.