Chapter 19 - THE TRUTH ABOUT NATHANIEL AND GRACE
Nathaniel’s greatest apology came during a thunderstorm.
Grace was at his Winnetka home reviewing Harbor Grace’s first acquisition target when the power flickered.
Nathaniel entered carrying two candles.
“Very nineteenth century.”
Grace smiled.
“You own generators.”
“They’re testing.”
They sat in the library.
Rain struck the windows.
Nathaniel watched his daughter read.
“You look like Eleanor.”
Grace glanced up.
“In what way?”
“Suspicious of every number.”
“That is Mom.”
He smiled.
Then became quiet.
“I owe you an apology.”
Grace frowned.
“For what now?”
“For why you hid.”
She closed the file.
Nathaniel sat opposite.
“When Andrew happened, I blamed him entirely.”
“That was reasonable.”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“He behaved badly. But afterward I made your fear worse.”
Grace knew.
“You investigated everyone.”
“Yes.”
“You called employers.”
“Yes.”
“You scared off Daniel Reeve.”
“He was weak.”
“Dad.”
“He was.”
She laughed despite herself.
Nathaniel continued.
“I believed protection meant removing risk.”
Grace listened.
“I never considered that I was removing your ability to know who chose you freely.”
Her eyes filled.
He looked down.
“After your mother died, I became worse.”
“Yes.”
“Thank you.”
“You said honesty.”
He nodded.
“I protected you until you had no idea who would stay without protection.”
Grace stared.
That was exactly it.
Nathaniel continued.
“I understand now why you became Grace Ellison.”
She smiled sadly.
“I hated lying.”
“You were not lying.”
“People experienced it as one.”
“Because they believed access to me was information they were entitled to.”
Grace looked at him.
“You sound like a therapist.”
“I employ excellent ones.”
She laughed.
Then tears came.
Nathaniel moved beside her.
“Do you regret not telling Preston?”
Grace thought.
“No.”
He seemed surprised.
“I regret some moments I could have trusted him sooner.”
“But?”
“The dinner told me something I needed to know.”
Nathaniel nodded.
“Would you have preferred not knowing?”
“No.”
They sat quietly.
Grace whispered:
“I’m afraid that if I go back, I’m betraying myself.”
Nathaniel looked at her.
“Why?”
“Because he made me kneel.”
“Yes.”
“And if I forgive him—”
“Grace.”
She stopped.
“Forgiveness is not endorsement.”
“I know.”
“Returning is not forgetting.”
“I know.”
“And leaving is not strength merely because it looks decisive.”
She stared.
He continued.
“You do not owe the woman you were that night a permanent life sentence for Preston.”
Her eyes filled.
“Nor do you owe the man he is becoming a marriage.”
Grace breathed.
“That is annoyingly balanced.”
“I hate it.”
She laughed.
Nathaniel smiled.
Then:
“What do you want?”
Grace looked at the rain.
“I want coffee with him.”
Nathaniel’s face tightened.
“One coffee?”
“Yes.”
“I can tolerate that.”
“Dad.”
“Two perhaps.”
She laughed.
Nathaniel kissed her forehead.
Then the generator returned fully.
Lights brightened.
Grace looked at him.
“You know the symbolism is embarrassing.”
“I control markets, not weather.”
“Debatable.”
They smiled.
The next morning Grace texted Preston.
Coffee Friday?
He stared at the message for almost a minute.
Then typed:
Yes. Whatever time works for you.
He deleted I’ve missed you.
Deleted Thank God.
Deleted Does this mean—
He finally sent only the sentence.
Grace saw it.
And smiled.
May you like
That restraint had become its own language between them.
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