His jaw twitched again. “Business comes first.”
Holly stared at him for a moment. Her eyes narrowed. “What’s going on?” she asked. “This isn’t like you.”
His eyes flashed once. “It is like me. You just don’t know me.”
Holly’s heart fell. “I guess not.”
“I can’t do this, Holly,” he said, his voice going soft. “I have to go.”
“Go?”
He stood up and reached for his wallet. “I’m sorry, Holly.” He placed a bill large enough to cover the champagne on the table. He then turned and left, putting on his coat as he walked through the restaurant. He left her.
Holly sat in shock for a moment. This wasn’t how she’d seen this evening going at all. She stared at the champagne glasses, one empty and one full. What just happened?
She grabbed her coat and chased after him. The streetlights were just starting to flicker on as the winter sun dipped red behind dark clouds. The wind nipped at her, making her shiver and wish for a heavier jacket.
“Nathan, wait!” she called to him, chasing him down the street.
He turned, his brown eyes sad. She slowed, breathless beside him.
“Nathan, what’s going on?”
He sighed. “Holly, go home. Enjoy the holiday with your family. Celebrate with your friends and the town.”
“What about you?”
“I don’t have Christmas,” he told her. “I have my business. That’s what I’ve always had. It’s what I want.”
“And us?”
He leaned over and kissed her cheek. “It was good while it lasted, but I’m not the one for you. I’ll only end up hurting you.”
“Nathan...” Holly shook her head. “No. Please.”
“I’m letting you go,” he told her. “It’s my Christmas gift to you. I can’t give up who I am, and I don’t fit here. I don’t fit in your life and you don’t fit in mine. My company comes first, and you are so much better than second place.”
“We could make it work,” she said, but she knew it wasn’t true. She’d seen what being a CEO did to George Element’s wives. That wasn’t s
omething she was willing to sign up for. She didn’t want to be second to the company.
There were a lot of things that she was willing to compromise on. This wasn't one of them. It appeared that their initial reservations were correct.
They should have just left things at the ski resort. They both knew this was never actually going to work. It had been a silly dream to think otherwise. They were just too different and they both knew it.
Nathan was right. This needed to end here.
“Goodbye, Holly.” Nathan kissed her cheek one last time. His lips were soft as they grazed her skin. “Thank you for this week.”
She closed her eyes, not wanting to cry.
When she opened them, he was gone.
Chapter 39
Merryweather
Merryweather watched as Nathan got on a plane and headed for California. Holly was no where in sight.