Being his own boss, he had all the capabilities to make this work. To finally come back home, but what he didn’t have was Eliza.
Waking up with her in his arms, going to sleep with her in them, laughing, joking, sharing those rare moments that couples do. He wanted it all.
The only way to get it all was to make his move.
By the time he finished with his morning shower, Eliza had left the bedroom. Her bags were packed and laid on the bed.
Preston stared at them, knowing in his heart that he didn’t want her to go.
He got changed and went to the back of his closet, where he had kept some little items and tokens from the years when he was a kid. There were a few poems. A necklace Trudy had made for him when she was a little kid, and neatly folded, slid between the pages in a copy of his favorite book, was his list.
Not opening it, he slid it into his back pocket, returned his box to his closet, and walked down toward the breakfast table.
As usual, everyone was already downstairs. The heavy scent of his mother’s cooking filled the air.
Juliet and Mackenzie sat on either side of Eliza, and his woman looked pale. He didn’t like that.
Taking a seat opposite her, he stared at her, but she wouldn’t meet his gaze.
“Ah, Preston, so pleased you could join us,” Marsha said.
“How can you run a company if you sleep in, big bro?” Roger asked.
He smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “This is my rest time. I’ve had no reason to relax.”
Staring at Eliza, he wanted her to look at him. To give him a single indication that she loved him. He knew what her friends had told him, but she’d never said the words to him.
“We have been looking at venues, Preston,” Eliza’s mother said. “For your wedding.”
Marsha chuckled. “How do you feel about getting married at two different places, and then coming back here?”
With each word spoken, even in jest, Eliza tensed up. This was no longer fun. It was no longer a game.
“Eliza and I are not getting married,” Preston said.
This time, she looked at him, and he stared right back at her.
The table had gone silent.
“Eliza has never been my fiancée. I told Trudy that to get her off my case and for you to not go out of your way and get a whole load of women lined up for me to date.” He stood up. “Eliza and I made an agreement. She would get to keep her job so long as she played the role of my fiancée. We had ground rules for limited kissing, touching, and pretty much every single scenario you could think of. It’s what makes her the best PA I’ve ever had, and one of the many reasons I’m in love with her.”
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“I’m telling the truth. I will not allow this to continue, not like this.” He pulled out his list. “You made a list of the top ten attributes you wanted in your man. I didn’t make the same list, but I made a list of everything I wanted out of life.” He started to open the folded piece of paper to read out loud.
“Just wait a minute, you and Eliza are not engaged?” Roger asked.
“No.”
“What has this been about?” Kian asked.
“I’ve been falling in love with her,” Preston said. “That’s no lie.”
“Preston,” Eliza said.
“Hear me out. I have told the truth in front of our families, and they know that we’re not together, but I am now declaring in front of them, Eliza Drake, that I am completely in love with you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.” He glanced down at his list. “I wanted to be my own boss by starting my own company. I did that. I want to find a nice house in the country to call my own.” He turned toward Lydia. “I still want my house.” He looked toward Eliza. “And I want to share it with you.” He licked his lips. “I wanted to own a dog, then a cat. I don’t know why I want to own a cat, they’re disgusting, but I want both. A dog and a cat. I want to have a load of kids. The more the better. I didn’t hate being an older brother. I haven’t been the best son or brother the past few years, but I wouldn’t trade this family for anything.”
Tears were in her eyes, but he looked down and continued.
“I want to get married. Fall in love. Live my happy ever after. I want to be a good husband, and above all else, I wanted to be an amazing father.” He looked toward his dad. “You taught me how to be a good man.”