Alpha Billionaire Series

GABRIELLA

Islipped my hand into Nathan's and dragged him along behind me.

“Do we have to g0 to the coffee shop?” he asked. He was laughing, so I know it wasn't a real complaint. “Can't they ever get anyone else to work on race nights?”

“Of course not, Nathan. If there is to be coffee and food on race nights, I have to work." Didn't he know that I didn’t mind it? took my lead from Mitch. Some of those kids were not out there showing off their latest toys from rich parents, like Nathan and his lot, they were there because the races were their family.

I caught some of those kids sleeping on my back stoop. I was their age. Some of them were even older than Nathan, and I still felt more like one of the adults making sure they had food and didn’t get into drugs. Mitch made sure they didn’t turn into roadkill by checking out their bikes. For some unknown reason, too many of them thought this was the road to riches and fame.

Too many fast and insane car movies giving them ideas. Too many super-rich guys making big bets, winning big, losing bigger. Nathan was one of the flash and glam big spenders. But he was different, he cared, he saw what was going on. Sure, he had come down here for the thrill and the risk, but I liked to think he stayed because of me.

“I don't have to be open for long. Just enough time to get the pizza rolls out and hit the switch on the coffee.”

“And then we kick everyone out?” He tugged back on my hand. I twisted and twirled into his arm like a dance move.

I laughed. I loved moving with him, life was like a dance, and Nathan was the most thrilling partner. I wanted to dance with him forever. A sudden flurry of nerves like a thousand butterflies taking flight zinged through my body light a bolt of lightning. What if he didn't like my news? What if talking about getting married was just a random half-drunk party conversation?

Would a rich man like him really be happy living with me above my shop? I couldn't picture us living anywhere else. I couldn picture myself living in one of those extravagant mansions and being the host of parties like the one the other night. Wrapped in his arms, he dipped me, and then slid his perfect mouth over mine. I melted into his kiss, wishing it would last forever. I kissed him back and wondered if he felt my kisses the way I felt his. Could he tell that I was giving him everything c me?

I hummed against his lips. How could I not? Everything was so wonderful.

“Come on,” I sighed.

“Bike,” Nathan said. He tugged back, stopping my progress.

“I'll race you, I teased.

The cafe was a block from the underpass where the races started. Nathan paused, took a long look at me, and then ran in th opposite direction.

“Your” I complained before I turned and ran for the cafe. I had the advantage of not needing to start a bike, but he had wheels, fast wheels, and I was not a fast runner. Everything on me tended to bounce when I ran. I pressed my arms into my boobs to keep them from bouncing around too much.

Nathan leaned against his bike all nonchalant, as if he had been waiting minutes for me, and not like he had just slid off his bike to pose.

“Jerk,” I teased. “It shouldn't count. You didn’t put your helmet on.”

I unlocked the front door and headed to the back counter. Nathan hit the lights for me. I tossed my jacket off and tied a clean apron over my yoga pants and an oversized shirt. My gaze lingered on my midsection. Did I look pregnant already? Shaking my head, I cleared my brain of that thought, no, it was just my normal squish and pudge.

I washed my hands and began the coffee set up.

“What did you want to tell me?” I asked as I poured water into the brewer. Coffery was more a bakery with coffee than it was a coffee shop with pastries. And on race nights, I didn't open up the machines all the way. I was there to offer coffee, not pla barista.

“I wanted to wait until we were alone,” Nathan started. He ran his hand over his face and gave me a pained grin.

I put the coffee pot down and crossed out from behind the counter. I put my hands on his hips and looked up at him. My nerves thrummed, but they didn't feel like butterflies this time. “We are alone. What's wrong?”

“I'm leaving town.”

“That's it? How long will you be gone?” He'd been gone before. I missed him, but it really wasn't that big of a deal. I returned to my work behind the counter.

“That's it, I don't know. You can come with me”

“Go where? You can't even tell me for how long. I can't just up and leave, Nathan.’

“Why not? You don't owe your boss anything. This place can run without you."

Ishook my head. What was he getting at? “Wait a minute. What are you saying?”

He took a heavy breath. His nostrils flared, and he wouldn't look at me.

“It's time to be the man I'm meant to be. I can't keep playing with motorcycles. If I'm ever going to run the family business I need to step in and start doing the work.”

“You're already a good man. Why do you have to leave to become a better man?”

“Because the offices I'll be working in are in Amsterdam.”

I couldn't hear anything after he said the words. It was like at the end of a really loud concert and, while there wasn't any music playing, my ears kept ringing in relative silence. All I could hear was ringing.

“Amsterdam, that's in Europe.”

“I know. Come with me.”

“I can't. I can’t just up and leave all of my responsibilities” My mind started racing. I didn't have a passport. I would have to sell the business or find someone willing to lease it. I had no idea how I could leave and not have to sell the building. I couldn't sell this place. It was all I had left.

“Tell your landlord you're moving.’

My jaw dropped open, and I tried to form words.

“When... when are you going?" How much time did I have?

“I leave in two days.’

“Two days! And you waited to tell me tonight?”

“My father only recently informed me that I would be taking a position with my uncle.”

I covered my face and leaned back against the counter. My world was spinning, and if I wasn't careful, I would tilt sideways and fall off.

“How long? Will you come back?” I needed time to figure everything out. My hands fell from my face.

He shook his head and shrugged.

I didn’t know what to do with my arms. Suddenly they were in my way. I couldn't think. I tried to hold my head together, and then I was cold and running my hands up and down my arms. I put my hands on the counter, but I didn't settle. I held my hands, palms up, to him.

“What about getting married?” I asked.

Nathan let out an almost growl and turned in a slow circle, shaking his head the entire time.

No? My heart cracked. I felt the fissures of the break race in a jagged pattern.

“It's not a good time for that Gab. It was a dream. I mean, maybe in a few years, but not now.”

“You want me to leave my entire life behind, and I can't even get a promise of getting married?”

My arms fell like dead weights to my sides. My heart split in half and fell open.

“I have got to go do this job. We can always get back together when I'm back in the States” The way he said the words made it sound like the most reasonable plan ever.

But I couldn't. I wasn't some kind of local booty call for when he got home from traveling abroad.

My mouth felt all dry and sticky. My tongue didn’t want to work. “If you want to break up, why not just say that? Why make me think there is a chance?”

I looked up and felt tears sting my eyes. I huffed out a long breath. “Just break up with me so you don't have to feel guilty fo sleeping around when you go to Amsterdam.”

“That's not what I'm saying, Gabriella.” He looked so earnest there for a minute, like he really believed himself.

“It's what I'm hearing. You're leaving, and I can't go with you. You don't know for how long. That sounds like breaking up to me I swiped at the tears running down my face and rubbed my nose on the back of my arm.

“You're choosing to stay. I get it, you have to do what you have to do, just like I do. I have to take this job."

He turned and started to walk out. When he stopped at the door, the cracked pieces of my heart wiggled as if maybe they would fly back together and repair the damage.

“I'm going to look you up when I get back. Maybe you won't hate me so much that we can't try again.”

The door closed behind him. I slid to the floor and sobbed. He walked out on me. The man who was the father of my child walked out like it was no big deal. My chest hurt so bad. I didn’t think my heart would ever be able to recover.

It was too easy for him. Oh, God, did he have another girlfriend, girlfriends? He certainly would as soon as he got to Europe. wrapped my arms over my head and wished everything would stop, the pain, the doubt, the fear, the loneliness. He left and would forever be alone.