Read Online Once Upon a Prince by Rachel Hauck - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Rachel Hauck
Ads: Link
she’d release his phone number or address.
“Thanks, Nate,” Susanna whispered to the cold waiting area as she sank down into the nearest chair, her thoughts drifting toward how she was going to get home.
“Susanna?”
She looked up into Nate’s fine face. He stood over her with a cup of coffee in his hand.
“I thought you’d gone.” She rose to meet him, hand pressed against her stomach as her heart splashed down. He
was
dashing, with his cocky grin and confident glint in his eyes.
“I’m still here. Just went for coffee.” He hoisted his vending-machine cup. “Would you like some?”
“No, no. Thank you.” She sank to the chair again, bone tired. “W–why did you stay?”
“To see how you—and your father—fared.”
He took the seat next to her, feeling as if she were seeing him for the first time, seeing beyond his high, fine features, beyond the sense that he carried a hundred years of history in his bones.
He was handsome, yes, but
kind
was the first word that came to Susanna’s mind when she thought of him—at Lover’s Oak, leading her down the hall to the Butlers’ secret garage. Comforting her on the drive to the hospital.
“I don’t always need to be rescued,” she said, out of the blue, out of her heart.
His smile challenged the waiting-room shadows. “Would it be bad if you did?”
She regarded him with wide eyes. “Do you know a man who wants a woman who always needs to be rescued?”
“Sometimes it does a chap’s heart good to rescue a beautiful woman. Makes him remember why God rescued him.” His velvet confession brushed her heart.
“You are a very interesting man, Nate Kenneth.”
“You are a fascinating woman, Susanna Truitt.” He sipped his coffee. “Tell me, how is your father?”
“Good. He’s lucky. It’s a mild blockage. They’ll do an angioplasty in the morning.”
“My father”—Nate settled back against the blue vinyl chair—“battles leukemia.”
“Nate, I’m sorry.” It was the first time she considered whether he had a father or parents.
“He’s been failing the last few months.” Emotion accented his eyes. “I quite regret all the years I fought him, believing I knew better, rebelled.” He laughed at his comment. “I’m a brave man, am I not? To realize the errors of my youth just as my father is ailing?”
“Better than after he’s gone.”
Nate smiled, nodding. “It’s what I love about you Americans. No fussing about. Just say it plain.”
“Plain? I don’t think I’ve been saying things very plain the past decade of my life.” She slid back against the seat and rested her head against the back of the chair. “I’m too tired to go home.”
“Then we’ll just sit here and rest,” Nate said.
With a slow breath out, Susanna released the tension of the night, of the day, of the weekend, and drew strength from Nate’s calm company.
She’d nearly dozed off when his phone rang. The piercing sound jolted them forward in unison. “It’s Liam.” He answered, walking toward the window, then around the nurses’ station, phone against one ear, hand over the other.
Susanna watched his straight back until he disappeared, deciding she liked him. Not because he showed up at the oddest, most-needed times, but because he appeared so genuine and down-to-earth. When she had more energy, she’d like to talk to him about Brighton, his family, what kind of work he did that required the likes of a Liam.
“Susanna! There you are …” Gage charged into the waitingarea with the fierceness of a mad bull. “I’ve been looking all over for you.”
“Daddy had a small heart attack.”
“I spent all night apologizing to Mrs. Butler—”
“Excuse me, Gage, but Daddy had a
heart
attack.” She was awake now, trembling with adrenaline.
“We’re never going to get the job,” Gage huffed, hands on his hips. “I took out a loan … made payroll … because I was so sure we’d—”
“Please do not imply we’re
“Thanks, Nate,” Susanna whispered to the cold waiting area as she sank down into the nearest chair, her thoughts drifting toward how she was going to get home.
“Susanna?”
She looked up into Nate’s fine face. He stood over her with a cup of coffee in his hand.
“I thought you’d gone.” She rose to meet him, hand pressed against her stomach as her heart splashed down. He
was
dashing, with his cocky grin and confident glint in his eyes.
“I’m still here. Just went for coffee.” He hoisted his vending-machine cup. “Would you like some?”
“No, no. Thank you.” She sank to the chair again, bone tired. “W–why did you stay?”
“To see how you—and your father—fared.”
He took the seat next to her, feeling as if she were seeing him for the first time, seeing beyond his high, fine features, beyond the sense that he carried a hundred years of history in his bones.
He was handsome, yes, but
kind
was the first word that came to Susanna’s mind when she thought of him—at Lover’s Oak, leading her down the hall to the Butlers’ secret garage. Comforting her on the drive to the hospital.
“I don’t always need to be rescued,” she said, out of the blue, out of her heart.
His smile challenged the waiting-room shadows. “Would it be bad if you did?”
She regarded him with wide eyes. “Do you know a man who wants a woman who always needs to be rescued?”
“Sometimes it does a chap’s heart good to rescue a beautiful woman. Makes him remember why God rescued him.” His velvet confession brushed her heart.
“You are a very interesting man, Nate Kenneth.”
“You are a fascinating woman, Susanna Truitt.” He sipped his coffee. “Tell me, how is your father?”
“Good. He’s lucky. It’s a mild blockage. They’ll do an angioplasty in the morning.”
“My father”—Nate settled back against the blue vinyl chair—“battles leukemia.”
“Nate, I’m sorry.” It was the first time she considered whether he had a father or parents.
“He’s been failing the last few months.” Emotion accented his eyes. “I quite regret all the years I fought him, believing I knew better, rebelled.” He laughed at his comment. “I’m a brave man, am I not? To realize the errors of my youth just as my father is ailing?”
“Better than after he’s gone.”
Nate smiled, nodding. “It’s what I love about you Americans. No fussing about. Just say it plain.”
“Plain? I don’t think I’ve been saying things very plain the past decade of my life.” She slid back against the seat and rested her head against the back of the chair. “I’m too tired to go home.”
“Then we’ll just sit here and rest,” Nate said.
With a slow breath out, Susanna released the tension of the night, of the day, of the weekend, and drew strength from Nate’s calm company.
She’d nearly dozed off when his phone rang. The piercing sound jolted them forward in unison. “It’s Liam.” He answered, walking toward the window, then around the nurses’ station, phone against one ear, hand over the other.
Susanna watched his straight back until he disappeared, deciding she liked him. Not because he showed up at the oddest, most-needed times, but because he appeared so genuine and down-to-earth. When she had more energy, she’d like to talk to him about Brighton, his family, what kind of work he did that required the likes of a Liam.
“Susanna! There you are …” Gage charged into the waitingarea with the fierceness of a mad bull. “I’ve been looking all over for you.”
“Daddy had a small heart attack.”
“I spent all night apologizing to Mrs. Butler—”
“Excuse me, Gage, but Daddy had a
heart
attack.” She was awake now, trembling with adrenaline.
“We’re never going to get the job,” Gage huffed, hands on his hips. “I took out a loan … made payroll … because I was so sure we’d—”
“Please do not imply we’re
Similar Books
