Chapter 189
Nora's POV
I'd just finished my second scone when I heard footsteps on the stairs. My pulse quickened, and I set the pastry down, wiping my fingers nervously on a napkin.
Diana appeared first, her expression serene, followed by Julian. He looked... relieved. The tension that had been written across his shoulders when he'd disappeared into the study was gone.
Then Brandon stepped into view.
I stood automatically, my hands twisting together in front of me. Brandon's gaze swept over me—clinical, assessing—and for a moment, I was certain he was about to deliver some kind of verdict.
But then he nodded, just once, and said, "Dinner will be ready in twenty minutes."
That was it. No speech. No confrontation. Just a simple acknowledgment.
Julian crossed the room and took my hand, his thumb brushing over my knuckles. "Everything's fine," he murmured.
I searched his face, looking for any sign of a lie, but found none. He looked genuinely at ease.
Diana clapped her hands together lightly. "Wonderful. Nora, why don't you and Julian freshen up? The dining room is just down the hall."
Julian led me out of the living room, his hand warm and steady around mine. Once we were alone in the hallway, I turned to him.
"What happened in there?"
"I told him I was going to marry you," Julian said simply. "And after some... discussion, he agreed."
My heart stuttered. "He agreed?"
Julian's lips quirked into a small smile. "My mom helped. She's very persuasive."
I let out a shaky breath, feeling the knot of anxiety in my chest finally begin to loosen.
---
Dinner was surprisingly pleasant.
The dining room was elegant but not cold—long table draped in white linen, silver candelabras casting soft light. I sat beside Julian, hyper-aware of every movement I made, every word I spoke.
Brandon, seated at the head of the table, carved into his lamb with methodical precision. For the first few minutes, conversation was sparse—just polite requests to pass dishes.
Then Brandon looked up, his gaze settling on me. "Julian mentioned you work at the news network. What do you cover?"
I straightened slightly. "I focus on investigative journalism in the Rust Belt. Economic displacement, failures in species integration policy, local governance issues."
He nodded slowly. "The Rust Belt's been struggling for decades. Which story affected you the most?"
I hesitated, then decided honesty was better than rehearsed answers. "There was a mining town where the water supply had been contaminated for years. The local government buried the reports. I spent a month gathering evidence, and when the story broke, the Federal Government intervened. Seeing those families finally get clean water—it made all the risks worth it."
Brandon's expression didn't change much, but I thought I saw a flicker of respect. "Investigative work is important. Dangerous too. Have you been threatened?"
"A few times," I admitted. "Once, a local official tried to intimidate me. Another time, someone slashed my tires." I glanced at Julian. "But it's been safer lately."
Julian's hand found mine under the table.
Diana interjected with a lighter tone. "Nora, you must try the mashed potatoes. Chef Henri's recipe is legendary." She turned to Julian with a mischievous glint. "Julian hated vegetables as a child. I had to bribe him with dessert every single night."
Julian shot her a look. "I was seven, Mom."
"And yet, you still pick out the carrots when you think no one's watching."
I couldn't help but laugh, and the tension around the table dissolved.
Throughout the meal, Julian was quietly attentive.
Diana caught my eye and smiled knowingly.
After the main course, she stood and retrieved a velvet box from the sideboard. "Nora, Brandon and I have something for you. Consider it a welcome gift."
She set the box in front of me. I covered my mouth.
Inside were two watches—sleek and elegant, clearly expensive. The men's version had a black steel band with a midnight-blue face. The women's version was similar but smaller, with rose-gold accents.
"These are replicas of the watches Brandon gave me when we got engaged," Diana explained. "We thought it would be meaningful." She gestured to the watch faces. "Each one has a constellation pattern. When you place them side by side, they form a complete star map."
My throat tightened. I stared at the watches, overwhelmed.
Brandon cleared his throat. "We're glad you're here, Nora. Welcome to the family."
Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes. I blinked rapidly, trying to hold them back.
Julian took the women's watch from the box and gently lifted my left wrist. His fingers were warm as he fastened the clasp, his movements careful and deliberate. When he finished, he looked up at me, his eyes soft.
I picked up the men's watch with trembling hands and reached for his wrist. When I met his gaze, something unspoken passed between us—a promise, a commitment.
"Thank you," I whispered. "I'll treasure this."
Diana pulled me into a hug. "You're family now, Nora. This is your home too."
I nodded, unable to speak past the lump in my throat.
As we finished eating, Julian glanced at his watch, then at me. "There's one more place I want to show you tonight."
I blinked. "Where?"
His lips curved into a secretive smile. "You'll see."
Diana sent us off with a knowing smile. "Don't stay out too late."
Brandon added dryly, "If you're stargazing, bring a jacket. It's windy tonight."
---
The garden path felt endless beneath my feet, even though Julian's hand anchored me to the present. The golden lights lining the walkway cast soft shadows across his profile, and I could see the tension in his jaw—not the kind that came from stress, but from someone holding back something important.
"You're being awfully mysterious," I said, trying to keep my voice light even as my pulse quickened.
He glanced down at me, his eyes catching the moonlight. "Am I?"
"Julian." I squeezed his hand. "Where are we going?"
"Almost there."