asked, offering a small, tired smile as

appened? I thought you were getting better," Adrian rep

r already told you? The diabetes came back. It's not surprising for s

to accept that so casually. "But

e but only made things worse. "You're going to be okay,

uttered, his eyes darting

to know I love

But no, I won't be okay.

es shimmered with something deeper. Sa

and

H

ething

seriously. "Can I ask

rse. An

yful, mischievous even, in his grandfather's eyes. It made A

I mea

ing at

yth

go back on

op

I want you to get married, Adrian. That's what I wa

"Grandpa... is there anything else you'd like instead? Something more reaso

all I want from you. You promised, Adrian. You s

an s

aw it coming. And too late, he realized h

anted to

needed t

omise and if there was one thing Sean Williams had ta

ndpa could've asked for fishing trips, family dinners,

ria

e

d to do now? Marry a stranger just to fulfill a dyi

face, the weight of it all

now. "Someone to take care of you. Someone to love you when I no longer

broke

se he

love. His grandfather's way of protecting him even in death. A fin

He hated this. Hated the ache in

d him, who saw him at his wors

e gav

e low, nearly a whisp

a Sean

phant smile

Grateful.

... made

ng in his head like a broken record,

riving h

y grandson marr

to the building, ignoring the greetings, the nods, the wide-eye

dn't

have tim

age?

s. All he had were exes who hated his guts and a reputation that

ard his corner suite like a man on a missi

eeting summary from yesterday on your desk,"

sto

.. st

y drifted to h

d, dressed in her standard crisp white blouse and black ski

Not seductive. Not someone wh

at's what ma

ult. She never flirted. Never lingered. Never

as a record in Adrian's world of high-turnover secret

onstant he had in

. Safe

rf

rt-circuited

nsane? Ab

del off Instagram and begging her

ream our wedding for followe

he said

from her table

rry

'm so

e first trace of actual emotio

peated, slower th

ike he'd just asked her t

racing in the stupidest

either going to

up my en

*