A Winter's Secret (A Winter's Tale Book 4) Read online

  “Every age looks good on me,” Nicholas returned, his boyish grin mirroring the man sitting across from him. “I miss you,” he said, sincerely. “And I have the feeling that I am going to have to get used to the idea of missing you.” When Caleb didn’t respond, Nicholas continued, “You’re not coming back home, are you?”

  “Nicholas, that place was never my home and those people were never my parents.”

  “Caleb−”

  “I dropped out of school,” Caleb said suddenly. “I withdrew at the end of Fall semester. College wasn’t something I wanted to pursue. I only went because I was expected to go, to finish, and then without argument move back to New York only to be groomed to run Plotus alongside Spencer. God knows I want nothing to do with any of it. I don’t want to move back to New York, and I don’t want to be the billionaire’s son who attends galas and high- status events. I don’t want to be around those horrible judgmental people with their single- minded ways and closed- door prejudices. That life isn’t for me, Nicholas, and I have no intention of ever going back there.”

  “Do you think Spencer is just going to let you walk away from the family, from the company? I don’t see him letting you go that easily.”

  Caleb’s thick brows drew together. “He doesn’t know where I am.”

  “Look how easily I found you,” Nicholas said, sighing. “I’m sure he knows exactly where you are . . . knowing him, he’s probably just playing with you, like a cat does a mouse.”

  Caleb laughed. “You’re probably right.”

  “This isn’t a game Caleb. Just speak to mom and dad. Tell them that you want to take a break from school, a few months . . . nothing more, but then you’ll go back and finish your MBA in Business Intelligence. Just take a couple of months to get over whatever you’re going through and then come home.”

  “I don’t want a degree in Business Intelligence.”

  “Fine, then Business Analytics.”

  “Nicholas, you’re not listening to me,” Caleb groaned.

  “I’m listening.”

  “Then you’re not hearing me. I am not going back to school, not in a few months, not in a few years, and I am not going back to New York− I’m done.”

  “So, that’s it. You’re walking away from our family, away from Rebecca, away from me? Are we that insignificant that you can so easily toss us aside to live a life of isolation just to work in a crap bar in the middle of nowhere?”

  Caleb shook his head denying the charge. “You and Rebecca mean everything to me. That’s why I stuck around as long as I did because of the two of you.”

  “Great. Then what’s a few more years. I’ll be finished school in three years. Come home and work at the company until then. Tell dad that you want hands on experience . . . I’m sure he’ll−”

  Running his right hand down his face in agitation, Caleb closed his eyes. “Stop it,” he said, his tone harsher than he intended it to be. Swallowing his emotions, he opened his eyes once more to stare at his brother’s distressed expression. “I’m sorry, Nicholas. I was drowning in that family. I was suffocating and no matter how hard I tried to catch my breath, I couldn’t. It felt like Spencer had his hands tightly wrapped around my throat, literally squeezing the life out of me . . . call it self- preservation, call it selfishness . . . I don’t know what to call it, but I cannot go back there.”

  Blinking back tears, Nicholas looked down at his leather gloves that laid on the table in front of him. Forcing a small smile, he cleared his throat and then rose to his feet. “It was good to see you, Caleb. Take care,” he said, his voice low. Turning to leave, Nicholas stopped at the feel of Caleb’s hand at the nape of his neck. His attempt to pull out of his brother’s grasp had been one made in vain. Caleb who was stronger and faster repositioned Nicholas, maneuvering his frame so that they were face to face once more.

  Resting his forehead against Nicholas’, Caleb exhaled, seemingly exhausted. Briefly closing his eyes, he sighed. “Finish college, Nicholas. Finish college and then travel the world. Don’t get wrapped up in being an Elliot. Be more than the money your father makes . . . be a man that you’ll be proud of twenty years from now, thirty years from now. Be more than what our parents have groomed us to be. You’re not just Spencer and Meredith’s son, you’re Nicholas, my baby brother who I love so much.” Opening his eyes, Caleb pressed his full lips against Nicholas’ forehead before stepping away from him. “This is not goodbye, little brother. If you need me, call me and I will answer.”

  Nicholas nodded. “One day I am going to be the one running Plotus Cosmetics and everything is going to be different. When I’m running the company, you can come home.”

  “Spencer−”

  “When the company is mine, we will run it together, okay?”

  Caleb smiled at Nicholas sadly. “Okay,” he said, wanting nothing more than to take away the hurt look in his brother’s cloudy eyes. “When you take over the company, I’ll come home and we’ll run it, together. You have my word.”

  Dear Readers,

  I hope you enjoyed A Winter’s Secret. This novel pushed the A Winter’s Tale drama to an entirely new level. Wow, things are really heating up. I hope you enjoyed reading this instalment as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it. For future releases please turn to the next page. Lastly, while I have your attention, please consider leaving a review on Amazon. One of the many joys of being a writer is hearing feedback from readers. So, please do not be shy!

  Secretly Yours,

  Kristi Tailor

  Contact Kristi Tailor @

  www.kristitailor.com

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  Other Novels By Kristi Tailor:

  Being Yours

  Loving You

  A Winter’s Kiss

  A Winter’s Promise

  A Winter’s Vow

  Coming Soon

  A Winter’s Seduction

  March 2020

  ABOUT THE AUTHOr

  Kristi Tailor, born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland earned her Bachelor’s degree in English from Notre Dame of Maryland University. Her greatest joy in life is her young daughter Madison, who like her mother enjoys the art of storytelling. With a love for education and a passion for writing, Kristi spends her time combining the two with the hope of positively touching others with her life’s work.