13. Eliza

13

ELIZA

" S tay the hell away from her. If you don't, I'll fucking kill you." My cousin's words haunted me, mainly because I didn't think they were said as a figure of speech. What I found most curious was Levi covering for him.

Their apparent abhorrence wasn't weighted on one side or the other. Sadly, I doubted Niven would've been so quick to defend Levi if the situations were reversed.

While I was as close to him as I would be if he were my brother, I wasn't blind to his flaws. Until he met Harper, I'd worried about his self-destructive behavior constantly. His liquor consumption had been a matter of contention between us, as was his "playboy" lifestyle.

Yes, meeting his wife had changed much of that, but when he spoke about Levi, I saw glimpses of the boy, then man, I'd known all my life. He harbored anger much in the same way his father had. He'd been on a dayslong bender the night he got in a car, smashed it into a tree, and died. Thankfully, no one else was hurt. At least not in the crash. For Niven, it was another tragic loss on top of his mother's death.

He sat beside me, and I rested my hand on his arm. "They're going to be all right. The doctor said the surgery was a success."

"I know," he muttered, moving his arm away. "If anything happened to her or the baby, I don't know—" He leaned forward and put his head in his hands, and I rubbed his back in comfort.

Once again, I was reminded of my conversation with Miss Bardwell and our mutual worry about what would happen if Harper broke Niv's heart. That alone would result in him spiraling downward. If Harper lost the baby, both she and Niven would be devastated, but they'd grieve together. If Harper died, I had little doubt my cousin would give up living as well.

Now wasn't the time to address what I'd overheard him say to Levi, but I would eventually. I had to. While earlier tonight I doubted I'd see him again, after he showed up at my building with flowers, insisted on driving me here, and the kisses we'd shared, my mystery-man obsession returned full-force. I knew Levi and I would continue seeing each other, and I had no doubt it would turn serious quickly.

That didn't mean I was thinking of marriage and babies. More, a torrid love affair.

"Mr. St. Thomas?"

Niven bolted from his seat and approached the woman who'd called his name. "Yes?"

"You can see your wife now."

He followed her through a set of doors. I wasn't offended that he didn't look back at me. I, more than anyone else, knew how important Harper was to him.

Instead, I swiped the screen of my mobile and saw I'd received a message from Levi.

I'm not far if you need me.

I swooned. How many times in my life had someone either said those words or expressed the sentiment? Penelope Ramsey had in our recent conversation—a woman I hadn't seen in years. We spoke occasionally, but both agreed that too much time passed between calls.

I doubted my parents had ever suggested I reach out to them. My relationship with them was one of the reasons I'd bonded with Pen and the other four women—who called themselves the tribe of five—the year I spent at the Emma Stanley Academy in the States. The boarding school was quite posh and filled with students who had parents like mine, whose social lives and careers were far more important to them than their offspring.

I only spent a year there. When the next term rolled around, my mother had announced I'd be transferring to a similar school in Switzerland. I'd begged and pleaded to be allowed to remain where I was. It wasn't unusual that anything I wanted would have no bearing on the decisions my parents made.

Niven would always be there for me if I needed him, but I couldn't remember a single instance when he'd made contact just to see how I was. I suppose I thought all men were like that. Maybe most were.

Levi's simple text made me happier than it should. Only a few hours ago, I'd decided a relationship with him would be toxic. Now, I was feeling elated that someone cared about me. Wasn't that what manipulative people did? They made you believe no one else in your life cared the way they did.

I so wanted to believe Levi wasn't that kind of person. Which meant if he was, I would be crushed. Knowing full well I should be more guarded, seeing him was akin to not eating the last piece of chocolate. I knew I shouldn't, but it would be so good. Then again, how would I feel once it was gone?

After an hour passed, I wondered if I should consider finding a place to stay. Maybe Niv planned to remain in the room with Harper and had forgotten I was out here.

An online search of area lodging yielded nothing, so I asked the first person I saw who looked like a hospital employee.

"There are guesthouses, but at this late hour…"

"Eliza?" I heard Niven say.

"Here," I said when he didn't spot me.

"Sorry for leaving you out here so long. Harper was groggy and was sure something had happened to the baby. I didn't want to leave her."

"Of course. I completely understand." I felt like an idiot for thinking he'd forgotten me.

He pulled his key fob out and put it in my hand. "Go get some rest at the cottage. I'm sorry I dragged you all the way down here. I was so afraid?—"

His eyes filled with tears, and I embraced him. "Everything is all right now, and never apologize for wanting support from your family—sparse as we are."

"Sparse." He chuckled and wiped away his tears. "It's you and me, pet."

"And Harper and, soon, your baby. What happened, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Appendicitis. As the surgeon explained, it's much harder to diagnose during pregnancy. Something about the location of the pain, white blood cell count, and more that I can't remember. It was Reverend Primrose who noticed Harper seemed off enough to believe an emergency-room visit was in order. Anyway, I've kept you long enough. Please rest, and we'll talk about getting you home tomorrow."

"Will do. I'll not be far if you need me," I repeated Levi's words almost verbatim.

"Best get back in there."

As I walked to where Niv said he'd left his car, I momentarily thought about driving to Shere rather than the cottage. According to the map app on my mobile, the time it would take to get to the cottage in Alfriston was almost as long as it would take to get to Shere. I could get a room at the same inn where I'd stayed before and maybe?—

I groaned. What was I doing? Trying to figure out how to see a man I'd met less than twenty-four hours ago? I was a lunatic.

Any news? Levi messaged, nearly startling me out of my skin. Was the man clairvoyant?

All is well. Mother, father, and baby are fine.

And how is Aunt Eliza?

I chuckled. Tired. Cranky. Lustful. Hanging in there , I responded, deciding the other three might be over the top.

Where are you?

Niv's car. About to head to the cottage.

I watched the three dots pulsate, curious about what he'd say next.

Look up.

When I did, I saw his car stopped right in front of Niven's. If the parking lot wasn't nearly empty, I might've wondered how he knew which one it was. Then I realized I had my foot on the brake pedal, so the taillights were illuminated. I laughed and waved when I saw him walking toward me.

"Hi," I said when he opened the door. "Have you been here the whole time?"

Levi shook his head. "I was halfway to Shere and didn't feel right about leaving you here, so I turned around and came back."

I looked down at the ground, suddenly feeling foolish. "Harper had her appendix removed, but she's fine now."

"Eliza?"

I shook my head. "I feel like…a teenage girl with a crush on a boy who's way out of her league, but she still follows him around like a puppy dog."

Levi knelt down, put his finger on my chin, and raised my face. "You have the scenario backwards, El. I'm the boy going after the girl far out of his league. I'm also the boy who turned his car around and was prepared to sit outside the hospital on the off chance you needed me. So, you see, I'm the puppy dog."

"Yeah, well, I considered driving to Shere on the off chance you'd be at the pub."

His hand moved from my chin to my cheek. "I'd say we're smitten."

"It doesn't seem crazy to you? We haven't known each other twenty-four hours."

"Yet our souls were already yearning to be together. Perhaps we did meet in our dreams. We'll have to compare notes."

My face flushed, and I tried to look away.

"I see, so we did have the same fantasies."

I stared into his eyes and saw no indication that he was making fun. "We were in bed."

"But not sleeping."

"No. No sleep was involved."

"I think we should explore our mutual dreams further," Levi winked. "But not in the parking lot."

"Agreed. But, um?—"

"You're worried about inviting me to your cousin's cottage."

I nodded. "It would be weird, right?"

"Very. I have someplace else in mind." He stood and took my hand to help me from the car.

"I should return Niven's fob," I said after he opened the back door to retrieve my bag.

"Excuse me," I heard him say in a loud voice.

A security guard approached.

"Would you please see to it that these keys are returned to Mr. Niven St. Thomas? His wife is recently out of surgery, and we don't want to disturb them."

"Of course, sir. I'll take them to the charge nurse."

"Many thanks."

I was happy not to have to go inside, but feared Niven would worry.

"Tell him I'm giving you a lift to London and that you'll return tomorrow if needed," Typhon said.

"How did you know what I was thinking? I mean, I suppose it wasn't terribly difficult to figure out."

"Do it, then put your phone on do not disturb," he said once we were both in his car.

"Already sent. To be honest, I doubt he'll respond. Harper is"—I sighed—"everything to him, and I couldn't be happier for him. I fear without her…"

Levi reached over and took my hand. "You can say it, El."

"I'm worried I'd lose him. He's really all I have." I turned my head away to hide my tears. "Sorry. I'm overly tired, and it's been a long, taxing day." I took several deep breaths in an effort to get my emotions in check.

"Look at me, Eliza."

I turned to him.

"Never apologize for sharing your feelings with me."

"It's not easy."

Levi nodded once and put the car in gear. "You need sleep, as do I. Tomorrow is a new day."

He pulled out of the lot, took a couple of turns, then less than five minutes later, parked where the road ended.

"I know this place. It's Sea-something." I motioned to the inn across from where he'd stopped.

"Sea Spray. Tomorrow, maybe you'd like to walk on the beach," he said after opening my door and helping me out.

"I'd like that very much."

He grabbed our two bags from the back of the car, and we hurried up the steps of the inn. When Levi punched in a code, the door unlocked. After setting the bags on the floor, he walked over to the desk, grabbed two envelopes, and handed one to me.

"We're on the second floor. Our rooms are next door to one another, and both have a view of the water," he said, picking up the bags and motioning to the lift.

"This is very kind of you," I said once we reached the first room. "And thoughtful." I opened the door, Levi stepped inside, and set my bag on the bench at the end of the bed, but still held his.

"Eliza, there's something I need to say."

I sat on the edge of the bed when, with my fatigue, I wasn't sure I could remain standing. "Go on."

"While our souls may have been ready to make love in our dreams, you and I are not. I want more with you. Everything, if you'll give me the chance to know you better, and for you to do the same with me."

"There are times I'm certain I'm dreaming all of this and I'll wake up to find you're still my mystery man."

He stepped closer, leaned down, and kissed my cheek. "Sweet dreams, Eliza."

"Sweet dreams, Levi."