Chapter 29
Chapter Twenty-Nine
BASH
I’m more than relieved when Romilly is finally discharged, nice and safe in my car as I drive her home.
“I could have driven so you could finally get some rest.” She glances at me from the passenger seat. Her hands are folded delicately in her lap, and seeing her back in her stunning emerald dress brings back the memory of her on the stretcher.
“No way. Not post-concussion.”
“You really should have slept more, or checked into a hotel or something,” she says.
I reach across the car and take her hand, winding our fingers together. “But I didn’t want to miss out on any time with you.”
She laughs. It’s her surprised, sweet laugh, the one I can never get enough of.
“It sounds funny when you say things like that because we literally see each other all the time. But at the same time, I get it because I feel the same way about you.” Romilly says it so matter-of-factly, as if her words don’t set my soul on fire.
As if every admission from her that she loves me doesn’t make me want to write embarrassing poems and do a backflip in public.
Romilly rests most of the drive, and when we get back to Meadow Hills, I park in her driveway. I help her out of the car, placing one hand on her lower back to guide her. It’s not that she needs it—she can walk just fine. But I’ll find any excuses I can to touch her.
The idea that she’s mine now feels unfathomable.
“I’m going to take a long nap,” she murmurs, glancing up at me through those long lashes.
“But you have a concussion. You’re supposed to take short naps, remember?”
She sighs. “That’s right.”
“I’ll call you every thirty minutes or so to make sure you’re alright. But mark my words…If I don’t hear from you even once, I’m coming right back.”
“Fine.” She blushes, but smiles.
I kiss her soft mouth and then move to her forehead when it becomes too much.
Romilly leans into me, letting me fully envelop her in my arms. It feels so good to hold her like this, but I don’t want to keep her from resting, so I let her go and get in the car.
I fully intend to let her sleep, but as soon as I start driving, worry creeps through me.
I tap her contact photo on the screen in my car.
“Already?” she answers.
“Already.”
A laugh. “That’s fine. I’m not ready to go to bed yet, anyway. I still need to feed Jasper.”
“Good. But even when you are ready, I fully expect you to stay on the line and fall asleep to the sound of my voice.”
“Well, that’s even better than lullabies. You’re spoiling me.” Then she gasps like she’s distracted by something else. “Guess what?”
“What?”
“I just checked my email and Elena Fererra wants to come interview The Paw Spa next week.”
I raise my eyebrows. “You’ve got this. We’re going to knock the socks off her.”
I can practically feel her blushing through the phone. “Thank you. And I know you won your fight, but I was hoping you’d at least be there that day.”
“Of course. I told you I’ll always be here to help you when you need it,” I tell her.
Though I can’t deny, it felt like a giant weight off my shoulders when two sponsors reached out after I won my fight—one energy drink company and an athletic clothing brand.
Still, I haven’t even started packing my stuff at the lake house to move into my new apartment—which I got approved for, thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Westfall’s connection to the landlord.
“Thank you.” She yawns. “I can barely keep my eyes open.”
I talk to her for a little while longer, muttering stories to her that I make up as I go about dragon slayers and princesses who bake fresh sourdough bread. I make Jasper the main character of one story, and by the time I decide I’m quite proud of where it’s going, I realize she’s fallen asleep.
When I hang up the phone, I go inside. The lake is visible through the kitchen windows, rippling under the wind like a flag hung full mast. Heading up the stairs, I find Ingrid in her room.
She’s in the middle of packing her things, and even though we discussed her going back home, the sight of her leaving still causes an ache in my chest.
“I’m, uh, going to miss you, Innie.”
She lovingly rolls her eyes over her shoulder at me. “Oh, don’t start getting all mushy on me.”
“Sorry, you’re right. Get on out of here, will you?”
She zips her suitcase and faces me with a grin. “Are you sure you aren’t going to starve without me?”
“I make no promises.”
She smiles, but it fades away after a moment. “It’s going to be odd without you back home. Mum and Dad are going to torment me.”
“If they do, come visit me. I’ll be in my own place, and you can break all the rules you want in the home of Sebastian Black.”
“Oh, please.” Ingrid laughs. “As if you won’t already be breaking the rules on your own. You should have gotten a two-bedroom so I could stay. Who’s going to keep you from smoking while I’m gone?”
I gape at her in mock offense. “I’ll have you know I haven’t smoked in ages.”
“About time.” Her eyes turn glossy. “So…I guess this is it, then.”
I frown at her. “Stop it. This isn’t goodbye. You’ll be here soon enough to chase summer, as always.”
She hugs me, and I squeeze her back. When her ride arrives, I walk her to the door. “I expect full reports on everything back home. Understand?”
“Yes, sir.” She salutes me before shutting herself in the vehicle.
My mother calls me, almost like clockwork, as soon as I’m inside. I answer the phone. “Don’t worry. I just sent Ingrid on her way, and I’ll start packing this weekend. You’ll have your precious lake house back in no time.”
“Sebastian…” Her voice sounds softer than normal.
I frown. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
She sighs. “We, um, we watched your fight. I didn’t want to, but Ingrid said she’d never come back home if we didn’t. And…well, you did really well.”
I’m speechless.
Something rustles on the other line. And then my dad speaks next. “I thought so, too, son. Well done.”
I clear my throat against the emotion clogging it. “Does this mean…?”
“We’re still not happy about you fighting, Sebastian,” my mother finishes. “And we still wish you’d come home and finish what we trained you for. But that doesn’t mean we’re not proud of you.”
“Both of us,” says Dad.
“Thank you. That means a lot,” I say. More than they realize. “I love you both.”
“We love you, too,” says Mum. “We’ll see you in June.”
When I hang up, it feels much too quiet. I’m still in disbelief that their phone call even happened, but the positive feeling floating through me is proof of it.
They’re proud of me.
Thank you, Lord.
When I’m finally done replaying that conversation over and over, I busy myself by looking up the local newspaper, The Meadow Bee and anything I can find about Elena Ferrera, which isn’t much.
I also try to find out what kind of questions she might ask so we’re prepared.
Because most likely, Romilly will be nervous.
So if I can, I want to keep things running smoothly.
It’s almost as if my entire life has prepared me for this moment.
All those times I’ve had to delight buyers at auction houses.
And here I am. Sebastian, the charmer, once again.