Chapter 11
Harmony
The next morning, I wake up feeling hot breath on my face.
Cracking my eyes open, I’m greeted with big, sparkling green eyes and a halo of light red ringlets that almost look like fire with the morning light shining through them.
Summer flashes me a big, toothy grin, freckles splashed across her nose and chubby cheeks.
What on earth is Summer doing in my room at Elias’s house? Or did I dream that all up? Oh, please, please, please be a dream. I can imagine it was considering how I felt his eyes rake down my body … And the fact that I didn’t hate it. Yeah, had to be a dream.
Taking in my surroundings, I hold in a string of curses that innocent little girls shouldn’t hear.
Sunlight blares in through the window since there aren’t any curtains, only blinds.
My single bag rests on the floor by the door.
This spare room at least has a dresser, a bed, and a closet, which I found out last night has zero hangers.
All of my stuff is how I left it before I collapsed on my bed and passed out.
I drop my head back down on my pillow and cover my face with both of my hands.
Well, isn’t this a craptastic discovery? I’m certainly at Elias’s house, and this isn’t a dream.
Summer plops down beside me, and I uncover my face. She leans over me like when she woke me up, and her curls fall down with the movement, landing on my face.
We’re so close our eyeballs almost touch. “What are you doing here, sweetie?”
Summer points at my closed door. “Mommy wants to talk to Elias.”
I resist the urge to make a face. Serenity is probably causing a scene like she did when he came to our house to pick me up for our first date.
I smile. He had no clue what he was coming into.
My mother was so sweet when she opened the door for him, but then Serenity came over and started accusing him of only wanting to get into my pants.
I suppress a laugh. I wonder if that was why he waited until we were both eighteen for us to have sex for the first time.
Summer tugs on my hand, pulling me back to the present. Should I go out there and play peacekeeper?
I sigh, and instead, I say to Summer, “I missed you.”
“I missed you, too, Auntie.” A thoughtful expression crosses her small face. “Why did you move out? I thought you were going to stay in my room and we were going to have slumber parties.”
“I’m sorry. I know this is unexpected, but I’ll be back soon.” I pinch her nose, and she giggles. “You won’t be able to tell that I’m gone. So don’t worry. Everything is going to be okay.”
For her at least. I’ll make sure of that no matter what happens to me. And even though Elias and I aren’t always on the same page, he’ll also protect Summer with his life.
I roll out of bed with a groan. Why can’t he be a complete asshole now so I won’t forget how he disappeared?
Maybe if I call Sully, he’ll assign someone else.
He was almost like a father to both Elias and me after we worked at his coffee shop, Cutesy’s, during our junior and senior years. I’m sure he’ll listen to reason.
An angry hushed voice slips in through my closed door. “I just don’t get why she has to live here with you. I’ll pay for a hotel if I need to. You two never got the chance to talk. So, how do I know that she’s safe with you?”
Serenity. Oh, no. She’s in full mama bear mode. Hopefully she left her shotgun at home.
“You’ve known me for like half of my life. Do you honestly think I’d hurt her?”
Well, it wouldn’t be the first time …
“Physically? No. But I know how easy it could be for lines to be crossed when you two are living together.” Serenity put extra emphasis on that one word. “If you fuck with her, expect to face me. No one messes with my family and gets away with it. Do you understand?”
“Geez, do you really have so little faith in me?”
“I hope you didn’t think I didn’t see her all cuddled up to you when you carried her inside last night. I swear she looked at you like you were a god here to save her.”
Ouch. I’ll have to work on my poker face.
“Do you think I wanted that? It’s just a job.
Protecting her also means from herself. It wasn’t my fault she ran out there with no jacket or shoes.
” His frustrated voice seeps into my ears, curling my stomach.
And then he laughs. “Trust me; I have no intention of ever trying to get back with her or even hook up. She and I are one hundred percent over.”
My breathing hitches. I’ve never heard such distaste from him before. And about me. He acts as if he’s the one who got hurt. As if he didn’t ghost me.
“Well, good. You’ll just hold her back.”
I gasp. Sure, I’m angry at him still, but I never thought he’d hold me back. There are at least four reasons I’ll never get back with him, but that isn’t one.
Seconds pass, and each one feels like a year. I strain my hearing, wondering if maybe he lowered his voice when he says, “I know.”
He knows? No way he actually agreed.
Summer pulls on my arm, and I glance down at her. I paste a smile on my face as she points to the closed door. “Let’s go see Mommy.”
I hold back a sigh. If Serenity isn’t at work, Summer never wants to be more than five feet from her mother, but I’m not ready to go out there. How can I after overhearing that truth bomb?
Summer doesn’t wait for my response. She whips open my door and zooms out. Greaaat. I have no option now. They have to know I’m awake after seeing Summer.
After a quick glance in the mirror and hair fix, I follow her.
Both Elias and Serenity stand in the kitchen, right off the living room.
My sister has her hands on her hips until Summer leaps at her.
I keep my eyes glued to my feet. What will I do with all of that new information?
Elias doesn’t want me, which is okay. But the fact that he thought he’d hold me back? What a horrific revelation that is.
I force myself to look at Serenity. “Why are you here? Did you come to his house to berate him?” I pause and wait for her to say something, but her jaw drops, so I continue.
“Who protected us from those two guys? It sure as hell wasn’t me.
No, it was him. So, what’s the matter with me living where it’s safer?
Where I’ll keep that danger away from you and Summer. ”
Her face pales, and she sputters. “I’m here to make sure you’re okay.”
“Why wouldn’t I be okay?” I place my hands on my hips, just like she did minutes ago. “Elias is a professional. Wouldn’t you rather me stay with him than some random bodyguard we don’t know?”
Serenity stands there with her mouth open. I always went along with what she said, but she went too far this time.
Without waiting for her response, I stride back to my room and snatch my phone off the bed. “Don’t worry. I’ll call Sully and ask for a replacement. I wanted to anyway.”
“No, don’t,” Serenity says so softly I almost don’t hear her.
While Elias says at the same time, “That isn’t necessary.”
“Why isn’t it necessary?” I glance between my ex-boyfriend and my sister, daring one of them to protest. “I wonder who Sully would send. Definitely a stranger. And most certainly someone dangerous. Maybe handsome, too.”
Elias rolls his eyes. “She’s the one who has a problem with our situation.”
All three of us stare at each other without uttering a word. Summer’s squealing is the only sound in the house as she pets Spot.
Serenity turns to Elias. “Can I talk to my sister for a moment?”
He doesn’t move for a few seconds but then nods and strides toward his bedroom.
As soon as his door clicks shut, my sister turns to me. “Are you sure you’re okay with this?”
“Of course. Do you really think Elias and I would cross that boyfriend-girlfriend line again after everything that went down?”
She looks away, her eyes straying to Summer.
“I know you both have good intentions but it will be easy to fall back into love. He’s handsome and has a great body.
I mean, seriously, he has to hit up the gym daily.
” When I open my mouth to protest her finding him attractive, she holds up a finger.
“But he’s also so nice. Did you know that every weekend he volunteers at the hospital where I work?
One day about six months ago, Mrs. Crane, a cranky old lady was screaming for her husband who had passed a year ago.
Elias heard her and went in to read to her.
By the time he left, she was smiling from ear to ear.
I mean, what woman wouldn’t want to fall into his bed? ”
Ignoring her last question, I shake my head, unable to speak. Only one thing she said stuck in my mind. Elias volunteers at a hospital? Being here is definitely a mistake if I’m going to leave with my heart still intact. He’s still such a sweet … No, I can’t let myself think that way.
He may put on that nice guy facade, but he’s the one who disappeared.
She sighs. “See? I already see it on your face.”
“Just trust me.”
“Fine,” Serenity mutters. She goes to Summer and picks her up before turning back to me. “Please still come see us. I want to see you as much as I can before you take off again.”