Chapter 17 #2
“I should’ve gotten ready at my mom’s.” My heart swoops at the mention of my mom, but I have to learn to think about her without getting instantly sad. She brought me too much happiness to not remember her. “But at least I didn’t fall when we danced.”
He had saved up all year to rent his tux. Since it was prom season, the store only had one left, and it was two sizes too big. It hung loosely on his thin frame, but he was so proud of it that he didn’t care. And I didn’t either. He was still the cutest guy there.
His smile falls suddenly, and his dark eyes shutter. “Us dancing. That’s something I haven’t thought about in a while.”
So many whispered promises were made at prom as we danced the night away. All of them broken when he ghosted me. Or, we ghosted each other … But, now what? Even though we explained ourselves to each other, the hurt will always linger.
Turning away, I move to the undergarments section and grab two bras in my size.
I don’t care about the style or color. All I need right now is to get out of here.
I hurry to the counter where Lana stands behind the register.
Her blue eyes are glued to the scene in front of her. “You ready to checkout, hun?”
She makes a gesture toward Elias, but I ignore it.
“Yes. I found exactly what I wanted.”
“I knew you would.”
I pay, and she hands me the bag. Giving her a quick thank you, I head for the exit. Fresh air won’t do any harm when there’s been no sign of trouble. Right?
Leaning against the brick building, I take a deep breath. My sister knew exactly what she was doing when insisting I go out on a date. I’m not ready to date anyone, no matter how tempting Elias is.
A black car with tinted windows slows down right outside Lana’s, and my entire body locks up. Do I run or fight? With no weapon, fleeing sounds like the better option.
A door opens behind me. “What are you doing out here alone?”
The vehicle picks up speed and drives away. Were they suspicious? Maybe they were just looking for a specific store, and I’m being overly paranoid after being attacked. If I tell Elias though, he’ll never let me outside again.
I face him and force an eye roll, trying to shake off that weird encounter. It was nothing. “I just needed some fresh air.” Away from you.
He marches forward, concern etched into his face. “Whoever is after you could have already figured out where you are and could be here in town.”
“Seriously?”
Elias is suddenly in my face. How did he get so close? His breath caresses my face as he says, “If we are to go out like this, you need to stay with me. How else will I protect you?”
I motion around the now empty Main Street. “Do you see anything suspicious?”
He runs his fingers through his hair and growls. “My God, Harmony, is it so hard to listen to me? Do you think that someone who wants to hurt you will be out in the open for all to see?”
I look down at my hands. If he’s right, then whoever just drove by can’t be anyone dangerous. “I needed some space.”
Why did Sully have to assign Elias to protect me? There has to be some kind of code for our kind of situation.
“And you can have it. When we’re safely at home. You can have the whole house to yourself. I’ll stay in my room.”
Why did that also bring a pang of disappointment?
Movement to our side catches my attention, and my heart dips in anticipation. An elderly couple wobbles in our direction. As they get closer, I make out Mr. and Mrs. Milte’s features.
I take a deep, shaky breath and lift my hand to wave at the pair. “Hello.”
When Mrs. Milte’s eyes meet mine, a smile lights up her face, making her laugh lines more visible. “I heard you were back, but I told my dear Frank I wouldn’t believe it until I saw you with my own two eyes.”
I swish my hands dramatically through the air, hoping they don’t pick up on my mood. “Believe it. I’m here.”
Mr. Milte laughs a deep belly laugh. “Our son saw you go into Lana’s and he called us, so Lucy rushed me out of the house to come find you.”
Mrs. Milte releases her grip on her husband and hurries forward.
Immediately, she slips on a patch of ice.
One of her legs flings out from underneath her, and I surge forward.
Elias moves behind me, going to her other side.
Together, we catch and steady her. Glancing up, Elias’s worried eyes clash with mine.
Lana’s door opens, and Serenity rushes out with Summer on her hip. My sister comes over to help, but Elias says, “Don’t worry. We have her.”
My cheeks heat. We. As if we are already a unit.
Mrs. Milte’s gloved hand clasps onto my arm, pulling me from my confusing thoughts.
“Thank you, dears,” Mr. Milte says to both of us. “You saved Lucy from a possible injury.”
Elias keeps a steady hand on Lucy. “It’s no problem. Are you okay?”
Lucy is at least seventy-five, so that sudden movement, even though she didn’t hit the sidewalk, might’ve done some damage.
Serenity and Summer hover behind us. If someone was hurt, my sister couldn’t help but fret. That is the nurse in her. “Do you need me to take a look?”
Frank turns to his wife. “How do you feel, Lucy? Do you want Serenity to check you out?”
Lucy shakes her head. “I’m fine. Stop treating me like an old lady.”
Mr. Milte winks. “I know you’re not an old lady. You’ll always be younger than me.”
A little bit of envy flows through me. Frank and Lucy were high school sweethearts and still love each other with all their hearts … while Elias and I lost each other.
We move to assist Lucy, and it uses all my willpower to not move away from Elias. How much longer will I survive living with him? Of us being together twenty-four seven.
I shove that thought from my brain for now and say to Mrs. Milte, “You can call us if you need anything.”
“You’re just as sweet as you were before you left town.”
I force a smile. She’s probably the only one who thinks I’m sweet unless Victor and all the viewers of Everlasting Love count. While the cameras were rolling, I had to fake my entire personality. Sweet isn’t usually the adjective used to describe me here in town.
The four of us head back toward where the Miltes came from, and Serenity follows us.
“I’m glad you didn’t get hurt coming to find me,” I say to fill the silence.
Lucy chuckles. “I’m sorry about that. I got so excited.” She glances at Elias before leaning into me, whispering, “Are you going to Vicki’s birthday party? It’s at our restaurant.”
“Yes, I was already—”
“She’s not going,” Elias cuts me off.
I swivel my head to glare up at him. Could he possibly be anymore rude? “Yes, I am. I told Kami I’d go. I haven’t seen Vicki in years.”
He clears his throat. “We’ll talk about it later.”
Who does he think he is to boss me around like I’m a child?
“What—” This time, I cut myself off, and I silently curse myself for actually listening to Elias. He’s so lucky Lucy and Frank Sr. don’t know about our situation and that I don’t want anyone to know. So, instead, I say through gritted teeth, “Fine. But we will talk later.”
Mr. Milte chuckles but says nothing.
We help Lucy into their BMW. Mr. Milte climbs into the driver’s seat, and he rummages around inside his vehicle.
He finds what he’s looking for and grabs a pen to write something down.
Then he sticks his hand out the window. “Here. It’s my business card, and I wrote down an IOU so everyone at my restaurant knows that your dinner is on me.
But you can only use it if you’re together.
” He winks again. “I’ll know if you don’t. ”
“That’s not necessary,” I reply, shifting. The entire town will start to gossip if we’re seen together too much. “I appreciate your generosity, but I can’t accept it. I know for a fact that you two would have helped me if I needed it.”
The passenger window rolls down, and Lucy says, “Please, visit the restaurant. Without you, I probably would’ve fallen.”
Elias hesitates for only a moment. “Okay, if you insist. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Frank flashes us a mischievous look. “Order a steak. I don’t mind.”
Serenity comes up to me after the older couple pulls out of their parking spot. “Here, I bought you a few essentials.”
After everything I tried to do—Everlasting Love, working at Cutesy’s—to help Serenity get money, she still buys me something. But I can’t tell her I know about her money problems, so I accept the gift.
“Thank you.” I pull her in for an embrace. Summer is attached to Serenity’s leg, so I bend down and pull her in for a bear hug. “Both of you.”