by Krista Lakes
I heard a metallic ping and Charlotte's lips thinned. I tried not to giggle, but I realized she had meant to kick me and had kicked the table instead. Served her right.
“Are you okay, Charlotte?” Leo asked, pulling out a chair and siting down.
“Fine,” she replied, her voice just a little too squeaky as she glared daggers in my direction. “I just bit my tongue.”
“I'm Ava, by the way,” I said, holding out my hand across the table and smiling. “You must be Leo.”
He stood to shake my hand, like a gentleman, and I immediately liked him even more. “Ava Fairchild? The woman who is running the appraisal at the mansion?”
“That's me.” I smiled as he sat back down. “I'm glad to finally meet you, Leo. Charlotte has only nice things to say about you.”
The kick from Charlotte connected this time, her heel digging into my shin. I managed to keep a grim smile as I glared at her. Those heels were truly wicked. She glared right back as we faced off in a silent battle of eyes.
“Have you eaten?” I asked, tearing my eyes away from Charlotte. “The special here is amazing.”
“I have actually, but thank you,” he replied politely, apparently oblivious to the kicks Charlotte was sending me under the table.
“What are you doing here?” Charlotte's voice came out squeaky and incredibly high. I was surprised Leo heard her at all. If he didn't know that she had the world's biggest crush on him, then he had to be the most oblivious man on the planet.
“I was in the neighborhood,” he replied nonchalantly. “And since I was coming out for the auction anyway, I thought I might come a few days early.”
“You flew out to a remote Caribbean island two weeks early because it was in the neighborhood? I want your job.” Damn, those drinks were stronger than I realized.
Leo looked over at me in surprise.
“Sorry.” I held up my empty drink. “Watch out, these things are strong.”
“I think I actually need another,” Charlotte said quickly. She raised her hand and caught the waiter's attention, signaling for another round.
Leo glanced back and forth between the two of us, obviously evaluating the sanity of staying with us. I couldn't blame him. We both looked a little crazy.
“That and with the new app launch, I figured it would be one less conference call with Bastian,” he explained, making the trip sound a little more logical. “Gabe is ready to murder both of us because we keep messing up the video feeds.”
Charlotte laughed, but it came out far too loud and forced. I could barely believe how nervous she was. The waiter set down two drinks, one in front of me and the other in front of Charlotte. She immediately sucked down half of hers in one anxious gulp. It didn't help that her phone started to ring.
“Here, Leo. Have mine. I haven't even finished my first one yet.” I pushed my new drink over to Leo as Charlotte held the phone up to her ear and hissed into it. Her embarrassed expression turned to worry.
“Ava, it's for you,” she said, holding the phone out to me.
“Excuse me,” I replied, taking the phone and standing up. I went to the corner next to the water where the sounds of the bar were just a little quieter, but I still had to press my finger into my ear to hear. “This is Ava.”
“Miss Fairchild? This is Dr. Verner.”
It was as if I were dunked in ice water. All the warm tipsiness of the alcohol was gone and suddenly all the colors in the room were too bright and yet had no color.
“Is my dad okay?” I whispered.
“He's having another episode.” Dr. Verner's voice was calm, and that was good. If he had sounded even the littlest bit stressed, I would have screamed. “I doubt we'll even have to shock his system, but I wanted to keep you apprised of the situation.”
“Episode...” I gasped, trying to comprehend what was going on. It was hard to breathe.
“I'm fine, Ava,” my dad shouted from the background. “The doctor is just being cautious, sweetie. Don't worry about me!”
“Should I be there?” I asked. Panic rolled in my stomach, threatening to bring everything back up. Dinner didn't taste so good anymore.
“He's doing fine at the moment,” Dr. Verner assured me. “I can speak with you in the morning.”
I looked over at Charlotte and Leo sitting at the table. They looked so blissful, with Charlotte turning a fantastic shade of crimson and purple as she attempted to speak with Leo. She looked happy, though. I knew I would be the most miserable company if I stayed.
“I'll be there in just a little bit, “ I promised. I would worry and fret if I stayed. Better for me to go home where at least I could see the cause of my worry. “Thank you, doctor.”
I hung up the phone, staring at it for a moment and holding onto the railing overlooking the ocean. My knuckles went white and I had to force my lungs to inhale. This couldn't be happening. Not again.
I walked back to the table in a daze. Charlotte looked up, her face full of concern. “What's wrong?”
“That was Dr. Verner,” I whispered. I didn't want to say the words aloud. If I didn't say them, maybe they wouldn't be true. Maybe my dad would just be sitting at home playing on his tablet and be totally fine. “He's at the house with Dad.”
Charlotte's knees banged against the table as she stood up. “Holy crap, Ava...”
“He's fine,” I assured her quickly. “But I'm going to head back home. If I stay, I'll just be a giant ball of worry that sucks the fun out of everything.”
Charlotte didn't pause. “I'll come with you.”
I smiled at her, knowing that she really was my friend. She was willing to give up a night with her crush to come hang out with her freaked out friend and her dad.
“No, please don't let me ruin your night as well,” I pleaded. “Dr. Verner says he's fine, but I'm just a worrier. Please stay.”
Charlotte frowned. I could see the conflicting desires in her eyes as she weighed her options. She wanted to do both but I could see her leaning towards me and I couldn't allow that.
“Leo, will you please make sure my friend stays and has a nice time tonight?” I asked, turning to appeal to Leo. “It's her evening off and I don't want it ruined on my account.”
Leo nodded. “I'll make sure she has a wonderful time and gets home safely. You go be with your father.”
“Thank you,” I said, picking up my things from the table. “It was really nice to meet you.”
“At least let me walk you out,” Charlotte begged. I nodded, heading toward the exit while Leo held the table for her return. Seeing our motion, Elijah put some money on the bar counter and met us at the door.
Standing outside the bar in the warm night air, I felt better. I was glad I wasn't staying, but I was disappointed to miss out on the rest of our girl's night.
“Are you sure?” Charlotte asked again. “I don't want you to be alone.”
“I won't be alone,” I promised. “I'll be with Dr. Verner and my dad. You stay.” I took her hands in mine and smiled. “I really, really appreciate the offer, but I want you to stay here. Stay with Leo.”
Charlotte bit her lip. “You're really sure?”
“Yes.” I grinned at her. “Drink too much and kiss that man. Please.”
Charlotte giggled, lightening my heart a little.
“How much do I owe you for dinner, Charlotte?” I asked, reaching for my purse. She stopped me halfway through the motion.
“Nothing. My treat.”
I hugged her. I had known her for three days and I loved her to pieces already. I hoped she had the time of her life with Leo and finally got to make something of her crush. I couldn't wait to hear all about it in the morning.
I turned to look for Elijah, and saw him standing further down the porch talking to another man. If two men could look anything more like hunting lions, I would have eaten my shoe. I was very glad that at least one of them was on my side as Elijah strode back over.
“I'll take you home, Ava,” Elijah
said. “Murdoch will watch Charlotte until I get back.”
I looked over at the other big man. He had to be Leo's bodyguard. The man looked just as competent as Elijah and possibly more deadly. Bastian wouldn't be able to complain about that.
“Okay, let's get going,” I replied. I gave Charlotte another hug. “Thank you again. I'm so sorry to ruin girl's night.”
“Not your fault,” she replied, hugging me back. “It just means we'll have to do it again. Give your dad a hug from me and keep me updated.” She held up her phone. “I'll be there in two seconds if you need me. Okay?”
“Thank you,” I said, meaning it from the very tips of my toes.
Elijah put his hand on my shoulder and guided me to the waiting Lamborghini. Charlotte waited to go back inside until the car rolled out of the lot. I sincerely hoped that she had the time of her life with Leo. It would make such a wonderful story for something like love to come out of my leaving early. I was still incredibly touched that she was willing to leave with me, though. She was a real friend.
Elijah handled the car with ease and even sped just a little. Not enough to get in trouble or pulled over, but just enough that it made the ride home that much faster. Even with that, I was still a nervous mess when he pulled up to the front of the house to drop me off.
“Take care, Ava,” he said, waiting for me to exit the car so he could go back to Charlotte.
“Thanks, Elijah,” I replied and then quickly turned and ran into the house to find my dad.
Chapter 13
Light fluttered on my face and woke me from an unpleasant dream. In my dream, Dad and Bastian were sitting on the beach, but Chad kept chasing me away from them. No matter how much I ran, he never let me get to them. Then the flying pineapples came, and I was just glad I had woken up.
I stretched my arms up over my head, but they caught on the arm rest of the couch. I sat up slowly, my back groaning and complaining as I shifted my weight and figured out where I was.
I was on the couch in the room with the Morisot painting. I didn't remember falling asleep, but my computer was tucked up neatly on a coffee table with the rest of my gadgets and supplies and there was a light blue blanket draped over me.
I scrubbed my face with my hands, feeling dirty and exhausted. I still had on the same clothes from the bar the night before. The last thing I remembered was sitting down on the couch to try and get some work done while Dad rested. I had thought I was too ramped up on worry to sleep, but apparently I had been wrong.
I looked down at the blanket and knew I hadn't brought it to the room. Someone else must have come by and seen me passed out on the couch and covered me up. I smiled. It was probably Charlotte. She'd be that sweet.
I stretched again, feeling the bones in my spine attempting to realign themselves. For being such an expensive couch, it wasn't that comfortable and I had slept poorly. I stood up and shook my legs out before hurrying down the hallway to my father's room.
I slowly opened the door and peeked inside. My dad was asleep in the giant bed, still attached to the monitors while Dr. Verner snored gently in a big reclining chair beside him. The monitor beeped softly and steadily. No charges had been given.
I closed the door and sagged against it. Last night, Dr. Verner had said my father needed to go to the mainland hospital today. Bastian had already granted Dr. Verner access to his private jet to do so. I wished I was going with them, but dad had insisted I stay. I had to finish the job. He promised he'd be fine and Dr. Verner promised hourly updates. I was hesitant on both their promises, but I said I would stay.
If I didn't finish the job, Fairchild Auctions and Appraisals would be finished, and that really would kill my dad. I didn't really have much of a choice.
The front door rattled and I heard a curse before the door slammed. I walked quickly down the hall to see who was making such a ruckus. Charlotte stumbled in, looking hungover and absolutely miserable.
It took me a moment to hurry down the staircase to where Charlotte sagged in the main entrance. Her dress was lopsided and her long brown hair was pulled back, but terribly messy.
“How'd it go?” I asked cautiously, moving slow so I didn't startle her.
“It didn't,” she mumbled. She closed her eyes and sighed.
“What happened?” I took her hand and started leading her toward the kitchen. She looked like she needed a cup of coffee and a hot bath.
“After you left, I was so nervous, I chugged my drink,” she explained. Her voice caught. “I puked all over him about thirty minutes later.”
“Oh no!” I exclaimed, feeling absolutely awful for her. That was not at all what I had hoped would happen.
She looked up at me, the morning light glinting off her pallid skin. “How is it that I can handle Bastian's incredibly complex scheduling needs and telling investors to go suck it, but the minute I see Leo, I turn into a mush-brain?” She paused and then sobbed. “And now I'm hung over, too.”
“Let's get you some coffee,” I coaxed, pulling her toward the kitchen. She collapsed at the wooden table and cradled her head in her hands as I looked around the kitchen for coffee.
It only took me a moment to find it, as everything was neatly organized. I could see Bastian's hand in the kitchen. It made sense to me now that the kitchen felt homey while the rest of the house didn't. This was where Bastian spent his time, and thus he had redecorated it to suit his tastes. I certainly liked his tastes better than the stuffy, overdone opulence of the rest of the house. There was such a thing as too much luxury.
I opened up the fridge and pantry, finding eggs and a coconut while the coffee brewed. I was going to make poor Charlotte something that would make her feel better.
“Thank you for the blanket last night,” I told her as I started the stove. “I can't believe I fell asleep on the couch.”
“What are you talking about?” Charlotte half raised her head from her beneath her arms to look at me, but her gaze was unfocused. “Leo brought me home and I passed out in the guest house. I'm surprised I'm even moving right now.”
“Leo brought you home?” Bastian repeated, striding into the kitchen. He was wearing a full suit again, this time in a beautiful gray charcoal that made the blue in his eyes pop. His hair was still wet from his morning swim and it made butterflies fill my stomach. “That explains why you didn't answer your phone this morning and why Elijah was such a grouch this morning.”
“Hangry,” I supplied, and Bastian nodded. Considering the way Elijah had wolfed down his sandwich the other morning, I could only imagine how grumpy the bodyguard would be without one. Especially after being out all night.
“Yeah, Leo brought me home, but only after I puked on him,” Charlotte groaned, putting her head back down. He sat down at the table next to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. His face was creased with concern and brotherly love. It completely melted my heart and made me like him that much more because he so obviously cared for his little sister. Despite the initially cold exterior, he had a warm and caring heart.
I realized that he must have been the one to put the blanket over me last night, and I nearly turned into a puddle on the floor. Dad and Dr. Verner hadn't left the room all night, and Charlotte had been out puking on Leo. He was the only one who had been home.
To distract myself from turning into complete mush, I turned to start cooking up the eggs. I remembered that Bastian liked his scrambled and I stirred the yolks before I could stop myself. I hoped he was hungry, because scrambled eggs were one of the few things I actually knew how to cook well.
“Would you like some eggs, Bastian?” I asked, thrilling at his name. It was silly and I knew it. I was crushing hard, but I couldn't help it. At least I hadn't made out with my pillow, imagining it was him. Yet.
He held up two fingers. “Two please. I didn't get my sandwich this morning, either.” I added a couple more eggs into the pan, letting them melt into the butter while I added my seasonings. Then, it was just to keep stirring the
m until they were done.
I picked up the unopened coconut. “Do either of you know where a nail is?” I asked after a moment of searching. “The milk will make you feel better, Charlotte. It's one of the best re-hydrating liquids around.”
Charlotte groaned, burying her head further into her arms. Bastian gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze before he stood up. “Here, I'll do it.”
He came around the center island, holding out his hand for the coconut. My own hand shook a little as I gave it to him, and I froze as he reached behind me, his hand going just past me, close enough to touch my hip but not quite. I could smell his shampoo, fresh and clean and I could barely stand it.
He pulled back, a wine corkscrew in his hand. I wondered if he knew just what his presence was doing to me, and he grinned. He knew. Those eyes seemed to always know. With practiced ease, he “uncorked” the coconut and poured the milk into a glass, setting the rest of the coconut on the counter for later.
Bastian set the glass of coconut milk in front of Charlotte. She raised her head just enough to look at it sideways, turning a little bit green in the process.
“Drink up,” Bastian said cheerfully. “You have work to do today.”
Charlotte pouted, but dutifully took a sip before putting her head back into her arms. Bastian winked at me, and I giggled as I finished cooking the eggs. He wasn't going to actually make her work, but he wasn't going to tell her that.
The silence as we waited for the eggs was comfortable, as if mornings like this were how things were supposed to be. I let out a happy sigh and just let myself enjoy it for a moment. If I closed my eyes, I wasn't working, or worrying about Dad, or rushing to meet a deadline. I was just making breakfast for people I cared about. I was where I was supposed to be.
The eggs finished and I scooped them onto the plates, leaving some in the pan. I had made far too many, but I figured I would just bring some up to Dad or eat them myself later. Bastian was sitting next to Charlotte, so I put my plate across from her and sat down to eat.