knock on the door drew Leah’s attention.
“Come in,” she called as Jamie straightened.
Ella came in first, a curious smile on her face. “Leah, Mrs. Knightsbridge is here to see you. She has something for you.”
Leah stood reluctantly. She didn’t want to let go of Pawpaw, but Jamie patted her hand.
“I’ll stay with him. Go ahead.”
Jamming her hands in her pockets, Leah moved past Mike into the hallway. Mrs. Knightsbridge, dressed in plain cotton dress with white sneakers, was standing by the door and smiling widely. To her left stood a broad man, not too tall, with long, light-brown hair, the color of dark honey. Hazel eyes, a crooked nose, and muscles that were clearly defined in the tight black T-shirt he wore.
Leah’s heart stopped.
“Avery!” Her cry was much too loud for a hospital, but she didn’t care. She launched herself at him and wrapped her arms around him. “How are you here?”
Mrs. Knightsbridge laughed as Leah kissed him, not giving him a chance to answer the question. “I believe I can answer that. He and the duke replaced the mirror, so why did you not think I could bring him to you afterward? The time stream is becoming more stable again, so I was able to time his arrival much more advantageously. It is some of my best work.” She preened as Leah turned, keeping a death-grip on Avery’s hand.
“Mrs. Knightsbridge, you are amazing.” Leah hugged the woman, who laughed again.
“It is no trouble, no trouble at all.”
Sobering, Leah turned to Avery. “I’m beyond thrilled that you’re here, but what about your aunt?”
His expression darkened and Leah’s heart fell.
“She lasted but a day after you’d gone. Her illness had progressed so much that she could not eat.”
Leah pressed a kiss to his lips. “I’m so sorry.”
He cleared his throat. “She is free of pain now. How is your grandfather?”
“Pawpaw’s not so good. Can you come with me?”
He nodded. “I will do whatever you wish of me.”
Leah threaded her fingers through his and led him into the darkened hospital room. Mrs. Knightsbridge followed.
“Avery, this is my Pawpaw, Milton Ramsey.”
Leah held tight to Avery’s arm and closed her eyes. Things should be so perfect now. This was what she’d wanted, right? To feel whole, to be loved, to have Pawpaw satisfied that she’d have someone to lean on. Why did the last piece of the puzzle have to be such a tough one? Why couldn’t she flip a switch and make her grandfather whole again?
A terrifying series of beeps screamed through the room, ripping Leah’s eyes open. “Pawpaw!”
Pawpaw was sitting up, pulling at his monitors and tubes. “Get these blasted wires off me. Man can’t breathe wrapped up in all this mess.” He stopped, blue gaze trained on Avery. “Who in the sam hell has his paws all over my Leelee?”
Adrenaline flooded Leah and she grabbed her grandfather’s hand. “Pawpaw! Are you okay?”
He coughed and pulled the oxygen mask away from his bearded chin. “Can’t stand this plastic over m’face. Leelee, get this thing off me.”
“Jamie, go get the nurse, please.” Leah turned back to her grandfather, grateful tears tracking down her stinging cheeks. “Pawpaw, you have to leave that on. You need the oxygen.”
Pawpaw reluctantly stopped pulling at the mask and instead settled his steely gaze on Avery. “Who are you, son?”
“My name is Avery Russell, sir.” Avery bowed deeply, the courtly maneuver making Leah’s heart swell with pride. “I love your granddaughter, sir, and I ask for your blessing on our marriage.”
Pawpaw didn’t say anything for a long moment. His gaze raked Avery up and down. Though he was flat on his back in a hospital bed, he was clearly the one in control. Though Leah longed to slip a reassuring hand in Avery’s, she stayed still. This was between her two favorite men on earth, and if they didn’t like each other, life was going to be pretty freaking difficult.
Several seconds later, her grandfather nodded. “I’m not against the idea, but I need to get to know you first.”
“Pawpaw, you know I don’t need your permission to get married, right?” Leah’s dry tone covered her complete excitement that he hadn’t dismissed Avery’s request outright.
Avery spoke up before Pawpaw could respond. “It is only right that we apply for his blessing. It is clear that you are precious to him.”
Pawpaw laughed, the sound slightly muffled by his oxygen mask. “I like this fella, I do.”
Jamie pushed through the door, a nurse right on her heels. At the nurse’s insistence, they cleared the room and let her check Pawpaw’s vitals. In the hush of the hallway, Leah turned to Avery, winding her arms around his neck.
“What do you think of Pawpaw?”
Avery smiled, rubbing her lower back gently. “It is easy to see where your adventurous spirit originated. I like him very much.”
“I just hope he’s okay.” Leah pressed her head against Avery’s chest, breathing him in.
Only half a heartbeat later, the nurse pushed open the door. She smiled at the tense group around her.
“He seems to have turned the corner,” she said. “It’s kind of miraculous, actually. I’m going to call his cardiologist and get him down here soon. In the meantime, try to keep him quiet.”
Leah hugged Avery in relief as the nurse walked away. Ella, Jamie, Micah, and Mrs. Knightsbridge went back into the hospital room, leaving the two as alone as a pair can be in a hospital hallway.
“I didn’t know I could be this happy,” Leah whispered. “What did I do to deserve so many good things?”
Avery smiled and bent his head to kiss her. Just before their lips met, he said, “My love, you have brought light into my darkened life. I cannot hope to make you as happy as you have made me.”
Leah’s heart soared as her valet kissed her. He wasn’t Mr. Darcy, he wasn’t a duke, he wasn’t a fairy-tale hero.
He was so much better than that.
Here’s a sneak peek at
by Gina Lamm
Ella chewed her bottom lip as she held her pencil tighter. The cape just wasn’t right. Something about the way the fabric curled and flared against the hero’s muscular bum didn’t make her happy.
Carefully adding more shading didn’t help. Using the corner of her gum eraser to fade it a bit didn’t either. The clock ticked loudly, and she glared up at it.
“For chrissakes, I know it’s late. Nagging me isn’t going to help.”
Her pencil descended to the board again.
“I wasn’t nagging you. I just wanted to see if you needed anything.”
Ella screeched as her pencil went skittering over the drawing, leaving a jagged line in its wake. The studio’s owner, Anthony, stood in the doorway of her office, grinning at her. His dark hair fell over one eye, clearly gelled to stay there.
“Holy crap, Anthony, you scared me.”
Anthony proceeded into the room, flopping onto the ratty couch that occupied the opposite wall. “Sorry. I just wanted to see if you needed anything. It’s not like you to hang out here this long.”
“I’m okay, really. Finishing up now.”
