“Daddy, are you very old?” Tinley asks when she sees him.
“Of course not! I’m only thirty-one,” he says and glares at his mother who is laughing.
“He’s still a baby, Tinley,” Elizabeth quips and pulls open the box to reach inside for the treasure.
Tinley grabs Aiylin’s hand and pulls her from behind the boxes. “Are you thirty, Aiylin?”
“Absolutely not,” she frowns in feigned horror. “I’m twenty-two.”
“Do you have a husband?” Tinley asks.
“No, I don’t.”
“Why not?” Tinley asks.
“Yes, why not?” Elizabeth asks. “Surely a young woman as intelligent, lovely and accomplished as you has at least one young man courting you.”
Aiylin hesitates and looks at Sebastian. She rubs her hand absently and murmurs, “Not anyone I would wish for.”
“What does that mean?” Sebastian takes a step towards her, and his Mother interrupts.
“You have no prospects?” Elizabeth asks.
“No.”
“Why not?” Tinley asks again.
Aiylin blushes and looks at them for help, but they seem to be waiting for her answer as well.
“I was waiting,” she turns to sit, and Tinley follows climbing into her lap.
“Waiting for what?” Sebastian asks gruffly.
“For us, Daddy,” Tinley says, ignoring the gasp from Aiylin.
Elizabeth nods and looks at the expression on her son’s face. A smile erupts, and she claps her hands, “Look, it’s the Advent calendar. Come help me find the perfect spot to hang it, Tinley.”
“My grandmother quilted this when I was your age, darling.”
Aiylin doesn’t move as they leave quickly.
“Do you remember how it works, Tinley?”
“Yes, I get surprises each day until Christmas!” They laugh as she walks out with Elizabeth.
Sebastian moves to sit next to her and reaches out to touch her, but she jumps up to put some space between them.
“This is getting out of hand quickly, isn’t it?” she laughs nervously.
“Who is he?” he demands ignoring her statement.
“What?” she turns to look at him.
“The man you wouldn’t wish for,” he picks up her slender hand and presses a kiss to the back of it. “The one who hurt you, Aiylin.” His eyes darken at the thought of someone causing her pain.
“It doesn’t matter, Sebastian. My father and Patrick took care of it. I’ll be going home as soon as the snow melts. You need to talk to Tinley,” she pleads.
“I need to thank my cousin,” he murmurs and walks over to a chair. “Come sit down.”
Aiylin walks towards him, and her heart starts to betray her again. No man has ever affected her like this. Why is her body betraying her now? She nods no.
“I think I’ll stand.” She paces and begins to talk. “Tinley was talking to me about a magic lantern. Is that a bedtime story or books she’s been reading?”
Sebastian stands up and walks over to her. “There’s no way to say this without sounding crazy, so I’m just going to say it. Tinley thinks you are the answer to her Christmas wish.”
Aiylin stares at him and her luscious lips part in surprise, before breaking into a huge smile, revealing a dimple in one cheek. Sebastian is smiling back at her before he can help himself.
“You’re joking,” she says.
“No. I’m not. Mother and I believe that she wished for a new Mother for Christmas, and then you showed up,” he explains slowly.
Aiylin glances at the door, calculating how quickly she can get away from him. “I see,” she turns as if to think about it, and starts to hurry from the room instead.
Sebastian makes it to the doorway and blocks her. “I can explain.”
“I bet you can,” she backs away from him looking for something heavy to swing if needed. “I came here as a favor to Mena, now I’ve done my part. I’ve delivered the message. If you wish to get rid of me, there are other ways to do that. You didn’t have to play with my heart and emotions, Sebastian.”
Aiylin pushes past him, leaving him speechless. “Her heart?” he grins and covers his pounding heart with a hand.
Elizabeth returns and finds him staring after Aiylin. “That is the exact way I looked when I met your father.” She smiles at him.
“What am I going to do?” he asks.
“We’ve got some work to do. The snow won’t last forever, Sebastian. In the meantime, be yourself, and she won’t be able to resist you.”
He laughs, and pulls his mother into a hug, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “Thank you, Mother.”
Chapter 15
Aiylin does what she always does when she’s upset or needs to think. She grabs her guitar and her journal and then goes in search of a secluded spot to play. Her heart leads her up the stairs to the third floor, where she passed a small nook big enough for one person.
Tucking in she closes her eyes and prays for guidance before opening her journal to the last song she’s been working on. The first strum has her closing her eyes as her fingers find the melody.
The skill comes from practice, but the melody comes from her heart.
Sebastian stops around the corner after following her. He’s never heard anything so beautiful. How do you win the heart of such an artist, and does he even have the right to claim it?
Tinley reaches up, clutches his hand surprising him. Glancing down he’s stunned to see tears streaming down her cheeks. Sebastian picks her up, and she tucks her head in his neck while Aiylin plays. He turns and walks back to Tinley’s room.
“Why are you crying, my heart?” he murmurs and rubs her back.
She lifts her head and stares into his eyes. “Because, Daddy, she’s so lonely. Can’t you hear it?”
He walks back towards
