Nathan finally meets my eager gaze. “So what do you think, Eva? Good choice?”
“The best. Kids in San Sebastian need all the help they can get,” I mumble.
What I really want to say is “You’re the most amazing person I’ve ever met,” but with his family around, I can’t bring myself to do it. So I add a sweet smile that I hope reveals all the tenderness I can’t express right now.
As much as I doubted Nathan in the beginning, as strongly do I feel now, how right it is to be in love with him. Laia advised me on the phone to wait till Nathan speaks those magical three words aloud, before outing myself. But after learning how Nathan helped use the proceeds of the fundraiser to support kids like my brothers, it’s almost an impossible task to stop myself from jumping at him and squealing, “I love you.”
Holly and Murphy exchange an odd glance. Murphy arches his brows, and Holly scrunches her nose as if they have some silent code.
Right after, Nathan’s mother grabs her husband’s arm and says, “Oh, I forgot. Sir Gavandale has been asking for you and Nathan. Do you mind going downstairs and checking what he wants while I continue to chat with our lovely Eva?”
Malcolm shakes his head. “Not at all. Come, Nathan, let’s see what that old chap wants.”
Nathan jerks back. “Do I need to go too?”
“Yesss,” Murphy adds an accent on the last letter that distorts the word into a long hiss. “Sir Gavandale asked for you too, haven’t you heard?” He wiggles his brows at his brother.
Nathan’s jaw tightens. He sucks in a breath and nods. Then he blinks at me. “I’ll come and get you soon, okay?”
“Sure,” I say.
He doesn’t look happy that he needs to leave me alone. And if I’m honest, neither am I. Not because I’m scared of his mother anymore. But because I know I’ll miss him even if he’ll be only gone for a few minutes.
Isn’t it crazy that I used to think I couldn’t trust him, and now I can’t get enough of being with him?
“I’ll send Eva down with Marjorie. She will be dropping by soon to inform me when my speech should start,” Holly says. “But you, Nate, please do come back up in fifteen minutes or so. There’s something we need to discuss before I can announce my retirement.”
“As you wish, Mother,” Nathan replies, his tone flat.
Could his mother be referring to Nathan’s promotion? Is it why Nathan is so tense? He did say that she would be making her decision at the ball.
Oh, I hope Nathan gets it. Even if I don’t think it’s what Nathan truly needs, he would be so disappointed if he didn’t. And I don’t want to see him hurting.
I reach out and squeeze his hand quickly while the three other members of his family aren’t watching. His gaze locks with mine, and I mouth, “Good luck for later.”
Maybe I’m mistaken, but it seems to me that Nathan’s breathing accelerates as he stares at me. But then he smiles and mouths back, “Thank you.”
Malcom points at the door. “Let’s go, Nate. We don’t want to keep Sir Gavandale waiting.”
Chapter 31
(Eva)
Murphy ambles to the sofa and plops down.
Holly throws me a questioning glance. “I don’t know about you, Eva, but my feet could appreciate a little break from standing. Come, let us join Murphy.”
I settle in an armchair, paying attention to keep my puffy skirt as wrinkle-free as possible. I still secretly hope that I get the chance to waltz again with Nathan. Maybe I’m starting to appreciate the beauty of a Cinderella story after all—except I hope I won’t have to flee from here before midnight.
I glance at Nathan’s mother, but her gaze is fixated on Murphy as if waiting for him to speak.
“So,” Murphy clears his voice, “I see you took my advice about my brother.”
“What do you mean?” I ask, feeling caught off guard.
I didn’t expect that we’d be chatting about Nathan. I thought they’d want to interrogate me about my family or something.
Murphy leans forward, resting his chin in one hand. “I told you on the first night you met Nathan that he’s a diamond in the rough, didn’t I?”
“Yes, you did.” I bite my lip, suddenly recalling my talk with Abuelita. I kept wondering if it was just a coincidence, or rather some matchmaking scheme of Murphy’s, that they showed up in my workplace that night. How could I get to the bottom of my suspicion without seeming too direct? Ah, I have it… “Murphy, by the way, when are you coming to speak in our church again? My grandmother tells me your last appearance was quite the success.”
“I see you spoke to her about me.”
“I did.”
“Did you mention it to Nathan?”
“No, should I have?”
“No, unless you want Nathan to be upset with me. My brother loves to hold the threads of his destiny in his own hands, and I’d hate if he thought I meddled in his love life.”
I level Murphy’s mink brown gaze. “When that’s exactly what you’ve done? It was your doing that you came to the Desert Rose that night…”
Holly shifts in her seat, but keeps quiet.
Murphy smiles. “Guilty as charged. What I heard about you from your grandmother, it intrigued me. I thought you could be an interesting person for Nathan to meet. I didn’t expect that you two would hit it off this spectacularly.”
There is a speculative undertone in his voice.
“What do you mean?” I ask with feigned innocence.
Murphy measures me with squinted eyes as if he’s trying to see into my heart. “I mean, look at your face. It’s glowing. Am I right to assume it’s my brother’s doing?”
My cheeks heat up. “Oh, I’m sure it’s just the play of
