Agatha nods. “That’s an excellent idea. And we should make it a private event, without the whole family in attendance.” She looks sharply at the men of the family, who have the decency to look somewhat ashamed.
“But someone should be there to make sure she’s safe,” Adam huffs.
“It’s Brookhaven,” Luna protests. “What’s going to happen here?”
Adam furrows his brow, no answer ready for her but still not backing down.
“Ryder can do it!” Agatha says, patting me on the shoulder.
My eyes widen. “Me?” I look at Agatha, trying to telepathically say,You think that’s the best idea?
Her eyebrows say,Roll with it, dummy.
I clear my throat and look back at the family, working on my best nonchalant expression. “Yeah, I guess I could. I’d be able to recognize if she’s getting close to another panic attack and get her home.”
The glares coming from Lily’s brothers are almost enough to make me back down and say,Never mind! And by the way, I’m totally into your sister!Before I say anything stupid, Henry says, “All right. Let’s try that.”
Everyone around him nods, except for Adam, who holds my stare like a dog challenging me for dominance.
Keep staring, Adam. I’m not going anywhere.
Finally, Adam grunts and nods, then takes one more step up to meet my eye level. “But don’t you dare think about trying anything with her. If you do, I will rip?—”
“Okay, he gets the point,” Isabelle interrupts and gives me an apologetic grin. I like her.
Adam clenches his jaw but once again lets his fiancée calm him down.
His warning also lodges an alert in my mind. If I amspending time with Lily, known by her family but with the intention of “keeping Lily safe,” I need to hold back on my feelings for her. At least until she’s past this stage of living under her family’s watchful eye.
Besides, her panic attack today tells me that she’s not completely healed from everything. I don’t think it’s time for me to push romance on her when she’s still in this stage.
“All right, it’s settled,” Agatha says. “We’ll try that out as soon as Lily’s ready.”
The group nods in agreement.
Henry speaks up. “Aunt, can we stay in your home until Lily’s ready to see us? I don’t want to leave without saying goodbye.”
“Yes, of course,” she says. The family all head down the stairs, but she stays in place next to me.
“Thank you,” I say softly.
“It’s what’s best for Lily,” she says. “These overbearing Stone men and their insistence on listening to this expert, Mr. Calhoun… I’m not sure I trust his opinion.” She shakes her head. “But you listen to her and know what she needs.” Then she smacks my shoulder and tips her head up the stairs. “Go say goodbye to Lily. Then climb down the tower. I don’t want to explain why you’re coming down the stairs ten minutes after me.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I say with a grin. Quirky Agatha has really won me over.
As I walk up the stairs, I remind myself to pull back from whatever is going on between me and Lily. I need to act professionally. I’m basically like her bodyguard now. No romance is going to bloom between us, at least not now.
When I reach the top, I push the door open slowly, not wanting to disturb Lily if she’s asleep. But I’m surprised to see her standing in the kitchen, a few feet away from me.
“Hey,” I say, closing the distance between us but fighting the urge I have to run my hands down her arms and feel her skin beneath my palms. “How are you feeling?”
She shrugs a shoulder. “Still tired and still have a headache. But better than I could have been.”
I tip my head to the staircase. “How much of that did you hear?”
“Pretty much all of it,” she replies.
“How does that sound to you?”
