Page 67 of Let Me Protect You

Elias rolls his eyes. “No, we’re twenty-five minutes early.”

“Well, I’ve been here for four hours.”

“I hired an event planner so that everything didn’t fall on you.” He motions to his shoulder where his bullet wound is mostly healed. “Since I couldn’t help.”

“You know I can’t just sit on the sidelines.” She taps a manicured finger on her cheek. “I haven’t seen the cake delivered yet. Can you go check on that for me?”

Elias sighs, but the relief on his face is palpable. “Absolutely.”

I turn to follow him, but Kami stops me. “Harmony, can you help me with something?”

Looking over at Elias, I spy a small smile plays on his lips, almost as if he’s laughing at me. I turn back to Kami and say, “Yes, of course.”

“I’ll see you two ladies in a little bit.” Elias marches toward the event planner. He stops for just a second to say, “And, Kami, don’t maim her.”

“I wouldn’t want to damage my pretty nails,” she says back in a sing-song voice.

The moment he’s out of hearing range, Kami jumps right to the point, “Are you leaving us again?”

My eyes practically bug out of my face. “What?”

She glances around and pulls me over to a small, dimly lit alcove. “He told me you wanted to go back to New York, but now you two are together …” She let her words fall off, but the meaning is clear. Are you going to leave and break my brother’s heart?

I’ve been planning on staying ever since the cemetery. Even though those fuckers ruined my time with my mother, I finally resolved some of my negative feelings about my hometown. Not to mention, I finally called around to a few therapists and found one who has an opening in two weeks. I’ll always miss mom, but Granite Falls—and Elias—is home. Wherever Elias is, that’s where I want to be.

“I’m staying.”

Before the words are fully out of my mouth, Kami pulls me in for a big hug. “Oh, thank God. I’ve wanted a sister for forever, and at one point, I thought it would be you. I’m so glad I was right.”

“Slow down there.” I laugh nervously. “I don’t even know if we’re exclusive.”

She winks at me. “Oh, trust me; you totally are. Next comes marriage and then,” she pauses for dramatic effect, “babies!”

Elias chooses that moment to come back over, saving me from having to respond. “Babies?” he questions, his brows in his hairline.

“Oh, nothing. Just some girl talk.” Kami prances off in the direction of the kitchen but says over her shoulder, “You two definitely need to talk though.”

“Do I even want to know what she said to you?”

I bite my lip. We’ve never had the “we’re together” talk—never mind babies. For the last few weeks, we’ve been together constantly, and I helped take care of him so he could recover properly. But he’s never once called me his girlfriend.

Before I can muster up the courage to answer, he says, “I’ve actually been wanting to talk to you.”

My heart thumps wildly against my rib cage. Did he hear more than he let on?

“Barb says she’ll buy the cafe for what I paid for it. Sure, there’s not any profit, but at least I won’t lose any money. She’s worked there longer than I have, and she deserves it.”

My jaw drops. “Why would you sell Cutesy’s?”

“Well, I’ve spoken with Sully, and he has offered to give me a permanent job in the city,” he says as if that’s all the explanation needed. “I know I retired from this career, but it will be worth it if I’ll have a job already set up.”

I flutter my eyelashes. None of his words make any sense. “Wait. Can you start over?”

He looks at me like I should already know the answer. “I’m moving there with you.” Elias steps in closer and nuzzles my nose. “I’ll call my aunt to make sure she’s okay. She’s already agreed that this is what’s best for me and that she’ll tell me if something happens to her health.”

I shake my head. “Don’t sell Cutesy’s, and call off your job with Sully because I want to stay here in Granite Falls with you.”

His eyes widen. “Really?”