Gina Lamm - Geek Girls Don't Date Dukes

“Wait,” he said, and she turned. He swept her into his arms, kissing her with all the love and longing that lay in his broken, bleeding soul. She returned it with equal fervor, clinging to him desperately.

Too soon, he lifted his head.

“You must go.” His voice was broken—but so was his heart.

Ella stepped through the mirror first, squeezing through the small opening with a fair amount of struggle. Leah went after her, dipping her slipper through the cracked glass. It disappeared as though she were stepping into a pond instead of solid glass.

“Love me forever?” Her tears glittered like jewels on her reddened cheeks.

“As you wish,” he whispered as she disappeared.

Leah thumped to the floor of Jamie’s house, narrowly missing landing on Ella’s head. She rolled to the side to avoid crushing her friend.

“Are you okay?” Ella asked, coming to her feet.

“No, but it doesn’t matter.” She clamped the lid on all thoughts of Avery. Pawpaw was her focus right now. Once she’d seen him and demanded that he feel better, she could fall apart the way she was longing to.

“Come on, let’s get to the hospital.”

Fortunately, Leah’s suitcase was still there from her aborted housesitting trip. She threw on some jeans and a T-shirt, yanking her hair into a ponytail and scrubbing ineffectually at the tearstains on her cheeks. Within ten minutes, the pair was on their way to Concord Memorial Hospital.

Ella tried to draw her out in conversation a couple of times on the short drive, but Leah couldn’t really respond. Casual conversation was completely beyond her right then. She was starting to realize how Jamie had felt when she’d had to leave Mike behind. This was a pain that she wouldn’t wish on her worst enemy.

When they finally arrived and checked in at the visitor’s desk, they sprinted up the stairs to the second floor. When they got to the closed door of room 217, Leah ground to a sudden halt.

“Are you okay?” Ella asked, concern in her voice.

“Do you mind going in first?” Leah wrapped her arms around her middle as if she could stop the anxiety from knotting itself around her guts. “To see if he’s okay?”

“Sure.” Ella nodded and pushed the wide door open.

Leah slammed her eyes shut, unable to face the hospital room. What if they hadn’t made it? What if she’d left Avery behind and lost Pawpaw too?

“Leah, come in,” Jamie called softly.

With a deep breath that didn’t do jack to steady her nerves, Leah entered the room.

Pawpaw, that strong and capable man who was always moving, always laughing, always looking out for her, was lying pale and still as death on the hospital bed. Leah covered her mouth in distress. There were so many monitors, IV bags, cords, and tubes. She could only see half of his face because of the oxygen mask.

She rushed to his side, taking his hand as gently as she could. Mike and Jamie moved from their seats at the bedside to make room for her, and Ella stood in the corner while Leah looked down at the man who’d raised her.

“Pawpaw, can you hear me?” She rubbed at his callused fingers. “It’s me, Leelee. I’m here now. I’m sorry I was gone when you got sick.” She looked down, trying to get a handle on her emotions. “But I’m here now. And I found that man, you know. You would love him, Pawpaw. He’s amazing and strong and kind, and he loves me.”

The only response Pawpaw gave her was a slight wrinkling of his brow. She squeezed his hand tighter.

“I promise you’ll love him. But you have to get better so you can meet him, okay?”

Mike and Ella left the room, and Jamie laid a warm hand on Leah’s shoulder.

“The doctor came by. The tests aren’t looking as good as they’d like. But don’t give up hope, okay?”

Jamie hugged Leah from behind, wrapping her arms around Leah’s shoulders. Leah’s eyes fluttered closed as she took solace in Jamie, grabbing her friend’s forearm with her free hand. The world had crashed down around her, and though things couldn’t get much worse, her best friend was there for her.

“Love you, James,” Leah sniffed.

“Love you, Leah,” Jamie replied, tears in her voice.

They stayed that way, Jamie holding Leah, and Leah holding Pawpaw’s hand, for long moments, until a soft 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?”