The Everdon Series- the Complete Set

by L C Kincaide

  A singer stepped toward the mic and to generous applause, they started a set playing Gershwin. Emma tapped her foot to the rhythm resolved to stay upbeat. A new song began and Adam was on his feet, his hand extended to her. “This is one of my favorite songs.”

  She followed him to the dance floor, and he held her close as they moved to, Someone to Watch Over Me. She pressed herself into him and squeezed her eyes shut against a deluge of tears the sentimental song threatened to release. Neither was yet ready to think about the coming day.

  “Shall we go back?” He suggested when they returned to their seats.

  Emma nodded. The dance was the pinnacle of their evening in the club. There could be no sweeter, more heartfelt moment. They strolled back hand in hand saying little, both lost in thought.

  “You won’t forget to send me those pictures from the Square?” He reminded her when they were in the room.

  “I’ll do it now.” She took out the phone and tapped. “There you go.”

  “I will use one as a wallpaper for my computer.”

  Emma smiled. “It was a great day, wasn’t it?”

  “It was and we have tonight.”

  Emma nodded, and a tear escaped.

  “Hey, what’s this?”

  Emma gave her cheek an impatient wipe. “Sappy songs make me moody.” She tried to laugh it off.

  Adam pulled her to him. “I don’t want the weekend to end either.”

  “It’s not like we haven’t been through this before. It’s just different this time.”

  “Yes, considerably.”

  “I hate goodbyes. Let’s not have a long drawn out one tomorrow, okay?” Her eyes pleaded.

  “Emma, this isn’t goodbye. We’ll be together again. I just can’t precisely say when.”

  “I know.” She tried to pull away, but he wouldn’t let go. “Like I said, I have business that needs taking care of and as soon as it is done…”

  She wrenched herself free and turned to the darkened window. “Yes, I realize you’re busy and can’t hop across the ocean at every whim.” She scrubbed a hand through her hair finding herself at exactly the point she had pledged to avoid, in love with a man who would soon be a million miles away not knowing when she’d see him next. That it was just over three-thousand made no difference. Damn-damn-damn! Was this how it would go from now on? Stolen weekends every couple of months? And that was being generous, for no one could sustain that routine. How would their relationship survive seeing each other six times a year at most? What of the time in between — texts, calls and Skype-time until one of them tired of it? God, not again. Not with Adam.

  She took a ragged breath. “I’m sorry.”

  “Oh, Emma. It’s difficult and I don’t like the situation any more than you do, but it’s only for a while.” He turned her to face him. “Focus on your project. It deserves your full attention. If there is any way I can be there, I will.”

  “Really?”

  He nodded. “And I will give you the drawings for the manor. It may postpone your ordering the wrecking ball.”

  “Maybe for a while.” She smiled ruefully.

  “That’s my girl.” He chucked her under the chin. “Would it help to know I’m besotted with you?”

  Emma gave him a wary look. “Is that anything like gobsmacked?”

  He laughed. “Not precisely, but it would please me endlessly if you were besotted with me.”

  “Okay. I consider myself besotted.” She laughed.

  “It’s not that funny.”

  “Yes it is. Besotted.” She couldn’t stop herself. “We must be the first besotted people to stay in this room.”

  “Blimey, I hope not!” He laughed with her. Laughter was a good way to end their day.

  Emma resisted opening her eyes to the morning as if that alone would stop the passage of time. She steeled herself against what was coming vowing to not repeat her performance of the previous night. Only his patience and empathy had prevented her from unraveling emotionally. What was happening to her? She must be besotted if that was the same as losing her mind.

  She cracked an eye open.

  “Are you flashing the neighbors again?”

  Adam was standing at the window gazing outside.

  He turned around. “I don’t see anyone. I suspect they’ve lost interest.”

  “Well, I haven’t.”

  He leaped into bed and scooted under the covers. “They have no idea what they’re missing.”

  Emma brushed her teeth while Adam shaved, both sharing the sink. She nudged him with her hip to get at the tap to rinse.

  “Oi! Careful love!”

  “Oops, sorry! It’s a little inconvenient with the one sink.”

  “It never occurred to anyone the good captain may have company. Most inconsiderate of them, especially after a long voyage.”

  “Agreed.” She finished and put her toothbrush away then watched him continue shaving. He winked and dabbed foam on the tip of her nose.

  “You think that’s funny?”

  He grinned under the lather. His razor clattered into the sink as she pressed her lips against his in a fierce kiss. When she pulled away, both were patchy with shaving cream.

  “We look like a couple of players from a slapstick comedy.” Adam chuckled.

  Emma’s tongue darted over her lips. “Yuck. It doesn’t taste like cream pie.”

  “No. Quite awful really. I’ve always wondered.”

  She wiped her face. “Now you have to start over.”

  He shrugged. “I don’t mind. I’m in no hurry.”

  Her hands wrapped around his waist, and she rested her head against his back while he resumed shaving.

  Taking a final sweep of the room, Emma made sure she hadn’t forgotten anything and assured, zipped her toiletry case. She turned to see Adam gazing out the window, a distant look on his face and wished she could read his thoughts. They were not that dissimilar, each covering their unease with jokes. When she came out of the bathroom, he caught her eye and smiled. Emma’s gaze swept the room. The bed was rumpled, a pillow lay on the floor and the small table in front of the French doors was scattered with the remains of their breakfast. Did she take a picture of it? She could not remember.

  “Do you have your photo?”

  “Already packed.”

  “Then that’s it.”

  “Not quite.” He held out his hand with a tin in his grasp. “We’ll open this the next time we’re together.”

  Emma eyed it suspiciously. “What is it?”

  “Tea. A rather special blend with rare ingredients.”

  She took it from him. “Okay. We’ll have tea.”

  “And no sneaking a drink until I get there.”

  “I promise.” She tucked it into a corner of her case.

  “When’s your flight?”

  “Three-thirty, which means I have to be there by one-thirty.”

  “Mine’s at four. We have a bit of time.”

  “Only if you’re going to JFK.”

  “What?” Her heart sank. “Oh, no.” With her flight from Newark and counting travel time, there was no way she could go with him and still make her flight.

  “Don’t despair. We still have a couple of hours. I’ve been told the rooftop bar terrace has lovely views.”

  They stowed their luggage at the front desk and took the old lift up to the top.

  “We’ll have to come back to see the rest of the hotel.”

  “That is a good idea. I’ll add it to the list.”

  “What list?”

  “How soon you forget. We already have Venice to confirm the authenticity of the Venetian Palazzo at the museum.”

  “Of course. It must have slipped my
mind.”

  “Have no fear, Miss Emma. We have loads of adventures ahead of us.”

  “We do.” She snuggled against him. If only they didn’t all have to end with goodbyes.

  CHAPTER 17

  ~*~

  Emma dragged herself through the door and kicked her shoes off. Thirty minutes into her flight, the weather had turned for the worse and raindrops rushed horizontally across the small window. When turbulence struck, she reached for the sick bag. Coming home was no improvement either. The apartment was stuffy, and she adjusted the temperature so she could breathe. No one had left messages on the house phone and she made a mental note to have the number disconnected. Elinor Stuart no longer lived here.

  She had no messages either and she scrolled through her pictures instead. Adam was still hurtling over the North Atlantic every second taking him farther away. She looked at the picture of their smiling faces and decided they look good together though he was the better looking of the two. That was fine. He was besotted. With the word in mind, she opened her laptop and typed it in the bar and smiled — strongly infatuated, smitten, in love. Her toes curled. The phone back in her hands, she texted him that she was home, and she hoped his trip went well. There was more she wanted to say, but it would come out sounding sappy and desperate, and she willed herself to leave her message at that.

  In her bedroom, she unzipped her bag and began to unpack starting with the tin, a round, red canister with the words English Tea printed in a flowing gold script. It didn’t appear special, but it could be an old tin he had refilled.

  She put it aside and started taking out her clothes to wash and blinked at the unfamiliar piece in her hand, for a moment failing to recognize it was Adam’s shirt neatly folded among her not so neatly packed clothing. A smile spread across her features and she lifted it carefully. He had worn that shirt on their first night when they got caught in the rain. She buried her face in it and breathed deeply the mingling scents of his deodorant and aftershave and him. Oh, yeah. She was besotted in the worst way imaginable.

  “Was your weekend fabulous?” Were Rachel’s first words when Emma crossed their threshold.

  Days went by before she had a break to come for a visit. Monday morning had her answering questions regarding the Ball and more calls she had to make to caterers and decorators. The following days were no less hectic with nailing down commitments. She barely had time to restock the fridge and the offer of a cooked meal had her running for the car.

  “It was. Fabulous and perfect.” Emma said dreamily and went on to describe the hotel where they’d stayed and the sights they’d seen.

  “Sounds like an amazing time. Did you take pictures?”

  “I have a picture of him.” She grinned.

  “Well, finally! Let me see!” She scooted nearer while Emma scrolled through her collection.

  She paused at the one she wanted. “There he is.”

  Rachel pulled Emma’s hand closer and peered at the small screen. “Oh, God! He is gorgeous! Do you have one without sunglasses?”

  “No, just these two. It was bright out.”

  “Mmmm… yes, very James Bond. You lucky, lucky girl!”

  “Hmmm…” She smiled at the picture. “What did I tell you?”

  “Dreamy. He looks a lot like Mason.”

  “Around the mouth, but his eyes are like Reese’s. His were kinder.”

  “Mason, Reese, your Adam is still gorgeous.”

  “Yeah. And I’m grinning like an idiot.”

  “You look beautiful. You’re just not used to seeing yourself happy, that’s all.”

  Emma put the phone away. “How was your trip?”

  “Interesting. Mom was all over the Salem witch trials history and went into every shop that even hinted at witchcraft. I have to admit, her enthusiasm was a little creepy. Ella loved the beach. She’s a natural water baby.” She paused at the sadness in Emma’s eyes. “You sure miss him, don’t you?”

  Emma nodded. “It’s been days and I’m not feeling better. I’ve been keeping busy, distracting myself and just when I think it’s getting easier, he calls and I’m right back where I started.”

  Rachel smiled with sympathy. “If it’s any consolation, I’m sure it isn’t any easier for him.”

  “It shouldn’t be possible to be so happy and so miserable at the same time.”

  “In love anything is possible.”

  “Don’t I know! I can’t concentrate, my stomach is a mess, my appetite nonexistent. Even bacon grosses me out!”

  “That is serious!” Rachel laughed.

  “This is exactly what I was trying to avoid. What if our future is nothing more than texts and calls? I don’t want to go through that all over again.”

  “You won’t. Adam is not John. From what you’ve told me about him, he won’t let that happen. And neither will you. If he can’t come and see you there’s no reason you shouldn’t visit him after the Ball.”

  “I know what you’re trying to do, and I appreciate it, but I’d only be in the way. He’s busy all the time. I saw that when I was there.”

  Rachel tried to come up with more reassuring words and could not. The situation was not ideal though she believed the two would find a way to make it work. Unfortunately, there was no convincing Emma of that today so, she tried another approach.

  “You said he made sketches of the manor.”

  “Oh, yeah. I forgot.” Emma retrieved her folder and spread out the sheets of plans and drawings on the table.

  “Wow! He’s good! I never imagined the place could look cozy.”

  “It does, doesn’t it? Most days, I’d still rather see it torn down. There’s something sinister about it.”

  “You won’t get an argument from me.”

  “He was there and saw for himself, but to him, it’s only a building in a state of disrepair.”

  “That’s because it takes an Everdon to fully appreciate the gloom… wait a minute… he is an Everdon, isn’t he?”

  “A sheltered Everdon, lucky him.” Emma’s face crumpled, and she tried to hold back tears. “I hope he doesn’t forget me like John did.”

  “Emma. Don’t even think that!”

  “How can I not?”

  “Because this is different. I gave that situation a lot of thought. Didn’t you ever wonder why after a lifetime of knowing you, John suddenly showed up interested?”

  “Sure, it crossed my mind. I figured it was because all our troubles were over. Everyone else was moving forward.”

  “And then the Ruskin ghost lured you to the manor…”

  “… and if not for John, I’d be trapped there on my own. I remember being so scared and all alone trying to figure out what it wanted from me and what to do…”

  “… but she — it — prevented him from getting to you by causing his car accident…”

  “… but he was there with me anyway…”

  “… because someone or something wanted him there to keep you safe.”

  They looked at each other weighing the significance of what they had come up with.

  “Somehow, I don’t think it was all John’s doing. I know this will sound crazy, but I believe he was used.”

  “Used? By whom — what?”

  Rachel shook her head. “I don’t know, but it makes sense. When you didn’t need his protection anymore, everything about that time faded away for him.”

  “So what you’re saying is, he was a pawn for someone else and I misread the situation thinking it was about me.”

  “I guess that is what I’m saying, as bizarre as it sounds. It was about you, but differently.”

  “Who do you think was responsible?”

  “Mason is my go-to troublemaker. It seems to never end with him.”

&nbs
p; “It’s probably nothing. He should be living his happily ever afterlife with Amelia. Soon it will be a year since that ordeal.”

  “That’s true. And I haven’t seen a ghost in a long time — not since Clara Massie.”

  “You see? Everything is coming back to normal and now you can move forward too.”

  Emma considered what Rachel was saying. It made sense.

  “You’re right.” She said cheering up. “Did you take any pictures on the weekend?”

  “I thought you’d never ask!” Rachel took out her cell phone.

  CHAPTER 18

  ~*~

  “Hi Emma. I haven’t seen you in a while. It’s getting close.” Gray stopped in the corridor when he saw her at the elevator. He was dressed in khakis and button-down shirt, both loose on his lanky frame. His hair was styled in the usual mop. He looked like he should produce a note from the teacher for being in the hallway.

  “Gray, I was hoping to see you today.”

  “How have you been?”

  “Busy. The closer we get the more busy it becomes.”

  “I’m sure you have everything under control.”

  “Right now it doesn’t feel that way. I have an invitation with me.” She indicated her new plum leather satchel. “Do you want to see?”

  “I’d love to. Come to my office.” He led her down the hall and entered a room with whiteboards on the walls, an easel and a desk heaped with papers. The round table was bare, and he pulled out a chair for her to take. “Can I get you anything to drink? Coffee? Mineral water?”

  “The water sounds great, thanks. It’s another warm day out there.”

  When he joined her, she explained the floor plan of the ballroom with the seating arrangements, the podium for the orchestra, the dance floor and the locations of the pillars and plants.