Hearts Entwined

by Gray, Khardine

  When twelve came, and he still wasn't back she started to worry and decided to call him. She'd never called him before and felt unnerved when the phone went straight to voicemail.

  Evie thought about him for hours last night, and she couldn't get what he said out of her mind.

  He told her he liked her, twice. As if he wanted her to have confirmation. Maybe he'd left because she'd offended him and he'd gone out to blow off some steam. She tried to recall what she'd said to him, and her reaction. Maybe she freaked out too much and ... well, she couldn't help her natural reaction. He was after all Gage. How else was she supposed to react after kissing him?

  She was still freaked out, and for all she knew he...

  Evie sighed as the thought irritated her. For all, she knew he could be with Giselle. That was entirely possible. Again it was Gage, and that was how he was. If one woman turned him down, he'd just move on to the next available one. But she didn't exactly turn him down. Sure she said no, but she didn't mean no as in no. Realistically she didn't know what she meant, but wouldn't fool herself into denying that she did like him. She may have experienced a gamut of perplexing emotions that confused her poor brain, but she knew she liked him. She liked him a lot, and that could be quite a problem for her.

  "Are you okay dear?" Lucy asked coming up behind her in the kitchen.

  "I'm fine," she lied. Truthfully she was thoroughly annoyed at herself for letting her guard down.

  "You don't look fine." Lucy looked concerned. "It's the situation isn't it."

  Which one? There was so much going on.

  No, she knew what Lucy meant. "No. It's not. I'm okay honest. I guess I'm just a little tired."

  That part was the truth. She'd been up late doing witchcraft - of all the things - then she kissed Gage and was suffering all manner of consequences now.

  "Have you spoken to your mom?"

  "Practically every night. I don't know if I should be worried that she was happy to reschedule our plans." Evie smiled. Her mother was a nurse and loved her job just a little too much. A little like the way Evie loved hers. "She said a new boy just got transferred on to her ward and she wanted to be there when they went in for surgery."

  Her mother worked on the children's ward, with the children who had life-threatening illnesses like cancer. The boy her mother referred to had leukemia and was going in for a bone marrow transplant.

  "Your mother's an angel."

  Evie nodded. "Yes, that she absolutely is."

  "I'm sorry I took you away from your family. I know you don't see them much and I'm very grateful that you're here. Lord knows what would have happened if I'd managed to get here myself. I would be so lost." Lucy clasped her hands together.

  "I'm happy to be here and help in whatever way I can. Besides, being here has made me realize that I need to have more time for things that matter. Music matters, but it shouldn't take over my life."

  Lucy nodded at that. "I'm glad you realize that dear, nothing is truer.

  Sometimes I look back, and I wished I would have spent more time with my family. I was always just so busy playing and teaching."

  "Well, I've decided that when we get back, I'm totally going to take whatever holiday I'm entitled to. Maybe we could go to the Caribbean?" she beamed. She was trying to cheer her up.

  "Evie, what would you be doing with little old me in the Caribbean?" she laughed.

  "It'll be fun you have to come."

  "Okay. I'll come." Lucy continued to laugh. "Should we start dinner?"

  Dinner. Was it that time already? She looked at the antique clock on the

  wall. It was nearly four.

  They usually had dinner around five. She guessed wherever Gage was he was having a good time.

  It was just bordering on four thirty when he came back. She was sitting in the

  living room distracting her mind by flicking through a fashion magazine, while Lucy finished up in the kitchen. Gage had that smug expression on his face again and acted like nothing had happened. As if he hadn't been missing for the whole day.

  "Where were you? I was about to call the police." She snapped at him probably releasing more emotion than she intended.

  "The police?" he chuckled.

  She slipped off the sofa and observed him. He was all dressed up in one of those light cotton shirts and had the nerve to have a tan that made him look even better than he already did. And, it wasn't just any old tan either. He was full on brown, like Malibu Ken doll brown.

  "Were you sunbathing with Giselle?"

  He laughed at her. "Can you stop being jealous of Giselle?"

  "I'm not jealous." She smacked his chest. "You know what Gage? I can't stand you. I really can't. You get on my nerves in the worse way possible."

  He widened his eyes and clutched his chest wincing. "Uh arrow to the heart."

  "It's not funny. I was worried. If you're going out chasing skirts, you could have at least said." She was so silly. Of course he was with Giselle. Evie couldn't have been more annoyed at herself, and worse now because the cruel worm of jealousy had indeed burrowed itself into her mind, gnawing at her thoughts.

  He caught her arm as she was about to storm away and held up the grocery bag he'd been carrying. "Apparently, pink marshmallows are hard to come by here." He reached into the bag and pulled out a large pack of fluffy pink marshmallows. "I drove around for hours looking for these and then had to trek up some hill to find the one shop that sold them. That was in Florence. Crazy right?"

  She looked up at him as he held her gaze. Instantly she remembered their conversation on the beach about the marshmallows. "You... got those for me?"

  "Yeah, I promised you a mean hot chocolate. Hot chocolate isn't complete without whipped cream and marshmallows. I'll make you one after dinner."

  She just stared at him, trying her best to let his explanation sink in. "You went out specially for me?" she asked as if she needed confirmation.

  "Swear to God," he slipped his hand down to hers and lightly touched her fingers.

  "And, you weren't with Giselle?" Again she needed confirmation.

  "After last night how could I be?" He replied making it sound like the

  answer was obvious.

  When he saw she was at a loss for words, he smiled and said, "looks like the only skirt I'm chasing is yours, Princess." His voice was low and purposefully seductive.

  He tweaked her nose playfully and made his way into the kitchen to join Lucy.

  She released the breath she'd been holding onto and watched him go,

  relishing the warmth that spread across her heart when he glanced back at her and winked.

  Chapter 10

  "That was the caretaker for one of the Vanessa's." Lucy beamed. They'd just sat down to eat around the dining table when the phone rang.

  Evie brightened up when Lucy came back with a smile on her face.

  "What'd they say?" Gage asked.

  "Not a lot but enough to give me some hope. He said she lived in Rome during the war and has an older brother who's still alive. He didn't mention Anna but said Vanessa just turned eighty-five. That's about the right age for the Vanessa I knew. She is however currently away visiting family in Prague. She won't be back until Saturday. Guys, I have a good feeling about this. I know it's not a lot of info, but it could be her, right?" Lucy beamed.

  "Yes, it could." Evie gasped.

  "Did he say anything else?" Gage asked.

  Lucy shook her head and sat down. "He said he's new so didn't know too much. He helps Vanessa run her bakery. The Vanessa I knew loved to bake."

  Please God, let these be the right people, Evie silently prayed. It really would be amazing, but Saturday... That was a long time to wait when today was only Monday. That was almost another week, but hey, it was the best lead they'd had and gave them hope. Everything else was a flat out no.

  "I still want to call the other people on the rest of the list, and the Angelo list too," Lucy stated. They still had a number of
people on the Angelo list to get through.

  "Of course. It's good to be sure. That way we cover all bases," Evie offered.

  "Yes, I agree," Gage added.

  Lucy started telling them about Vanesa's baking, but Evie could feel Gage's eyes on her. The whole time Lucy talked excitedly about sugar buns and pies and all sorts of fine pastries Gage stared at Evie. His eyes studied her with a curious intensity undressing her as he scanned her, and darkening with emotion when she looked at him. The invitation in the smoldering depths enthralled her sending her private messages with just the looks he gave her. It made her cheeks flush, and she had to look away.

  "How about I make some punch?" Lucy offered.

  "Yes, we'll go make it," Gage said a little too quickly. Evie looked at him and saw the heat that filled his gaze. "Come on Evie."

  "Okay," she replied.

  "There are pineapples in the cupboard," Lucy called out with a smile.

  Evie followed Gage into the kitchen with caution. Caution for herself in being all alone with him, again. She had to keep her thoughts together. Last night was ...

  Well, she didn't know what it was and until she was sure she should be careful.

  As soon as the door closed he reached for her and smoothed his lips over hers. At first, she pressed against him and allowed herself to melt into his kiss but then she pulled away.

  "Why?" he winced. "Woman, I swear your mission in life is to make me crazy isn't it?"

  "Gage we can't just come into the kitchen and make out."

  "Okay. Let's go outside then, or upstairs." He smiled reaching out to run his fingers along her cheek. The glint in his eyes told her he was serious.

  But she was too. "No, we should talk."

  He sighed with frustration and rested against the wall. "Why do we need to talk Evie, can't you just try something new and see what happens?"

  "You're not even the least bit concerned that over a week ago we hated each other and now we're making out in a kitchen in Tuscany, while your grandmother thinks we're in here making punch?" She had that out of control feeling again.

  He shook his head. "I never hated you. We just had our differences."

  She supposed she didn't exactly hate him either, but over a week ago she could honestly say her feelings were closer to hate than she liked. "Well, have you thought that maybe you're only interested in me because you're bored or something."

  He smiled like she said something funny. "Miss Evie, I am not bored. You get all high and mighty because you think you know me so well. But you forget that I know you too. You're scared."

  Her breath caught as she looked up at him. Evie didn't like the to think that he knew her like that, but he was ... right. She was scared. Scared to feel this way and not have any control. Scared because every time she was with him her feelings just grew and intensified, completely out of her grasp.

  She'd never met anybody like him before, and she was scared of how she felt about him.

  He reached out and touched her face again. "What are you scared of princess?"

  She shook her head and felt her resolve weaken from the warmth that emitted from his eyes.

  "Worried you may like me too much?" he chuckled.

  "Maybe." She breathed.

  "Okay, I'll try not to be so likable." He joked.

  "It's... too late for that."

  "Is that right?" he smiled.

  She nodded, and he lowered again to her lips to give her a sweet slow kiss.

  "Slowly." He brushed his lips against hers as he spoke. "I'll take it slowly so that you can get over your fear." He moved back so he could look at her properly. "I don't want you to be scared of anything with me. Is that okay?"

  She nodded appreciating the care he took with her. "Yeah."

  "Now I guess we should make punch."

  He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it.

  * * *

  Evie finished her Water Notes symphony that night, and by the following afternoon, she'd wrote most of the piece she'd momentarily called Gage's Song. It was the quickest piece she'd ever composed as the notes had flown straight from her brain and onto the paper.

  They decided on an easier day today with last night's findings. Gage had taken Lucy out to the town and spent most of the day there. As Evie wanted to get some of her work done, she stayed behind. When they got back, he came up to her room and tried to entice her to the beach with his kisses and his charm. She promised she'd go with him once she finished.

  When Evie started writing earlier she'd planned to finish the piece, but after seeing Gage the thought of spending time with him on the beach took over her mind and her brain was only good to polish up a few verses for another twenty minutes. She stopped at the bridge. That was her favorite part, and she wanted to spend time on it and play with a few notes before doing it and the finale. That couldn't be done in a rush. She packed everything up quickly and changed into some shorts and a tank top. It would be nice to go in the sea again.

  A small tap sounded at her door. Evie looked around to see Lucy.

  "My dear are you okay?" Lucy asked as she came in. The color had returned to her cheeks, and she looked like herself again. The news last night couldn't have happened at a better time and Evie had her fingers and toes crossed that this Vanessa was the one they were looking for, and she'd lead them to Angelo.

  "I'm good." Evie smiled.

  "I'm probably the pot calling the kettle black, but you can't work all day. You must take a break."

  "I am. I'm going down to the beach with Gage." Her excitement got the better of her, and she had to reign it in a little. Lucy didn't know about her and Gage, and Evie didn't want to seem like they were off having fun when they should have been helping her. After all, that was what they were here for. "We're just going to check it out. Do you want to come?"

  Lucy offered a warm smile. "You guys go. I'm so glad you're both getting along. It makes me happy." She nodded.

  "Yeah?"

  "Of course." She nodded but then her smile faltered. "Evie, remember the other day when I said I wished that I could tell you certain things, but sometimes it's painful?"

  "Yeah. I remember. You don't have to worry about that. I do really understand." Evie offered, she didn't want Lucy feeling bad about anything.

  "There's um... something else."

  It was the worried look in Lucy's eyes that held Evie's attention. Lucy sat on the edge of her bed and gazed at her with this faraway look.

  Evie rested against the wall. "What's the matter Lucy?"

  "I don't want to ruin your fun at the beach, so maybe I'll tell you some other time."

  Now Evie was worried. "Lucy. You have to tell me. Tell me now." If she didn't, it would play on her mind.

  Lucy pulled in a breath, and a tentative expression filled her face. "I'm sick Evie."

  "Sick?" Her voice trembled, barely able to say the word. "Like you have a cold?" her voice quivered even more.

  "No. Not like a cold," she gave her a brief smile but then quickly resumed her seriousness. "I've been sick for a while. A year or so."

  Evie moved closer to her and sat next to her on the bed. "What are you sick with?"

  Lucy brought her hands together and templed her fingers at her nose. "A brain tumor."

  Evie pulled in a sharp gasp and brought her hand up to her mouth. "No, please no." She shook her head.

  "Evie." Lucy tried to put her arm around her, but Evie moved away. She got off the bed and pulled out her suitcase.

  "We have to go back home now, and you have to have surgery to get rid of it." Tears spilled down her cheeks as she spoke.

  "Evie. No. I'm not having surgery." Lucy stated.

  Evie glared at her as her breath hitched in her lungs, and she froze. "What do you mean? You have to. You have to. You'll die."

  "Evie. My tumor is in a difficult place, and they will have to remove a part of my brain with it to remove it completely and be sure it won't grow back. If I have surgery, it will ca
use complications that will kill the best part of me. There will be nothing left of me, and I won't even remember how to play the violin or compose. I can't live without my music. I won't."

  "Is that a definite?"

  "There's a ninety percent chance, and I'm old. With the technical nature of the surgery, there's a chance I may not even get through such an intense procedure."

  "No. You have to." Evie cried. "There's a ten percent chance you'd be fine. Please. Please, Lucy."

  "I can't," Lucy replied with tears now streaming down her cheeks. "I can't."

  Her answer was like a stab in Evie's heart, and she began to shake as fearful images surfaced within her mind. Lucy had a brain tumor, her Lucy who had meant the world to her. And, she was saying she wasn't going to do anything about it. That would only result in death. There was no other ending. Just the thought of Lucy not being alive anymore shattered her. It tore at her insides and shattered her.

  It was too much. Evie felt like she couldn't breathe. As she broke down, she ran out of the room. The world felt like it was falling away from her and she was falling away with it, slipping into a dark abyss of sorrow. This couldn't be happening. Lucy was everything to her, and now she was dying.

  It pained her to even think of the word. She ran down the stairs and was getting ready to go through the door when she saw Gage in the lounge. It was actually him who saw her first and came rushing to her aid.

  "Evie, what's the matter?"

  She threw herself into his arms and held on to him as she cried from the depths of everything that was her. "Lucy." She wept.

  He seemed to understand the minute she spoke because he held her closer and kissed her forehead.

  Tears blinded her eyes and choked her as deep sobs racked her insides.

  "Gage my heart is breaking. My heart is breaking, and I feel like I'm slipping away." Her anguish assailed her control, and she felt the nauseating, sinking feeling of deep despair.

  "Just hold on to me. Hold on to me." He whispered into her ear. "I'll take care of you."

  Evie clung to him with desperation as raw grief overwhelmed her.