“Hey,” he said, brushing a hand through his hair.
“Hey.” I lifted the basket, hoping it would help calm my nerves, but my shaky hands gave them away nonetheless.
Elias must have noticed, but didn’t comment. I watched his Adam’s apple bob as he stepped away from the door and onto the porch, closing the distance between us. He put his hands just beside mine on the handle of the basket, his fingers brushing against mine as he did. My pulse leaped. I let go of the basket as if my hands caught fire and turned away from him, not giving in to the urge to run, but not wanting to stay another second in his presence.
“Addie, wait.”
My feet froze. I shut my eyes and breathed out, swallowing as I opened my eyes again, but kept my back to him because I needed another second to regroup.
“I’m sorry.”
“You know what I think?” I turned around and faced him. He held the basket to his chest and waited for me to speak. “From here on out, we should keep our conversations at a minimum.”
“What? Why?”
“You know why.” I shot him a look.
“So what do you want me to do? Stay inside?”
“It’s not like you’re ever outside any other time, but it doesn’t matter. I won’t be back tomorrow.”
“What? Why not?” He stepped forward, the basket still between us. “Are you leaving?”
“Not yet, but my uncle is back. I’m sure he can handle this better than I can.”
“You can’t just . . . I’ll only accept the basket from you.”
I blinked. “You sound like a child.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t care.”
“Sometimes I forget how spoiled you are.” I rolled my eyes. “Either way, it’s done. I can’t keep doing this.”
“Please, Adeline.” His voice was low, his eyes searching mine as if begging. “Please. It’s the one thing I look forward to every day.”
“Can’t you see how much this is hurting me?” I whispered. “As it is, I have to plan your wedding to someone else. This is all too much.”
“So don’t. I already told you. Don’t plan the wedding. Let someone else do it.”
“And miss out on the opportunity? It’s not only me, it’s my company, it’s my dream event.” My voice rose as I spoke. I quieted. “Besides, my mother would kill me.”
“Your mother. You’re going to plan my wedding and ignore everything we had because of your mother.”
“Yes. I’ve already hurt my parents enough this past year. I won’t let another man dictate the way I live my life.”
“I’m not . . . ” He took a deep breath, his grip tightening on the basket. “I’m not trying to dictate your life. I’m trying to save you some heartache.”
“Yeah, well, it’s a little too late for that, Elias.” I swallowed back my emotion and turned around, unable to look him in the eye any longer. “Please don’t follow me.”
Chapter 22
A noise woke me from my sleep. I opened my eyes slowly, looking around the dark room. My eyes landed on the clock on my nightstand that read two thirty-three. I rubbed my eyes upon hearing the noise again. It was the front door. My heart leaped into my throat. It could be my uncle, as he was back but, he wouldn’t just come in here at this time. I stumbled over the sheet on my way out of bed and grabbed the stick beside the bedroom door. I didn’t know what the stick was even for. Decoration maybe. Either way, it would have to do. I switched the living room lights on and the intruder brought his arm up to shield his face from the light.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
“I needed to see you.”
“How’d you get in?”
“Key.” He wiggled the key in his hand. I frowned, but then remembered he had never given back the key after the party.
“Are you drunk?” I blinked. I’d never seen Elias drunk.
“A little. Maybe. I don’t know.” He tossed the key onto the table beside him. It fell to the floor.
“You’re obviously drunk.”
“Maybe.” He exhaled, rubbing a hand over his face. When it dropped at his side, he looked at me, eyes hazy and red. “My mother just called. I was . . . I was just with him, and he just . . . my father died.”
“What?” I held my breath, my brain filing through all of the appropriate things to do in a moment like this, and the one thing that came to mind was that he was no longer Prince Elias, sought-after bachelor. He was now King Elias, if he kept that name. Nevertheless, I curtsied.
“Don’t.” His voice sounded shredded, as if he was trying hard to hold in tears. I looked up at him. “Please don’t. Not you.”
I felt my heart rip at the sight of him. Disheveled and sad. He looked like a lonely boy left to fend for himself, and in a sense he was. I pushed aside his title and walked forward, around the couch between us, my heart dropping with each step. When I reached him, I paused just in front of him. Close enough to touch, smart enough not to.