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Thirty-Five
Aria forcedherself not to yawn as she made tea in the kitchen of the house outside Chiang Mai. She’d wanted to come — had insisted on coming. She wasn’t going to suffer any “I told you so” glances from Damian or give him any reason to worry more about her than he alreadywas.
They’d passed the first part of the flight in silence, and she’d moved to the sleeping cabin when they’d been somewhere over the Midwest. It was obvious Damian was angry. She couldn’t really blame him, but she figured he deserved some time alone tostew.
The hum of the pane’s engines had lulled her into a deep sleep. When she’d woken up, they’d been less than an hour from Chiang Mai and Damian was at least speaking to heragain.
Locke had sent one of his trusted Thai drivers to pick them up at the airport and take them to the luxurious home he owned outside of thecity.
Set in the hills and surrounded by trees, the house was shaped like a “U”, both sides holding a series of simply but beautifully appointed bedrooms. The center of the “U” consisted of an open kitchen and living room with glass doors that opened onto a courtyard with a small pool surrounded by lush foliage and toweringpalms.
She’d found the fridge stocked with fresh fish and an assortment of fruit that boggled her mind, plus juices and bottled water. Locke wasn’t kidding when he’d promised to have the house ready for theirarrival.
It was the perfect retreat, sheltered from the world by high stone walls, the traffic of Chiang Mai completelyinaudible.
Damian had insisted on checking the grounds when they’d arrived, and she looked up as he re-entered thehouse.
“Everything okay?” she asked, pushing a cup of tea athim.
He nodded. “It’s prettysecluded.”
She looked around. “It’s beautiful. I wish we had more time to enjoyit.”
He nodded, his face grave. He opened his mouth as if to say something, then closed itagain.
She set down her tea and came around the counter, slid her arms around hiswaist.
“I know,” she said, looking up into hiseyes.
“You knowwhat?”
“I know I can’t go with you, wherever you’re goingnext.”
“Youdo?”
She nodded, remembering Nora’s words inGreece.
Sometimes I push to get my way, sometimes he pushes back. We always work itout.
Aria had pushed to come to Greece, maybe too hard. She’d seen it in the frustration on Damian’s face, the fear he tried to hide fromher.
It had been risky, a move that might have sent him over the edge, and she’d half expected him to carry her kicking and screaming off theplane.
He hadn’t though. He’d met her halfway by letting her stay. Their life together would only work if she did her part,too.
“I just need to be here, Damian. I need to be close, to be the first person you see when it’s done. I know it would be too risky to the baby to go anyfurther.”
“So you’re… going to stay here? At the house?” heasked.
She smiled. “Don’t sound so surprised. I’m stubborn — notstupid.”
He stroked her cheek with his knuckles. “I’ve never thought you werestupid.”
“I know you’ve just been protecting me, and even though I sometimes fight it, I want you to know I appreciate it. I want to prove to you that I’m willing to compromise, too. Maybe then we won’t have to fight so hard about everything nexttime.”
“Jesus,” he said, “Please tell me there won’t be a nexttime.”
She laughed a little. “I hope not, but let’s not foolourselves.”
