AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It’s my mother!” Delight colors my tone when I call out to Vaughn.
I swipe to answer just as he steps into the room, handing me a towel to match the one looped around his waist.
“Hello?” I pop the call onto speakerphone, donning the towel as Vaughn winks mischievously, mouthing, “Later.”
“Baby?” Mom’s voice isoff, and I’m instantly sobered, standing up straighter with concern coloring my features. Vaughn’s frown is deep as he crosses the room to pluck his own cell from his discarded pants pocket.
“What’s wrong, Mom? Are you okay?”
“Oh, Wren. I’m…I’m fine. It’s just that…well, Elliott’s been in an accident.”
A shiver tracks down my spine as Vaughn’s dark gaze finds mine. “Is—is he okay?”
She hums an affirmative. “He tore his ACL yesterday. The surgery to repair went well, thankfully, but we’re stuck here for the foreseeable.”
I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding, thankful it was nothing worse.
“How long?”
“At minimum…maybe four to six weeks?”
As my mouth drops open, she rushes on. “I’ve looked into flying home, but Elliott doesn’t want to leave the boat, and I’d hate to leave him here alone with just the staff for company. You’resafewhere you are…so…”
My shoulders sag as the longing for my mother increases astronomically, and Vaughn steps closer, tugging me back against his chest.
His touch buoys me, lifting my flagging spirits, and I’m attempting to gather enough enthusiasm as I can muster to give my mother the response she needs, when Vaughn’s deep baritone rumbles over my shoulder.
“Wren is not going anywhere, Sara.”
I twist my head about as his gaze flicks from the cell to mine. His eyes darken, making my heart thrash wildly while my breathing quickens.
“She knows where she belongs.”
And who she belongs to.
The words are unspoken but hang in the air between us until the moment is shattered when Mom speaks. “Umm…thank you for keeping her safe, V.”
Vaughn’s hand cups a breast through the towel covering me, and I stifle a sharp inhale as anticipation heats my blood.
“It’s my pleasure, Sara.”
My eyes blow wide while my core tingles at the blatant double entendre in his tone, but Mom is blissfully unaware, ignoring Vaughn’s words entirely. “Stay in the city, my love. I’ll be in touch as soon as I know more.”
“But what will I do about Zephyr, Mom? Mrs. Porter won’t hold my internship forever, regardless of my friendship—”
“Stay.There,” Mom cuts me off, using a fervent tone I’ve never heard from her before, and I jolt in Vaughn’s arms, a frown marring my brow.
Pressing closer, he leans toward the cell. “I have connections. We could look into finding a new gallery.” He shifts his gaze to mine. “Think about it, hmm?”
Then he runs the back of his index finger along my smiling cheek as time comes to a standstill, and I justpraythat my newly discovered feelings are not reflected in my eyes.
And though you deserve it, I can never love you, Wren Caputo.
His statement from last night echoes in my mind as Vaughn’s eyes dance with a light I’ve not seen in him before, and my smile grows, knowing it’smewho’s put it there.
“It’s not a bad idea to stay away…I mean, umm…to staytherea while longer, my love.”
The light in Vaughn’s eyes dies as Mom’s voice jars us to awareness, and he presses a soft kiss to my brow. Then he steps back to type a text on his cell as I bid Mom farewell, making her promise to update me on Elliott’s health every day.
