She exploded and, a second later, so did he. He muffled his hoarse shout as he poured himself into her, shuddering as her body wrung every last drop of his response from him.
He stayed there for several ragged heartbeats, waiting for the world to stop swimming about him. When it did, he rolled to the side, gathering his bedraggled, half-dressed, and well-loved angel to his chest.
“I love you, Leah,” he whispered. “I shall never love another as I love you.”
“Oh, Avery.” She closed her eyes. “I love you more than anything, and I always will.”
They dressed quickly but with more kisses and touches than were wise. Though he’d just had her, he wanted her again. He wanted to chain her to his bed and never let her go. But she needed more than he could provide, and though the thought broke his heart, he’d let her go.
They descended the stairs, hand-in-hand, only a few moments later.
The duke and Lady Chesterfield sprang apart when Leah opened the sitting room door. Avery wanted to laugh at the obvious blushes on their faces, but such an expression was beyond him then.
Ella and Muriel entered the room behind them. When Avery would have released Leah’s hand, she gripped him tighter. He could not help but be relieved. Her touch was a commodity that would be ripped from him all too soon.
“Everyone,” Leah said. “This is Avery. I love him.”
Ella nodded pleasantly. “It’s great to meet you, Avery.”
“He and Mrs. Comstock repaired as much of the mirror as they could, but it’s only big enough for you and me to pass through.”
He could not help but be proud of the way her voice remained steady though her hands were shaking like leaves in autumn.
As Ella and the young maid carefully lifted the mirror and brought it into the sitting room, Leah stepped into his arms.
“Are you sure you can’t come?”
He tangled his hands in her yellow curls, holding her tight. “Even if the mirror were large enough, I cannot abandon my aunt.”
“I know.”
Their last moments together passed too quickly. Ella touched Leah on the shoulder, a compassionate look on her face.
“Leah, are you ready?”
His angel pulled free of his embrace, wiping the tears from her eyes. “Yeah.”
“Wait,” he said, and she turned. He swept her into his arms, kissing her with all the love and longing that lay in his broken, bleeding soul. She returned it with equal fervor, clinging to him desperately.
Too soon, he lifted his head.
“You must go.” His voice was broken—but so was his heart.
Ella stepped through the mirror first, squeezing through the small opening with a fair amount of struggle. Leah went after her, dipping her slipper through the cracked glass. It disappeared as though she were stepping into a pond instead of solid glass.
“Love me forever?” Her tears glittered like jewels on her reddened cheeks.
“As you wish,” he whispered as she disappeared.
Leah thumped to the floor of Jamie’s house, narrowly missing landing on Ella’s head. She rolled to the side to avoid crushing her friend.
“Are you okay?” Ella asked, coming to her feet.
“No, but it doesn’t matter.” She clamped the lid on all thoughts of Avery. Pawpaw was her focus right now. Once she’d seen him and demanded that he feel better, she could fall apart the way she was longing to.
“Come on, let’s get to the hospital.”
Fortunately, Leah’s suitcase was still there from her aborted housesitting trip. She threw on some jeans and a T-shirt, yanking her hair into a ponytail and scrubbing ineffectually at the tearstains on her cheeks. Within ten minutes, the pair was on their way to Concord Memorial Hospital.
Ella tried to draw her out in conversation a couple of times on the short drive, but Leah couldn’t really respond. Casual conversation was completely beyond her right then. She was starting to realize how Jamie had felt when she’d had to leave Mike behind. This was a pain that she wouldn’t wish on her worst enemy.
When they finally arrived and checked in at the visitor’s desk, they sprinted up the stairs to the second floor. When they got to the closed door of room 217, Leah ground to a sudden halt.
“Are you okay?” Ella asked, concern in her voice.
“Do you mind going in first?” Leah wrapped her arms around her middle as if she could stop the anxiety from knotting itself around her guts. “To see if he’s okay?”
“Sure.” Ella nodded and pushed the wide door open.
Leah slammed her eyes shut, unable to face the hospital room. What if they hadn’t made it? What if she’d left Avery behind and lost Pawpaw too?
“Leah, come in,” Jamie called softly.
With a deep breath that didn’t do jack to steady her nerves, Leah entered the room.
Pawpaw, that strong and capable man who was always moving, always laughing, always looking out for her, was lying pale and still as death on the hospital bed. Leah covered her mouth in distress. There were so many monitors, IV bags, cords, and tubes. She could only see half of his face because of the oxygen mask.
She rushed to his side, taking his hand as gently as she could. Mike and Jamie moved from their seats at the bedside to make room for her, and Ella stood in the corner while Leah looked down at the man who’d raised her.
“Pawpaw, can you hear me?” She rubbed at his callused fingers. “It’s me, Leelee. I’m here now. I’m sorry I was gone when you got sick.” She looked down, trying to get a handle on her emotions. “But I’m here now. And I found that man, you know. You would love him, Pawpaw. He’s amazing and strong and kind, and he loves me.”
The only response Pawpaw gave her was a slight wrinkling of his brow. She squeezed his hand tighter.
“I promise you’ll love him. But you have to get better so you can meet him, okay?”
Mike and Ella left the room, and Jamie laid a warm hand on Leah’s shoulder.
“The doctor came by. The tests aren’t looking as good as they’d like. But don’t give up hope, okay?”
Jamie hugged Leah from behind, wrapping her arms around Leah’s shoulders. Leah’s eyes fluttered closed as she took solace in Jamie, grabbing her friend’s forearm with her free hand. The world had crashed down around her, and though things couldn’t get much worse, her best friend was there for her.
“Love you, James,” Leah sniffed.
“Love you, Leah,” Jamie replied, tears in her voice.
They stayed that way, Jamie holding Leah, and Leah holding Pawpaw’s hand, for long moments, until a soft knock on the door drew Leah’s attention.
“Come in,” she called as Jamie straightened.
Ella came in first, a curious smile on her face. “Leah, Mrs. Knightsbridge is here to see you. She has something for you.”
Leah stood reluctantly. She didn’t want to let go of Pawpaw, but Jamie patted her hand.
“I’ll stay with him. Go ahead.”
Jamming her hands in her pockets, Leah moved past Mike into the hallway. Mrs. Knightsbridge, dressed in plain cotton dress with white sneakers, was standing by the door and smiling widely. To her left stood a broad man, not too tall, with long, light-brown hair, the color of dark honey. Hazel eyes, a crooked nose, and muscles that were clearly defined in the tight black T-shirt he wore.
Leah’s heart stopped.
“Avery!” Her cry was much too loud for a hospital, but she didn’t care. She launched herself at him and wrapped her arms around him. “How are you here?”
Mrs. Knightsbridge laughed as Leah kissed him, not giving him a chance to answer the question. “I believe I can answer that. He and the duke replaced the mirror, so why did you not think I could bring him to you afterward? The time stream is becoming more stable again, so I was able to time his arrival much more advantageously. It is some of my best work.” She preened as Leah turned, keeping a death-grip on Avery’s hand.