47
Lou opened her eyes. This wasn’t her bed. A nurse in a mask and gown sat at the end of the bed. That meant it was a hospital. OK, that was a little excessive, even for a migraine as bad as this one had been.
Three people, also wearing gowns and masks, hovered around her bed, but not one of them the one she longed to see. “Where’s Evan?”
“Charming,” Jim complained. “We fly thousands of miles to be here, an emergency flight, I hasten to add, to sit by your deathbed, and your first words are ‘where’s Evan?’ It’s nice to see you too, Lou.”
“Hi, Jim. Well, as I recall, you only visit me for the chips, so fair’s fair.” She turned her head slowly and reached for her mother. She sat beside Jack, and as usual they were holding hands. “Mum.”
Mum clutched her hand. “He’s teasing. How are you feeling?”
“Better. What happened? And what’s all this about my deathbed? It was a migraine.”
“What’s the last thing you remember, kiddo?” Jack asked.
Lou thought for a moment. “The dam fell. Evan and I went to the caves with you and Ira. I had a massive headache, and you and he wanted me to go home to bed.”
“That was ten days ago,” Mum said.
“Ten days?” Lou frowned, trying to get her head around the idea. “Really?”
“We’ve been here almost eight now.” Mum glanced at Jack. “Not the best way to spend an anniversary.”
“Is that today?”
Jack pushed the hair from her face. “Yeah.”
The nurse stood beside her. “I need to run a few tests now you’re awake.” She shoved the thermometer into Lou’s mouth.
Jack raised an eyebrow. “Don’t even think about it.”
She scrunched up her nose. Did that man remember every single thing she’d ever done? “You didn’t answer my question.”
“And don’t talk with your mouth full.”
Lou rolled her eyes. Some things never changed. Being visited in hospital for one thing, and Jack moaning at her about thermometers, for another. As soon as the thermometer was removed, she asked again. “Where’s Evan?”
“He’s in the next bed. He’s been sick, too, but not as bad as you. He’s sleeping right now.”
“Sick?” She pushed upright, to have the nurse lie her back down. “Someone tell me what’s going on?”
Jim pulled a face. “You got the plague, and you don’t even remember?”
Plague? That made no sense, but now wasn’t the time to ask. She tilted her head. “That explains the very sexy masks everyone is wearing.”
Jim snorted. “Did you just call your mother and stepfather sexy?”
She struggled to keep a straight face. “I might have.”
Jack groaned. “She’s feeling better. I think it’s time for lunch while you have those tests done. We’ll be back later.”
Lou arranged the blanket as they all stood. “Nothing changes, look, it’s like old times. Leaving me alone in a hospital bed with a nurse brandishing needles.”
Jim laughed and cleared his throat. “You know you love it, really. We’ll be back. Fret not.”
“All these years, and you still do a rubbish impression of that actor.” She glanced sideways at the nurse. “Let’s do this.”
Fifteen minutes later, the nurse pulled back the curtains between her bed and the one next to her. “The doctor will be in shortly.”
Lou glanced to her right. “Evan…”
A huge grin split his face. “You’re awake.” He threw the covers back and got out of bed. He sat beside her, leaned in, and hugged her tightly. “I was so worried about you.”
She hugged him back. “Happy birthday.”
“You remembered.”
“Of course I did.” She paused, leaning against him as he settled onto the bed next to her. “How sick was I? I mean they got Mum over here, and Jim said something about death beds and the plague.”
Evan kissed her forehead, his arm settling around her. “Yeah, plague. They wanted to give you the last rites at one point, but Jack said no. He prayed a lot.”
“It does work. Perhaps you should try it.”
“Tell you the truth, I have been.” His hands moved slowly through her hair. “There is so much I should have told you. How I feel about you for one thing…”
“Evan,” she began. She twisted to look up at him.
“Let me finish. I love you. I don’t want to lose you. And I don’t want you taking a job at the other end of the country or moving back to your family home in the States.”
“You work in London. I’ve been offered that job up here in the university. Not that I’ve accepted it yet.”
Evan’s face fell. “I see.”
“You seriously think I’d pick a job over you?” She cupped his face in the palm of her hand. “I love you. I could never put work over you.”
“You do?”
She tapped his ear. “Maybe you should turn your hearing aid up or have one fitted.”
“Did you say something?” He grinned at her, shaking his head.
Lou giggled. She mouthed, “I love you.”
“Speak up. I can’t hear you.” He leaned forward and kissed her.
She closed her eyes, kissing him back.
Footsteps stopped by the bed, and Jack coughed.
Lou beamed at Evan, and then glanced up, her cheeks burning. “Nasty cough, Dad.”
“I thought we’d had this conversation,” Jack teased. “You know, the one about kissing my daughter in compromising places.” He pointed to the bed. “They don’t come much more compromising than a bed. Do we need to have it again?”
Evan laughed. “And once again I’m kissing her in front of an audience.”
“Dad…” Lou began.
“It’s OK, kiddo. I’ve already given him my permission.”
“Permission for what?” she asked, confused. “What did I miss?”
Evan held her face towards his. “The night before you got sick, I asked your dad for permission to court you.”
“Court?”
“Yeah, an old-fashioned way of dating. As an archaeologist you should know that.”
“I do, but…”
Jim groaned. “It’s a bit early for the ‘I do’s’, isn’t it?”
Evan kissed her. “It’s never too early. We’ll figure out the jobs and the living arrangements further down the line.”
Lou leaned into him. “Sounds good to me. We have plenty of time to do that. Just promise me it won’t be in Dark Lake.”
“OK.”
“What happened to Varian? Did you find the rest of your great-grandfather’s papers?”
“Varian got sick, but he’s recovering. The police have charged him with various things, including AJ’s murder and attempting to kill you.”
“What about Monty?”
“He left a letter with my office in London. He’s handed over all the papers Varian had pertaining to Dark Lake, and he’s left the company. He said he’s doing what you told him to do and following his dreams.”
She snuggled into him. “Sounds like a plan.”
Evan snorted. “You told him to be a fireman.”
“Did I?”
He nodded. “Yes, you did. Doing the same?”
She shook her head, gazing up into the eyes of the man holding her. The man she’d do anything for and follow to the ends of the earth. “I’m doing what my heart tells me.”
“And what’s that?” Evan asked.
She reached up and kissed him. “Follow the man who loves me and love him back.” She pulled away. “Hang on. Do I still work for you?”
“For as long as you want,” he whispered.
“Isn’t there a company law against marrying the boss?”
His hand curved around her face, fingers moving gently. “My company, I make the rules. If you’ll marry me.”
“Yes, I’ll marry you…”