Walking Heartthrob

Chapter 43 Much Ado about Everything

Ever since I came to England, I thought the worst day of my life was the day I got banished here—but tonight changed everything. Watching my heartthrob go through that humiliation with his head held high, facing every contemptible glance and accusation with infallible inner strength and dignity... Oh God, if only I could be that brave.

I ran through the hallways hunting for Daylen. Where could he have gone? It was ten at night and a blizzard was raging outside, surely Daylen hadn't seriously left in this snowstorm already! He promised me he wouldn't leave me!

"Daylen! Where are you?!" I cried in each hallway. Argh! Why was half my time in this wretched house spent hunting down my heartthrob?!

Then my brain remembered—he'd be in the kitchen! I raced down there and to my greatest relief, I found him sitting on a barstool by the kitchen island with his head resting on his palm propped up on the counter. His posture exuded defeat but he somehow still bore a strength in his stance, strength I couldn't understand. But right now, all that mattered was that I'd found him. I ran and threw my arms around him, weeping.

"Daylen, I'm so sorry! You didn't deserve that, I never meant for you to get hurt like—"

"Shh, hush, dove." Daylen turned around, pulling me into his arms in a warm embrace, stroking the small of my back. "None of that was your fault, don't cry, Lys." I lifted my tear-soaked eyes to his unfaltering, loving ones and my lower lip quivered.

"You lost your job because of me and now you're leaving," I sobbed. Daylen held me closer if possible, pressing a long, ardent kiss on my forehead before speaking.

"No, Lys, I promised you I'd never leave you, not in the way you think," he said gentle lisp. "I expected to leave Ramsden Estate but that doesn't mean I'm abandoning you, dove!" My tears slowed down but I held him tightly for a moment, soaking up his warmth and scent as I assured myself that he was still here. My heartthrob was leaving, just not leaving me. That didn't comfort me though.

"But... you're still leaving, I don't want you to go without me!" I cried. "And it's snowing like crazy out there, you can't go out alone in a blizzard like that! Daylen, please!"

"He's not going anywhere, butterbean." My dad's voice startled both of us and we turned to find him and Mom standing by the door. I gulped.

"Mom, Dad—"

"Nobody's going anywhere without a hot cup of coffee. Then we can talk," Mom cut me off with a kind smile. Daylen gently shifted me and stood up.

"I'll fix you all some," he volunteered. Mom shook her head.

"You may be holding it all in trying to be strong, son, but for once, let someone else do the caring." And she got to fixing the coffee herself.

"Yeah, sonny, you've been through a lot, you need to take care of yourself too," Dad said gently. "You gotta be there for my girl, after all." Dad clapped me on the back while looking at Daylen with a kind smile and I saw his eyes fill up suddenly. Whoa. Dad got my heartthrob to break down, whaddya know. He sniffed and spoke in a rasp.

"Thank you, sir, I appreciate—"

"And none of that 'sir' business, sonny," Dad said in a fake-stern voice, "I don't do that la-di-da stuff. Call me Alex."

"Will you take cream, Daylen?" Mom asked him as she poured steaming coffee into four cups. That's the first time I ever heard her say his name out loud.

"Yes, ma'am," he replied politely, and Mom frowned.

"Tsk, tsk, you're very polite Daylen, but calling me that makes me feel like an old crone. It's just Maggie." Daylen glanced at me questioningly and I nodded, a little smile coming to my lips.