The hospital had been quieter than usual, or perhaps it was just the state of my own mind. Since Andrew had come to the parking lot to tell me about Sloane Vance, a strange sense of clarity had settled over me. He was choosing me—openly, honestly, and without the shadows of the past getting in the way.
As I pulled my car into the driveway of the Thompson Manor, I noticed a bright red sports car parked haphazardly near the fountain.
Leo.
I sighed, a smile tugging at my lips. My brother had been back for less than forty-eight hours, and he had already managed to turn the quiet, stoic atmosphere of the manor into something resembling a college dorm.
I walked into the grand foyer and followed the sound of frantic whispering and the clinking of glasses coming from the small lounge near the library. I peered inside and stopped dead.
The room was filled with dozens of white roses—my favorite. Leo was standing on a step-ladder, trying to hang a string of fairy lights, while Andrew was sitting in an armchair, looking deeply uncomfortable as Leo barked orders at him.
"No, no, Andrew! The lighting has to be moody but romantic. Think 'James Bond meets a Hallmark movie.' If you're going to do this, we're doing it right!" Leo shouted, nearly losing his balance.
"Leo, I just wanted a quiet dinner," Andrew muttered, rubbing his temples. "I didn't ask for a theatrical production."
"Quiet is boring! You're the CEO of Aegis, man! You don't do 'quiet.' You do 'legendary'!" Leo hopped down from the ladder and pointed a finger at Andrew. "Now, did you call William about the ring? Is the vintage 1920s diamond secured?"
I leaned against the doorframe, my heart doing a little dance. The ring?
"Leo," I said, unable to hide my amusement any longer.
Both men jumped. Leo looked guilty for about a second before his grin returned. Andrew, however, turned a shade of red I didn't know he was capable of. He stood up instantly, looking everywhere but at me.
"Em! You're home early!" Leo chirped, trying to hide the string of lights behind his back. "We were just... uh... testing the electrical wiring in the house. Very dangerous stuff. Andrew was assisting me."
"Electrical wiring?" I raised an eyebrow, walking into the room and picking up a single white rose from a crate on the floor. "With five dozen roses and fairy lights?"
Andrew cleared his throat, stepping toward me. "He's been like this since three o'clock. I tried to stop him, but he threatened to call our parents and tell them I was 'mistreating' him."
"I would have, too!" Leo added, grabbing his jacket. "Anyway, I can see I'm the third wheel here. I'm heading out to meet some old friends for drinks. Don't do anything I wouldn't do—actually, do everything I wouldn't do. Andrew, remember the 'gentleman' talk we had? Throw it out the window tonight!"
"Leo! Out!" I pointed toward the door.
With a wink and a loud laugh, my brother vanished, leaving a sudden, heavy silence in the room. The scent of the roses was overwhelming, sweet and intoxicating.
I looked at Andrew. He looked so vulnerable standing there in the middle of Leo's chaotic romantic setup. The man who could take down an entire gang or run a multi-billion dollar empire was currently defeated by a string of fairy lights and a persistent younger brother.
"He's a lot to handle, isn't he?" I whispered, walking closer to him.
"He's a menace," Andrew replied, but his eyes were soft. He reached out, his hand trembling slightly as he tucked a lock of hair behind my ear. "But he was right about one thing."
"What's that?"
"I don't want to wait for a 'perfect' moment anymore, Emily. Every moment with you feels like the one I've been waiting for my whole life."
He didn't pull out a ring—not yet—but the way he looked at me was a proposal in itself. He took my hand, kissing my knuckles with a reverence that made my eyes sting with happy tears.
"I have something planned for tomorrow night," he said softly. "A gala. The hospital donation announcement. I want you by my side. Not as my doctor, and not as my cousin. As my partner."
I smiled, leaning my head against his chest. "I'd like that, Andrew. More than anything."
But as I held him, a small chill went down my spine. Things were too perfect. The Vance sisters were gone, the case was dismissed, and Leo was home. It felt like the calm before a storm I couldn't see coming.
"Is everything okay?" Andrew asked, sensing my shift in mood.
"Yes," I lied, tightening my grip on his waist. "Everything is perfect."