Page 33 of Elevating Eve

“Come on, beautiful girl,” he said, standing and helping her to her feet. “Let’s get you to bed for a short nap. I have so many more plans for you this weekend, and I want you awake enough to enjoy them.”

In response, she gave him a sleepy smile, looking him up and down as he helped her step out of the tub. “Ha, I win. I got to see you naked even though I didn’t earn it.”

Christ, she was adorable. Chuckling, Jonathan brushed a fingertip across the bruise already forming around her throat. “Trust me, you earned it.”

An hour later, Jonathan sat in the old, gray armchair in the corner. He had his laptop balanced across his thighs and had made at least a cursory attempt at reviewing some paperwork Lainey emailed him that morning.

He couldn’t concentrate worth a damn, though. Giving up altogether, he silently closed the screen, looking across the room at the woman sleeping in the center of the king-size bed. Her long hair fanned out around her, appearing black in the dim light—all except those vibrant red streaks. The ice pack he’d gotten to soothe the pain in her throat lay abandoned on the corner of the mattress.

This remarkable creature was hisgirlfriend.It still blew his mind. Even before he and the others founded Fairford Manor, he never dated—not exclusively anyway. He wasn’t opposed to the idea, exactly. More like he’d just never found the time, his focus always zeroed in on something else.

First his education, where he’d done everything in his power to become valedictorian in high school, and then to graduate summa cum laude from college. He succeeded in both cases. Then came founding and running HSS Biotech, growing it from a tiny startup to a company that sold for just over a billion dollars seven years later.

And lastly, the Manor. His dream...the project of his heart. The impossible idea that came to him after a few too many tequila shots one night their senior year of college, which he’d somehow turned into a reality.

He’d built exactly the life he always wanted. But it wasn’t until Eve called herself his girlfriend that he realized just how lonely it was, no matter how many people surrounded him every day, and most every night. For the first time, he thought maybe he wanted what the others had.

Leo and Sophie. Aiden and Olivia. Rafe and Nell. Mason and Addison. Zach and Remy.

And, of course, his parents. The single most perfect, loving couple he’d ever seen.

For the life of him, though, he couldn’t figure out how any of them did it. How was he supposed to run the Manor, regularly take guests, solve everyone’s problems for them, and still maintain a healthy relationship with this beautiful, fragile creature?

Standing, he tread softly across the floor, easing the door open and then back closed behind him. Eve didn’t stir the entire time. Relieved, he hurried down the stairs and into the great room, settling onto the old, well-worn couch.

Jonathan got his phone out of his pocket, quickly pulling up his favorites list. His thumb hovered over Leo’s name for several seconds, but ultimately, he hitDadinstead.

Orson Hale answered on the first ring. “Jonathan!” he said in greeting, his usually loud voice even higher in volume than normal. A lot ofbackground noise filtered through the phone—loud voices and even louder music. “How are you?”

Instead of answering the question, he asked, “Where are you? It sounds loud as hell.”

“Your mom and I are in San Diego for a Padres-Rockies game,” he explained, sounding excited. “It’s going to be hard rooting against the Rockies, but as the song says, root for the home team. We’re hanging out at a bar near the ballpark until the gates open.”

A smile found its way onto Jonathan’s face. His parents had always loved baseball and had season tickets to both their favorite teams, since they spent so much time going between the two houses every summer. He had endless memories of attending games with them as a kid. “I don’t want to be a bother?—”

“No bother,” Orson interrupted, his voice full of sincerity. “Let me just step outside for a minute.” Muffled sounds came through the line as he made his way through what was clearly a crowded bar, lessening considerably when he finally made it outside. “There we go. That better?”

“Much. Thank you.”

“Good, good.” His dad chuckled. “I didn’t mind all this craziness when I was younger, but I think I’m getting a little too old for this. But your mom insisted we come into town early.”

Jonathan laughed, having no trouble picturing his mom dragging his dad to the car, her shoulder-length blond hair tucked up under a Padre’s cap. The woman reveled in the pre-game energy of the bars near the ballpark.

“So what’s up?” Orson asked.

“I’m hoping to get your advice on something.”

“Is something wrong?” His voice had lost that jovial, laughing tone. “You don’t sound too happy.”

Jonathan thought about that for a second before he answered. “No, nothing’s wrong. And I am happy. Maybe too happy? I don’t know. It just feels like...like it can’t possibly last. Does that make sense?”

His dad’s chuckle came through the phone again. “Not even a little bit. You’re going to have to give me some details here.”

For a second, Jonathan considered saying never mind and endingthe call. He was getting himself all worked up over nothing. All he had to do was enjoy the ride as he waited to see where this went.

Only problem with that was, sitting back and letting go of the controls came as naturally to Jonathan as breathing underwater.

“I’ve just started dating this woman,” he forced himself to say. “And I’m really out of my depth here. I have no idea how to be in a relationship.”

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