Page 62 of Ireland

Truth was, it was awkward when her dad drove her, knowing that his trained observation skills didn’t miss how she styled herself into a likeness of her mother, the love of his life. She knew it was hard for him to wait in the car for the hours she was there, knowing that the twin of the woman he’d adored was so close, yet he’d never get to meet her. Katherine feared men with such vehemence that she was never exposed to them at all; her caregivers and doctors were all women.

The distance to the exclusive residential treatment center in Dutchess County was less than two hours, and Eva eagerly anticipated the rare opportunity to slide into the driver’s seat. Commuting had been a daily necessity when she’d lived in San Diego, but she’d dreaded driving then due to the heavy SoCal traffic. Years of being chauffeured everywhere had given her a new perspective on the underappreciated freedom of getting yourself where you wanted to go.

The sun lit the sky when she pulled out of the parking garage onto 5thAve. Manhattan was already thrumming with activity despite the early hour. Pedestrians hurried along the sidewalks as cabs weaved between livery cars and private vehicles sporting rideshare app stickers. There were dogs of various sizes andbreeds every few feet, their owners taking them out before heading to work for the day.

Her love affair with New York had matured differently from her love for Gideon, which remained fresh and new because they continued to learn and grow together. Some of the things she’d once found romantic about the city were less delightful now, but the love remained, perhaps more solid because she acknowledged the flaws she’d once glossed over.

Turning up the volume on Sabrina Carpenter’s “Bed Chem,” she settled into the thrill of driving the DB12. The powerful car reminded her of Gideon—sleek, sexy, and exhilarating.

As if she’d thought him up, an incoming call interrupted the music.

Hitting the phone button on the steering wheel, she answered, “Good morning, ace.”

“Maybe for you. I woke up without my wife. Where are you?”

The question was unnecessary; he knew where she was. He could check the location sharing app or the tracking signal from the car and had probably done both after realizing she’d left on her own. But he wanted her to tell him, and so she did. “Merging into Highway 1.”

His heavy sigh was like a shout because she knew it meant he was frustrated, likely irritated, but was restraining himself from saying so. “I had Raúl scheduled to drive you.”

Of course he had. Gideon Cross never missed a trick. He would’ve known and anticipated sparing her and her father the discomfort of visiting Katherine together. There were countless reasons she loved her husband more with every passing moment, but his thoughtfulness ranked at the top of the list.

“I wanted to drive.” Eva checked her blind spot, speeding up to change lanes in front of an eighteen-wheeler. “And whether it’s my dad or Raúl, it’s distracting knowing someone’s justsitting around waiting for me. I wanted to spend time with Katherine without looking at the clock.”

“Then I would’ve driven with you. I could’ve gotten some work done in peace.”

Her heart skipped a beat. How lucky she was to have him. He had the weight of the world on his shoulders most days but was always willing to set it aside for her, even if he suffered for it later. “That would’ve set you back days in your schedule, and we’re heading to the beach house this weekend. I want you to relax, knowing that you won’t be buried in work when we get home.”

“Angel…” He paused. “I want you to feel free to do whatever you want. But…”

“…but I can’t do any of it alone,” she finished.

His pause before answering revealed the care he was taking to choose his words. “You have to think of the security team as a second set of eyes, freeing you to focus on whatever makes you happy. We don’t have to be vigilant when they’re with us.”

She wanted to tell him that their security wasn’t a problem, theneedfor it was, but how could she? She would never change who he was, and she loved their life together. The risks were inherent, and she’d accepted them when she accepted his marriage proposal. She just hadn’t factored in the true cost of being hunted relentlessly, and she had only herself to blame for that.

“I understand,” she said, because that was easiest. “I’m sorry I’m making you worry.”

“I’m sorry you’re feeling hemmed in. I’m working on a fix for that but keeping you safe is of paramount concern to me and always will be.”

An idiot merged into the lane in front of her, then immediately slowed down. Cursing silently, she slid into thenext lane and drove around them. “I want you safe, too, so I get where you’re coming from.”

“Let’s not discuss this on the phone, especially while you’re driving. Please be careful. Come home safe, and we’ll discuss it then.”

“Okay, baby. I love you madly. I didn’t mean to upset you, although I knew you wouldn’t be happy with me just taking off.”

His rueful laugh gave her more than a twinge of guilt. “I’m always happy with you. I love you, too, angel mine.”

They ended the call, and Eva finished the drive in relative peace, although the concern in Gideon’s voice haunted her thoughts. Just a few weeks ago, she’d been content. Then, a random chat with a stranger in her doctor’s waiting room and the routine updating of her medical chart had upended everything.

Total number of pregnancies: 2

Number of living children: 0

---