Page 25 of Never Doubt I Love (Calloway #3)

Wilson arrived at the house early the next morning, and though he did not say as much, he was clearly eager to return to London before he risked his position any further. The horses were rested and ready, and the footman would likely not agree to any delays.

Still, Olivia hated the idea of separating Alexander from his mother. He looked so... young as he followed her around the house, assisting her with whatever he could. The stoic brother of the Rowdy Duke had become a bright-eyed boy of twenty-five, eager to please his kindhearted mother. Hugh may have taken after their father, but Alexander had clearly learned his ways from their mother.

“Oh, would you stop fussing over me?” Mrs. Bailey lightly smacked Alexander’s hand away when he tried to take the tea kettle from her. “You are a guest in my home, Alexander, and you will allow me to treat you as such.”

“But you will come live with me as soon as I find a house, yes?” He rushed to grab the teacups before she could, laughing when she gave him an exasperated scowl.

Olivia had heard him laugh before, but never like this. His laughter was like sunshine and springtime. It warmed the whole room. Though, she seemed to be doing an excellent job of that as well. Ever since his quiet declaration last night, Olivia’s heart had been burning a hole in her chest, as if it no longer belonged there.

To think she had almost considered Mr. Harris’s proposal! She had thought she understood love when her affections for Nick had been at their strongest, but this was entirely different. If she had known yesterday that love would feel like this, she would never have thought about settling for mere like .

After a spot of tea, Olivia forced herself to accept that it was time to return home. “Mrs. Bailey, I am so glad to have met you.” She grasped the woman’s hands. “Thank you for welcoming us into your home.”

Mrs. Bailey gave her a teary smile. Leaning in close, she spoke quietly so no one else would hear. “Thank you for caring for my Alexander. He has always been a sweet boy, but I feared his father’s and brothers’ influences would be too strong, particularly after he lost Juliet. He was so lost before he found you.”

They both looked over at Alexander, who returned a smile so warm that it hit Olivia square in the chest and seemed to add several logs to the fire inside her. He was such a handsome man, but it was that smile that nearly did her in. He could be a footman like Wilson, and Olivia would still feel the same pull toward him as she did now. Given his current relationship with his brothers, he was likely worth about the same as a footman when it came to wealth.

What would he do now? Perhaps Simon would not be so angry that he would stop teaching him business. Alexander was intelligent enough to make a decent living, given the right tools. But if Simon did cut him off Olivia had the perfect solution; she only had to hope Alexander agreed with her. Thirty thousand pounds could provide a good income if used properly.

“Olivia.” Alexander approached slowly, as if he feared to separate her from his mother just as she had avoided doing so to him. “We really should be returning to London.”

She nodded, though she knew that as soon as they returned, everything would change. And whatever happened next would depend entirely on Simon. “Yes, we must go. Mrs. Bailey, could I come visit you again?”

Mrs. Bailey smiled, tears pooling in her eyes. “Of course, dear. You are always welcome.”

“And of course you must come to London! I am certain my mother would be overjoyed to see you again.”

“Oh, I would like that very much.”

Offering his arm to Olivia, Alexander chuckled and shook his head at the two women. “Am I to be surrounded by watering pots?”

“Hush, Alex,” Olivia replied, swatting his arm. “Allowing oneself to show emotion is a luxury not everyone can afford, you know.”

He smiled. “I do know. Are you ready?”

She was as ready as she would ever be. Bidding a tearful goodbye to Mrs. Bailey, Olivia embraced the darling woman and took Alexander’s arm, allowing him to lead her outside.

Halfway to London, a storm picked up, beginning with a chill wind. Soon the skies were gray with rain-heavy clouds, and Olivia gripped the reins tightly, hoping they could outrun the storm and wishing she were still in Mrs. Bailey’s cozy little home.

They were not so lucky. The rain began falling, quickly picking up speed until it was a torrential downfall. Olivia squinted, trying to maintain sight of the road, but as it became increasingly difficult to see, she knew they needed to seek shelter until the storm passed.

Wilson, who was in the lead, rode up close and shouted that he had seen a covered bridge a quarter mile back, and the three of them silently agreed that it was their best option to wait out the rain. Thankfully, the bridge was just large enough to fit the three of them and their horses while the rain pounded overhead.

“Olivia, you are soaked through!” Alexander helped her dismount, as she was shivering so badly she could hardly move. “Perhaps we should have waited a little longer before we left.”

“We could not have known,” she argued, wrapping her arms around herself. “At least Wilson was paying attention; I could only focus on the destination ahead.”

“I reckon this rain will pass soon.” Wilson, who had been checking on the horses, peered out from the bridge at the gray skies. “I’ll be prayin’ it does, anyhow.” He rubbed Hermes’s neck and then sat himself down against the bridge’s wooden wall. He tugged his jacket collar higher over his neck and closed his eyes, as if he thought he might nap while they waited.

Olivia thought he had the right idea. If nothing else, it might keep her warm if she followed suit.

“Here,” Alexander murmured, struggling out of his jacket. He wrapped it around her shoulders and pulled it tight at the collar. “I wish I had some better way to keep you warm.”

His jacket was already doing wonders despite being wet. The interior was still fairly dry, unlike her thin coat she had borrowed from one of the younger footmen. “Are you not cold yourself?” she asked, whispering because they were standing so close to one another. Any louder, and she worried she might scare him off.

He shook his head. “I have been warm ever since our conversation last night,” he said, just as quietly.

Olivia’s heart was pounding in her chest as she gazed up at this beautiful man. “Alexander Bailey, you always say the right things.”

“I told you; you make it easy.” He had been holding on to the collar of his jacket, but one of his fingers brushed across her cheek, leaving a trail of warmth behind. “You make everything easy.”

She leaned into his touch. “I do not know if I would say I make everything easy,” she breathed. She was almost too afraid to blink for fear of missing any of the way he was looking at her.

Alexander’s lips curled up on one side, his eyes ablaze as they traced her face. “You make it easy to trust others. Easy to hope for a better future. Easy to see the good in everyone around me.” He leaned in, his lips brushing the skin on her forehead, at the same time pulling the cap from her head. She closed her eyes as he ran the tip of his nose down hers at a glacial pace, making it impossible for her to breathe. “You make it so incredibly easy to love you, Olivia Calloway.”

Alexander brushed his lips against Olivia’s, a mere whisper of a kiss. “I love you, Liv. With all my heart. With every breath. My soul is yours.”

Olivia melted, her strength abandoning her. She sank back against the wall, pulling him with her, and opened her eyes so she could look at this beautiful man. “I always dreamed I would find someone to love me,” she whispered as tears pooled in her eyes. “I did not realize how much I would treasure my own ability to love until I met you.” She reached up, running her fingers along the scruff that had grown along his jaw since yesterday. His eyes were so hopeful as he grasped her hand and pressed his lips to her palm. While that was pleasant, she was most eager to experience a real kiss.

“What are you saying?” Alexander asked, his voice strangled and his eyes watery. His mask was gone, leaving him entirely open and vulnerable. “Do you... ?”

She nodded, blinking tears onto her cheeks. “I love you, Alex. I think I may have loved you for a long time.”

His smile graced his lips for only a fleeting moment before he kissed her again, this time with less hesitation. Olivia had always wondered what it would feel like to be kissed, but she never could have expected how weightless it made her feel, as if the ground had disappeared beneath her feet. He seemed to be telling her the depth of his feelings with his lips as they caressed hers.

He had shown her his love in so many ways, whereas she had only begun to know how to do the same. If she could only do so in a kiss for now, she was determined to make this one matter. Rising up onto her toes, she took hold of his arms and dove into the kiss.

To her dismay, he pulled away. “Olivia,” he said, his voice chiding and his face red.

Her heart sank. “What did I do wrong?” Perhaps she should have first figured out how one was supposed to kiss, rather than jumping right into it.

Chuckling, he brushed his thumb across her bottom lip and sent a tremor through her. “Absolutely nothing, my darling. But if you are going to kiss me like that, I should express my intentions to your brother.” He narrowed his eyes, his expression brightening with mischief. “It seems I am not the only one who has learned to play with fire.”

“So...” She frowned, trying to make sense of what he was telling her. “So you liked the way I kissed you?”

His eyes burned. “Too much. I should not have...”

Of course he would be a gentleman. Olivia both loved and hated that, but there were more important things to focus on at the moment. “And you wish to speak to Simon because...” Her heart seemed to leap into her throat when she realized. “Are you going to marry me, Alex Bailey?”

“I am certainly going to try. At least, if that is what you—”

“Yes!” She threw her arms around his shoulders and held him tight, overjoyed when he accepted her embrace with enthusiasm to match her own, his strong arms wrapped around her in a protective hold.

And there, under Cordelia’s watchful eye, they held each other until the storm passed.