Fateful Page 4

  Chapter 4

  Maddening Mazes

  “What should I wear?” Danielle asked, sifting through the clothes in her closet, the hangers scraping across the bar they hung from.

  “How about this?” Brianna lifted a hanger with a red skirt hung from it. While she liked that particular skirt, it was definitely not something she wanted to wear tonight.

  Shaking her head, she said, “I’d like to wear my black knee boots, so let’s find something to go with those.”

  “Oh, very well.” Brianna rummaged around again, and after a moment or two, asked, “Will this do?” now presenting a slim skirt and a knit top with a deep v-neck, both in black.

  “Yeah, I like that, and to peek out from under...” Danielle moved around her cousin to the dresser, opened the second drawer and lifted out a baby blue cami.

  “Smashing! He’ll love it.”

  “Who?” Danielle asked as innocently as she could, mortified at the knowledge that she was blushing. How did Bri know?

  Brianna rolled her eyes. “You’ve only been thinking about him non-stop for several days now. And don't tell me you haven’t.”

  Gathering up her make-up bag, Danielle set the outfit out on her bed and then followed Brianna to the bathroom they shared.

  “But it didn't sound like he was interested in going, so he might not be there.” After digging around for the right shade, Danielle painted pink lip-gloss over her lips and looked at herself in the antique mirror hung above the vanity. “Do you think Ethan will show up tonight?”

  “You just said it didn’t sound like it!”

  “I know, but maybe he will.” She was terribly curious about the conversation she’d overheard between him and Beon, and her thoughts had remained consumed with Ethan ever since the tea party. “What do you think?” she asked, now applying mascara. Why was she cursed with light lashes when she had dark hair? It’s so not fair! she mused irritably as she added another layer.

  “I don’t know. I’ve never seen him at things like this before. I am curious to see if he does actually show up. Just remember—Will has a couple of nice guys who’d just love to go out with you.” Brianna swirled a big make-up brush into a compact of mauve powder and rubbed it onto her cheeks with light circular strokes.

  “’Kay. I’ll try to remember that.” Danielle stuffed the mascara wand back into the bottle before she overdid it and pressed her glossed lips together as a little crease appeared between her brows. She still didn’t like the blind date idea. Someone she’d already met, like Ethan for example, seemed like a much better choice to her.

  “I can see why you thought he looked like an angel,” Brianna said amiably, now glossing her own lips.

  Their gazes met in the mirror as Danielle smiled back, a little embarrassed that this attraction to her rescuer was so obvious. Her cousin knew her a little too well.

  Brianna drove them to the club, picking up a few of her girlfriends on the way. Danielle paid attention to where they went, still trying to learn the lay of the land. It turned out to be more difficult in the dark. Even if she had a GPS to guide her, she knew she would have missed that last turnoff and getting lost was still going to be a problem for her.

  The five of them entered the club that was dark except for colored beams of light sweeping back and forth to the rhythmic beat of the music. Light-up marquees flashed geometric shapes along with the club’s logo. Silhouetted against the flashing lights were the swaying hands of many dancers. Taking a moment to people watch, Danielle decided this was definitely a student crowd, and, much to her chagrin, she couldn’t resist scanning the place for Ethan as well. Her heart did a few extra palpitations when she saw a guy who looked like him from behind, but found herself deflated when he turned around—it wasn’t him.

  Brianna gathered Danielle’s hand into hers as she led her further into the mass of moving bodies. While the Ministry of Sound had several different rooms to dance in, they entered the main dance floor with the huge mirrored ball hung above. As they negotiated their way around clumps of young men and young women, Danielle continued her search for Ethan, hating herself for it.

  She knew she was obsessing and also knew that wasn’t a good thing. Certainly, there had to be tons of guys to choose from. Forcing herself to focus on that thought instead, Danielle received a tap on the shoulder. The guy smiling at her when she turned was handsome, not Ethan, but still good-looking enough to consider and she decided perhaps she could find someone other than Ethan to date.

  “Hi, I’m Zack. Dance with me?” came a pleasing British voice.

  “I’m Danielle,” she said, accepting the invitation and taking his hand. Maybe this just might be the distraction she needed.

  Leading her to one of the more secluded dance floors, he tossed over his shoulder, “You’re American. What brings you to England?”

  “School.”

  He chuckled at her simple reply, “What type of school?”

  “Art school.”

  Slightly bothered by the fact that she couldn’t look for Ethan from this out-of-the-way location, Danielle shrugged off the idea and focused on her dance partner instead.

  The gentle strains of a slow song filled the room and Zack drew her into his arms. Somehow that didn’t feel right, but she allowed it.

  As they talked and dance, Danielle decided Zack reminded her of other guys she’d dated—guys who shouldn’t be trusted. He may have been cute, but there was nothing more than that. She wasn’t attracted to him, and really didn’t like being pulled so snugly against his chest.

  His hot breath on her neck as he tightened his arms around her back began to grow annoying. She wanted to get away from him, but felt it would be rude to leave in the middle of the song, so she stayed, planning to ditch him as soon as it was over.

  However, while they swayed to the music, Zack’s hand moved from low on her back to the side of her ribs and then around to—Whoa! They’d just met and this guy was already trying to get frisky? With karate training and instinct kicking in, Danielle blocked his hand before he reached his goal, then trapped his arm, locking it under hers.

  “Ah!” he exclaimed, completely surprised, and Danielle couldn’t help but be elated! Her moves had worked! Maybe she wasn’t a poor excuse for a black belt after all.

  “Excuse me? Where do you get off?” Tossing his arm away, Danielle didn’t give him a chance to respond, and left him without another glance.

  Berating herself for ignoring her intuition when she’d marked him for what he was earlier, Danielle made her way back to Brianna.

  “Hey, Cousin, where’d that hot guy go? The one you were just with?” Brianna asked the second Danielle moved in next to her.

  “Oh, him.” Danielle gave a look of disgust. “I’m afraid we didn’t hit it off so well. He had curious hands.” She wiggled her fingers at her cousin.

  “That’s horrible! What did you do?” Yet, the horror fell away from Brianna’s expression when she next asked, “Did you give him a nice little knee in the—?”

  Danielle laughed. “Sorry to disappoint you, Cousin. But nothing that extreme was necessary.”

  “But it worked this time?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good.” Becoming solemn again, Brianna asked, “Do you want to leave? Did this upset you?”

  It did upset her, but unwilling to admit that said instead, “I’m fine. Let’s stay.” Though, she appreciated Brianna’s offer.

  Much to her disappointment, she did have other guys ask her to dance. Perhaps she was biased now, but she never met anyone who drew her like Ethan Deveroux did. Forget this, she thought irritably, she didn’t need to meet others. Why waste her time if even the British guys were just like the jerks back home? Of course she’d met a number of nice guys in Colorado, and still believed there were nice ones here too, but it seemed she mostly attracted the bad ones. Deciding this was not the best place to meet guys anyway, Danielle ignored them all, sticking with Brianna and her friends instead.

>   Allowing the throbbing music to wash over her and the twisting beams of light entrance her, Danielle danced. After a few surging songs, she was startled when Brianna suddenly grabbed her arm and jerked her around.

  Ethan. With one hip cocked to the side and one thumb tucked in the pocket of his jeans, he looked way hot. Her heart skipped a beat, perhaps two as Brianna whispered, “Look at that. He did show up.” Why did her cousin have to sound so surprised? Okay, she could admit that she’d also given up on seeing him tonight, but there he stood, looking as debonair as ever, like a hip Gabriel with fashion sense. No wonder Brianna’s friends ware staring as if under a spell. There was something about him that could bewitch any girl. She wanted to embrace him but resisted the impulse.

  He smiled, and she thought for sure she felt her insides melt at little. “May I have the next dance?” he asked elegantly, his hand extended to hers.

  For a moment she looked at him with a slightly slack jaw. If she didn’t know better, she would have thought she’d just met the hero from one of Jane Austen’s books. Danielle slipped her fingers amongst his. “Yes,” she managed.

  He led her out further onto the main dance floor, and when he started moving to the fast music, Danielle had to suddenly catch her breath—because he could really dance! The last thing she needed was another reason to be infatuated with this guy. But there it was, and she found herself staring at his body as he twisted with ease to the thrumming beat. All right, she mused, on second thought this guy is definitely not from Jane Austen’s time.

  While they danced, Danielle tried to make eye contact out of social habit, but he seemed to be refusing her that. Intentionally? While tossing quick glances at her from under his lashes, he’d managed to avoid any prolonged, direct staring. Why was he being so bashful about that? Of course, she wondered if it could have something to do with the strange things that happened the other times their gazes had met.

  He stayed with her through three songs—touching her gently, never inappropriately. He seemed reserved, and was careful about showing her the utmost respect. When she stroked his arm in return, Danielle noticed hard muscles also danced under his thick gray sweater, but she’d suspected that with the way his shoulders tugged at the material of his suit while at her uncle’s.

  Growing rather confused, however, Danielle considered that his manners actually screamed eighteen-hundreds, but he was modernly dressed and moved like a rock star. That’s sort of an odd contradiction. Shoving that silly thought aside, she wondered if he really liked her, as it seemed from the way he treated her, then why wouldn’t he really look at her? He never faltered in guarding his gaze from hers, or was it the other way around?

  After the third dance he leaned down touching his cheek to hers and whispered into her ear, “Thank you.”

  Shuddering in response, the tickle from his breath caused goose bumps to spring up all over her arms. Danielle blinked in surprise and then he was gone. She didn’t even have time to respond. Once again, he’d left her standing there wanting more, confused by his sudden disappearance.

  * * * * *

  “Danielle! The bell’s for you!” called Aunt Charlotte the next morning before she’d come down to breakfast.

  Figuring it couldn’t be Ethan, Danielle wondered who was calling as she made her way down the stairs. After getting home last night she’d decided his behavior was just too strange and he likely didn’t really like her that much. She’d probably never get a date out of it. Perhaps she should consider the blind dates Brianna had planned. “Thank you,” she whispered, reaching for the receiver. “Hello?”

  “Hello, Danielle, this is Ethan.”

  Alright, so she’d been wrong.... His elegant accent caressed the eight letters of her name, and somehow, it wasn’t as thrilling when her British relatives addressed her. “Hi, Ethan. What can I do for you?”

  Brianna was now hovering, jumping up and down in un-bottled excitement.

  “Have you been able to see any of the sites of England since your arrival?”

  “No, not yet.”

  “Good, I’d like to take you to see Van Kampen Gardens. I think it’s absolutely worth the drive. Can you get away for the day tomorrow?”

  “Um ... let me check.” She turned to Brianna, slipping her hand over the mouthpiece. “He wants to take me out to the Van Kemp, or something gardens. He said we would be gone all day. Do we have plans tomorrow?” Danielle knew she didn’t have any classes, but her relatives could have made plans.

  Brianna snapped her head to her mother, an inquisitive look on her face. “Mum, date! Tomorrow?” she whispered eagerly, pointing at Danielle.

  Charlotte chuckled and nodded her okay. Brianna started bouncing again, catching air this time. She chanted, “Yes … yes … yes,” in a hushed voice. Danielle pushed her back a little. She appreciated Brianna’s enthusiasm on her behalf, but this bouncing in her space was a bit much.

  She uncovered the phone. “Hi, Ethan?”

  “Yes,” he responded sweetly.

  “Sure, tomorrow would be fine. What time?”

  “Lovely. I’ll be there to pick you up at nine A.M.”

  “Okay. Thanks, Ethan.”

  “I’m looking forward to it. See you tomorrow.” And with a click he was gone.

  Danielle gaped for a moment at the now dead receiver. She sort of wanted to keep talking to him, but supposed that she could wait until tomorrow. “Bri, where’s Van Kamp … Kemp … Van…?” Danielle was trying to ask.

  “Van Kampen Gardens,” Brianna corrected.

  “Yeah, that, is it nice?”

  “It’s a four hour drive from here, but amazing, and super romantic.” Brianna punched her shoulder. “You lucky little brat! Will doesn’t like taking me to things like that,” her cousin then complained.

  Before going to bed that night, she asked Brianna to help her decide what to wear for her date. “Well, this is a good time for one your girly skirts,” Brianna said, again choosing the red one Danielle had rejected the other night. “Except you do need comfortable shoes, it is a big garden,” she revised. She then selected a pair of comfortable flats that would go nicely with the skirt.

  As her cousin looked over her creation, Danielle wondered if Brianna liked the long red skirt more than she was letting on. She’d said earlier that Will didn’t take her to such romantic places and now couldn’t help but wonder if she sort of wished he did. Did her cousin have a secret girly side hiding under that cool exterior of hers?

  Before she could ask about it, Brianna added, “And don’t forget to bring your jumper and jacket, just in case it decides to chuck it down.”

  Forgetting whatever it was she meant to ask, Danielle gawked at Brianna while her brain tripped over British slang. “Huh? Come again?”

  “Oh, sorry. ‘Jumper’ is a sweater and ‘chuck it down’ means to rain heavily.”

  “Right.” Danielle snickered. How could she have possibly known that?

  It took her forever to fall asleep that night. She felt like a young child on Christmas Eve: excited, but also worried she would sleep in too late and miss everything. However, when unconsciousness finally took her, it was deep and dreamless.

  * * * * *

  Danielle took too long getting beautiful for her date the next morning. She didn’t have time to eat breakfast when the doorbell rang at nine A.M. sharp. Butterflies jumped in her stomach at the sound of the bell. Why am I so nervous? she thought. I’m being so silly. But, wow! He’s prompt!

  She heard Uncle Nick answer the door. “Hello, Ethan, please come in.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  With her foot moving to the next step as she descended, she didn’t fail to notice that Nick barely let him get seated before he started in with his lecture. “Now, son, you do need to know, just so there are no misunderstandings, that I am responsible for Danielle while she is here in London. With that in mind, I expect you to take very good care of her. I wouldn’t be letting you go out with her if I didn’t al
ready know Beon, so consider yourself lucky.”

  “Yes, sir, of course. She will always be safe with me.”

  As Danielle moved off the last step and entered the living room, Ethan quickly stood. Her uncle followed. Danielle watched as Uncle Nick scrutinized Ethan. It appeared that, from his observations, he was impressed. She was also flattered that he stood for her. Apparently modern-day gentlemen did exist. Danielle had thought they were extinct, or endangered, or only existed in romance novels. It seemed this dichotomy in his personality would remain. Vintage clashing with contemporary.

  Ethan smiled at her and then turned to her uncle to shake his hand. “Sir, thank you for allowing me to take Danielle out.”

  Uncle Nick seemed pleasantly surprised. “You’re welcome.” the old man paused for a moment before saying, “Oh! And don’t have her back too late. She has a curfew.”

  Danielle couldn’t stop her eyes from rolling at that. Of course she felt she was too old for it, but Uncle Nick had insisted if she was living under his roof, as he’d put it. But she’d let it slide since it was a great deal cheaper living with him than getting her own place.

  “Yes, sir. I also have a curfew, and I will make certain she’s home quite early.” Hmm, he really knew how to sweet-talk her uncle. Impressive—but Ethan had a curfew? He seemed too old for that, early twenties maybe? Turning to offer Danielle his arm, Ethan said “Shall we?”

  Staring at that arm a moment, Danielle had flashes of a regency film she watched recently. Swallowing, she hooked her hand around his bicep, and said, “Yes.” Thinking she’d never had a date behave so courtly. This certainly made all of her past dates look like barbaric cavemen.