Two Hearts

Grandmother's Arrival

Daniel's POV

I felt something moving. Trying to escape. At first, my grip tightened instinctively. Then my eyes flew open.

Laura.

I was literally holding Laura tightly against me while she was trying to wriggle free from my arms. I released her immediately and practically launched myself out of bed.

"Um... sorry, I..." I started, but somehow words completely abandoned me.

I turned toward the closet, intending to grab some clothes. Instead, I walked straight into the doorframe.

Damn it. Daniel, you i***t.

I cursed myself internally and disappeared into the closet.

What the hell was that? Had I unconsciously wrapped my arms around Laura during the night and pulled her close? Why? Why the hell would I do that?

I'd slept beside hundreds of women over the years. Hotels. Club penthouses. Luxury suites. Most of the time I left before sunrise. Sometimes I stayed until morning and quietly slipped away afterward.

But I had never, not once, pulled someone into my arms while sleeping. I had never held someone like that.

I was so distracted that I grabbed the first shirt I found and put it on inside out.

"Damn it." I yanked it off and threw it onto a chair.

Get yourself together, Daniel.

I finally got dressed and lingered in the closet for another minute. The moment I heard Laura disappear into the bathroom, I seized the opportunity and escaped downstairs.

On my way to the kitchen, I nearly tripped over my own feet. I was fully aware that I was behaving like a complete i***t.

I made coffee. First for myself. Then for Laura. By the time it was ready, I heard her coming downstairs.

I did my best to act as if absolutely nothing had happened. The moment she entered the kitchen, I handed her a mug.

"Coffee?"

She accepted it slowly. And gave me a suspicious look.

"Thank you."

I nodded. Then, because I still felt awkward as hell, I cleared my throat.

"I have a few things to take care of in my office." And immediately disappeared.

The truth?

I had absolutely nothing to do. I just felt uncomfortable around her. For the first time in years.

Once inside my office, I dropped into my chair and dragged both hands over my face. Why? Why?

That was the only question running through my mind.

Ever since Elina, I hadn't held anyone like that. Not consciously. Not unconsciously. Not even by accident. And certainly not while sleeping.

The whole thing was absurd.

But I didn't have much time to dwell on it. My phone started ringing.

The screen flashed: Father. I sighed and answered.

"Yes?"

"Hello, son. I just wanted to let you know that my mother will arrive around six o'clock. We'll be at your house around seven, just in time for dinner." His voice sounded far too cheerful.

"Fine. Understood."

A pause.

"Is something wrong?"

"No. Everything's fine."

He clearly didn't believe me.

"Did you take care of everything?"

Of course. Always straight to the point.

"Yes, Father."

Silence. Then he waited. I sighed.

"We're sleeping in the same room. Happy now?"

His satisfaction was immediate.

"Excellent. Then I have nothing to worry about."

Of course he didn't. I rolled my eyes.

"Oh, and tell Laura my mother prefers meat dishes. She hates fish and seafood."

"Yes, of course." Before he could continue, I ended the call.

Breakfast passed surprisingly quietly. Laura didn't mention what had happened. Didn't ask questions. Didn't make comments. I pretended I knew nothing.

I told everyone about Father's call. About their arrival time. About Grandmother's food preferences.

Laura simply nodded.

"Okay."

And that was it. No arguments. No sarcastic comments.

Nothing.

For some reason, that bothered me more than it should have. She suddenly felt more distant than ever. And that scared me.

More than waking up with her in my arms.

The rest of the day passed in a rush. Laura had everyone working. Even me.

Which, admittedly, I found amusing at first. Right up until I saw the look she gave me. A look that clearly promised death if I laughed again. So naturally, I stopped laughing.

Immediately.

Everyone had a task. Cleaning. Organizing. Moving things around. Making sure everything looked perfect.

Laura wanted the house to make the right impression - Elegant. But still warm. Family-oriented. Not too formal. Not too casual.

Honestly?

I completely understood. Grandmother had a talent for finding fault in absolutely everything. Especially when something wasn't done the way she liked.

I already knew she'd have comments. The only question was how many.

And despite everything, I found myself thinking the same thing over and over. If she said something cruel to Laura, I'd step in. Immediately.

The realization caught me off guard.

Protect her. Support her. Stand beside her. Why did those thoughts come so naturally now? Had I actually developed feelings for the woman who had barged into my life completely uninvited?

"Daniel." Laura's voice pulled me from my thoughts.

I looked up. She was standing a few feet away, arms crossed.

"Yes?"

"You've been cleaning the same spot for five minutes."

I looked down. She was right. I had.

"I think it's clean enough."

A reluctant smile tugged at my lips.

"Probably."

I moved on before she could catch me staring into space again.

By five o'clock, the house looked perfect. Everything sparkled. Everything was in place. Yet somehow it still felt warm and lived in.

The children had disappeared upstairs to finish the last of their homework before school tomorrow.

I was just about to head upstairs myself for a quick shower and a change of clothes when I heard something - Sniffling.

At first I wasn't sure where it was coming from. I stopped. Listened. Then slowly turned toward the kitchen.

Laura?

Please don't tell me... Without another thought, I walked inside.

And there she was. Leaning against the counter. Crying.

My heart dropped. I crossed the room in two strides. My first instinct was to protect her. Which was becoming increasingly difficult to explain to myself.

"What happened?" I asked immediately. "Are you okay?"

Laura wiped at her eyes.

"I can't do this, Daniel."

More tears followed.

"I just can't."

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing is working. Nothing. Everything I'm making feels wrong." She shook her head. "I'm so stupid."

Before I even thought about it, I reached for her. Turned her toward me. And wrapped my arms around her. Holding her tightly. One hand slid into her hair as I gently stroked her head. The action was completely instinctive. Pure reflex.

"It'll be okay." My voice came out softer than I expected. "Everything will be fine."

At first, her entire body tensed.

Then slowly... She relaxed.

I kept holding her. Letting her cry. Letting the pressure leave her system. Because that's what this was - Stress. Fear. Pressure. Too much of all three.

Laura looked strong. She acted strong. But underneath it all, she was still human.

And humans eventually break.

I pulled back slightly and tilted her chin upward.

God.

She looked tiny standing in front of me. I brushed away her tears. Then offered her a crooked smile. Trying to make her feel even a little better.

"You think this is easy for me?"

A watery laugh escaped her.

"What?"

"I honestly think it'd be easier to jump out of a plane than face my grandmother." That earned an actual laugh.

"There is something wrong with you."

"Probably." I nodded. "Think about it."

She rolled her eyes.

"I don't want to."

"Complete freedom. Weightlessness. Just you and your decisions."

Laura laughed again. A real laugh this time. Mission accomplished.

And strangely enough, my first thought was that I should take her skydiving someday. I'd done it several times. I was willing to bet she'd never done it once.

I wiped away the last traces of tears from her cheeks. And then...

I don't know why. I leaned forward. And kissed her.

Barely.

It wasn't really a kiss. More like...

A brush of lips. A promise. A reassurance. Something. Whatever it was, it confused me more than I could explain.

"Daniel, I—"

I stopped her gently.

"Shh." I shook my head. "Everything will be fine."

I looked directly into her eyes.

"I know you'll do great." And I meant it. "Your food is amazing. Nobody can compete with you."

She smiled weakly.

"Just stop thinking about my grandmother." I squeezed her hand. "Think about it like every other dinner we've had."

A pause. Then she nodded.

"Okay."

"I'll try."

"Good."

I smiled.

"I'm going to take a quick shower and get changed." Then I pointed toward the dining room. "And when I come back, I'll help set the table. Deal?"

"Deal."

She still didn't sound completely convinced. But she sounded better. And that was enough.

Reluctantly, I let her go and headed upstairs. In a little while, we'd all be facing the inevitable.

By the time I came back downstairs, Laura seemed to have pulled herself together. The kitchen smelled incredible. Roasted meat. Fresh herbs. Warm bread.

The kind of smells that made a house feel like a home.

I immediately joined her in setting the table. The clock already showed 6:45 PM. And knowing my father, there was a very good chance they would arrive early.

I was right.

I had barely finished arranging the last set of cutlery when the doorbell rang.

Laura looked up. Her face had gone pale again. I caught her eye and gave her a thumbs-up.

You can do this.

Then I headed for the front door. Toward whatever fate was waiting for me on the other side.

The moment I opened the door, Grandmother Elizabeth—Liza to everyone brave enough to call her that—threw her arms around me.

"Daniel, darling!" I barely had time to react. "It's been ages since I've seen you!"

She stepped back and looked me over.

"My dear boy, how wonderful of you to welcome your father's mother into your home."

I suppressed a smile. I knew perfectly well she hated it when I called her Grandma. Which was exactly why I continued doing it.

"Grandma."

The look she gave me was immediate. Sharp. Deadly.

"Daniel." Her voice turned serious."How many times must I remind you not to call me that?"

I grinned. Her eyes narrowed. Then, suddenly, her attention shifted.

She inhaled deeply.

"Oh my." Another breath. "What is that wonderful smell?"

"Laura's making dinner," I answered. "Everything should be ready soon."

I glanced toward my father. He looked exhausted.

As though Liza had spent the entire journey reminding him what a terrible son he was for not visiting often enough.

Which was ironic considering she'd chosen to spend most of the year living in warm countries surrounded by admirers.

"Oh, Erik." Liza's expression softened. "Doesn't that smell familiar?"

Father froze. I did too. Because I already knew where this was going.

"It reminds me of..." She paused. A shadow crossed her face. "Sarah."

My mother. Of course. The same thought had crossed my mind months ago when Laura first moved into the house. The smell. The warmth. The feeling.

It all reminded me of Mom.

Laura greeted them both with a warm smile. She welcomed Liza with a light hug and immediately made her feel at home.

Within minutes, everyone was seated at the dining table. And the table itself looked impressive. Several warm meat dishes. Fresh salads. Side dishes. Appetizers.

Everything beautifully arranged.

It looked like enough food to feed a small army.

Before sitting down herself, Laura went upstairs to get the children. The moment she disappeared, Liza looked toward me. Then toward the kitchen. Then back at me.

"She's lovely."

I frowned.

"What makes you say that?"

Liza looked genuinely surprised by the question.

"Look around." She gestured toward the house. "The house is spotless."

She pointed toward the dining table.

"The food smells heavenly." Then she smiled. "Everything is prepared. Everything is organized."

She shrugged.

"What more could a man want?"

I opened my mouth. Then closed it again. Unfortunately, she wasn't finished.

"My neighbor's daughter-in-law is completely useless," she continued. "She does nothing. Everything is left to the staff. Staff this, staff that."

I exchanged a look with my father. He looked just as trapped as I felt. Neither of us dared interrupt.

Dinner went surprisingly smoothly.

Liza asked questions. But mostly harmless ones. General things. Nothing too dangerous.

Even the children behaved unusually well. Which immediately made me suspicious. I was fairly certain Laura had bribed them beforehand.

The thought made me laugh. Unfortunately, Laura noticed. And immediately kicked me under the table.

Hard.

Then came the death stare. I quickly focused on my plate. Sometimes survival instincts were important.

After dinner, the children disappeared upstairs. The rest of us moved into the living room.

Laura brought coffee. Mini cakes. Chocolate. Cookies. Various sweets. I genuinely had no idea when she'd managed to organize all of this.

Looking around, I could tell Liza was pleased. Actually pleased. And for the first time all day, I felt myself relax. Maybe this wouldn't be as bad as I'd expected. Maybe we'd survive this visit after all.

Then disaster struck.

Laura handed everyone their coffee. And out of pure habit, sat down on the opposite end of the sofa. As far away from me as physically possible.

I immediately saw Liza notice. She didn't comment. But she noticed. Which was somehow worse.

So I took matters into my own hands. I stood up, picked up my coffee mug, and moved to the seat directly beside Laura. Close enough that our shoulders almost touched. Then I placed my hand lightly on her knee.

She froze. Only for a second. But I felt it. Then she relaxed.

"Sweetheart," I said casually, "why don't you tell Liza how we met?" I smiled. "I think she'd enjoy hearing the story."

Laura shot me a look. One that clearly promised revenge later. Then she began telling the version of the story we'd agreed upon beforehand.

The evening continued smoothly after that. At least from my perspective. Every now and then Laura looked at me. And every time she did, I tried to reassure her with a smile. A look. Anything that said: Everything's fine. You're doing great.

Eventually, the evening came to an end.

I helped clean up. Then showed Liza to one of the guest bedrooms.

"Well, my dear boy," she announced dramatically, "I'm going to bed."

She sighed. "It was a very long flight." Then placed a hand over her chest. "And I require a full night of beauty sleep."

Before I could answer, she closed the bedroom door directly in my face. I stared at it. Then laughed.

Some things never changed.

When I returned downstairs, Father was sitting alone with a glass of whiskey.

"Rough evening?" I asked with a grin.

He snorted.

"For me or for you?"

I frowned.

"What does that mean?"

Father took another sip. Then looked at me.

"While you and Laura were in the kitchen, my mother asked me several questions."

I immediately felt uneasy.

"What kind of questions?"

He gave me a look.

"The dangerous kind."

I groaned.

"Father."

He ignored me.

"She wanted to know why Laura sat so far away from you."

My stomach dropped.

"Then she asked whether the two of you had argued."

I closed my eyes. Of course she had.

"And then?"

Father's expression turned thoughtful.

"And then she asked if maybe the two of you had only recently fallen in love."

My eyes snapped open.

"What?"

"Her exact words."

He pointed his glass at me.

"'Because that's the way they look at each other.'"

Silence. Complete silence.

For the first time that evening, I felt genuinely nervous. Maybe this game wasn't going as smoothly as I'd hoped.

Because Grandmother clearly saw far more than either Laura or I wanted her to.