Parchment & Pearls

29. Just Propelling Into Total Darkness...You Know, The Usual

Chapter 29

Just Propelling Into Total Darkness...You Know, The Usual

Drake and I didn't say anything about what happened with Vince until it was just the two of us, Cruz, Emmy, and John. We kept it quiet until the chaos of everyone leaving was over. Helping with luggage, loading up the cars, and giving hugs and kisses occupied my mind for a few hours.

It was later that day that we got them into the office to tell them. Emmy was just about as disgusted as I was.

"Five years hasn't changed him much, huh?" she grimaced. "I swear, if he gets his hands on you..."

"He won't, Em," Drake told her. "There's no way I'm letting that happen."

The look the three of them gave us then...well, it didn't help that Drake was holding my hand and keeping me close to his side.

They weren't surprised at what Vince wanted Drake to do, even saying how it made sense because of how...close...we were. I wanted to groan, wondering just how long they'd known about what was going on with me and Drake. Cruz had undoubtedly been hearing it from the guy himself over the last few years and Emmy and John...well, I told Em, who in turn told John. No secrets, just like they'd told me time and time again.

As for Drake and I...well, nothing had really happened between the two of us, which I was surprisingly fine with. My break up with Beau was still fresh and, no matter how much I wanted to, it wouldn't seem right to jump into a new relationship. I didn't even have to tell Drake this. One look when he'd leaned in to kiss me later that night before I went to bed told him everything.

"Slow, Hattie," he said, smiling as he tugged at the end of my hair. "We'll take it slow."

"I'm sorry," I sighed. "It's just...with Beau...and everything with the book and the tunnels...well..."

Drake leaned in to press a kiss to my forehead. "I've been waiting for you for years, Hattie, so it's up to you whenever you want this. It won't kill me to wait a little longer. Take the time you need. You'll know where to find me."

At that, I raised an eyebrow. "So far, you haven't really left my side."

He grinned, giving me a wink as he walked backward down the hallway away from me. "Exactly."

***

For the next few days, we were doing more and more research about the tunnels under Seward House, looking through all of the books for any indication of what they could be hiding. There was only a short passage about them on how and where they were built, but not what they were built for. And there was only one way to find out what they held.

So when I cleared my throat to get their attention at the breakfast table one morning, all their eyes went to me.

"I want to go down into the tunnels...tomorrow," I said as calmly as I could, though I was anything but.

And that got me quite a few looks.

Emmy looked surprised, but mostly worried. "You can't be serious. We don't know what's down there."

"Which is why I need to go."

John looked...not so surprised. "Of course, you want to. And I think you should."

"She can't go by herself. She needs..." Emmy started, but he cut her off.

"If you weren't pregnant, you'd want to go down there with her, Emmy love. You wouldn't care about the dangers."