Lily’s POV.
Noah and I enter together behind Theo in the dining room with fake smiles and I see Ryan stealing glances at me as he talks with his Mom. The dining room has a big dining table with twenty seats and also a small round dining table with seven chairs.
Richard sits down and Heather takes a seat beside him. Beside Heather, Theo sits down after pulling the chair for her then Freya sits down beside Theo as Ryan pulls the chair for her. But as he goes to pull the chair for me which is next to him, Noah does that before him. I sit down as I smile at him and Noah takes a seat between me and his father while I sit down between Noah and Ryan.
Heather has made a feast for us and it really looks delicious. The maids serve us tomato soup first with croutons. As we have it, I make sure to not look at Ryan even once and talk with Noah. We talk about the farms and what type of animals are there. While I hear Richard and Heather in conversation with Theo, I hear Freya and Ryan catching up with each other.
“So you like country life too?” Noah asks.
“Yes I do. But I like the city too.” I say as I smile at him. He really is very charming.
All three brothers have black hairs like their father but different blue eyes color shades. Where Ryan’s eyes are a bit darker, Theo’s are sea blue and Noah’s are baby blue. It gets light with every child I think.
“You have beautiful eyes.” I say without thinking and feel hairs on my neck stand up as I feel Ryan’s eyes on me. So he is paying attention to me
“Thanks and yours are beautiful too.” He says with a smile and a new dish of bruschetta and green salad is placed in front of us.
“Well do you have horses too? I rode one in Vermont and I have loved them since then.” I say as I have my meal with wine.
“Yes. If you want you can visit our farm to have some more riding lessons and enjoy a short vacation too.” He says with a wink and I feel heat behind me increasing.
“I would love to come.” I say.
“Where?” Richard asks.
“Our farms, Dad. Lily likes horses. So I told her that we have beautiful breeds of them and she can visit whenever she likes.” Noah says.
“Yes you can come there any day dear. It is a beautiful place. Maybe we can all go there for a little picnic some weekend. I will let you know if a plan is made.” Richard says as he smiles at me.
“Sure.” I say as I laugh.
I almost choke at my wine when I feel Ryan’s hand on my bare knee. He caresses it then his hand starts to go up. Thank Heather for putting a big table cloth which is covering his mischief from anyone’s eyes. I finally look at him only to see him busy talking with Freya.
I look back at Noah and grab Ryan’s hand and put them away just in time for our main course of fettuccine in white sauce. It tastes very good but a bit sweet and tangy maybe because of vodka and lemon.
As I eat dinner, Ryan tries again and again to interrupt me from talking to Noah. He keeps talking to Noah and I just listen to them as Ryan’s tries to feel me up. I roll my eyes at him internally. Seriously if you really want me then just say the words. Only if we didn’t had any argument, I would literally be melting right now.
“Dessert would take a little time.” Heather as we finish dinner.
“Why don’t we take a walk in a maze?” Ryan suggests suddenly as he takes his hand back and I feel disappointed and empty about it.
“Yes it has been a while since we have been there. But first I need to use the restroom.” Freya says with a secret smile.
“Lily, wanna see something interesting then follow me.” Noah says.
“Of course but I need to use the restroom too.” I say as I get up.
“Let me show you where it is.” Heather says.
“No need, Heather. I know where the restroom is and I will help Lily too. Come Lily.” Freya says with a sweet smile.
“Sure. Thank you.” I say it in the same manner.
We take the stairs and enter a room at the end of the right side. It looks like it belongs to one of Richard’s sons and as soon as I see academic certificates and trophies, I know it is Ryan’s room. He told me about some of them but there are lots of them in the cupboard.
But rather looking at the room, I look at Freya as she freely roams around the room like it is hers. I know she is trying to tell me that she has been here and she still knows her way around here. I don’t react to it at all.
“Please go ahead.” Freya says after she comes out.
I feel a bit uncomfortable as I wash my hands. I splash some water on my face too and then come out. Maybe it is because I am irritated or jealous. I just need some fresh air.
“So you worked for Ryan for a month, huh?” Freya asks me when I come out.
“Yes.” I say.
“Well did he have any girlfriend during that time after Jess maybe?” She asks as we come out of Ryan’s room.
“I don’t know, I used to just look after his professional life, not his personal one.” I say to avoid further questions on this topic.
“Well it doesn’t matter. We are going to be together once again. I just have to start from where we left off. Our parents are already waiting for us to approach them with the news.” Freya says and keeps on blabbering but I don’t hear anymore as I focus on breathing through my mouth.
“There you both are. Let’s go.” Theo says.
“Why are you so excited?” Noah says as we go to the left side of the estate where maize is.
“Because of the bet of course.” Theo says.
“Okay. Here we are. We all will take different entrances and come out in half an hour. Don’t worry if you don’t find your way out. Just call out our names. We know this maze like the back of our hands.” Ryan says as he looks at me and I feel like he is planning something.
First Theo goes in then Ryan sends Freya in one direction after whispering something in her ears. Then Noah goes in and as soon as Ryan and I are alone, he takes my hand and goes in a totally different direction.
“What are you doing, Ryan?” I whisper to him as he takes us in one direction like he knows where he is going.
“Somewhere we can talk and you don’t get to run away before we finish.” Ryan whispers back.
“What do you want to talk about?” I ask as soon as we reach a place surrounded by trees and away from the maze.
“About us?” He says as he runs his hand in his hair.
“What about us?” I ask as I cross my arms around myself as I feel a bit nauseous.
“Where do you want us to move from here? Do you want to get married just after two months of dating?” He asks.
“No. Did you even hear what I said yesterday?” I ask as I look at him in shock.
“Then what do you want, huh? And why the hell were you talking to my brother like that? He will get the wrong idea about you.” He asks.
“Then why the hell were you talking to Freya? Wouldn’t she get the wrong idea? Oh wait a second, she already has a wrong idea or maybe right.” I say.
“What do you mean?” He asks.
“What do I mean? Well for one she is showing off to your parents that you both may get back together. Second, she thinks that you don’t have anyone in your life. And third that even if you have she will convince you to be with her and get married. And about Noah, he knows about us.” I say.
“Noah knows about us. How?” He asks in shock.
“Well he saw us riding horses and much more in Vermont. He was just trying to help me and make you realise that two can play this game. I did it as a countermeasure but you did it because you wanted to hurt me.” I say as I scratch my arm.
“No. I did not do that to hurt you, just to make you realise that we are in a good place right now and also I didn’t want Dad to get suspicious about us. You know I can’t keep my eyes or hands off you.” Ryan says sheepishly.
“Well it hurted me as I didn’t know about it. I am not some deal, Ryan. I have feelings for you which run deeper than… I don’t know how much deeper. And I wasn’t asking for marriage, no. The only thing I asked was if we were in a serious relationship. A relationship where we see ourselves going somewhere in future. Like giving keys to each or moving in or where we would have some right on each other’s life. But you are so…” I try to say but words don’t come to my mind as I don’t feel well.
“I know and I am sorry for doing something like this. I swear there is nothing between me and Freya and there won’t be anything. I promise… Why is your face getting all red and stop scratching your neck, Lily.” Ryan says as he comes closer to me.
But before he touches me, I turn away from him and empty my stomach in the bushes as Ryan’s holds my hairs back and rubs my back. I feel minor pain in my stomach and want to scratch the hell out of my body. I can’t even breathe properly and my whole mouth feels numb. Oh My God!
“Ryan, what was in that fettuccine other than lemon and vodka?” I ask in a small voice and Ryan’s eyes get bigger in shock.
“Crab sauce. Oh my goodness, Lily.” Ryan says and picks me up in his arms and starts running towards the nearest entrance of the estate.
“Crap.” I say as I lay my head on his chest and focus on my breathing.
“Meg called a doctor. There is an emergency.” Ryan says as he ascends the stairs and a maid is descending it.
“Yes, Sir.” She says and disappears.
“Everything is going to be okay, Lily. Just breathe okay. Breathe through your mouth if you can’t with your nose.” Ryan says and I do that and feel a bit better, just a bit.
“It is all my fault. If only I had not been…” Ryan says as we enter his room.
“No… it is… not.” I say with difficulty.
“Please don’t talk.” He says and lays me on his bed. There is worry in his eyes for me.
“What happened, Ryan?” I hear Heather as she comes in.
“Mom, do you still have Epi that you take for peanut allergy?” Ryan asks as he remembers something.
“Yes.” Heather says as I see Richard entering.
“Then go Mom get it. Lily needs it right now. Go.” Ryan says and Heather runs like it is a race. She really is very fit.
“What happened, Ryan?” Richard asks as he comes near the bed and looks at me with shock.
“She is getting an allergic reaction from crab sauce in that fettuccine.” Ryan says as he goes in a door which I think might be his closet.
“But I thought she was allergic to shrimp.” Richard says.
“Well she does have that and also she doesn’t like seafood but I never knew that she had a crabs allergy too.” Ryan says.
“Me too. Lily, you are going to be fine.” Richard says and I see fatherly concern in his eyes.
I take his hand in mine and squeeze it. I go to scratch my face but Richard stops me and holds both my hands in his. Ryan comes out of the closet with clothes in his hands and looks at me. I may look horrible, that is why he is flinching.
“Dad called Theo to let him know that we are not there otherwise they would start looking for us. And where is Mom? And the doctor?” Ryan asks.
“You hold her hands, Ryan. I will go see where everyone is.” Richard says.
“Okay, Dad.” Ryan says as he takes Richard’s place on the bed beside me and Richard runs out of the room.
“Give me the mirror.” I ask.
“Why?” Ryan asks as he loosens the belt of my dress.
“Do I look… not good?” I ask as he lifts my skirt upto upper thigh and still covers me properly.
“No. But it is because of redness but your eyes are shining out for sure. Please don’t scratch yourself and hold the sheets tightly if you feel like it.” Ryan says as he picks up his shorts and makes me wear it.
I feel my eyes getting wet but try to control myself whining in pain and frustration and also how I might be looking. But Ryan is not even a bit disgusted. I thought he flinched before but I think he was just worried about my condition. I feel my breathing getting short and I get panicked as it happens.
“Here it is.” Heather says as she comes in the room running and stabs me with it in the middle of the outer side of my left thigh.
“Right on time, Mom.” Ryan says as he hugs her and looks at me. And I could swear on my life that I see unshed tears in his eyes as he sighs in relief.
As I relax and start to go to sleep I hear Ryan saying, “Mom, we have changed her dress and made her wear this so her skin doesn’t feel itchy.”
“The doctor is here…” Someone says but I slip away.
***Ryan’s POV.***
“She is fine now and out of danger. If she hadn’t taken Epi at the right time and waited for me she might not be with us. I will write some medicine for nausea and rashes. And make sure she keeps Epi with her all the time as she is allergic to crab and shrimp, she could be allergic to any kind of seafood. So it is better that she never eats it.” Our family doctor Mr. Miller says as he writes down something on a small piece of paper and gives it to Dad.
“As you say Doc. Let me walk you outside.” Dad says and takes the doctor with him.
Mr. Miller came in time to see Lily and checked her up. The Epi worked fastly and Lily’s condition is much better now. Her face is not that red anymore and her breathing is normal too. I panicked at the last second when she was struggling and thought that we were going to be too late but Mom came just in time and didn’t wait for me and gave Lily the dose.
My Mom has a severe allergy to peanuts and always keeps Epi with her in case she has an emergency. We never make anything out of peanuts and it is banned from this house. I have to make sure Lily always has two Epi in her purse and others in her apartment.
Lily is not the only one to have deep feelings for me, I have feelings for her too. And I realised today that they are much more than that. If something had happened to her today, I would have regretted hurting her and I would not have been able to forgive myself. It scared the hell out of me.
I make a decision in my head and call Sarah.