Maybe the difference between the two situations didn't look huge on paper. Hell, he doubted he'd be able to spend too many nights without her in his arms. But Ryan knew how important it was that neither of them be forced into behaving in a manner that clashed too drastically with their culture and backgrounds. Jacob Stillwater's arrangements had allowed that to happen. He already knew that Hope was the woman for him and that nothing was going to change that.
Still ... it would be nice to have things evolve in their own time.
He leaned forward and spoke to Hope quietly. "I only belong in the mansion if and when you want me there, honey. I have my own condo, you know."
> A small smile tugged at her lush lips even though she still looked flabbergasted. "Ryan,"
she chastised with a smile. "Of course I want you there."
He suspected from the gleam in her midnight eyes and the brilliance of her smile that the advantages of the situation weren't lost on her, though.
"It's amazing, isn't it? All of it.. . it's just amazing," she murmured.
Ryan squeezed her hand tightly. It was amazing all right. In fact, there was one other awe-inspiring fact that he hadn't yet told her. He glanced over to an ebullient-looking Jacob Stillwater and back to Hope. But she'd find out the truth for herself when she was back in the year 2008. With him. Where she belonged.
THIRTY
Ryan stalked back and forth nervously in the entry hall clutching his cell phone in his hand. He'd told Hope to call him from the car on her way home from Alistair's. "Warren, Alistair's driver, had assured them she could use his phone on the drive back from Alistair's Morgan Park estate.
She hadn't quite mastered the cell phone yet, however. She either disconnected after shouting in his ear, "Ryan, are you there? Ryan, can you hear me?" or else remained connected for extended periods while she bemoaned the fact to Warren that the cell phone didn't seem to work for her, and Warren—jovial and infinitely patient as he was—saying at one point, "No, no, stop pushing down on that button," and Hope replying, "Well, you said to press it, Warren!"
So other than knowing that Hope was on her way home and that cell phone tutorials were high on his to-do list, he had no idea how things went between Hope and Alistair.
They'd returned to Ryan's time following a special evening spent with Jacob Stillwater.
Hope had played the piano and to Ryan's untrained ear, she'd done so with the skill of a concert pianist. Who knew how many talents and skills she possessed that he'd never considered?
Nice, though, to think of discovering each new treasure of Hope's personality and history one by one.
As it'd grown late Hope became more and more subdued, letting Jacob and Ryan hash out many of the details of his will and the transference of Hope's estate through history.
When Jacob finally said it was time for them to go, Ryan had told Hope he would wait for her in the hallway and left father and daughter to say their good-byes. A short while later Jacob had come out of the ballroom and softly closed the door. His eyes found Ryan's shadow in the dim hallway and he'd approached.
"You will take good care of my daughter," Jacob had declared instead of asked.
"I will."
Ryan needed no interpretation for Jacob Stillwater's searching, anxious stare.
Jacob nodded. "I sense the truth of this but it's still difficult for an old man to accept."
"What you said, sir ... about what caused the connection between Hope's time and my own: You were right. It was love. I don't know how. I don't know why. But it was," Ryan assured quietly.
A warm smile had spread over Jacob's face, even as his tall, thin body seemed to wilt slightly with his outgoing breath. "Hard to let her go. Very hard. But it must be so for all parents when their child leaves the roost."
"She'll be right here. She'll never be far from you."
Jacob had nodded. "Yes. I sense that's true. And I also sense she'll be happy there in your time. She always wanted a grand adventure. I'm envious of her, actually. It's quite a daring feat for her, but my daughter has never been short on courage or determination. Can be a bit headstrong at times, however."
Ryan had smiled. "I've noticed that about her."
After Jacob had departed, Ryan had found Hope standing alone in the ballroom, trying bravely to appear as though she hadn't been crying. They'd been able to return to the twenty-first century without incident merely by closing their eyes and imagining being there in the house together. It had been five o'clock in the morning when they'd returned.
Ryan was careful this time to check his cell phone date, and indeed, they'd lost not only several hours but also a day and night on top of it. He'd grimaced when he realized he had to get up for work in the morning.
One look at Hope's pale face and he'd insisted she get ready for bed. It'd been so hard on her to leave her father.
Hopefully this final piece of the puzzle would help her to feel more comfortable here in the year 2008, Ryan thought presently as he glanced out a window and saw a car pulling up to the curb.