Chapter 54
Amelia’s POV
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The drive to Brixton Park was quieter than I expected. The city stretched out beyond the car window, wide streets, people hurrying to work, buses stopping at corners, and the crisp London air brushing past like a soft whisper. Edmund sat beside me in the back seat, scrolling through his phone, his expression unreadable as always.
For someone who had kept me awake half the night, not literally, but in my thoughts, he looked disgustingly calm. Meanwhile, I could still feel the ghost of that dream clinging to my skin.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw it again, his hands on me, the warmth of his breath against my neck, the way his voice said my name right before I woke up. I’d woken up panting, cursing myself, wondering if the universe was punishing me for not knowing how to draw emotional boundaries.
Because, seriously, how was I supposed to face him after dreaming of doing that with him?
I folded my hands together tightly, trying to focus on the passing view outside. “So,” I finally said, just to distract myself from the awkward silence. “You said the setup should be almost done?”
He hummed, still looking at his phone. “Yeah. The tents arrived early this morning. The medical supplies are
space allocation.” being arranged by the volunteers. The Brixton council also sent their team to assist with
I nodded. “And the doctors?”
“They’re already at the park,” he said, finally looking at me. “Dr. Stevens is leading the medical tent layout. Patrick’s handling logistics.”
“Oh.” I tried not to sound too tense at the mention of Dr. Stevens. The last time we spoke, he’d sensed something was off with me, and he wasn’t wrong.
I took a deep breath and forced a polite smile. “Sounds like everything’s under control then.”
He smirked slightly. “You doubted me?”
“Always,” I replied before I could stop myself.
His lips curved into something between a grin and a challenge. “You haven’t changed at all.”
I turned to the window again, pretending I didn’t hear that. But the truth was, I’d changed more than he’d ever known. My world had flipped upside down since he left, since us.
When we reached the park, I was surprised by how alive it already was. Bright white tents lined the green field, banners fluttering in the wind. “Brixton Health Fair 2025: Free Checkups, Hope for All.”
People in scrubs and branded shirts hurried across the grounds, carrying boxes, setting up tables, unwrapping first–aid kits. The faint smell of freshly cut grass mixed with the scent of coffee and morning air.
I climbed out of the car, brushing invisible wrinkles off my trousers. “It looks good,” I said softly, scanning the
site.
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Chapter 54
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“It’s coming together,” Edmund said beside me, slipping his hands into his pockets. The sunlight caught the edge of his jaw, and I hated that my heart reacted to something as simple as that.
We started walking down the main line of tents. Every step felt heavier than it should, maybe because the air between us had that same unsaid pull, something unspoken but too loud to ignore.
One of the volunteers waved at me. “Dr. Garcia!”
I smiled and waved back, then bent down to help them arrange the boxes of gloves. “Be careful with those,” I said. “We’ll need extras for the pediatric section.”
“Yes, ma’am,” the girl said cheerfully before running off.
I straightened and found Edmund watching me, not in that businesslike way he often did, but softer. Curious. Maybe even nostalgic.
“What?” I asked.
He shrugged, smiling faintly. “You’re in your element here.”
I laughed under my breath. “You mean bossing people around?”
He chuckled. “That too.” Then, after a moment, his tone shifted, lower, almost thoughtful. “But no… I meant, this suits you. Helping people. Being out here.”
The way he said it, like he meant it, like he saw me, it stirred something in me I wasn’t ready for.
I turned to face one of the tents instead. “Let’s just hope the turnout matches the preparation.”
“It will,” he said simply. “It always does.”
We continued walking, stopping at the blood donation station, then the pediatric section, where some nurses were setting up colorful banners for the kids. One of them ran up to me to ask about the arrangement of the diagnostic tables, and before I knew it, I was giving instructions again.
By the time I was done, the sun was higher, and a soft breeze danced through the park.
When I turned around, Edmund was talking to Patrick. His voice was calm, commanding, the same man who had built an empire from nothing, who led people effortlessly.
But when his gaze caught mine, something shifted.
He excused himself and walked back to me. “You’ve been working since we got here. Take a break.”
“I’m fine.”
“Amelia.” His tone carried that bossy edge I hated, and secretly missed. “Sit. Down.”
I sighed, crossing my arms. “You’re not my boss.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Technically, I am. At least for this outreach.”
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Chapter 54
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I stared at him, trying not to laugh. “You’re impossible.”
He grinned. “You’ve told me that before.”
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I found a bench under a tree and sat down anyway, mostly because my legs were beginning to ache. He joined me, and for a moment, it almost felt… normal.
We watched the crew continue setting up, the sound of laughter, music testing from one of the speakers, the chatter of volunteers. The calm before the storm of the actual event.
“This is going to be huge,” I said quietly.
“It already is,” he replied. Then, after a pause, “You did good work, Amelia.”
That surprised me. I turned to him, arching a brow. “Did you just… compliment me?”
He chuckled, leaning back. “Don’t let it get to your head.”
“Too late.”
He smiled, that rare, genuine kind of smile that made his eyes soften. It made something inside me ache in a way I didn’t want to admit.
For a while, we just sat there, two people with too much history, pretending we were just colleagues sharing a view.
But it didn’t last long.
Patrick came over, holding a clipboard. “Sir, the catering team just confirmed delivery for tomorrow’s opening. We’ll have lunch tents and refreshment booths ready by nine.”
“Perfect,” Edmund said, taking the clipboard and signing off.
Patrick nodded to me politely before walking off again.
When I looked back at Edmund, he was still focused on the papers, but his jaw had that familiar tension.
“Everything okay?” I asked.
He hesitated before replying. “Vikki’s been calling since morning.”
Ah. Of course.
I tried not to react. “You should probably call her back.”
He exhaled, staring at the clipboard like it held answers to things it never could. “Yeah. I will.”
His voice sounded… tired. Not the kind of tired you fix with sleep, but the kind that came from pretending too long.
I wanted to say something, anything, but before I could, one of the nurses called out, “Dr. Garcia! We need
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Chapter 54
you at the vitals tent!”
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I jumped up instantly. “On my way!”
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He stood too. “I’ll meet you later. We’ll check the main tent before heading back to the hotel.”
“Got it.”
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As I hurried off, I could still feel his eyes following me, and that strange flutter returned, that same dangerous, confusing ache that I didn’t know how to name anymore.
By the time the day wound down, the sun had begun to sink behind the rooftops, casting everything in warm gold. The team was packing up the leftover supplies and marking spots for tomorrow’s booths. I was exhausted but satisfied. Everything looked perfect.
When we got back to the hotel, I was ready to collapse. But as soon as I stepped into the elevator beside him, that quiet tension returned, the kind that made me hyper–aware of every breath, every movement.
I leaned back against the wall, crossing my arms. “So… long day.”
He glanced at me, smiling faintly. “And it’s only the beginning.”
I sighed dramatically. “Remind me why I agreed to this again?”
He tilted his head. “Because deep down, you like working with me.”
I laughed, shaking my head. “You really never change.”
“And yet,” he murmured, his gaze holding mine, “you’re still here.”
The elevator dinged open before I could think of a comeback.
We stepped out, both pretending the silence didn’t mean anything.
But it did.
It meant everything.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
