Relief warmed me as I tucked her arm through mine and held her close as we walked. “You always see the good in me.”
“Because you are good.”
I grunted. I’d never be sure of that again.
“What happened with James?”
“We spent the rest of our time at school in a cold war with one another. I wasn’t afraid of him anymore and because of Harry, I had all the lads on the rugby team at my back. He tried at first to get to me. Then I saw him and some lads trying to tape another lad to a tree. Lesson not learned. Something came over me and I beat the utter shit out of him.”
“Good.” Her features were hard and angry. “He deserved it.”
“He did,” I agreed. “It was my second strike, though. Third and they’d expel me. But after that, James stayed out of my way. He graduated that year and my last year at the school was better. It was better for everyone without him there.”
“But you never returned to football?”
“Haven’t played a game since.”
At Lily’s silence, I glanced down at her. “What?”
“You’re punishing yourself.”
“Maybe I am.” I shrugged. “Maybe I deserve to.”
“Sebastian—”
“I don’t really want to talk about it anymore,” I cut her off, my tone soft, placating. “Please.”
Frustration lit her eyes, but she nodded. “Okay.” Then she did something that made my chest ache unbearably. She rested her head against the top of my arm, cuddling in close as we walked.
Accepting me.
Accepting my past and my truth.
And still caring about me even so.
Grateful, I pressed a kiss to the top of her head and fell into peaceful silence with her as we ambled aimlessly through Old Town.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
LILY
A Few Weeks Later
“Okay, if Thanksgiving is this bloody delicious, why aren’twedoing it every year?” Harry asked as we all pulled on our coats.
“Actually, we used to, and I believe it was the English that introduced it in North America,” I told him as I fumbled over a coat button.
“How so?”
“Thanksgiving was important during the English Reformation.”
At his blank look, I continued, “During the reign of Henry VIII.”
“Is he an ancestor of yours, then?” Maddie asked Sebastian.
He shot her a droll look.
Harry crossed the room to me. “You’re telling me we started Thanksgiving but stopped while the North Americans continued the tradition?”
