Ryder
FRANZ SCHUBERT — IMPROMPTU NO. 3 IN G-FLAT MAJOR, D. 899
We wrap up with the police and paramedics while Lily’s family stays at a distance. Adam reports back to the family so Lily doesn’t have to explain everything again. He still seems uneasy about me, but at least he’s allowing my presence and giving Lily freedom to make her choice.
After the formalities are done, Lily looks completely drained. We make our way over to her family, and Henry is the first one to wrap her in a hug. “I’m so, so sorry,” he murmurs into her hair, holding the back of her head.
“It’s not your fault,” she says, her voice muffled against his chest.
He pulls her back and holds her shoulders, stooping his head down to meet her eye level. “In a way, it is. We’ve held you back for so long. I should have said something to prevent Mr. Calhoun from taking so much control, but we’ve all been so afraid.” His eyes glass over with emotion. “What we feared happened, but you’re still here.” His eyes shift over to me. “Because of Ryder.”
Lily sniffs and blinks, two tears trailing down her cheeks.She looks over at me with pure love in her eyes. “Yes. Because of Ryder.”
My chest feels tight, and I swallow the emotion down hard. “Anything for Lily.”
Henry releases Lily’s shoulders and holds a hand out for me to shake. It’s not just a greeting, or a way for him to acknowledge me. It’s a symbol of respect and new beginnings. I put my hand in his, making sure to grip it firmly, but the smile on his face is in stark contrast to the glare he had the last time he shook my hand, when we met at the Flower Festival.
“Okay, so we’re happy with Ryder now?” Peter’s voice sounds from behind Henry.
I snort a laugh and take a peek at my friend behind his brother. “I sure hope so.”
“What a relief,” Peter says, grabbing me in a bro-hug and slapping my back. “I’ve been trying to tell them you’re not that bad.”
“Sure you have,” I reply, pulling away from him. “Or maybe you’ve been ignoring everyone, the way you’ve ignored every one of my calls for the last nine months.”
Peter has the decency to look a little ashamed. As much as I wish he could have had my back with his family, I know who Peter is.
Lily’s father steps up next and shakes my hand. “Thank you,” he says, his voice softer than his sons’. “And I’m sorry.”
“I’d do anything for her,” I reply.
“All right, we all love each other now,” Peter calls, clapping his hands together. “I think it’s time we got out of here and had some fun. Let’s go eat!”
Lily looks at me, her eyes lined with exhaustion.
“Peter,” I say, my voice low. “I don’t know if that’s what Lily needs right now.”
Lily loops her hand through my arm, resting on my bicep. “Ithink I need a break.” She looks at her brother and says, “But we can get breakfast in the morning.”
Peter reluctantly agrees, and altogether, her family and I walk her to her apartment building, which is just a few steps away from the theater. Lily says goodbye to her father, Henry, and Peter, but Adam and Isabelle hang back an extra minute. When the rest of the family has gone, Adam stares at me and Lily, stone-faced. I don’t know why he’s waiting around now. Is he finally going to beat me up? But he wouldn’t do that in front of Isabelle and Lily, right?
Isabelle nudges Adam. “Come on, now,” she says to him.
He looks at me. “I’m sorry,” he says, his voice gruff and hesitant, but he still said it.
I raise a brow at him. “Really?”
He glares at me, but then he sighs, and his stony expression falls. “Really. I may have taken things too far, especially in trusting Mr. Calhoun, and for that I apologize.”
“Maybe?” Lily says, standing by my side. “You tore away the one person who cared about me.”
“One person?” Adam’s voice sounds pained. “He wasn’t the only one, Lily. We all cared about you—we still do. But you have to understand how suspicious we were—” Isabelle smacks him on the shoulder. “Fine. How suspiciousIwas of Ryder’s intentions.”
“I know it looked bad,” I reply. “But if you’d taken the time to get to know me instead of overreacting, I think you would have seen the difference.”
He looks at me and gives a reluctant nod. “You’re probably right.”
“So can we move forward now?” Lily asks, the hope clear in her voice. “Together?”
