“You need to be alone and talk everything out. And when the kids are around, it’s hard for her to focus on anything else. They’re with Dad tonight so, for once, she has no worries. I’m supposed to pick her up. I think you should pick her up instead. I’ll text Vi and tell her to give Lily the keys so Lily can lock up. You two can stay in the shop and talk it out.”
“Thanks, Cade. And just so you know, I won’t hurt her again. I didn’t mean to before?—”
“I know you didn’t. We all get it. Hell, I might have even done the same thing in your place. I just wish you would have come to us, any of us. You’re family, Luke. You shouldn’t have been alone all that time. None of that shit again. Right?”
“Right. Thanks for the advice.”
“It’ll work. Plus, once she’s settled in Sweetbriar again, comfortable and back in a routine, that will help, too. She’s finding her footing, but she’ll come around.”
“She’s been through a lot,” I mused. “Should I back off?”
Cade shook his head. “No, you need each other, at least as friends. Don’t give up on her again. You should know better by now, right?”
“You’re right, I guess.” This conversation took me back to the first time I saw her after she moved back, when Liam had said similar things. I nodded decisively at Cade. “You’re absolutely right. I won’t give up on her. Never again.” But I wouldn’t push her. There was a difference betweennot giving up on someone and being a pushy bastard. I had to be careful not to cross that line.
“That’s more like it.”
We ate our burgers and talked about innocuous things until his phone pinged with a text from Lily. “Showtime,” he said with a grin. “Go get your girl.”
Chapter 12
Lily
“Thanks for helping me clean up, Lily.”
I placed the broom back into Violet’s utility closet with a humph. Who knew a bunch of book-clubbing people could be so sloppy? My idea of a classy, intellectual group of readers gathering to discuss literature was forever tainted by Violet’s book club. Sure, they’d discussed books for about half of the meeting, which was somewhat enriching, but the rest of the time was spent on gossiping and arguing. Basically, I loved it, and I was never going to miss a meeting.
“No problem, Vi.”
Violet’s phone pinged with a text message. She looked up at me, then back at her phone. “Any chance you could lock up? Finn needs me. Cade is picking you up, right? Just set the alarm when you leave, okay? Thanks, Lily, you’re a doll.” She tossed me the keys and rushed out the back.
What the heck? “Uh, okay, bye,” I said to the empty store. I took out my phone, sent Cade a text, then I sat at a table by the window to wait. As I stared out at the darkness, a shudder ran through my body. Looking out a window into the dark night was a bad idea. I was not just afraid of the dark; I was afraid Iwould see someone peeking back at me. Which was why when I saw someone walk to the door out of the corner of my eye, I jumped out of my chair and knocked it over as I stood up. I choked back a scream when I saw the knob turn.
Get a grip. It’s just Cade.
I shook it off and peeked through the blinds. It was Luke. I quickly unlocked the door and opened it. Fear of a different kind crawled over me. The determined look on his face told me that we were about to get serious. He smiled at me and stepped past me to enter the shop. I guess we weren’t leaving. “Hey, Luke.”
“I saw Cade at Holloway’s. He has to work early, so he asked me to pick you up so he could go home and crash.”
I nodded, but I knew it was more than that. My family was fully aware of my tendency to avoid upsetting anyone, especially myself. It was only a matter of time before they all started interfering. “Okay, should we go? I have to set the alarm.” I started to head for the door.
He caught my hand and tugged gently. I felt that touch, the small pressure from my hand in his and I felt iteverywhere. Removing my hand from his grasp, I faced him.
“Let’s talk first. Please?” He tried to catch my eyes.
I managed to avoid his gaze. Every time I caught his eyes, I could see things I wasn’t willing to face yet, even though I knew I should. “We can talk. For a bit.” I moved across the store and chose a table away from the windows, near the couch in the back.
He sat across from me in a chair. “Why is this so hard?” A sad smile crossed his face, and I immediately felt guilty for making this so difficult for him.
“Because it means so much? I guess I haven’t made this easy for you. I’m sorry, Luke.”
“Don’t apologize to me, Lily. I don’t deserve it. This should be hard.” His jaw clenched as his eyes burned into mine.
I looked down at the table. Snatching up a napkin, Itwisted it into a nervous spiral.Gah!Wasn’t I supposed to be fearless? “I’ll start.” I looked up to find his eyes on me. “The Luke I grew up with, the one I fell in love with, would have talked to me and explained his reasoning. He wouldn’t have abandoned me without a word. Make me understand it, Luke, so I can move on.” There, I’d said it.
“Move on? From me?”
I cringed at the look of sorrow in his eyes. Crap, that didn’t come out right.I grabbed his hand and held it. “No, from the hurt in my heart when I see you. I can’t completely forgive you when it still hurts, if there is even anything to forgive... I don’t even know anymore. Just make me understand, so I can let the pain go.”
