“Her, Donny. She’s the reason I left Ligonier,” I reply, and Donny raises his brow.
“Ooh… I see… oh, well, her loss is my daughter’s gain. More fool her, I say,” Donny beams.
“Exactly. Without that crap happening, I wouldn’t be here today with Effa by my side, living my best life,” I reply, wanting her dad to remember how I feel about Effa as I look into her eyes while she smiles.
“Oh, he’s so sweet. Isn’t he sweet, Donny?” Lettie chimes, and I chuckle.
“He’s saying all the right things, that’s for sure.”
Effa smiles softly.
When Lilah returns with the tray, the air shifts again. She sets everything down without looking at me. One word is uttered, “Enjoy,” then she turns to leave.
Effa reaches out, grabs her arm, and my head snaps up.
“Lilah,” Effa says gently. “I know there’s history… and pain. But I’m going to be in Ligonier more often. I don’t want tension every time we walk in here. I’d like us to be civil, maybe even friends.”
I take a deep breath, knowing that holding onto this anger isn’t healthy, and what fucking good is it doing anyway, especially now that I’ve sorted my shit with Shane. I don’t want Lilah back—ever. So what’s the point in hanging on to this bad blood between us? There’s none. So if Lilah’s willing to let this go and move forward, then I will too.
Lilah straightens, her eyes flicking between us. “Seein’ y’all come into my town… it’s a little hard to swallow. Knowin’ Kaden’s moved on to bigger and brighter things…betterthings. Yeah, it’s hard. While I stayed here, doin’ the same old stuff, bein’ the same old Lilah. My life has become stagnant while Kaden moved forward. And seein’ y’all happy, and together… it hurts. But seein’ the way you look at Effa, I know ya never looked at me that way, even when we were totally serious ‘bout one another. It’s just… I wanted my life to be somethin’, too… and well, I’m nothin’ more than a diner girl. You got out there, Kaden. You did what you said you were gonna do. You found someone special, and I’m left here bein’ borin’ and serially single. I thought you were the love of my life, and I monumentally screwed that up. I have to live with that now. I’m jealous of the life you’ve created, and the amazin’ people you’ve met. I mean fuck! Effa, you just proved how amazin’ y’all are, by talkin’ to me like that. I’m sorry if I’ve made things awkward for you guys. I promise I’ll try not to be so utterly jealous ofy’all from now on, though.” There’s no venom in her voice, only regret.
“I think I realize now I don’t have feelin’s, just regrets,” she adds quietly. “But I see the way he looks at you. Honey, heneverlooked at me like that.”
The honesty knocks some of the fight right out of me.
I shift forward, gaining Lilah’s attention. “You deserve someone who looks at you like that. Shane does… you know he does.”
She blinks rapidly. “Maybe.”
“You don’t owe me distance,” I continue. “If there’s something there, explore it. I’m not in the way.”
She exhales slowly. “I made my choices. I’m the one who has to fix them.”
Effa squeezes her hand. “You’re stronger than you think, Liliah.”
Donny nods. “Small town doesn’t have to mean small life.”
Lilah looks at all of us like she didn’t expect this response. “Thank you,” she says finally. “If you’re sure you’re okay with it, Kaden… I’ll talk to Shane.”
I smile at her genuinely. “Yeah, Liliah, I’m more than sure. You both deserve to be happy. Stop letting me get in the way of you two being happy together. We were never going to work, Liliah… but you and Shane… that I can see working, if you put me in your rearview.”
She grimaces. “Let’s not use car puns when it involves the three of us.”
And for the first time, when talking about her and Shane fucking in my car, I don’t feel anger, pain, and resentment—I feel closure. A small smile lights my lips, and I nod. “Deal… be happy, Liliah. That’s all I want for you.”
Her eyes glisten, as if that is the release she needed. She doesn’t say anything else, just simply turns and heads backto the counter. When she walks away, something lifts off my shoulders.
Not everything.
But enough.
Effa looks at me, grinning.
“You,” I murmur.
“You’re welcome.”
She kisses me, quick and warm.
