“Oh shit! Lilly!”
My thoughts snap back to the moment and the scene I’ve just walked into, as Barrett notices my presence for the first time.
He tosses Sarah, somewhat unceremoniously, to the side, where she lands completely naked on my brand new comforter.
Damn. I really liked that comforter, too.
“It’s not what you think.” Barrett jumps from the bed, fully naked, his dick standing awkwardly at attention between us. “Sarah just came over to?—”
I cut him off with a sharp look. There is literally nothing he can say that can get him out of this situation. Another wave of relief washes through me.
This is my out.
No one will be able to question me for calling off the wedding after this.
“We can talk about this, Lilly,” Barrett continues. “It doesn’t have to mean anything. Itdoesn’tmean anything. Sarah and I are just friends.”
“Really, Lilly,” Sarah joins in from her place on the bed. She hasn’t even bothered to cover her very lean, very perfect naked body. “It doesn’t mean anything. We just do this sometimes when one of us is stressed out. It’s not a big deal.”
I don’t know if it’s her choice of words or the ridiculous way she’s delivering them to me, but in the moment, they strike me as hilarious, and I start laughing. “It’s not a big deal?” I manage to say after a moment. “You both justdothis?” I look between them. Sarah nods, and Barrett shrugs like it’s no big deal.
I’m not sure who or what is crazier. But it’s certainly not me.
“Well, you can both continuedoing this,” I tell them. “But I’m out of here.” I slide the big diamond off my finger and drop it on the carpet at my feet. “I’ll be back for my things. I don’t think I need to say it, but…” I look my fiancé dead in the eyes, surprising myself with how little hurt I feel. Maybe it’ll come later. But for now, an odd calmness fills me as I say, “The wedding’s off.”
Chapter Two
Luke
“You’re justas good a cook as I remember, Holt.” I sit back in my chair and push away my completely clean plate. “It’s been too long since I’ve had such a good meal.”
“What?” Holt pretends to look surprised. “If I remember correctly, you used to be able to find your way around the kitchen pretty well, yourself.”
“Dad? He only ever made me Mac and cheese.”
“That’s because that’s all you would eat when you were little.” I shake my head in her direction, but don’t say anything more because we both know it’s been way too long since I’ve actually cooked for her. It’s hard tomake dinner for your daughter growing up when you’re not around. And I did my best to keep my distance. For her sake.
Thankfully, she doesn’t bring it up. Not that I really think she will. My daughter and I have been through a lot, and the one thing I know from everything we’ve gone through is that you can’t change the past; you can only look forward and build something new. And that’s what we’re trying to do.
Together.
“Do you have time for a cup of tea, Dad?” Tessa grabs the plates and carries them to the sink, turning around in time to see me shake my head.
“I’d love to.”
“So do,” Holt says easily. “It’s just a tea.”
The truth is, I really don’t have time. I’m already behind on updating client portfolios, and with three meetings I’m not prepared for in the morning, I have a long night ahead of me. I tell them as much, but if I expect to get any sympathy, I don’t.
“You’re working too hard, Dad.”
“There’s more to life than work, man.”
I shoot a glare at my buddy. “Funny, coming from you, since I could have said the same thing to you only a few months ago.”
“Know better, do better.” He crosses hisarms behind his head and gives me a grin. “And I’m definitely doing better.” He wiggles his brows, and I look away with a grunt.
It’s not that I’m not happy for this new, happier, lighter version of my buddy; it’s that I’m still having trouble reconciling that happiness has anything to do with my daughter.
