Page 80 of Tiger Lilies and Tight Ends

Acid churns in my stomach, and I feel like I’m about to throw up.

Am I having a repeat of my past?

I didn’t think so, but she broke my rules without even saying a word to me.

She hurt me.

Oh God.

I can’t breathe, and my eyes are leaking.

What a shitty fucking day.

Chapter 35

Lily

Tyler’s plane was scheduled to land forty-five minutes ago. I’ve watched the clock nonstop in anticipation of him getting home.

I texted him this morning when I woke up, thinking he would get it when he did, but he didn’t respond. He didn’t text me last night either, and that’s not normal for him. I’m worried. He left acting strange, although he said he was fine, and now with the silent treatment, my stomach aches. I might have known Tyler for a long time, but I don’t know everything, including how he takes it when his team loses.

When the truck finally pulls in, I get up and go toward the kitchen to greet him. I know it was only two days, but I missed him. I missed him so much.

The door creaks open, and he comes in. He’s dressed in slacks and a short-sleeved collared shirt that clings to his arms and chest, and he looks rumpled. Rumpled, tired, and . . . angry.

He can’t still be this angry over the game, right? He’s lost plenty of games over the years, and I vividly remember that Lance and Dean were like it happens, learn from it, and move on. So that’s not what this is, is it?

“What’s wrong?” I ask him, suddenly anxious and alarmed. I move to go to him, but he holds up his hand, and I freeze.

Oh my God, he’s mad at me. I have no idea what I’ve done either. I’ve been here since he left and haven’t really spoken to anyone.

Walking past me, he takes his suitcase to the base of the stairs, where he sets it down and then he moves into the kitchen so the island separates us.

“Are you okay?” My voice is shaky, as now I’m about to crawl out of my skin.

He still doesn’t answer me. Instead, he licks his lips and then rolls them between his teeth.

“Tyler, talk to me.” I’m not past pleading, begging, whatever it takes to get him to finally talk to me.

“I don’t know what to say,” he says, running his hand over his face. There’s exhaustion pouring off him.

“Why? What happened?”

“I don’t know what happened, Lily. I think that maybe you and I have different ideas about what this is.” He places both hands flat on the island and levels me with an indecipherable look.

My heart pounds. “What what is?”

“This.” He waves his hand back and forth between us.

“Did I do something wrong?” I ask, wrapping my arms around my middle.

He tilts his head as he studies me. “I don’t know, did you?”

His tone has the hairs standing up on the back of my neck. This is definitely about me. Pausing, I stare at him as I think about every moment over the last week and when I might have done something to upset him. He started acting strange after the day on the boat. Maybe he didn’t like how forward I was with him. I thought he did, but maybe he’s more of the take-charge type of guy. For the rest of the week, I cooked us food, we fell into our routine, and Saturday morning came when he left. I just don’t know.

“Tyler, I’m not a child. Do not speak in riddles. If I did something and it’s bothering you, tell me.”

Instead of answering, he reaches into his back pocket and pulls out his phone. He taps a few things until he finds whatever it is that he’s looking for and then slides it across the island to me.