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“No,” Lucy replied, shocking even herself with the unyielding tone of the word.
Will stared her father down and spoke low. “You cannot show up here and take over. Lucy, Lulu, whatever you want to call her…she’s not disposable. You can’t toss her aside and come back later.”
Whoa. What?
He wasn’t done.
“I’m not sure what you see when you look at her, but the rest of us see the kind of person who takes in a cat because its owner died.” He held a professional note of respect despite the boldness of his words. He rose and efficiently lifted Lucy’s mother’s coat, shook it out, and offered it to her. She reflexively slid an arm into the sleeve. “Lucy’s the person who can’t cook but bakes you a birthday cake anyway because she knows you’re having a rough time.” Her mother had a deer in the headlights expression painted across her face as he unceremoniously hung her purse on her rigid shoulder and guided her toward the door.
“What do you think you’re doing?” her father sputtered. Will took a step back to pull shut the privacy curtain, separating them from Lucy. But she could still hear his words.
“She’s the kind of woman who makes you smile by simply being in the same room. She asked you to leave. It’s time for you to go.”
Lucy stared in shock at the pastel-blue divider.
“You’re out of line,” her father said.
“I said she’s not disposable,” Will rasped.
“Holy shit,” Katie whispered.
“This is a mistake, Lulu,” her father called.
“Think she already asked you to leave.” Will’s words were granite.
More mutterings came from the doorway as they evacuated. But she knew her father was, how would he say it? Displeased. Very displeased. Will didn’t seem thrilled either. For once, her mother remained silent.
Will emerged from behind the curtain.
“That explains so much.” He wrapped up her abandoned burrito, as though he understood her appetite had vanished.
“I should…um…go. You need privacy.” Katie stood and moved to the edge of the curtain. Then she turned and gave her a dazzling smile. “Lulu, can I have him when you’re done? Or could you order me one just like him for Christmas?”
Will flashed the dimples at Katie, and she left.
The two of them were alone. And she had something to say.
Except, she couldn’t remember what it was anymore.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Lucy’s pale face nearly matched the bleached white sheets of the hospital bed where she lay. But even after her parents’ ambush, she seemed okay. William sat with her in the chair next to her bed and curled his fingers around hers. Her smile hit him straight in the gut. He wanted to wrap himself around her and never let go.
He had a lot of time to think last night.
He didn’t want to be her boss. A partner made more sense. The way he’d been looking at the whole situation between them was wrong. With him as her boss, it couldn’t work. But he wanted to be with her, not just temporary. He wanted her to be his partner.
In business and life.
He’d get her a real ring this time. His mother’s engagement ring.
Selfishly unwilling to think about what his mother would have said about how badly he’d screwed up with Lucy, he’d left her letter on the counter. Now, the last words his mother had written to him were ashes in Camelot, opening nearly a decade of regret so deep it could swallow him whole.
But he had Lucy.
She had worn a ring once for him. He’d ask her to wear one again. This time there would be candlelight and roses and promises he would keep forever.
“No one’s ever stood up to my parents like that.” She twisted the pillow behind her nd flinched.
