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“Oh.” She blinks and sits down. “How?”
“I don’t want any of this in your head, Lilly.”
“It’s obviously bothering you. Tell me.”
“She was the one who claimed I set the fire.” I give her the barest of details. Even so, Lilly’s fuming.
“Why would she do that? You barely knew her.”
“I’m not so sure about that.”
She narrows her eyes. “Excuse me?”
“We went to visit her after court.”
“Why?”
“Don’t worry about it.” She glares at me but I ignore it. “We found her in the bathtub. She overdosed or killed herself. I’m not sure. We didn’t exactly stick around to examine the scene.”
“Jesus Christ.” She stands and paces back and forth in front of the car a few times before stopping. “Is that why you…back at the apartment. Is that why you wanted to know about…me?”
Fuck, is it? “Maybe. I don’t know. I meant to ask you about Jake’s class. Even before all this.”
She huffs at me and sits back down. “Go on.”
“That’s it.”
“Bullshit. There’s something else.”
“Fuck. Fine. I feel like a fucking asshole explaining this to you.”
“Too bad. You think that was fun talking about.” She flaps her hands in the air. “My stuff back there?”
“It’s different.”
She glares at me.
“Fine. She had a bunch of pictures on her phone. Of me. Like a lot. From different places. Rallies, clubhouses, I don’t fucking know. I don’t even remember her. But she sure as fuck seemed to know me.”
Lilly stares at me for a few seconds before bursting into laughter.
I wait a bit but she puts her head between her knees and continues laughing.
“It’s not funny,” I growl.
“No, it’s not. It’s horrible.” She sits up and wipes her cheeks. “Sorry. I think I’ve been on edge since we left home. Coming here. You being weird—”
“I wasn’t being weird.”
“Yes, you were.” She reaches over and squeezes my hand. “I’m sorry. That’s awful.”
“I’m relieved she’s not going to be an issue, but—”
“You feel shitty.”
“A little.”
She scoots closer and wraps her arms around me. “I wouldn’t love you if you were the kind of man who didn’t feel anything at all over something like that. It’s pretty horrible.”
“Even though—”
“Now’s not the time to question me, Z.”
I press my forehead to her shoulder and let out my own miserable laughter.
“Who else knows she had a thing for you?” she asks quietly.
“The club. I had to tell them.”
“What about Sasha?”
“Fuck her.”
“I’d rather you didn’t.” She snickers. “Again.”
“That’s not funny.”
She pokes me in the stomach. “Do you think Sasha was in on it? Giving your name to the cops?”
“I doubt it.” Might as well give her every last detail. “Josey’s brother is a cop. She used my name to save her skin when she got arrested.”
“That dirty fucking bitch.”
I snort-laugh.
“Is the brother going to be a problem for you?”
“I don’t think so. The charges were dropped. The lawyer said I should be clear.”
She wrinkles her nose. “You guys should be more careful who you let in your clubhouse.”
“Trust me, I had that talk with them.”
“What happened…with her?” Her nose wrinkles. “Did anyone find her yet?”
“Don’t know. Steer said he’ll let me know if he hears anything.”
“Good lord, I hope you guys wore gloves going in there.”
I roar with laughter. “You’re the best partner in crime a man like me could ask for, you know that?”
“This is so fucked up.”
“So is life.” I stand and hold out my hand to her. “You love me anyway?”
She takes my hand and squeezes. “Every part of you.”
Chapter Thirty-One
Z
After all the honesty Lilly and I have shared on this trip, how can I say no when she asks if I mind paying Ted a visit? I think I owe her that much after explaining the fucked-up Josey situation.
“He asked us to stop by for dinner.” Lilly bites her bottom lip, like she really doesn’t want to fight about this. “Is that okay with you?”
Yeah, this fucker claimed he was gonna marry my woman, but from what Lilly said, he also did a lot to help her through a rough time. Kinda makes it hard to hate the guy. “Yeah, no problem.”
Once we arrive at his place, I reconsider. “I see why you were considering his marriage proposal,” I say as we wind the car up the driveway to the good Dr. Ted’s estate.
Lilly squirms and doesn’t respond. She doesn’t need to feel guilty or worry that I’m angry. Nope, if she was going to marry some schmuck to take care of her and my son, at least they would’ve been comfortable.
“Guess, I need to step up my game,” I try again.
“Z—”
“I’m kidding. Chill.”
Chance starts yelling and kicking the back of my seat when he notices the ducks scattered over the pond to our right.
“Easy, buddy.”
Ted waves to us from the front steps and motions for me to park to the side.
“Good to see you again, Z.” He pulls Lilly in and kisses her cheek. “I can’t believe you’re really leaving.”
“I’m not California material, Ted. Never was.”
They laugh together and he keeps his arm loosely around her shoulders.
For a guy who supposedly isn’t into women, he sure does a good job of acting like he wants to nail my woman.
Or maybe I don’t like any man touching her.
Lilly captures Chance’s hand and takes him over the lawn to visit the ducks while Ted and I hang back watching them.
“How’s she doing?” he asks.
“Good. She’s settled into our new place. Chance has been taking swimming lessons. Her brother’s even mellowed out a little.” Am I going to get into the whole I-almost-went-to-prison story with Ted? Nope. None of his business. Friend or not, I doubt it’s something Lilly would ever talk about with him.
“Glad to hear it.” He sneaks a glance her way. “How about being back here, has it triggered anything for her?”
Shit, California didn’t trigger her, I did with my stupid questions. “Not that she’s said.”
“That’s a relief.” He pats his chest pocket and gives me a lop-sided grin. “I’ve got an engagement ring I’ll sell you cheap.”
I pat my own pocket. “Thanks, but I bought my own.”
He raises an eyebrow. “Am I invited?”
“I haven’t exactly asked her yet.”
He snorts out a laugh. “I doubt she’ll need time to think about it.”
“Hope not.”
“You know,” he says, drawing out the words, “you don’t need to be a resident to marry in California.”
Before we left home, I did a little research. Or rather, I asked Hope if she’d do some research for me.
Turns out California has a few unique marriage laws and regulations. One of them allows you to apply for something called a “confidential license.” Still a legally-binding marriage license, but not part of any public record.
Exactly what we need.
Question is, do I want to tell Lilly in advance or surprise her? Women like surprises, right?
“Way ahead of you, Ted,” I finally answer. “Way ahead.”
Lilly
Dinner at Ted’s was a nice distraction from all the work left to do at my apartment. While he offered to help me, I politely said no. Z’s tolerated about as much of my friend as he can. I still don’t think he’s forgiven Ted one hundred percen
t for the fiancé fiasco.
“Do you have a sundress?” Z asks the following day as we’re sorting through the clothes in my closet. No wonder I’m in debt. Where did I think I was going to wear all this stuff?
“Probably, why?”
He shrugs. “I like you in as little clothes as possible. Is that a surprise?”
“No.” I snort and flip through several hangers. “Color preference?”
“Something light? I don’t know, white, pink, yellow?”
I peek out at him. “Do I look like a pastels kinda girl to you?”
“Whatever you got.”
