“Tell me about it.”
“You know, she threatened my life tonight.”
Lily pulls her attention from the road for a moment to look at me wide-eyed. “What? Why?”
“I told her I couldn’t promise to keep my hands off of you.”
Even by the dim light the dashboard offers, I can see the color in her cheeks darken.
“I notice you’re not arguing,” I say and take a chance tracing the shell of her ear as I push a stray lock of her dark hair, fallen from the messy bun setting lopsided on top of her head, behind it.
“You really shouldn’t distract the driver.” There’s a slight tremor in her voice that has that primal part of me coming back for a second chance at doing something I know I shouldn’t.
“Why was Blue able to ask Blake to help?” She asks changing the subject and shifting my focus.
I take the hint and heed Blue’s threat to end me as I pull my hand back and answer, “That’s a funny story.” And I tell her how I hugged Parker and got my face smashed by Blake.
Lily gasps. “That was you?”
“That was me.”
“Oh, my God. I’m so sorry,” she says with the utmost sincerity.
“Why? Not your fault.”
“You were there to meet me. Seems like it’s a little bit my fault.”
“Don’t sweat it. It all worked out in the end. Bought me more time in Towering Pines and I still got to meet you.”
“Better late than never?” she asks, the pink returning to her cheeks.
“Absolutely.”
The car finds pavement again as she turns onto a two-lane highway just outside city limits, marked by a welcome sign.
When she's up to speed again, Lily asks, “So, you’ve been here since spring?”
“Since February, actually.”
“But you’re friends with Oliver and my sister.” She sounds sad. It breaks my heart. How do I fix it? “Did you know she was pregnant?”
Oh… That.
“Um… Yeah.”
Lily props her elbow on the window ledge and rests her temple on the tips of her fingers. “Seems everyone knew about it before me.”
Oliver told me all about the drama with Blue and Lily when the truth about Blue’s pregnancy finally came out. It caused a quick, but deep rift between the sisters. Even though they’ve made up, it seems Lily’s still healing.
I have to be honest, I don’t really know how to handle the heavy emotions she’s feeling right now. So, I figure it’s just better I keep my mouth shut. Not an easy thing for me to do but I manage.
With both of her hands on the wheel, Lily cranks it and pulls into the snow-covered driveway.
“Welcome home,” she says.
“Hey, Lily,” I say catching her arm before she exits the car.
Lily pauses looking back at the connection I’ve created before her eyes draw a path up my arm, taking their time when they find my lips, then finally locking on my eyes. “Thank you,” I tell her before I forget to say it. Before I walk into that house to live with the woman I have no doubt is about to change my life.
