Page 83 of Tiger Lilies and Tight Ends

She drops her arms and sways toward me. Her beautiful turquoise eyes flash with a second of hope. “Okay. Talk to me about these scenarios. Please. I want to ease your mind of any worries that you have about me. I promise all of this is some kind of terrible misunderstanding.”

A misunderstanding. Is it, though?

“I guess the one thing that I keep going back to is, isn’t it convenient that as soon as my season started, and your book was about to be done, you suddenly wanted to come to my games.”

Her brows pull down. “What do you mean?”

“You never wanted to leave the house. I tried for a long time, and then all of a sudden, one day you declared you wanted to come to my games. You get your picture taken by the media, your name is everywhere, and this just happens to be at the same time you’re getting closer to being done with this new book, and when you decide to go public with your author name.”

“Those two things don’t have anything to do with each other. I wanted to go to your games so I could be there for you. That’s what friends do. They support each other. Are you actually trying to claim that I schemed or somehow premeditated this? That I’m only here to use you?”

“I mean, it’s realistic to think that when you go to that signing, and people finally see who you are, of course, you’ll get a spike in sales. That should be expected. You’ve been making internet waves with me over the last month. You wouldn’t have been a headline otherwise. Why you think this won’t happen is ridiculous.”

Lily’s eyes widen, they instantly fill with tears, and her nose turns red as she stares at me. My words hit their target just like I knew they would, and she had an instant visceral reaction. I’ve thrown that one thing that she’s worried about the most in her face, and at this moment, I know I’ve gone too far. I can’t take it back, and a wave of shame damn near knocks me over. I’m not even sure why I said it since deep down, I don’t believe it. I just wanted to touch every scenario, like she said, and I wanted to see her reaction. Well, she’s giving me one.

Lily takes a step away from me, and I feel like I’m watching every bit of confidence we’ve built up in her over the past couple of months slip away. As she exhales, her shoulders droop, her chin drops, and then her eyes, as the tears slowly roll down her face. She’s looking at the floor, and for some reason, this makes her look smaller.

I did this. I made this person—one who I secretly claim to love—feel self-conscious and cry. I hurt her because I was hurt, and my eyes burn along with hers.

“Why am I not allowed to be somebody?” she says quietly, shaking her head. And then she pins me with a glare so vehement, I brace myself for what’s coming. “I’ve worked my ass for years building up my pen name and my business. What’s ridiculous is that you and Dean both think my success is or will somehow be because of you. That I’m mooching or freeloading apparently my life and my fame. Well, news flash, Tyler, I’m already very successful, and I don’t need anything from anyone, without showing my face. I make six times what I made working for the Destroyers, and neither of you can or will ever take that from me.

“I get it, you have deep-rooted issues. I’m sorry that Morgan took and posted those pictures, but I haven’t done anything. Those girls, the pictures, even the flowers, which were sent to me by Lance and Casey as congratulations for my book signing this weekend, none of that was me going out of my way to”—she air quotes—“break your rules.”

Lance and Casey.

Well, this just pisses me off too because I didn’t think to get her anything to celebrate this weekend, and I should have.

“Then why did you give Morgan my cell phone number?”

She jerks back. “I didn’t give her your number.”

“Oh, really?” I dig out my phone, turn it on, and pull up the text.

Morgan: Hey, it’s Morgan. Just thinking outside the box here, but I’m always needing content for Lily’s social pages. If you see her doing something worthy of posting, can you please send it to me? I’ll take anything, but maybe something like her on the boat or on your couch typing. I’d appreciate it. Thanks!

Lily’s jaw drops.

“I had no clue she was going to ask you this.”

“At this point, does it even matter?” I cross my arms back over my chest, and the two of us stare at each other. Tears continue to drip down her face, and as for mine, I refuse to let them drop. I should be making this better. I should be apologizing for things I accused her of. I knew back in the hotel room that I didn’t have the full picture, but the anxiety took over, and now here we are. My chest aches, my heart is sore, and my pride has me acting like a fool.

Her chin quivers. “I guess it doesn’t. Just like those girls in the elevator and everyone else in your world, it doesn’t matter what I say. You’ve made up your mind about me.”

With that, she turns, grabs her phone, and walks away.

Chapter 37

Lily

I’m avoiding him.

Not that it matters because he’s avoiding me too.

After Tyler’s very harsh accusations, I retreated to my room, where I didn’t come out. I cried, I paced, and while I drowned in my all-consuming broken heart, I begrudgingly packed my things.

This morning when I woke up, there was a Post-it stuck to my laptop, which I had left on the couch, that said, “Gone fishing.”

While I’m appreciative that he was still thoughtful in letting me know, he didn’t have to. He could have just left and not said a word. If I’m being honest with myself, this is what I expected from him. He made it very clear last night what he thought of me, and I think what hurts the most is I didn’t do anything wrong. He judged me in the harshest way, and I feel so emotionally crushed that I feel lost.