Page 99 of The Holiday Makeover

Maybe this was never just about making the house beautiful.

Maybe it was her way of making us work together for something far more important.

“Would you really listen to me if I told you to kick him out right now and never look back?” Lily asked. “Or if I told you to go move on with Kaden Olson, who, by the way, is in town?”

Oh, Kaden.

I really liked him. But it had always been a little awkward going on dates with him in high school when I was in love with the best friend we shared.

“I mean, I might,” I replied.

Lily let out a sharp, sarcastic laugh. “You keep telling yourself that.”

“Ugh. Am I hopeless?”

“Hopelessly in love, maybe. But no, as a human, you are the best. You just have a bad case of Tate-itis. Thankfully, it’s not a communicable disease, or I’d have to alert the CDC ASAP.”

“Ha ha.”

“I’m serious.” She reached for another spring roll.

I shoved more pad thai into my mouth while I thought about my predicament. “I suppose I should probably talk to him.”

Lily shrugged. “Probably, considering you are practically living together and he wants to marry you.”

“He wanted to marry me.”

“Oh, please, do you think he’d be down there working like a dog if he didn’t? Or that he would have kept that ring? By the way, he is shirtless and all glistening and ripped—like, so freaking ripped. He’s just . . . well . . . objectively speaking . . . you have been warned,” she said breathily.

She didn’t sound very objective. “How long did you stare?” I grinned.

“I plead the Fifth.”

“How should I plead?”

“In your case, and speaking as your lawyer, I would definitely go with the insanity plea,” she teased.

“I do feel a little insane.” I stared down at my pad thai, suddenly not quite as hungry. “Do Tate and I even have a shot? Especially if his show really gets canceled?”

I had gotten more details from his mom, who had called me earlier in the day about that whole affair.

Apparently, things had gotten ugly over there after Tate left.

As in, Dominic tried to convince Quinton that Tate would come around. And Veronica had apparently had enough. She told Dominic that if he didn’t make things right with Tate, he’d be spending the holidays by himself.

And possibly the New Year.

Lily took a moment to answer, tilting her head from side to side. “You and Tate have always had this bond. One I was sometimes jealous of until I met Shay and understood it better.”

“Oh, Lily,” I said. “I didn’t know that. I’m so sorry.”

“You don’t need to be sorry. That was on me, not you. You’re the best friend a girl could ask for. But you and Tate . . . you’ve always shared something deeper than friendship. I don’t even know if there’s a name for it. It’s deeper than falling in love.”

“It’s home,” I said, my voice breaking.

“Yes,” Lily whispered. “That’s the word. That’s what Shay feels like to me. And that’s who Tate is for you.” Her mouth curved. “Granted, he’s still on my list. And not the good one.”

“Believe me, I get it. It hurts that he never gave me that ring. You know what else hurts?”