Page 56 of True Blue

He swallows hard and nods. “She would’ve been happy.”

“She was happy,” I tell him softly. “All the way to the end.”

His smile reaches his eyes for one flickering second, and his hand spreads across my lower back, pulling me against him.

“I wouldn’t have gotten through today without you,” he murmurs against my temple. “Thank you, Indie.”

“I’d do anything for you, Teddy.”

The front door opens. An impeccably dressed brunette woman, around Dawn’s age, steps inside in a fitted black coat and heels that click sharply against the hardwood.

Dawn spots her and claps, smiling brightly.

“Colleen,” she squeals, rushing over while the two women air-kiss each other’s cheeks.

Behind her is a petite brunette who looks like a younger version of the woman. Her big brown eyes scan the house before landing on Teddy in my arms, and they light up as she walks toward us.

“Theo?” she says, her voice light and sweet.

Up close, she’s very pretty. Long brown hair styled into loose curls, big eyes, glossy lips, a black dress that shows off her tiny waist and petite figure.

Teddy turns and blinks before recognition crosses his face.

“Lily,” he says, his voice polite but quiet. “Hey. Thank you for coming.”

She bounces toward him and wraps her arms around his shoulders, squeezing a little too tightly, if his wince is any indication.

Teddy pats her back once, awkward and polite, bending down to accommodate her height. She holds on just a second too long before finally letting go.

“Oh my God, of course,” she beams. “Anything for you, Theo.”

Anything for you.

My lips press together. They’re supportive words, and I’m glad that Teddy has all the support he can get—his friends Luke and Heath and a couple of other college friends sitting in the corner, nursing glasses of wine—but there’s something in her tone that’s… off.

Teddy clears his throat and turns to me.

“Honey, this is Lily, she’s⁠—”

“Theo’s best friend,” she supplies brightly, reaching out a hand toward me. “Lily Jacobs. And you are?”

I blink.

Theo’s best friend?

If you asked Teddy who his best friend was, I think he’d say Heath. Or Luke. Or maybe even me.

Still, I don’t want to be rude, so I take her hand.

“Nice to meet you⁠—”

“Oh wow,” Lily interrupts, laughing a little too brightly. “You have such big hands. And such a strong grip.”

She shakes her hand out when I let go, like I genuinely hurt her, and a small, stupid hurt hits me square in the chest.

“Oh,” I say awkwardly. “Yeah, I guess.”

“Oops, sorry! That was so rude!” Lily giggles, a little too loudly, catching the attention of the nearby clusters of people. “Sometimes my mouth moves faster than my brain. Ugh, it gets me into trouble all the time. My friends tell me it’s cute, but I think it’s annoying.”