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“There has to be something I can offer you to make you say yes. Name it.”
“You just don’t back down, do you?”
“No. Not when I want something this much. I’m not sure how close you and Skylar got, although with the way you answered my call, I’m guessing you guys got friendly, but she suffers from anxiety. It’s flaring pretty badly due to the accident and what she has to do now. Just the mention of your name eases that anxiety a little.”
She exhaled. “I really wish I could say yes, and I want to, but as much as I try to figure it out in my head, I just don’t see how I can work her into my schedule.”
The headache Ryland caused pounded harder against my skull. “You’re busting my fucking balls here, Lily. Have a think about it. I’ll get back to you soon.”
Without waiting for her reply, I ended the call. I’d give her the rest of the day, and then I’d strongly encourage her to come around to my way of thinking. There was no way she wasn’t taking on this job.
26
Lily
* * *
I closed my eyes, sunk further into the warm bath and took a deep breath before clearing my mind of all thoughts.
I exhaled.
Inhaled.
Exhaled.
Fuck, who was I kidding? Meditation wasn’t going to work tonight. Not after the day I’d had. But the bath was helping, which was a relief. It was only Monday, and I already wanted this week over with. Zara still refused to talk to me and had defied me last night by slipping out of her bedroom window to spend time with her boyfriend. I’d realised she was missing when I’d gone to say goodnight at nine o’clock. Linc had been less than helpful, refusing to end the date he was on to come and help me find her. In the end, it had been my mother who had saved the day. She’d called Zara and talked her into coming home. She’d actually surprised the heck out of me with the patience she exhibited. That patience hadn’t been there when I was a teen. I liked this older version of her, even if she drove me crazy trying to fix what she perceived as my problems.
I checked the time on my phone. Just after ten. Time for bed. The kids were finally all asleep. I’d checked Zara’s room at least five times to make sure she was there. She wasn’t freaking escaping me again. I’d never been the kind of parent who tracked their kids’ phone, but I was seriously considering getting one of those spy apps for her phone.
Ugh, I was turning into someone I didn’t recognise. Suspicious and helicopter-y. But as much as I tried to fight these tendencies, I failed. Zara was my baby, and I had to protect her.
I hopped out of the bath and dried myself off as I got lost in parenting thoughts again. Story of my life. I’d just figured out how to help Holly with one of her problems when a sound outside jolted me to full alert. It sounded like someone knocking on my front door, which made no sense due to the time of night.
God, I hoped it wasn’t an intruder. Although with the mood I was in, I wouldn’t hesitate to take them on.
I debated my options of getting dressed versus wrapping the towel around me before I went to investigate. I figured I’d rather not approach an intruder wearing only a towel that barely covered my ass, and had decided to throw some clothes on instead when the noise sounded again.
Jesus, they were going to wake the kids. I did not need to be dealing with tired, cranky kids if they were woken. I quickly secured the towel around me, doing my best to cover my butt, grabbed my phone, and yanked the bathroom door open. I’d taken two steps when my phone vibrated with a text.
* * *
Unknown number: Lily, let me in. We need to talk.
Me: Who the hell is this? And do you realise it’s after ten?
Unknown number: King.
* * *
What the what?
* * *
Me: Goodness, stop freaking knocking. You’ll wake my kids up. IT’S LATE.
King: I’ll stop knocking when you let me in.
* * *
