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Eventually, Lily’s sobbing quieted and I realized she’d fallen asleep in my arms. I gently shifted her to lie down on the couch when I heard my phone buzzing from the kitchen. After covering her with her favorite blanket, I padded quietly to the next room and saw the missed calls from Roe.
Opening the front door as softly as I could, I stepped into the hallway, leaving the door cracked in case Lily needed me. The phone began buzzing again and I answered.
“Hey,” I blew out a breath as I scrubbed the back of my neck.
“That bad, huh?”
“Lily just filled me in on the missing details of her past.”
“Fuuuuuck.”
“That about sums it up. I’m assuming you got my messages.”
“Yup. Phone was a burner, purchased at a gas station in Dallas. No credit card was linked to it, so I’m assuming it was cash. Lucky for us the place has cameras and has conveniently digitized all their footage to the cloud. If you can give me the date the messages started, I can start combing through it, see if anything stands out.”
“Thanks, man, I’ll send it to you.”
We spoke for a little longer and when we hung up, I placed a quick call to my parents to speak to Daisy. She let me know that she’d started a rock collection and that Grandpa was helping her to classify each one.
By the time she told me goodbye, I felt like I could breathe again. Hearing her voice and reassuring myself she was okay went a long way toward calming me down.
I snuck back inside and moved back to the couch. Lily hadn’t stirred so I gathered her back into my arms and moved down the hallway to our bedroom. After I laid her down, I pulled the covers over both of us and held her tightly. In that moment I silently promised her that she wasn’t alone anymore. She had a family now and we’d do everything in our power to keep her safe.
21
LILY
My eyes burned and felt heavy when I woke up thanks to my hours of crying earlier. My mouth was dry and I desperately needed water but made no move to get out of the bed. Grayson’s arms were banded around me and I was scared to move.
My soul was lighter, having finally told Grayson the truth of my life before Little Falls, before him. He’d listened and held me while I broke down but that didn’t mean he automatically forgave me for lying to him. And because I was a coward, I refused to wake him for the fear that he’d be done with me.
“Lily,” Grayson’s lips pressed to my neck. So much for not waking him.
“You’re awake.” The words came out like a croak. Grayson lifted onto an elbow and twisted his torso to reach for the nightstand, returning with a glass of water and two pills.
“Here, for the headache.” He placed them in my hand and I brought myself to a sitting position, swallowing them down as well as half the bottle.
“Thank you.” I returned the glass to the nightstand and grabbed my glasses, sliding them on. When I didn’t have anything else to do with my hands, I twisted the blankets in my fists, worried what would come next.
“Stop that.” His words were hard and his jaw clenched. I dropped the blankets and tried to prepare myself for what he might say.
“Stop thinking that I’m going to leave you, or kick you out.” He tipped my chin upward and leaned in close, “You’re mine, sweetheart. Your last name doesn’t matter because soon it’s going to be James.”
His kiss was fierce, hard and possessive. I was grateful for every second he kept my mouth occupied because I was speechless. He’d all but implied that we were getting married. Did I want that? Abso-fucking-lutely I did.
“We have more to talk about. Why don’t we do that over breakfast at the diner since I ruined ours?” His hopeful smile had me returning one of my own. And when he dragged me to the shower to continue our make-out session, he was the only thing on my mind.
* * *
It feltweird traveling to the diner as Lily Barrett. I hadn’t spoken that name in four years, she felt like a different person altogether. Despite the heaviness of the morning, there was a lightness inside of me now that was warm and hopeful. Grayson knew the truth and instead of it tearing us apart, I felt closer to him than ever.
He must have made a few phone calls while I was finishing getting ready, because when we walked inside, the back booth was packed with people I’d come to love since making this town my home.
Benji was the first to rush me and Winnie waddled along behind him, both engulfing me in hugs. When they finally released me, Kane gave me a small smile and nodded my way before tucking his pregnant wife back into the booth under the safety of his arm.
Anxiety threatened to drown me all over again, then one look at their faces had me fighting it back. All of them were waiting with open curiosity but there wasn’t an ounce of judgment. Grayson had called them all here because he knew we could trust them and it was time for me to come clean.
* * *
