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“Nico, look, you can’t convince me that canceling on her an hour into your plans was the right thing to do. A plan is a plan.”
“If you plan for everything, you’ll miss new opportunities.”
“You sound like a fucking motivational poster. Ditching Lily was a way for you to experiencenew opportunities?”
My palm wipes the irritation pulling at my face. “Well, when you put it—”
“There’s no other way to put it.” My brother’s growl interrupts me. “You fucked up. Avery wanted to fly down there herself to yell at you. I do not like it when my wife is upset, Nico.”
Great. Now I’ve hurt three people I care the most about in my life. “Okay.” After a few short breaths, I tentatively ask, “How do I fix it?”
“You buy her a plane ticket home.”
Not an option. I’m not going to lose Lily for the rest of the summer. “I like having her here.”
“Why?”
“What do you mean?”
“If, and only if, you can tell me why you like having Lily there, a reason that doesn’t revolve around how she looks”—my brother sighs heavily on the line—“then I’ll help you.”
The rhythm of my pulse works itself up into a frenzy. “Okay, uh, um, well…” Quiet hangs between us as I try to piece together the best way to phrase this. “I don’t just like the way she looks, although it’s a perk.”
“Nico.” Luca’s scolding tone swipes at me like a machete.
I droop against the kitchen counter, watching Lily’s tea steep. “I don’t know, bro. I like everything about her. I look forward to waking up to her, talking to her, or having lunch with her on the beach.” Even if Lily hasn’t completely forgiven me for ruining our lunch over a week ago. “She has a great sense of humor, and it’s like she pushes me. Whatever, I don’t know. Lily’s a friend I can’t seem to spend enough time with. That good for you?”
The undeniable awkward silence stretches between us again, and I pull out my phone to check the line hasn’t died.
“Luca?”
“You’re having sex with Lily, aren’t you?”
“No.”
Only foreplay. Lots and lots of incredible foreplay. Well, not anymore after last night’s mistake.
My fingers wrap around the mug, and I carry it into Lily’s room before placing it on the desk that overlooks the beach. The shower runs behind her closed bathroom door.
I figure I’ll attempt my apology after she’s done.
“For fuck’s sake, Nico. You’re fucking my wife’s best friend. I can hear it in your voice.”
My brother’s a maniac and a genius. “Bro, are you listening to yourself? You can suddenly tell who I’m having sex with by the sound of my voice?”
Lily’s bedroom is the messiest I’ve ever seen it. Half her clothes litter the floor, and the other half is neatly packed into the suitcase on her bed. It looks like she was at war with indecision all night.
Maybe she couldn’t find a plane ticket home?
A wave of hope returns to me, but a groan sizzles my eardrums. “It’s your tone.” My brother drones on about how irresponsible it is to pursue anything with Lily. It’s the same lecture he gave me the night of his wedding.
I peek around Lily’s desk. The typically organized items are scattered over the wood. A stray pen decorated with the words Zoe Mona lays beside her sticker-clad laptop.Huh. That’s the same name that was on her computer screen a few days ago. I itch to find out more, but next to the mess, I catch sight of her emotional-support journal peeking out of her tote bag.
My fingers itch to flip through the pages.
Is this invading her privacy?
No.
