AllFreeNovel
Share Us
With a heavy sigh, she splays her hands on the table in front of her and I can’t help but notice her wedding ring is no longer adorning her finger.
“Today, I have to meet with my lawyer,” she says softly. “Seth’s lawyer got in touch yesterday, and I want to make sure things run smoothly. Andquickly. You know?”
She scrunches her nose at the end of the sentence and it’s the cutest thing but I make an attempt to pretend it doesn’t affect me.
Instead, I reach out, placing a hand over hers. “Are you okay? With everything?”
Her eyes meet mine and early morning sunshine cascades across her features as she nods. “I’m getting there.”
“Good.” I grin, rubbing lazy circles with the tip of my middle finger on the back of her hand. Her eyes flit to the place where we touch and I ask, “Do you want me to stop?”
She swallows hard and shakes her head.
So, I keep doing it, allowing that tiny point of contact to be a reminder that I’m here. Whenever she’s ready—if she’severready. And if she’s not, I was her friend first. I can find a way for that to be enough.
“London—”
She says my name like a big talk is coming, so I pause my motion to watch her. “Lily?”
Her eyelashes flutter on her cheeks and she takes a moment before saying, “Thank you. For letting me stay here. For not—” She bites on her lip, drawing my eyes in the motion. “For not expecting anything from me. I know this must be weird …”
“It’s not,” I say, cutting her off.
She tilts her head and shoots me aget realexpression.
I shake my head. “Seriously. I like having you here. I wish—” I clamp my mouth shut, knowing damn well the confession that nearly slipped out is too much.
Too soon. Too fast.
“You wish?” Lily prods.
I clear my throat. “I wish things were easier for you.”
A hint of a smile plays at her lips. It’s almost as if she knew what I wanted to say even though I hadn’t said it. “You’ve definitely made things easier.”
That brings a smile to my face. “Good.”
“London, I know …” she begins, her eyebrows knitting together. “I know there’s more—between us.”Her eyes flash to mine and she holds my stare for a beat. “More than friendship. More than a crush. I’ve been thinking a lot. About what’s right. What’s wrong. Abouttiming.”
I inhale sharply, trying to ignore the pounding in my chest because it feels like it’s going to crack open any minute.
“You’ve made things, this weird transition, feel like it was meant to be,” she whispers.
I smooth my hand over hers, hoping like hell it’s the right move. “What do you mean?”
Her lips shift to the side before that faint blush creeps across her cheeks. “I didn’t realize it—not at first—but I think I’ve been wishing for you. For a long, long time.”
My heartbeat kicks up another notch and I reach out, letting my palm graze her cheek.
She leans into my touch for a moment, letting her eyes drift closed.
Her words do something strange to me. Warmth spreads through my body and I let go of the breath I didn’t even realize I was holding.
“I never needed to wish for you,” I say, standing up and walking around the table when I meet her confused eyes. I reach out, and she takes my hand so I can pull her to a stand. “Lily, I never needed to wish for you because Iknew. I knew from the time we were kids that you were something special. I knew I loved you then. So if anything, I waswaiting.”
Her eyes go wide. “You did?”
I nod. “Always.”
