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I marched her right past him and ordered her to shower and get into bed. I then cleaned Steven and put him in his own bed.
When I joined Lilly in her room, we not only had to talk about the funeral and the plans after but how to handle her dad.
Ultimately, it all worked out. The funeral was held three days after Aiden died and I was one of the pallbearers. Coen, Drake, Stone, Kirill and Bain were the other five. Steven didn’t want to carry the coffin, instead preferring to stay by Lilly’s side. I’m not sure if that was to be a support to her or for her to be a support to him. Whatever it was, Lilly bore it like she always does—the strongest spine of the Hoffman family.
Steven entered inpatient rehab the day after the funeral and he gets out in five days. We visit him when we can and he seems to be doing well.
“Aiden hated flowers,” Lilly says, knocking me out of my thoughts. She glances at me over her shoulder. “Why did I even bother? I should have just brought Twizzlers and some hockey pucks.”
Smiling, I shake my head. “They make the grave look beautiful. And guess what… these memorials—the headstone, the bench, the flowers—they’re as much for you as they are for him. But next time, we’ll bring Twizzlers.”
Lilly smiles and it’s so serene and peaceful, I know she’s accepted Aiden’s death. She still cries and sometimes gets pissed about the unfairness of it, and I let her take it out on me. Like I told her before, I will always shoulder that for her because everyone else always depends on her.
Pushing up from the ground, she brushes off her jeans. Leaning over, she kisses the top of the headstone and turns to me, holding out her hand. “Ready to go? Got lots of stuff to do.”
I groan as I take her hand, rising from the bench. God, do weeverhave so much to do. But although it’s a lot of work, secretly… I want to jump up and down with joy because my life with Lilly is starting in earnest.
As we walk to the car, she recites our to-do list. “First, stop at the deli to pick up the food, then to your place. You’ll head to the airport to pick up your parents and I’ll start on the kitchen.”
“Do you mind grabbing my parents from the airport?” I ask, opening the passenger door of my Porsche for her. “I’ve got to go pick up the keys from the Realtor, and there’s a document I missed signing at the closing.”
“No problem,” she replies, and step one of my super-secret plan she knows nothing about has been enacted.
♦
I know itprobably wasn’t the best time to make such committed plans with Lilly, but I couldn’t help myself. Lilly and I have been through so much, there was no way this wasn’t appropriate. Even as she was planning Aiden’s funeral, I was looking for a house to buy.
Not a lot of thought went into it. I wanted it to be nice but location was more important. I wanted to be across the river and closer to the deli since Lilly will go right back to running it full time. While she did promote Georgie to manager, with her dad going into rehab, there was still too much to do and not enough time to do it. I wanted us to live more convenient to her work, and not mine.
I asked her to move in with me the night before the funeral. We were staying at the apartment because she didn’t want to be far from her dad. While there possibly should’ve been some lines of decorum for me to observe being in Lilly’s bedroom with her dad across the hall, I most certainly didn’t keep my hands to myself. We were quiet and I made love to her every night because we both wanted it.
Lilly had no hesitation and sweetly kissed me after she said she’d move in with me. Of course, she didn’t know I meant in a new house that I was looking to buy but she wasn’t displeased to be closer to the deli when I told her.
That’s why my parents are coming in for a few days. We’re moving my apartment and her stuff into the new house.
It was a lie that I needed to sign an extra document. I just wanted to have her out of my apartment so I could grab a bouquet.
Everything is ready.
I have Steven’s permission. I got that last week when I went to visit him in rehab, unbeknownst to Lilly. My parents are in on the plan as my mother and sister helped me pick out the ring, although it was done over FaceTime as I browsed the jeweler’s selections. Drake recommended the store where he got Brienne’s ring, and I’m very pleased with my choice.
And lastly, I have my speech worked out. I’m going to hit her with it as soon as she walks in the door.
I hear the key in the lock and watch as the dead bolt turns. I snag the ring box and flowers off the counter just as the door swings open. Lilly’s eyes go to the flowers and she smiles. But I can tell she doesn’t think they’re for her, but rather for my mom.
It would be a good assumption because I often send flowers to both my mom and my sister for no good reason, and Lilly’s not gotten used to the little things like that I do for her.
But I don’t address the flowers, instead shooting Lilly a wink as I step past her to hug my mom. She whispers in my ear, “The flowers are a nice touch.”
I then hug my dad, turning to find Lilly in the kitchen pulling out the sandwiches we picked up from Moni’s after we visited Aiden’s grave.
“What does everyone want to drink?” Lilly asks.
“Champagne,” I mutter under my breath. I’ve got a bottle hidden in the back of the fridge that she thankfully didn’t see.
I could use words, but I like touching Lilly so I move into the kitchen, take her by the hand and pull her into the living room.
“Mom, Dad,” I say, sparing them a glance. “You can take the sofa.”
