What Makes Us Stronger (A Well Paired Novel Book 3)

by Marianne Rice

  Lily much preferred this life to champagne and caviar.

  “Forget I said anything, okay?” Mia’s voice was low and regretful. “Please don’t say anything to him about this.”

  “Why wouldn’t he tell me about his girl problems?” Hope inched closer to Mia, the apparent hurt etched into her brow.

  While she was grateful the focus was off her, Lily felt bad for Hope who seemed hurt about not knowing this piece of Ty’s past.

  Mia scooched to the edge of her seat, and Jenna and Lily did the same while Hope dropped to the sit on the coffee table.

  “It was a long time ago. While in the military. That’s all I can say, okay?”

  “Hey, girls. Sorry I’m late.” Alexis dropped to the sofa next to Jenna. “What did I miss?” They all looked around the circle not saying a word. “What’s wrong? I’m only ten minutes late. I told you I couldn’t get here until—”

  “Ty has the hots for Lily,” Mia blurted out.

  “What?” Lily snapped her head up and would have glared at Mia had she not seen the hurt in Hope’s eyes. Not knowing about Ty’s broken heart had to be eating her up inside. If being in the spotlight helped Hope, she’d take one for the team.

  “Tell me something I don’t already know. That’s old news.” Alexis reached for a cup and sipped. “Diet Coke and cherry vodka. Nice change. Good work, Lily.”

  “Um, thanks.”

  A series of loud bangs echoed down the tiny hall to the backroom. “My brother doesn’t seriously think he’s going to work on the shelving during our book group, does he?”

  “He’s your brother. You tell him to stop,” Jenna said, reaching for a chip to dip in the guacamole.

  “Maybe Lily can get him to stop.” The hammering continued. This time even louder. “Although then we’d be hearing different sounds from out back.”

  Her friends laughed, even earning a slight smile on Hope’s face.

  “Joke all you want.” Lily sighed and settled into her chair. “But remember, payback’s a bitch.”

  This time even Hope barked out a loud laugh. They managed to discuss the characters in the crime novel they’d read throughout Ty’s hammering.

  “Desire reminds me of you, Lils. Gorgeous, mysterious heroine comes to town and stirs up all sorts of trouble.”

  “What is it? Pick on Lily night? Not offended at all.”

  “As long as you don’t turn into a serial killer like Desire.” Jenna tucked her legs under her loose skirt and leaned away from her.

  “You girls keep taunting me and anything’s possible.” Lily lifted her cup to her lips and pretended to give each of her friends an evil glare.

  “Even see a resemblance here.” Hope pointed to the cover.

  “Gee. Thanks. Besides, she’s a brunette. I’m blonde.”

  “I could see you with brown hair. You’d look good. You’d look good with any color and style hair, serial killer bitch,” Mia muttered under her breath with a smile.

  Yeah, she had looked good as a brunette. Copper and auburn highlights were added every five weeks from her stylist with a micro cut to keep her hair looking perfect. Needing a change, she went blonde and while she didn’t mind it, she could probably safely go back to her natural color.

  “Thanks for the backhanded compliment.”

  “I hear blondes have more fun though,” Hope added.

  “Ty, what do you think? Should Lily dye her hair darker or do you like her as a blonde?”

  Lily glared at Mia across the seating area.

  “I, uh...whatever she wants will look good, I’m sure.”

  “Aww, you’re so good with words, bro.”

  “Sorry about the noise. I’m all done and will be out of your way.”

  “You sure you don’t want to hang out with us? We’ve got food and drink. I’m DD tonight, so I can drive your sorry ass home later if you want to get a little crazy.”

  From what Lily had heard over the past year, Ty wasn’t one to let loose. His sister had inherited all those genes.

  “I’m good. Thanks. Ladies, if Mia doesn’t stay sober, give me a call.”

  “All of us or just Lily?”

  “Mia!” She was taking it too far. It was one thing to poke fun at her brother and to tease Lily when he wasn’t in the room, but she was crossing the line and making them both uncomfortable. Even Alexis, Jenna, and Hope cringed.

  “Sorry. My bad. Lack of alcohol is having the reverse effect.”

  “I’m out.” Ty left, leaving an uncomfortable silence in his wake.

  “I may have gone too far, huh?”

  “You think? One of these days all this teasing is going to catch up with you. When you finally find a guy you want to be serious with, Ty is going to enjoy making you suffer.” Hope bunched up her napkin and threw it at Mia.

  “I can’t imagine Ty doing that. He’s too sweet.” Alexis unscrewed the vodka bottle and poured herself another drink.

  “I know. That’s why I can give him a hard time. I know I can totally get away with it.”

  “Well, someday you’ll have a sister-in-law who may not be as understanding.” Hope glanced apologetically to Lily.

  Jenna snorted and bless her, changed the subject. “So about our favorite psycho heroine, Desire...”

  FRIDAY AND SATURDAY were so busy at the spa even Mia didn’t have a chance to tease Lily about Ty. Soon Lily would need to hire another stylist.

  Mia had been incredibly friendly and helpful when Lily first opened. While she admitted to not having a beautician’s license or knowing anything about nails, she did the less fun grunt work Lily didn’t care for as much. She answered the phone and booked appointments, did the laundry, kept the floors clean, and washed Lily’s client’s hair while they waited for her to be free.

  Last year Mia took a course to earn her barber certificate. She said she’d cut her dad and brother’s hair all the time, and it wasn’t too hard to learn a few tricks with an electric razor. Mia’s popularity in town brought in the first drove of customers, and now Lily had an established clientele.

  She’d been open about not wanting to settle for too long and would help out as long as Lily needed her services. Hope also hired Mia as an assistant manager of sorts at The Happy Clam. Between the spa and the restaurant, Mia kept busy, but never so busy it interfered with her social life outside of Crystal Cove.

  There wasn’t much nightlife in the quaint town. One had to drive twenty minutes to Rockland for any type of entertainment. And that was a drive Lily had no desire to make. Getting lost and flying under the radar was all part of her new life.

  “You sure you don’t need anything else?” Mia closed the door to the broom closet and dusted her hands off on her thighs.

  “All set. Thanks for sticking around. I know you don’t have much time in between your shift at the restaurant.”

  “Might as well stay busy to keep my mind off working on a Saturday night. Beats being home alone I guess.”

  Which is exactly where Lily would be. The alone part hadn’t bothered her until recently. Only when she discovered what being with someone was like. Or rather, being with someone who wasn’t controlling and manipulative.

  “Sometimes Ty pops in and sits at the bar. Keeps me company while I close up. He used to do the same for Hope until Cameron came around and stole her from him.”

  “I didn’t think Hope and Ty were an item.”

  “Yeah. Not like that. Just BFFs. Still, I think Ty feels left out. I’ll text you if he swings by. Unless, of course, you two already have plans?” Mia swirled her key ring around her finger and clicked her tongue.

  Lily rolled her eyes and flipped the sign on the front door to Closed. “My dryer’s been running perfectly, so I don’t need him anymore,” she lied.

  “There are plenty of other appliances he can work on.” Mia shuddered. “Okay. I can’t go down that road. He’s my brother. No sexual innuendos allowed. Gross. I mean, it wouldn’t be gross if you two hooked up, just—”

>   “No need to explain.” Lily opened the door for Mia. “There’s no hooking up, so no heebie-jeebies are necessary. Have fun at work tonight. See you on Wednesday.”

  “Keep your phone handy,” Mia called over her shoulder as she practically skipped down the sidewalk toward The Happy Clam.

  Chuckling, Lily locked up and took the clip out of her hair, enjoying the feel of the soft waves caressing her shoulders as she headed toward the back staircase and made her way up to her apartment.

  It was only five o’clock. Too early to call it a night and most likely too late to make plans. With Alexis and Hope married off and Mia at work, Jenna was her only hope at being available.

  Lily sent her a quick text and made a small snack while she waited for a reply. They’d all learned not to panic when Jenna didn’t answer her phone or reply to a text for a few days. When she got caught up in her work, whether it be pottery or painting, she completely shut out the outside world. Besides, she had Jerry to care for.

  He was such a sweet man and treated Jenna like a granddaughter instead of a live-in caretaker. She had to find babysitters of sorts to stay with him when she went out, which wasn’t often.

  The evening was warm and still bright, so Lily opened her living room window and settled on the couch to read, keeping her phone nearby. Three chapters later, it buzzed. Mia’s name filled the screen.

  Can you stop by for a sec? Need to talk.

  Talk? On a Saturday night? Tourist season was in full swing, and the restaurant had to be busy. Lily knew what Mia was up to.

  Ty. He had to be at the bar. And alone.

  She bit her lip in anticipation. Should she go? Plead ignorance to Mia’s not-so-subtle way of hooking her and Ty up?

  Yeah. If nothing came out of it, she at least owed him an apology for... for what she wasn’t sure. She couldn’t say, Sorry for telling the girls I don’t want to have sex with you. Because really, I do.

  Fake ignorance it was. Lily leaped off the couch and rustled through her closet looking for the least obvious hook-up outfit. Casual. Nothing out of the ordinary or Mia would call her on it.

  Opting for a pair of cut off denim shorts and a cute teal chevron striped halter top, she slipped them on and lathered her arms and neck with her lavender scented lotion and added a pair of silver hoops in her ears.

  The night was too warm and the distance too short to need a car. Lily slid into her black flip flops and gathered her keys and wallet. The walk would do her good. Hopefully her nerves would calm down a few notches before seeing Ty.

  There was a line of customers at the door, and she worked her way through them and toward the bar. There was no sign of Mia, but she had to be running around like crazy, as were all the wait staff.

  “Hi, Lily,” Jessica said as she loaded her tray with beverages. “You look cute. If you’re looking for Mia, she’s in the kitchen. She’ll be right out.”

  “No worries. I can come back later. You guys look swamped.”

  “Yeah, but it’s all under control. Gotta run.” Jessica picked up the tray and hurried off.

  Still no sign of Mia. Or Ty. There weren’t any open seats at the bar, and she felt awkward standing around waiting for Mia who had to be running around like crazy.

  She was about to leave when Ty pushed through the swinging doors and emerged from the kitchen carrying a tray of glasses. Lily watched him as he said something to Ken, the bartender, and put the clean glasses away.

  Ty slid a wine glass in place and looked up, his dark eyes locking on hers. The trace of a smile tugged at his lips, and he hesitated before coming over to her end of the bar.

  “Hey.” He dropped the tray to his side. “Mia’s pretty busy, but I can tell her you’re here.”

  “Oh, no. That’s okay. I was just...” Hoping to have dinner with you. Not knowing how to explain it, she opted for a distraction. “I didn’t know you were working here as well.”

  “Me? No. I stopped in for a beer. Mia’s dishwasher got into an accident, nothing major thankfully, and is going to be late. I offered to pitch in until he got here.”

  “She texted me too. Maybe she needs another helping hand?”

  “She did?” Ty seemed surprised.

  Crap. Maybe she shouldn’t have said anything. “Or it could be about... about...” Mia came bustling through the kitchen doors and perked up when she saw Lily.

  “Hey, girl. Glad you stopped by. Corey is on his way, so you’re free from dish duty, Ty. You two go out and have dinner somewhere. Or here if you want. It’ll be about forty minutes until we have a free table, though.”

  “Don’t I get special treatment since I’m your brother? And I did the dishes?”

  Mia’s grin grew from cheek to cheek as she looked from Ty to Lily. “Nope. You two will have to wait until the crowd dies down before I give you a table.” She spun around and hustled off to wait on customers.

  The little brat was still doing her matchmaker thing. And Lily didn’t mind one bit.

  “So, uh.” Ty tucked the tray under his arm and scratched his jaw. “Have you eaten yet?”

  “No.”

  “Do you want to?”

  “Do I want to eat? Yeah. I like dinner.”

  “I mean, do you want to have dinner... together?”

  If two adorable pink spots hadn’t colored his cheeks she would have teased him some more. And if he really thought she wasn’t into him—especially after overhearing her comment at the bookstore the other night—she needed to let him know she was. Totally.

  “I’d love to.”

  The tension she hadn’t noticed in his shoulders before relaxed. “I’ll be right back.”

  “I’ll wait for you outside.”

  Lily made her way through the crowd and out the front door. The breeze picked up off the ocean cooling the night air. She picked up a copy of the local paper and skimmed through it, stopping to read the ad for the Sea Salt Spa. Next to it was an article about the new drive-in a few towns over.

  “Sorry to keep you waiting.” Ty’s tall frame blocked the setting sun from her eyes, and she studied his silhouette. What a gorgeous view. The sun reflecting off the ocean, sailboats peppering the horizon, and Ty in the foreground, handsome and nervous as ever.

  “Not a problem.”

  “Where would you like to go?”

  Lily looked down at the paper in her hands and figured she might as well take a leap. “How about the drive-in?”

  “For dinner?”

  “We can pick up subs or something on the way. I’ve never been to one before. It’ll be fun.”

  “You want to go to a movie with me?”

  She didn’t like how hesitant he sounded. Maybe she had been giving off snobby vibes. If Ty wasn’t going to be the aggressor in this relationship or this pairing, then she’d take the bull by the horns.

  “Yeah. Unless you don’t want to go. We could just do dinner. Or if you have other plans tonight I can head home. No worries.” She wasn’t that aggressive. If Mia’s pushing had turned him off, she’d let him loose before her heart got involved.

  “Well. Sure. I guess.”

  Lily snorted. “You don’t sound overly enthused. Seriously. It’s not a big deal if you say no. It was just an idea. I’ll see you around.”

  She only managed two steps before Ty’s strong hand wrapped around her bicep, stopping her in her tracks.

  “I didn’t mean to sound so...” his voice, sad and deep, whispered on the back of her neck.

  “Hesitant?” Lily turned and studied his chocolate eyes. A trace of skepticism, mixed with interest and a dash of lust, was etched in his face.

  Ty loosened his grip on her arm and turned it into a light caress with his fingers. He must have realized what he was doing and gasped, dropping his hand away and stepping back. “I wouldn’t mind checking it out. The drive-in.”

  Her arm still tingled where he’d touched her, and little butterflies danced in her belly. A date. A real date. Whether Ty wanted to call it that or
not, they were going on one.

  “I need to go home and let Meatball out first. I’ll pick you up in a half hour or so?”

  “Sounds like a plan. I need to change into something warmer anyway.” Ty’s gaze dropped to her arms and made its way slowly down her front, stopping at her toes before skimming up her body again. Before she did anything stupid, like lock her lips to his, she started down the sidewalk toward the spa.

  “Do you want a ride?” he called after her.

  Lily turned, walking backward. “It’s only a half mile. I’ll still get home before you. Go take care of Meatball. I’ll see you soon.” She waved and spun back around, the happy smile on her face warming her inside and out.

  HIS SISTER WAS A ROYAL pain in the ass, yet he had to appreciate her tenacity. She’d never been so obvious trying to hook him up with someone. Hell, she’d never tried to seriously hook him before.

  Mia had hedged, had asked him on too many occasions to go out with her on weekends, to meet up with some of her party crowd. A crowd she kept outside of Crystal Cove. They weren’t her true friends, he knew. They were her escape. Escape from what, he wasn’t sure.

  Just like his escape was unknown to many as well. Most assumed he was a quiet man. One who’d experienced and seen too much in Afghanistan. True. But it wasn’t war that made him close up.

  “Meatball,” he called, opening the front door to his house. “I don’t have all night. You gotta go do your business fast so I can get going.” Ty crouched and rubbed his unappreciative dog’s ears and back. “Come on, boy.”

  He led his dog to the back door, opening it wide and impatiently waiting for him to follow. “You don’t get dinner until you pee on a tree, so make it snappy.” Ty went back into the kitchen and prepared Meatball’s dinner and filled his water dish.

  A few minutes later he checked on his dog, still moseying around the backyard. “Dinner’s ready.” Meatball cocked his head toward Ty and lifted his leg, christening an oak. “Good boy.”