by Hazel Kelly
“Can I help with anything?”
“No,” she said, glancing at me out of the corner of her eye. “But you can tell me if the rumors are true.”
I furrowed my brow. “What rumors?”
“Are you dating Lily again?”
“How did you even—?”
“Your brother said you ran into her,” she said. “Which is incredible. After all this time?”
“I was surprised myself.”
“How is she?”
“Good.”
“Does she still have that pretty blue speck in her right eye?”
“She does, yeah.”
“And Paige?”
“I haven’t seen, Paige,” I said, an idea coming to mind. “But Lily tells me she’s doing well.”
“That’s wonderful. It’s such a relief to know they’re okay after what happened. Such lovely girls.”
“Are you sure I can’t help out?” I repeated when I noticed her looking around the kitchen like she was trying to remember something.
“You can help by going to keep your father company,” she said, realizing her glasses were on her head. “See if you can take his mind off the fact that he wanted to eat an hour ago.”
“Challenge accepted.” I stepped back into the hall and turned on my heels, but I didn’t have to call through the house to know where my dad was. He’d been sitting in the same armchair since I was a kid. “Hey, Dad,” I said, wandering into the sitting room.
He looked over his specs and began folding his paper.
“Don’t get up.”
“Nonsense,” he said, rising and pulling me into a firm hug.
I smiled and patted him on the back. My dad could be quite strict, but if you were in his inner circle, he gave the best hugs around.
“So what’s new?” I asked, taking a seat on the side of the couch nearest to his chair.
“I moved the birdhouse,” he said, folding his specs and sliding them in his shirt pocket.
I looked out the window behind him. Sure enough, the birdhouse we’d had since I was little had been moved from the back fence to a post in the middle of the yard.
“Put some sheeting around it, too, to keep the squirrels from raiding the damn thing.”
God bless him. He was doing his best to make the most of his retirement.
“Ask him about his award!” my mom called from the kitchen.
I raised my eyebrows.
“It’s nothing,” he said, yanking the lever on the side of his chair to kick his feet up.
“What award did you get?”
He waved a hand towards the mantle, drawing my eyes to a plaque made of dark wood that had a shiny police badge in the center.
I went over to it and read the inscription aloud. “The Hector Rodriguez Award for Exceptional Service.” I turned and looked at him. “They named the damned thing after you?”
He shrugged. “They pretty much had to give me the first one.”
“Dad, that’s great.”
He scoffed. “It’s not.”
“What are you talking about? Of course it is.”
“I wish they’d asked me first,” he said. “People these days are too obsessed with recognition. Nobody does the right thing for its own sake anymore.”
“That’s not true.”
“Besides, I don’t even deserve it.”
“Of course you do. You devoted your life to that job.”
He shook his head. “That doesn’t change the fact that police work is a gray area and my nose for justice is as flawed as anybody’s.”
I perched on the edge of the couch. “Don’t be ridiculous. You were a leader in there for years. You even developed that Taser training to cut down on gun violence.”
“I did my best, son, but that doesn’t mean I deserve a reward.”
“Well, forgive me for being happy for you.”
He threw his eyes to Heaven.
“At least admit it feels good to be missed now that you’re not around.”
“Sure it does,” he said. “But I’d rather join the guys for a drink than have an award named after me. No one really cares besides your mother.”
I leaned against the armrest.
“She’s the one who really deserves an award.”
“Javi must be proud.”
“Are you kidding? After what your brother went through over there—” He waved towards the Middle East. “He knows better than anyone that real honor comes from doing your duty without the expectation of reward.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. Where was this coming from? What was he so grumpy about? It didn’t make sense.
“Real heroes have no use for plaques,” he said.
“Jeez. I hope that’s not what you said when they gave it to you.”
“Of course not,” he said, folding his hands over his stomach. “When they gave it to me I said, Gee, thanks. All I ever tried to do was serve in a way that allowed me to live with myself, but it’s an honor to be recognized… Something like that.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Don’t look at me like I’m a curmudgeon. You know yourself from working alongside criminals every day that life is one big gray area and everybody makes mistakes.”
“My coworkers aren’t criminals, Dad.”
“Maybe not the ones you go for your boozy lunches with,” he said. “But there are criminals everywhere.”
Yikes.
“Speaking of which, your brother tells me you’ve picked up with Lily again?”
“Pardon?”
“Is that true?”
“What do you mean, speaking of which?”
“I mean let’s change the damn subject and talk about something besides my silly award.”
“Right.”
“How is she?”
“Better than ever,” I said. “A bit guarded, but I can’t tell you how relieved I am to know she’s okay.”
“I feel the same.” He rubbed the bridge of his nose before looking back at me. “I can only imagine how glad you are to be back in touch after what she meant to you all those years ago.”
I leaned an ear towards him.
“But you’d be wise not to confuse coincidence with fate.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying tread carefully, son. When you experience the kind of pain she has, it hardens you. Changes you.”
I swallowed.
“You might be able to project your memories of a person onto them for a while, but at the end of the day, you can’t trust a woman who’s already proven that she can survive breaking your heart.”
T W E N T Y O N E
- Lily -
I waited for Brenda by the front desk, and when I heard smart shoes squeaking down the hall, I turned towards the sound and smiled. “Hi,” I said, desperate to keep things from being awkward after making them that way.
“Lily. How are you?” she asked.
“Fine.” I handed her the box of chocolates I was holding, still embarrassed that she’d refused to let me pay her for her house call. “These are for you.”
She accepted them graciously, but I got the sense it was only because she didn’t want to make a scene. “How’s Vivian?”
“She’s better. I seriously can’t thank you enough for coming when you did.”
“Has she gone to the police yet?”
I shook my head.
She did the same.
“I saved her clothes in case she changes her mind.”
Brenda’s kind eyes turned down at the corners. “Does she understand that she could protect other women by speaking out?”
“She’s coming around to the idea. She’s just not quite ready to talk about it yet. Not even with me.”
She sighed. “Well, I’m glad you called me. I hope you will again if you ever need anything else.”
“I’m sure I won’t. But again, I can’t thank you enough for your help and…discretion.”
“Of course.”
I took a
deep breath, relieved that she seemed equally committed to reestablishing some normality. “How’s Paige?”
“Great,” she said. “Probably thinks it’s Christmas.”
I furrowed my brow.
“She’s not used to getting two visitors in one day.”
“What?”
“A man came to see her a while ago.”
“Who?”
“Some childhood friend. Paige recognized him right away, or I never would’ve left them alone.”
My heart raced. No one even knew she was here. “Is he still here?”
She shrugged. “I’m not sure.”
“Thanks.” I took off down the hall, my feet moving so fast I could’ve crossed hot coals unscathed. By the time I threw the door open, I was breathless and panicked and—
Paige and Sebastian looked up at me from their game of checkers.
Relief washed over me.
“Lily!” Paige jumped up and ran over, pulling me into a hug.
I rubbed her back and stared over her shoulder at Sebastian.
His eyes smiled.
“Sebastian came to visit me,” she said.
“I can see that.” I followed her over to the table.
“He’s so tall!”
He pushed his chair back and stood up, showing me just how tall he was.
I blinked at him and held my breath when he pressed his cheek to mine. “I’m sorry I haven’t had a chance to call you back.” The excuse sounded so pathetic out loud.
“It’s fine,” he said, sitting down again. “Though for the record, it’s supposed to be the guy’s job to make the girl sweat after a good night out.”
I walked to the other side of the table and surveyed the checkerboard before pulling up a chair.
“Paige has become quite the opponent,” he said.
“It’s easy because I don’t have to remember what’s already happened as I go along,” she said. “But if I beat you really bad, you can redeem yourself by challenging me to almost any card game.”
“I see,” he said, sliding a black chip forward.
“Except war,” she said. “I’m not too bad at that one.”
“How are you here right now?” I asked him, still trying to make sense of what was going on.
“You said you visit Paige on Tuesday afternoons,” he said. “So I made it my business to figure out where she was.”
My eyes dripped from his chiseled, freshly shaven face to his immaculate suit, which was far too fancy for a place like this.
He leaned back in his chair. “You’d be surprised at how many care facilities there are in the greater New York area.”
Paige scrunched her face at the board.
“Fortunately, there aren’t that many Paiges.”
“Are you stalking me?” I asked, a sly smile lifting my cheeks.
“He’s stalking me, silly,” Paige said, jumping one of his pieces. “Were you even listening?”
Sebastian smiled.
Why was he doing this? Why was he being so irresistible and charming and everything Paige and I weren’t used to?
“I’m too busy to stalk both of you, unfortunately.” He slid a chip forward and back without taking his finger off it. “But after Friday night, I assure you the thought crossed my mind.”
“What happened Friday night?” Paige asked.
Sebastian played his turn and leaned back. “I took Lily on a date.”
“Where to?” Paige asked. “Petey’s?”
Sebastian laughed. “Not exactly.”
“Are you guys going to get married?” she asked. “Now that you’re old?”
I cocked my head. “I’m only two years older than you, Paige.”
“Which is—” She rolled her eyes to the sky and wiggled her fingers like she was counting in her head. “Old enough to get married.”
I felt my cheeks burn. “We went on one date, Paige.”
“Can you keep a secret?” Sebastian asked her.
Paige nodded. “Like you wouldn’t believe.”
My eyes grew wide as Sebastian rose from his chair and went to whisper in her ear, using his hand to block his mouth.
Paige’s eyes popped open seconds before she slapped a palm over her smile.
“What the heck?” I asked as Sebastian returned to his chair. “What did you just say?”
He raised a finger to his lips and looked at Paige. “Shhh.”
Paige’s smile dropped like she fully intended to keep the secret. Then she turned her attention back to the board.
“You guys?! What the heck?”
Sebastian looked pleased with himself.
I swatted his arm. “What did you just say to her?”
“Oh come on, Lil. Don’t tell me you don’t know what a secret is?”
“Of course I know what a secret is.” Like you wouldn’t believe.
“So you should understand that I couldn’t possibly tell you what I said.”
Paige giggled for the first time in years.
“Fine,” I said, pretending to pout even though the last thing I needed was another secret to keep.
“I call maid of honor!” Paige squealed.
I arched an eyebrow.
“Paige!” Sebastian said, craning his neck forward. “It’s a secret, remember?!”
“Oh right.” She smacked her forehead and diverted her eyes towards me. “Forget I said anything.”
I scowled at her.
“What?” she asked, like I’d accused her of something.
I glared at both of them. “You guys are the worst.”
“More like the best,” Paige said, jumping another one of Sebastian’s pieces.
“How long have you been here?” I asked him.
He rubbed his chin. “This is our second game.”
“Not that the warm-up did him any good,” Paige jeered.
“Be nice if you want him to come back and play with you again.”
She waved the comment away. “He knows I love him.”
I swallowed. What I wouldn’t give for the freedom to be that transparent.
“He knows you love him, too,” she said without lifting her eyes from the board.
“If I’d known you guys were going to get together and do nothing but cause trouble, I wouldn’t have come today.”
Sebastian glanced at me. “Don’t pretend you’re innocent. You started this with your own trouble.”
I sighed.
“I have to go after this game, Paige,” Sebastian said, moving one of his pieces so she could double jump him.
Her eyes sparkled when she saw the move.
My heart swelled. He was such good guy.
If only I deserved him.
T W E N T Y T W O
- Sebastian -
I said goodbye to Paige one last time before pulling her door closed and stepping into the main corridor.
“That was really sweet,” Lily said, leaning a shoulder against the wall. “She’s not used to so many visitors.”
“She hasn’t changed at all. Same mischievous sense of humor. Same desire to be a sore winner.”
“Even when you let her win.”
I shrugged. “I didn’t come here to whoop her at checkers.”
“Why did you come here?” she asked, narrowing her dark eyes.
“I came to see you,” I said, stepping up to her and sliding my hands around her waist. “She was just the cherry on top.”
Her cheeks flushed as she leaned against my chest. She smelled like vanilla.
I stole a glance at the blue speck in her dark eyes. “I have an idea.”
“Oh God, here we go.”
“Why’d you say it like that?” I asked, leaning back.
“Because I’m not in a position to say no to you after how sweet you were to my sister.”
One side of my mouth curled up. “You say that like you think I have questionable intentions.”
“Do you?” she asked, cocking her head.
“Very.”
She looked over her shoulder.
I grabbed her hand and pulled her down the hall.
“This isn’t the way out.”
“Shhh.”
“Where are you taking me?”
“On another tour,” I said, making sure no one was around before pulling an unmarked door open and tugging her inside.
“I can’t see anything.”
“Shhh,” I said, locking the door and fumbling for a light switch.
Her lips twisted when the lights went on.
“Now I know what you’re thinking.”
“Do you?”
I nodded. “You’re thinking this looks like a humble supply closet.”
“Supply closet, linen closet. I’d say you could argue either way.”
“You’d be wrong, though.”
She raised her eyebrows, and I stepped forward, pinning her back against a wall of shelves stacked with white towels. “It’s actually a tasting room.”
Her eyes dropped to my mouth as she swallowed. “What are we tasting?”
“I’m tasting you,” I said, leaning forward to kiss her.
Her lips parted, and I held her face in my hands, tilting her head back so I could kiss her deeper.
“I’m sorry I didn’t call you back,” she said between kisses. “My roommate got into some trouble—”
“What kind of trouble?” I asked, pulling her shirt off and tossing it on a shelf.
“It’s nothing,” she said as I kissed her neck and reached around to free her breasts. “I don’t think I should be doing this. I come here all the time.”
“With all due respect, Lily. You need to be punished.”
“Punished?”
Her bra fell to the floor between us, and I slid my palms over her breasts, my cock swelling in my pants as I brought her nipples to attention.
“Punished for what?”
“For hiding from me,” I said. “When all I want to do is fuck your pain away.”
She pushed my shoulders back and found my eyes. “What makes you think I’m in pain?”
I stared at her. “Isn’t everybody?”
A shy smile pricked her cheeks. “Why don’t you take off your shirt and show me those abs I used to love.”
“Very funny,” I said, my mouth watering as I raced to undo my buttons. I shrugged my shirt off my shoulders and moved my hand to the top of her black pants.
She licked her lips and unhooked my belt.