by Kiel Nichols
She’d flown back two other times, once to house hunt and once to close on the house. She’d been lucky to find what she was looking for so quickly. Jake had turned her on to the cottage, knowing that she’d like the size and the location since it was close to both her mom’s house and the school. As soon as she’d seen the sad little house, she’d fallen in love with it. She could see the potential in the sagging porch, peeling wallpaper, and scuffed wood floors. It was only May, giving Lily three full months to make the cosmetic changes before starting work. Since Jake had taken over his father’s construction company, she knew she’d have plenty of help with any repairs that needed to be done.
Lily grabbed a small box from the back of the Jeep and frowned as she headed toward the front door. She was surprised that no one was there to greet her. She had at least expected her mom to be there when she arrived. Lily had called her when she was a half hour out but got her voicemail. She hoped her mom was feeling okay.
She was grateful she didn’t have a lot of unloading to do. The majority of her stuff was going to be shipped from her apartment in New York, so she only had to bring the essentials.
As Lily approached the front door, she noticed it was ajar. Rushing up the stairs, she worried that her house had been trashed because someone had carelessly left the door open.
Pushing the door open with her shoulder, Lily had barely stepped over the threshold when the lights were thrown on and she heard “Surprise!”
She was so startled she squealed and dropped the box, its contents making a clanking sound.
Lily blinked against the sudden light in the room and grinned. There was a banner on the wall of the nearly empty living room that said Welcome Home, Lily, and all her favorite people in the world were there. She quickly took in her mother, brother, Jake, Derek, and Trish, Lily’s best friend from high school.
“You guys,” she said with love and exasperation. As though that was what they had been waiting for, they moved en masse to hug her.
Her mother, Joyce, reached her first. She moved quickly and with the vitality that Lily remembered so well, but she was exceptionally thin, and her eyes were slightly glassy with medication. She had three weeks until her scheduled double mastectomy, and although Lily knew she was feeling good, all things considered, Lily was very worried about her.
Lily felt tears pull at her so she turned quickly to her brother. He was as tall and solid as ever. He wore slacks, a button-down shirt, a gun at his side, and his sheriff badge on his belt. He gave her a very tight hug. Whether because he needed it or he knew she did, Lily couldn’t tell.
Next, she hugged Trish carefully. Married to her high school sweetheart, Trish was six months pregnant with her second child. In high school, she and Lily had been completely opposite in every way. Trish was tall, shapely, and popular while Lily was petite, almost boyish in figure, and a self-admitted nerd. Yet the two girls had formed a bond of friendship that time, distance, and lifestyle couldn’t eliminate.
Even in high school Trish had known what she really wanted was to be a wife and a mother. After she had her first baby, she left her job at the hospital to become a part-time home-care nurse. She wanted to be able to work around her husband’s schedule so they didn’t have to hire a sitter. She seemed completely satisfied with her life. Although Lily wouldn’t want Trish’s life, she envied her contentment.
Moving down the line, Lily gave Jake a quick, tight hug. Even after all this time, she had to focus on keeping her breathing even when she touched him. After a quick breath that brought his scent into her, she released him.
Lily turned to Derek and, with a huge smile, threw herself into his arms. He gave her a smacking kiss on the lips, picked her up off her feet, and turned her in a circle.
“Welcome home, Carrot Top,” he said as he put her down, keeping an arm around her shoulders. She kept hers around his waist and leaned against him. She had kept his secret, been his confidante and occasionally his cover, and watched with sadness as he continued to hide himself from his friends. She’d recognized the truth of his words ten years ago. He truly did still like women. He just liked men, too.
“I can’t believe you guys did this,” Lily said, gesturing to the room. In addition to the banner, there was an old couch, a card table with snacks, and a small television in the corner.
“We knew your stuff wouldn’t be here for a couple of weeks and wanted to make sure you were comfortable in the meantime,” Jake said, unable to keep his gaze off the arm Derek had slung around Lily’s shoulder.
“I appreciate it.” Lily stepped out from under Derek’s arm and picked up the box she dropped.
Jake took it from her and shook it slightly. “Is there anything breakable in here?”
“No, just some pots and pans.” Lily laughed. “I’m glad I didn’t grab the box of dishes first.”
Jake carried the box toward the kitchen while Lily, Tom, and Derek went out to the car to bring in boxes and suitcases. Lily insisted that her mom and Trish stay inside and relax on the couch. Her mother looked ready to protest, but Trish, bless her heart, distracted her with a question about potty training.
Since there were four of them, it only took two trips to unload the Jeep. Her mother insisted she unpack the basics while she had people there to help. Within an hour, Lily had all the boxes unpacked, the kitchen set up, the bed made, and was sitting on the floor shoulder-to-shoulder with Derek, holding a long-necked bottle of Corona. There were bowls of tortilla chips and salsa between them. Tom and Jake also lounged on the floor, leaving the couch for Joyce and Trish.
Tom and Jake were riotously debating the Red Sox’s chance of making it to the World Series again while Joyce and Trish moved on from potty training to discuss the best type of preschool for Cissy, Trish’s three-year-old, leaving Lily and Derek to have a private conversation.
“So, how’s life?” Lily asked.
“Not bad, I guess. They’re talking about restructuring so that I would add Vermont to my division.” Derek was a regional sales manager. Although he did most of his work from his Fairview office, he had to take bi-monthly trips up north. His region already extended from Massachusetts to New Hampshire.
“That stinks,” Lily said. She knew he hated the traveling involved with his job. “You could quit, you know,” she whispered.
He frowned. “No, I can’t,” he said firmly.
Lily knew the only reason he’d taken the job was to justify travelling where no one knew him so he could date whomever he wanted. Derek still hadn’t confided the truth about his sexuality to his two best friends, although the convening years had helped him accept the truth of it for himself. He often told Lily that he was only gay north of Boston. South of Boston he was straight. He had once told her that he loved sex with both men and women, but somehow he never felt complete. Lily ached for him. She was tired of being lonely, too. She could completely sympathize.
Lily sighed. “It’s always been your decision,” she said, “but I still think you’re not giving your friends enough credit.” She placed a hand on Derek’s leg. “They won’t love you any less. I’m sure of it.”
Derek slung his arm over her shoulders again and kissed the top of her head. “I know you are. Maybe with you around again I’ll find the courage.”
Lily felt Derek tense, then he removed his arm from around her shoulders and reached for his beer. Lily looked up to see Jake watching them, a ferocious frown on his face.
* * * *
It was dark by the time Jake and Derek climbed into Jake’s Dodge Ram. Although Derek had walked the two blocks over from his garage apartment, the May evening was chilly, so Jake offered him a ride home. He wanted to make sure Derek went home instead of staying the night with Lily.
The truth was that, even though he had found the house for Lily, he hadn’t thought about her proximity to Derek when suggesting it. Lily and Derek had always had an unusual relationship. At times they acted like siblings, and other times they acted like lovers. They c
ertainly were touchy with each other.
Jake didn’t say anything on the way to Derek’s house.
They’d just pulled into the driveway when Derek said, “What the fuck is your problem, man?”
“Nothing,” Jake mumbled
Derek just waited.
Even though Jake knew that Derek had a talent for using silence as a means of getting people to confess, Jake felt himself falling for it again. Using the most neutral tone he could manage, Jake said, “You and Lily have gotten close the last few times she’s been home.”
“Why does that bother you?” Derek asked. “You know Lily and I have always been good friends.”
Jake tightened his hands on the steering wheel. Yeah, they’ve always hung all over each other, even when she was just a kid.
“I know that,” he said. “I just didn’t know you had something romantic going on, that’s all.”
“We don’t,” Derek said. Jake glanced over to see Derek looking at him quizzically. “Even if we did, why do you care?”
“I don’t,” Jake answered quickly
“Yes, you do. You were staring daggers at me earlier for just sitting next to her.”
“She was practically in your lap, and you were kissing her,” Jake retorted hotly. “Her mother and brother were right there, man. Try being a little discreet, will ya? You might as well be advertising.”
Derek laughed long and hard. It was a strange, almost self-mocking laugh that had Jake baffled. “Be discreet,” he repeated, holding his stomach.
Finally, he stopped laughing. “Lily and I are not lovers,” Derek said quietly. “We never have been and never will be. She’s one of my best friends. Hell, she’s practically a sister. I am very discreet about who I sleep with.”
There was a wealth of irony in his statement that puzzled Jake. He didn’t bother to ask about it, though. He was too busy trying to decide if he believed Derek about his relationship with Lily. He wanted to. Christ, how he wanted to.
“Why does it matter so much?” Derek asked suspiciously.
“She’s like my sister,” Jake said. “I worry about her.”
Derek nodded and opened the car door. “I figured that was it,” he said. “You’ve always been the most protective of us when it came to Lily. More than Tom even, I think. Don’t worry about it, man. She tells me everything, and there’s no guy in her life right now.”
Before closing the door, Derek turned and said, “But I’m betting there will be eventually. She’s too pretty and smart to be alone for long. You’re going to have to accept that your chick will eventually leave the nest, Jake.”
On that disquieting thought, Jake waved and closed the door. He backed out of the driveway and headed toward the main road. On a whim, he turned down Lily’s street. Tom’s cruiser was still outside, but Joyce and Trish had left hours before. Knowing that she was safe, he headed for home.
* * * *
Tom picked up the last bowl and followed Lily into the kitchen.
“So what’s up with you and Derek?” he asked curiously.
“What do you mean?” Lily grabbed the bowl and emptied the uneaten tortillas back into the bag before submerging the bowl in soapy water.
“You looked real cozy snuggled up against the wall.” Tom sounded vaguely accusing.
“Cozy? I guess you could call it that. I know he’s your friend, but I consider him one of my best friends, too.” Lily rinsed the dish and upended it on the strainer. She unplugged the sink and watched the bubbles disappear down the drain.
“I thought maybe there was something brewing there.”
“Romantically, you mean?” Lily asked, finally cottoning on to what he was saying.
Tom sighed. “Yes, numbskull, romantically.”
Lily turned to Tom. “He’s one of my best friends. He’s the keeper of my secrets, and I’m the keeper of his. No matter what you might think, we’re not romantically involved. He’s so much like another brother to me that it would seem incestuous.”
“Ewww,” Tom said.
“Exactly,” Lily agreed with a laugh. “I’m tired. How about we get together this week? I want to catch up on what’s going on around Fairview. It feels like I’ve been gone a long time.”
He hugged her hard. “Sounds good. Oh, and have Jake call me when he figures out what needs to be done around here. I’ll come by to help.”
Lily laid her head on his shoulder. “Thanks. I’ve missed you, Tommy,” she said
He hugged her tightly. “It’s good to have you home.”
Chapter 2
The next morning Lily woke up to the scent of coffee drifting in from the kitchen. She had set the automatic coffee maker’s timer for 8:00 in the morning, knowing if she wasn’t up by then, she should be. She luxuriated in the smell, knowing that when she fixed the upstairs bedrooms and moved her room, she’d have to set an actual alarm clock.
In New York, she’d rarely slept past 7:00 and was surprised that she did on her first day back in Fairview. She stretched, briefly considered skipping her morning tai chi routine, but she forced herself to get out of bed and slip on her workout clothes. The leggings and sports bra were comfortable and familiar.
The first thing she did was to open the front and back doors so a breeze could pass through the house. She preferred to be outside when she worked out, but it was still a little too cold in the morning for her to go onto the patio, and the screen doors blocked enough of the breeze that it wasn’t too cold.
Getting into the opening position, Lily began to move slowly through the stances. She worked on clearing her mind and focusing only on the movements of her body.
Lily had been forced to develop ways to counteract the stress of academia early on. Being a seventeen-year-old freshman at Columbia University in New York had been incredibly stressful, especially when the dean considered you a wunderkind of the literary world. By the time she was twenty, her contributions to scholarly magazines made her one of the most sought-after students in the country. Her loyalty to Columbia and her continued contribution to the reputation of the school ensured her a professorship upon receiving her PhD when she was twenty-two, making her the youngest professor at Columbia. Now at twenty-six, she was considered one of the leaders of the new generation of literary minds.
Lily had learned yoga as a freshman, and when she was twenty she’d decided to learn to defend herself and signed up for tae kwon do. There she learned the art of tai chi, meditation in motion, and had been doing it ever since. She found it to be as mentally relaxing as it was physically.
When she was done, Lily shook out her limbs and stretched, spreading her legs a foot apart and leaning over to touch the floor. From her upside-down position she saw a figure outside her door.
* * * *
Jake had been at the house since a few minutes past eight, walking around the outside and taking notes on his clipboard about what needed to be done to the exterior of the house. He’d walked onto the porch, raised his hand to knock on the door, and seen Lily.
She was moving through a series of stances with graceful movements that looked like dancing. Her eyes were closed, and the glimpses he caught of her face when she turned her head made her look serene, almost ethereal. Her body was compact and tight. He watched the flexing and shifting of the muscles on her back and her buttocks. Despite her slim body, the cheeks of her ass were softly rounded, begging for a man’s hand or mouth.
He felt his body harden, something that happened with far too much frequency in her company. He was trying to get himself back under control when she finished her routine and began stretching. Before he could announce himself, she saw him and jumped immediately into a fighting stance.
He was intrigued. She looked like she knew what she was doing. How would a sweet girl like Lily know how to fight?
“Sorry, squirt,” Jake said with a grin as he let himself into the house. He held his clipboard in front of his groin to hide the effect she had on him. He tried to look casual and relaxed, but
all his muscles were on alert.
He chucked her on the chin with a fist then raised it and fell back on his heels in a boxing stance. “Ready to go a round, slugger?”
Lily stood up and fisted her hands on her hips. “Do you think I couldn’t take you?”
His mind immediately went into perverted mode. He wanted her to “take” him. He almost said that, but remembered who she was and just patted her on the head. “Sure you can, squirt, sure you can.”
Later he would think it must have been the pat on the head that did it. Before he could brace himself, Lily flipped him over her shoulder, the clipboard flying across the room. She then put one knee on his neck and her other knee on the floor beside his head.
She grinned down at him, her hands on her thighs. He just couldn’t grin back. All he could think about was how close her pussy was to his face. He breathed in deep and scented her. His mouth watered, and his erection got so hard he hurt. When he let out a slow breath, Lily’s body jerked. She got off him quickly, stood up, and crossed her arms. “Don’t underestimate me.”
Jake wanted to get up off the floor, but he knew he couldn’t sit straight up. If he did, he’d bend his cock in half. Instead, he rolled over and pushed himself up to his feet, wincing as the denim pinched at him. He took a deep breath, trying to get himself in control.
Lily was just standing there, arms crossed over her breasts.
He decided to brazen it out and grabbed the clipboard off the couch where it had landed when he went flying. “Okay, you’re a tough cookie,” he said before turning to the kitchen. “Hey, is that coffee I smell?”
“Help yourself,” she said as she followed him into the kitchen. “I could use a cup right now, too.” She sounded completely composed again. He wished he felt that way.