by Lisa Lace
At least the coffee is good—espresso, black.
“Did you read the fourth draft of the proposal last night, Ethan?”
I nod. “It’s excellent. They’ve done everything I’ve asked them.”
“You need to make sure you kill the presentation. That shouldn’t be a problem. Healy loves you. Go through everything like we planned, and it’s in the bag.”
“It’s all come together,” I agree. “We have to keep our eye on Vincent until the very end. I’m still preparing for his last-minute strike.”
Jennifer lets out an audible groan. “You’re getting paranoid, Ethan.”
“If Vincent wasn’t after blood, then why would he go after Lily?”
“Maybe because your app matched them. That’s kind of the point.”
I shake my head. “No. It’s more than that. He’s up to something.”
“We both know that. He’s trying to distract you, but he’s already failed. The fourth draft is as good as that proposal’s going to get, and you’re ready to talk seriously with Healy. It’s pretty much a case now of crossing the t’s and dotting the i’s.” She licks a smear of cream cheese off a finger, then adds, “And winning back your girl.”
“I know which one’s going to be harder.”
Jennifer shakes her head slowly. “You really went over there and told her that Vincent was using her to get to you? I told you that was a bad idea.”
“I know, I know. But I had to explain to her why I’d come back to Payson.”
“And you couldn’t have said ‘I missed you’?”
“I’m not good at this stuff, Jen.”
“Tell me about it.” She finishes the last mouthful of her lunch and sits back. “I still don’t know anything about this mysterious love of your life that you’d never mentioned until last week. Tell me about her. How’d you meet? How long were you together? What happened?”
“It’s a long story.”
“We’ve got time.”
“Her name is Lily. We used to live close to each other as kids. Then we went to the same high school and started dating. I graduated first and stuck around, working in a factory, waiting for her to graduate. The plan was to travel the world together.”
“What changed?”
“My mom got sick and passed away.”
Jennifer’s face creases in sympathy. She knows I have no family, and I’m sure she knows the story, but I’ve never told her myself before.
I gesture to the waitress for a refill, then turn back to Jen. “After that, Lily’s dreams and mine weren’t the same anymore. I wanted more. I loved her, but I needed to go my own way.”
“Why couldn’t you have stayed? Wouldn’t she have understood?”
“Lily would have done anything for me,” I say. “If I’d have told her that I was going to Columbia, she would have followed me—and she’d have been miserable. I never wanted to change her.”
I take a sip of the fresh espresso and let my gaze grow distant. “I thought she’d find someone else. I can’t believe she’s still on her own.”
“Maybe you two were meant to be,” Jennifer says, leaning forward on the table with a dreamy smile. “She’s still available, and you’ve realized you made a mistake.”
“Except she’s not still free, is she? Vincent’s managed to sink his claws into her.”
“It’s only been a couple of dates, Ethan. You two have history. You can win her back.”
“How?”
“You need to make a gesture. Show her that you care.”
“I told you before, Jen—she’s not the sort of girl who’s going to swoon at diamonds or a new car.”
“I’m not talking about throwing money at her. I’m talking about the kind of gesture that comes from the heart, something that will be meaningful to her.”
“Hmm.”
“Trust me,” Jennifer says with confidence. “I’m a woman, after all.”
I’m proud of Lily. Sitting in the auditorium amongst the hundreds of others watching the class graduate, Lily is all I see.
She spots me, grins, and waves. She’s wearing a black dress, heels, a gown, and her graduation cap. The tassel keeps falling in front of her eyes, and she keeps flicking it back.
When they call her name, her family goes wild, cheering and clapping. Next to them, I clap too, a deep sadness growing inside me.
I watch Lily from a distance. She’s an adult now. As she steps up to accept her diploma, I know it’s almost the end. My new job begins next week; I leave in three days.
The ceremony ends, and I stand back from the crowds for a while as Lily hugs her parents and takes a thousand photographs. Her smile is so huge. It’s impossible to lose her among all the other students.
Half an hour later, she starts to look around over the heads of everyone around her. She spots me in the distance, standing under a tree on the grounds.
She leaves her parents milling with the others and joins me. She stands on her tiptoes to kiss me, her eyes shining.
“Congratulations,” I say. “I’m terribly proud of you.”
Her diploma is seized in her fist, and she laughs happily. “This is it, Ethan! We’re done with school. I can’t believe this is finally happening!”
“I got something for you.”
I hand her the little wrapped parcel that I’ve been carrying in my pocket all day. As her fingers begin to peel apart the paper, I worry that she’ll be disappointed. The size and shape of the gift could be mistaken for jewelry.
My doubts disappear when Lily finishes unwrapping the present. Her eyes light up. She grins and throws her arms around my neck, kissing me deeply.
“Watercolors? Ethan, thank you! I love them.” She opens the tin and bites down on her lip with excitement as her eyes wander over the fresh colors. “I’ll be able to use them when we start our adventures.”
The knife of guilt twists in my stomach. I say nothing. I just wrap my arm around her and lead her back toward the graduates. “We’ll make plans later,” I tell her. “Today is about you.”
“When I first saw Lily in the park after all that time, I thought she was going to walk right by me.”
“I bet she didn’t even recognize you.”
“She did. I could see it in her eyes. Shock. Anger.”
“Eleven years is a long time to go without reaching out.”
I nod slowly. “When she said I could see her again, it was amazing. I guess I didn’t even realize how much I’d been missing her until she was in front of me again.” I pause, then shake my head. “That’s a lie. I’ve missed her every damned day.”
“Now’s your chance to win her back. That’s why we’re here.”
“Maybe it would be easy if Vincent wasn’t in the mix. I’m the guy who left her—twice—and he’s her one true soulmate, according to Destiny. He’ll be telling her everything and anything to make her fall for him.”
“If she loves you, she’ll come back to you. And if she’s moved on, then maybe that’s the way it’s meant to be. At least you’ll have closure.”
“I just don’t know how I’m ever going to get her to forgive me. I tried to explain myself, and she didn’t want to hear it. I tried to say I was sorry.”
“From what you told me, it wasn’t much of an apology,” Jennifer says. “Sounds more like you rambled on about Vincent’s conspiracies and lost sight of the real issue—like you always do. If you really love Lily, then you need to forget about Vincent, one hundred percent. What you do from this point has to come from the heart. Talk to her like Vincent was never in the picture. Lay yourself out, Ethan. Don’t hold back.”
“I’ve been an idiot, Jen. You were right about this rivalry with Vincent. You told me that if we kept going, I’d end up losing something that mattered. If I’d have thought for one second that he’d go after her, I would have backed off years ago. Lily—she’s what matters.”
Jennifer’s smile is soft and warm. “I’m glad you finally see sense, Ethan. Win Lily back, a
nd draw a line under this whole Vincent thing. Be the bigger man, walk away, and be happy. That’s the real victory.”
Lily
It’s the first time I’ve been out on a date with Vincent in the daytime. I feel a thousand times better in my regular clothes: a floaty floral blouse and a pair of fitted blue jeans. Vincent is wearing a pair of chinos and a designer polo shirt, about as casual as a billionaire can ever be.
We’re eating on the patio of the hotel restaurant. It has beautiful grounds with landscaped hedges, ornate fountains, and lush trees. It looks like the garden of Versailles. I can hear the water trickling through the fountain and birds singing nearby. Other hotel guests are eating at tables further down the patio, laughing and joking. The atmosphere is relaxed, and so am I.
“Mmm.” I let out a contented breath and stretch out my arms. “Isn’t it lovely here?”
“I thought the hotel might be a bit more private than somewhere in town. I hope it’s okay.”
“It’s perfect.”
“I hope you don’t mind if I quickly check the paper. I like to keep my eye on the business pages, even when I’m out of New York. No rest for the wicked, as they say.”
“Go ahead.”
Vincent quickly leafs through the paper in front of him while I enjoy the view and the feel of the sunshine. Soon it will be autumn again, and I want to make the most of the remaining summer sun.
I wonder if I should make the most of what’s left of Vincent, too. I know his trip is almost over, and he’ll soon be flying back to New York. I tell myself not to question what will happen then. Enjoy today for what it is, Lily.
“It says here that Destiny has had record sales,” Vincent tells me. He looks up and smiles. “For once, I’d say ‘fair play.’ Ethan was onto something with that app. I know I’m impressed, anyway.”
“I guess your companies compete sometimes?”
He lets out a low laugh and nods. “Most definitely.”
I notice bitterness in the tone of his voice. “You don’t like him?”
Vincent folds up the paper and leans back in his chair, squinting in the sunlight. He threads his fingers together as he weighs his words. “I’m sorry to say that I don’t trust Ethan Steele anymore. He’s played dirty one too many times.”
“What do you mean?”
“He’s a nightmare, Lily,” Vincent tells me, shaking his head. “I mean, I know business is business, but there are unspoken rules. Lines you don’t cross. Ethan has crossed them all.”
“In what way?”
“He destroyed my company, for one thing. It was my first startup. I made some bad investments, took a few risks with new technologies that didn’t take off, and it was on the rocks. I could have recovered, but Ethan started buying out my suppliers and cutting me off at the root. Then, with nothing left, I had no choice but to sell my company. He bought it and sold it in pieces to make sure I’d stay down. It was ruthless.”
“I guess he was protecting his business?”
Vincent frowns. “No. At that time, the company wasn’t a threat. We weren’t making money, only testing the waters. Ethan sabotaged every effort I made to break into a new market, and he did it merely because he could.”
I almost say, ‘That doesn’t sound like him,’ but then I remember I’m pretending I don’t know Ethan Steele. “It’s a shame. Two great minds like yours, maybe you’d have been better working together.”
“We almost did—once.”
“You did?”
“Straight out of Columbia, we were going to start a business together. I thank God every day that I backed out of that arrangement. Even then, I could sense that Ethan was only looking out for himself. I got this bad feeling about him and decided to walk away. Ever since then, he’s been out for blood. I don’t think he ever got over the fact that I went my own way. It meant he couldn’t take the fast lane to success. He needed me.” Vincent shrugs. “But I stand by my decision. Ethan couldn’t be trusted, and he’s proved that time and again ever since. It was a lucky escape.”
I look down at the table. I can’t imagine Ethan behaving like that. Or maybe I don’t want to—I’ve learned that I can’t depend on Ethan like I used to. “I guess money changes people.”
“Oh, he was a cold bastard before he made a dime.”
“He was?”
Vincent nods and leans back as the waiter refills his glass of orange juice. Then he leans in again and fixes me with an intent stare.
“Ethan had a reputation at Columbia. He was a playboy, but the real sleazy kind. It was like he was letting loose. He wanted to screw every woman he laid eyes on.”
Hurt wells up inside me. I want to shut my eyes and sob, but then I’d give myself away. I force my gaze to stay steady, fixed on Vincent.
He butters a roll and keeps on talking. “He got through six or seven women in the first semester. Broke a few hearts. Destroyed a few friendships. At first, it didn’t bother me—everybody gets a bit wild at college, right? But then he started to take things too far. He’d lead girls on with all the promises in the world, sleep with them, and then cut them off completely. I kept my mouth shut for a while because who my roommate sleeps with is really none of my business. Then he slept with a close friend’s girlfriend. We fell out big time over that—Matt was crushed when Ethan stole his girl. We got past the argument, but I was always kind of uncomfortable around Ethan after that. Once you’ve seen a person betray someone like that, you know it’s only a matter of time before they’ll do the same to you.”
“He’s always had such a good reputation in the news.”
Vincent raises his eyebrows at me. “You’d be surprised what money can do. The things I know about Ethan Steele would turn your stomach. He’s a bad man, Lily. I’m only glad I didn’t get pulled into his lies. I’d have lost far more than I did if I’d stuck with him. He may have come after me once, but at least I got back up again. Now, I look back on that whole time with Ethan as a learning experience. I learned actions speak louder than words. Ethan always had plenty to say, but it was the way he treated people that spoke the loudest. Be glad you never met him, Lily—he’s dangerous.”
“Where are your shoes, Lily?”
I shrug, laugh, and gesture somewhere over my shoulder. “I took them off when I went in the river.”
Ethan looks down the bank and spots a single yellow flipflop leaning against a rock. “I think the other one’s gone downstream.”
“It doesn’t matter. I have better balance without them anyway.” I jump from the bank onto a large, flat stone in the river. The water swirls around my ankles, the current rushing past.
“Make sure you don’t slip, Lily. That current looks pretty strong.”
“I guess you better come and save me!”
Ethan grins. His gaze travels from the bank to the rock next to mine. I see him analyze the jump.
He doesn’t even take his sneakers off when he hops and immediately loses his footing and crashes into the water. The current’s strong enough to carry him just a few feet before he sinks his fingers into the riverbed and stands up. He’s soaked.
Guilty, I hide my laugh behind my hand. I always seem to coax Ethan into sticky situations. It doesn’t help that he’s this damned clumsy.
“Are you laughing at me?”
I don’t hide it anymore. I tilt my head back and let my laughter erupt.
Ethan laughs too, and swishes through the river toward me, pushing against the current to sweep me off the rock and into his arms. He kisses me. River water runs down his face, and I taste it on his lips. It makes me giggle again, thinking of him spectacularly missing his landing.
“Shall we get back?”
“Sure.” I jump down from Ethan’s arms into the river, and my foot comes down on something sharp. I scream. Billows of blood rise in the water.
Ethan immediately picks me up and carries me to the water’s edge, where we examine the sole of my foot, which is lacerated with a long, deep cut. “There must h
ave been some glass or something under the water.”
“Are you okay?”
I wince. “I’m fine.”
“You’re not walking home like that.”
“Good luck getting a cell signal out here.”
Ethan looks determined. He bends down, scoops me up, and carries me through the woods back toward the road.
I hold on to him tightly. My foot hurts, but I don’t care. Ethan’s got me, like always.
“Maybe it’s for the best that he went to New York, then,” I say.
“Maybe for you!” Vincent chuckles. “I’ve still got to deal with the jerk.”
“You really hate him that much?”
“Hate is a strong word. I don’t have time for fake people. Unfortunately, Ethan’s as fake as they come, and I have to deal with him all the time. I wish I didn’t have to, but business means our paths are always crossing.” Vincent finishes his breakfast and smiles at me. “Anyway, enough about Ethan Steele. I promised you a game of mini golf.”
I laugh. “I was kidding! I know mini golf is far too immature and unsophisticated for the prestigious Vincent Oswald.”
“How many times do I have to tell you that I’m a normal person? We’re going to play mini golf, and I’m going to kick your ass.”
I grin and accept the challenge. We head through the hotel, this time to Vincent’s personal car.
As we drive, my smile fades a little. Staring blankly out the window, I think about everything that Vincent has told me about Ethan, and everything that Ethan has said about Vincent. They hate each other, and I don’t know who to believe.
Is Ethan the villain, or is Vincent? Or are they both silly boys with big egos? I decide not to think about it anymore. Vincent has been kind to me, and I enjoy his company. Ethan doesn’t have to like it. Ethan isn’t here.
Ethan
It’s mid-morning when Lily arrives back at her apartment building. The yoga pants she’s wearing and the mat under her arm suggest she’s recently come back from class in the park. When she sees me, she rolls her eyes and tries to walk straight past me into the building.