Once and Again
Page 26

“I never!”
“Bullshit.”
“You can’t handle the truth, Lily. If we start talking truth, you’ll be sorry.”
Lily laughed, even as she wanted to cry at what she knew was inevitable. “Bring it the f**k on! Let’s go. You’re a stranger to the truth, Nancy. Why don’t you build a life? Make some friends whose husbands you won’t f**k while their backs are turned? Make a life for yourself that’s more than just one breakup to the next. Now get your ass out of my place and don’t come back.”
“I could make trouble for you with Mom.”
“You’re certainly the kind of person who would use her family to hurt each other because it amused you. Nicely though, I have legal papers both Mom and Dad signed. I’m Chris’s guardian. I make the decisions where he’s concerned and I don’t need your permission for anything. Dad’s too busy with his teenage whore and you’re too self-obsessed. Mom’s having a hard enough time of this. If you hurt her, I will come after you. I’m not the same girl you used to casually abuse. Don’t you f**k with me, or I will end you.”
The way her sister’s face paled was a balm to her annoyance. Lily didn’t usually act like this, but it felt so good she wondered why she’d hesitated.
She really had no idea where she was going, just that it was away from Nancy and Petal for a while. Chris was able to work out a deal with his chemistry teacher to make up labs by spending the weekend at a science fair in Nashville. She’d driven him to the bus that morning and he’d seemed excited. More engaged with school than he had been the entire time she’d been back in Petal.
Lily had offered to volunteer but they had enough parents, and Chris had wanted to do it on his own to prove he could. The teacher had her cell number if things went wrong. She knew a few other people who’d be chaperons and they all promised her to keep an eye on Chris too. So she’d taken a deep breath, wished him good luck, and driven away hoping she’d made the right decision.
And then she’d gone back home to find Nancy there. Ugh.
So Lily had found her mother, said she was taking the day to go run errands and headed out of town.
Which is how she found herself standing in the romance section in a bookstore near the center of town in Atlanta. It had been a long time since she’d had nothing pressing but what book to choose and she planned to take her time. Then maybe she’d have a late lunch and some cocktails. Hell, she might even spring for a night in a hotel if she wanted to have a few more than some. She felt weird drinking at home with her mother in the state she was in, but she’d also dropped Pamela off with her friends for some sort of afternoon thingy, and as Polly Chase was involved, Lily felt safe in leaving. Nancy would be frustrated no one was around to listen to her whine and go. Win win, really.
Nathan had been walking down the street. Peering in windows as he’d gone along. A coffee shop. Clothes. Shoes. Candles and then books. He nearly fell over as he jerked himself to a stop when he caught sight of a gleaming, dark head of hair bowed over a book. Long legs, peep-toed shoes, red nails.
Then he realized it was Lily. Which was ridiculous as she wouldn’t be in a bookstore on a Friday afternoon. Hell, he shouldn’t even be there on a Friday afternoon, but it had been an in-service day and he’d finished up two hours before. His little sister Jill had needed something from Tate so he drove to his favorite hotel in the city, checked in for the weekend and then hand-delivered it to her at her job just ten minutes before.
As if he’d said her name aloud, Lily turned and caught sight of him. Smiling at first, and then blinking and cocking her head.
This was fate.
He turned around and headed inside.
Sure she might try to escape, he moved directly to where he’d seen her, and as he’d thought, bumped into her as she was on her way out. “Now lookie here. What are you doing in Atlanta on a Friday afternoon?”
Her sigh was clearly annoyed, which only amused him for some sick reason. “How the hell did you know I would be here? I didn’t tell Beth or any of your other meddling siblings.”
He laughed, and she sniffed primly and shook her head.
“Coincidence. I had to bring something to Jill and decided to stay here for the weekend. What are you up to?”
“Book shopping. Chris is on the science-fair trip. I wanted to get out of town for the day. Aren’t you supposed to be teaching a bunch of ungrateful teens until three?”
He told her about the in-service and then took a gamble.
“Let me take you to lunch.”
She paused and he saw the argument on her face. “Please. We’re not in Petal. Chris isn’t around. I’m not his teacher right now. It’s just Lily and Nathan.”
She sighed. “All right. I’m hungry though, I warn you. And I need a drink.”
“You can tell me why when we get the drinks ordered.” He held his arm out and she took it after a hesitation.
They walked and talked, and man had he missed that rhythm they’d had before. It was there, just ready to pick up, and he wondered if she felt it too.
Her scent hung between them as he held her chair out and they sat. Not bothering to try holding back, he leaned close and breathed her in.
He didn’t miss the shiver and catch in her breath. He also didn’t hide his grin as he sat and took his menu up.
“Why did you decide to stay in Petal to teach?” she asked as they perused the menu.