“Whenever you’re ready.” He raises his brows, letting me know he’s waiting for me to divulge my life secrets.
I straighten. “Now?”
“No time like the present.”
We walk side by side, heading back the way we came.
I take a moment to decide how much I intend to share with him. The problem is, I want to tell him the entire story, which isn’t normal for me. I haven’t even told Del everything.
So I’ll just tell him what’s specific to his question. “When I graduated from high school and aged out of the system, I really didn’t have a place to go. I couldn’t afford college, but I liked the idea of being part of something structured.” I shrug. “The military made sense.”
“Was that because you were used to being in the system?”
His question hits close to home, surprising me that he would make that connection. “In a way, yes. I was usually the one looking out for the younger kids, so it felt familiar.”
“To protect those in need.”
I dart my gaze to his, locked in a moment of unexpected understanding. How is he able to read me so well when he hardly knows me?
“You sound like you have some experience.”
He nods. “British royalty is very service-oriented. It’s ingrained from an early age. Even though my family doesn’t hold a major title, we’ve always taken our position quite seriously.”
“Why did you pursue hockey, then? Did you want something less serious?” I end with a laugh.
His jaw pulses. “No. I feel the same about hockey and train hard. My decision was more about living my life on my own terms.”
Now I feel bad that I laughed. “I can relate to that.”
He studies me. “Can you?”
I feel like a bug under a microscope as ifmy answer will determine what he does next. “I left the military for much the same reason.”
“And became a bodyguard.” He glances away for a moment.
“Yes. Like you, I wanted control of my future.”
“We have a lot in common, Lily.” His blue eyes mirror the encompassing sky as he stares at me with that infernal dimpled smile that makes my stomach flutter.
I use checking the time on my watch to change the subject. “We better hurry, or you’ll be late for practice.”
He doesn’t say anything else on our walk back, and neither do I. The silence is a relief, actually. Most of my assignments have required minimal communication. I’m more of a background fixture than a centerpiece.
But with Payton, I find myself wanting very much to be the center of his attention.
Chapter Seven
PAYTON
I drop down on the bench and yank at the laces on my skates to get out of my gear. Except my mind isn’t here. It’s still on the beach, thinking about what Lily shared. But it’s more what she didn’t say that lingers with me and what was implied.
She had no family or anyone close to help her once she became an adult, so she had to find her own way in the world. The thought of her alone like that puts an ache in my chest, akin to getting hit with a puck.
Yet her tenacity inspires me. She didn’t frame her past in a negative light—simply as facts and a logical choice. As much as I’d like to disassociate myself from my family title, I’ve always appreciated their support and encouragement, even if they didn’t totally agree with my life decisions. No matter what happens, I know they’re there for me. I know they’re there for me if all else fails.
Maybe that’s why launching out on my own to a new country didn’t seem that scary to me. I knew I’d have a place to land if things didn’t work out. But they did, and I’m loathe to let the life I’ve built for myself go.
Luke sits next to me on the bench and gives me a gentle shove. “Mind on something else today?”
