Luke bounces a fist on my knee, then gets to his feet. “Good. Now get your head back in the game.”
Which I do. And we win by two points. All seems well in my world. For the moment, at least. But lies have a way of turning into a ticking time bomb, and this one is getting louder by the minute.
Chapter Twenty-Three
LILY
Today’s our final meeting for the fundraiser. I arrived early at the Turtle Tide and ordered our usual drinks, with a double order of hushpuppies, to get things started. And as I sit here, waiting for Sophie and Mia, I imagine what it would be like…feel like if this were my norm.
Living in this quaint beach town, joining my new friends for lunch, working a more normal job, going to Payton’s games…
What if I didn’t go back to England?
Would Payton even want that?
I give myself a mental shake. Those are thoughts I shouldn’t entertain.
Thankfully, Sophie bought my story about the job interview and pushed our last meeting to the day after Payton’s away game. Though I keep saying to myself—and Payton—I’ll be glad when this fundraiser is over, it’s not true. I’ve come to enjoy these meetings with Sophie and Mia, which means I’m getting attached.
To them…to Payton. Becoming emotionally invested is one of the biggest dangers of my job. So far, I’ve avoided it very well, but this situation has blurred all my boundaries, and now it’s affecting my emotions.
Not to mention, I’m itching to pick Payton up from practice in a couple of hours. I look forward to the evenings when he’s at the apartment, making dinner for us. And how he insists on walking me to my bedroom door, how careful yet attentive he is.
When I picked him up last night, he was so exhausted he dozed off in the car. But that didn’t stop him from holding my hand the entire ride home. And I let him. Just more proof that my resistance is weakening.
Despite my insistence that he go to bed, he still walked me to my bedroom door again. For a moment, I thought he’d kiss me this time, and I probably would have let him do that, too. I know I shouldn’t be acting so unprofessional, but he’s making it difficult to resist.
He looked so adorably sleepy and in need of a hug, which is what I did without even thinking about it first. I wrapped my arms around him and pressed my face against the warmth of his chest. And I’m pretty sure he smelled my hair, then sighed.
If I shut my eyes, I can still feel the strength of his arms around me and the hardness of his torso against me. This man is going to be my destruction if I’m not careful. But oh, how I want to give in and let it happen. To let him deconstruct me piece by piece. I want to let go instead of constantly holding everything close like I always do.
But I’m simply playing a role, and I’ve made peace with that. Or I thought I had.
“Lily?” Sophie’s voice startles me back to the present.
I blink at her and Mia’s concerned expressions, berating myself for again letting these two walk up on me without noticing. I’m facing the entrance, and I still didn’t pay attention to who’s coming and going.
Am I losing my edge? I push a smile onto my face. “Hi, there.”
Sophie slides into the booth next to me while Mia sits on the opposite side. Both are staring at me now as if I’m sick or dying.
“Are you okay?” Sophie takes my hand in hers.
“I’m fine. Just lost in my thoughts.” And don’t ask me what those thoughts were, or this meeting will run twice as long.
Leaning forward, Mia crosses her arms on the table. “Is there anything you want to tell us?”
I bounce my gaze between them. What am I missing here? “Nothing I can think of. Are we on track with the planning? Did I forget something?”
Sophie and Mia exchange knowing glances.
“You know you can talk to us about anything, right?” Sophie squeezes my hand.
I squirm against the booth seat, making it creak. “Um, sure. Why do I have a feeling this has nothing to do with the fundraiser?”
Again, they trade covert looks.
“Are you and Payton okay?” Mia blurts.
