Lily’s lip slips between her teeth, and I force myself not to groan aloud.
Torture. That’s what this is.
An eternity passes before she says, “Okay, but I have one stipulation.”
“Anything,” I agree before the words are fully out of her mouth, and I mean it. I’ll give her anything she asks for.
Her jaw line hardens, and she holds my gaze. “Don’t fall in love with me. I’ll never forgive you if you do.”
Except that.
I’ll give her anything but that because even though I know I shouldn’t be, I’m already addicted to her—and addiction is just one step away from love. I’d have to be dead in order not to fall in love with Lily. Especially because I fear I am already halfway there.
Chapter 15
Theo
It’s been three days since the day Lily agreed to a fake date. Since then, we’ve texted once, planning our first public outing. I don’t know what I thought having a fake girlfriend would be like, but it’s been ten times easier than having a real wife.
After Josephine, I chose not to date. Granted, it’s hard to go and put yourself out there when you spend most of your time too drunk to stand. I always managed to hold a steady job, but I drowned my sorrows in a bottle on the days I wasn’t at work.
Shame burns through my chest when I think back to that time in my life, and if I think about it too long—well, I just don’t.
Shaking myself from my thoughts, I grab a shirt from my drawer. I’m running late for work, and Tanner will be here any minute.
My uniform is halfway over my head when the front door slams shut. It’s the first day Tanner’s been home since the court ruling, and I have to work. At every turn, my attempts to have a relationship with my son are thwarted. I’d laugh if I weren’t so overwhelmed. Between the prospect of more time with Lily and less time with my son, my heart is tied in knots.
Tucking my shirt into my pants, I walk out of my bedroom and down the stairs, only to find it’s not just Tanner standing in the foyer below. Bella stands beside him, a backpack slung over her shoulder.Her dark brown hair hangs down her back, and a pair of glasses sits on the end of her nose. Bella is the exact opposite of my son—short to his tall, nerdy to his athletic—but Tanner is in love with her. That much is obvious. She’s looking around the foyer, but Tanner is staring at her. The look in his eyes is familiar—and terrifying. He’s looking at her like I used to look at his mother, with an infatuation too great for a seventeen-year-old kid.
“Tanner,” I say, drawing his attention to where I’ve stopped on the stairs. My voice is stern, slipping into parent mode.
His head jerks up, looking away from Bella to me. An easy smile slips onto his lips.
“Oh hey, Dad. I thought you would be gone by now.”
Therein lies the problem. Tanner knew I was going to be gone for work. I texted him about it last night, yet he’s here with a girl. If I hadn’t called in late for work, I never would have known, and he would be in the same position I was seventeen years ago. This is my fault. I haven’t made my expectations clear. I was worried more about being his friend than his dad. I won’t let them fall into the same mistakes I did.
Tanner’s smile fades when he sees the storm brewing on my face.
“We aren’t doing this, Tanner,” I say, my eyes darting to Bella and then back to him again.
I like Bella. I really do. I think she is a good kid, and she’s had a hand in helping Tanner through some rough parts of his life. Tanner likes her, and I’m all for them dating—but not this. She’s a good kid—they both are—but good kids still make stupid decisions. I don’t want that kind of heartbreak for her or my son.
Tanner’s brows are drawn, staring at me like he could run through me. But I would rather him hate me than to make the same decisions I did.
He holds my gaze for one second—then two—and then he snorts,shaking his head. “You’re right, Dad. We aren’t because I’m not you.”
Marching past me, up the stairs, he narrowly misses slamming into my shoulder.
“Tanner, get back here right now,” I yell after him, but he doesn’t listen.
He keeps walking, not even bothering to turn around when he waves and says, “Have a nice shift. Try not to catch on fire.”
Although from the venom in his voice, I’m not sure he means that.
I glance at my watch, then to Bella, who is staring back at me with heat in her cheeks.
“We are going to church, sir,” she says, not backing down under my stare. She stands taller as I glower down at her.
