Chapter 26
twenty-six
. . .
Lila
“So, you literally checked everything off the list, and you still have a little over a week to go,” Del said, as we sat at a table in the back of Cup of Cove while Sloane and Rina went up to the counter to grab our drinks and pastries.
I’d transitioned most of the responsibility I’d had at the restaurants to a few of the new staff members, as I was leaving in a week.
So, I popped in and out all day, just because I loved being there.
But I was getting in some quality time with my girls today.
“Yes.” All but the one thing I’d added to the list. But you can’t win them all.
I’d thought about telling him how I felt that night when I’d waited for him down by the cove.
I’d worked up the nerve to do it, to tell him that I loved him, but he’d seemed so off.
He’d fired off relentless questions about the new job.
If I was excited to lead the new team. How honored I must be by all that responsibility.
How I’d be taking corporate America by storm.
The truth was, I wasn’t that excited. But admitting that I loved being home and playing house with a man who hadn’t even admitted to anyone that we were together—it felt a little pathetic and lame.
“And your dad is doing so amazing. Working for Roddy, and he’s got another week under his belt. You must be so proud.” She smiled and reached for my hand.
“I am.”
Hugh had even left a standing offer for Roddy to come to Reynolds’ and eat anytime on him. Roddy usually came once a week, and they’d grown to be good friends.
Del studied me for a long moment. “You still haven’t told him?”
“No. He’s been asking so much about the new job.
Almost like he can’t wait for me to leave, you know?
I read this article in a magazine when I was getting my hair done yesterday about how women tend to romanticize the man that they have their first sexual experience with.
Did you know that?” I whispered, looking around to make sure no one was listening.
“I think that’s probably what I’m doing, while he’s ready to go back to his old ways and ship me off to Chicago.
And we all know my brother can’t wait for me to leave. ”
“Your brother is such an asshole sometimes.” She shook her head. “I love having you here. And maybe you’re misreading Hugh.”
I widened my eyes when I saw the girls behind her, and she’d just said Hugh’s name.
“Misreading Hugh about what?” Sloane asked.
Del cleared her throat. “I said I’m misreading you.”
“Me or Rina?”
“Both.”
It took everything I had not to burst into laughter at the turn in conversation. My phone vibrated on the table, and I glanced down to see Joseph Schneider’s name light up across my screen. I pushed to my feet and told them I needed to step outside.
“Hi, Mr. Schneider. How are you?” I asked, walking around the side of the building where it was quiet.
“I’m doing well, Lila. Boy, are we ready for you. Our cross-country superstar who’s going to lead this company’s younger new hires and show them how we do it. You model the work ethic you had here before, and we’ll have this place running like a fine-tuned machine.”
I forced a chuckle because honestly, nothing about that sounded appealing to me.
“Sure,” I said.
“So, the reason I’m calling. I know you have a summer job out there, and you aren’t scheduled to come back until next week.
” He paused, and I heard him asking someone for a coffee with no sugar and extra cream.
“But Mr. Hopkins, the president of True Solutions, is coming into town in two days. He was really hoping to meet you in person, and he’s leaving the country next week for two months. ”
“Oh,” I said, my stomach twisting in knots.
“I know we had your ticket booked, but I wondered if you could move that date up? We’d fly you back here tomorrow, late afternoon, give you time to get settled in your new place tomorrow night, and then meet with him the following day.
We’ll even fly you first class, and then we’ll obviously pay to have your car shipped back along with your things, which we already had scheduled. We’d just move it all up.”
Tomorrow.
“I, um, I could probably make that work.” What was I supposed to say?
The thought of leaving tomorrow had me breaking out in a sweat.
I’d need to say goodbye to the girls. Go see my dad, my brother and Shay.
Everyone at Reynolds’. Roddy, who’d been so good to my father.
Alana and Bradford and Cage and Gracie. I’d text Georgia, Brinkley, and Finn as they were back in the city.
We were supposed to all have Sunday dinner together the night before I left.
But that wasn’t the reason my heart was pounding.
Hugh.
A lump formed in my throat. I’d known I was leaving, but I wasn’t prepared for it to happen so soon. I wasn’t ready.
“Listen, we can fly you home in a couple months to see your family again, since we’re rushing you out here. But it would be an effort that would not go unnoticed by Mr. Hopkins and myself.”
“I understand. Just text me the info, and I’ll be on that plane tomorrow.” Look at me, already back to being robotic and getting into work mode. Desperate to please whoever I needed to impress.
“We’ll send a car to pick you up at your address, so just send that to me, and we’ll also have a car waiting for you when you land in Chicago.” Wow. He had it all figured out. My head was reeling with all I had to do.
And all I wanted to do was run straight to Reynolds’ and beg Hugh to tell me not to go.
To ask me to stay.
“Okay, I will see you tomorrow,” I said, but he’d already hung up the other line.
I walked back inside, and all three girls stopped talking when they saw my face.
“Who died?” Sloane asked.
“My summer.” I shrugged. I should have said my freedom. My joy. It had all just vanished with one phone call.
A text came through with the flight info. The man wasted no time. I sent him my address so he could send a car, and he’d already changed the plan, because my flight was leaving first thing in the morning.
I filled the girls in, and everyone sat there looking like we’d just lost out on Taylor Swift concert tickets.
“I’m not ready for you to leave,” Rina whispered.
“Yeah. That was too short. Your pubes have probably not even grown back in your bikini area,” Sloane huffed, and I couldn’t even laugh because I was overcome with emotion.
Del didn’t speak. Her eyes welled with emotion, and she shook her head. “Well, you came, and you conquered.”
Now tears were streaming down my face just as they started running down her cheeks.
“I love you all so much. Thanks for making this the best summer of my life.”
“Look at you. You came here a boring virgin who never had any fun—and now you’re all sexed up from your out-of-town lover, who we oddly have yet to see,” Sloane said, raising a brow as she looked between me and Del.
“You’ve skinny-dipped, taken shots, had sex, rehabbed your father, and you even have Hugh Reynolds smiling and relaxed because you’ve got his restaurant running so smooth—if that’s really the reason that hunk of a man is smiling all the time. ” She smirked.
I didn’t question her. Maybe they suspected something was going on. We were together all the time. But I didn’t really care at this moment because I would have to say goodbye to him now, and I’d be gone by this time tomorrow.
The door opened, and Travis walked in. He paused at the counter and placed an order before turning and seeing us there.
I flung myself into his arms, and he wrapped me up, just like he used to do when I was young.
“Hey, what’s going on?” His voice was soft and kind. This is the side of my brother that I’d missed.
I pulled back and filled him in on the call that I’d just received.
There was a weird mix of sadness and relief in his gaze. I swiped at my tears as my friends pushed to their feet.
“Hey, why don’t I call Shay and tell her you and me and her are going to sleep at Dad’s tonight?
Wouldn’t that be a perfect last night for you?
” he asked. Travis had actually seemed impressed with my father’s sobriety, as he was going on two months between his six weeks in the program and his first week home.
I’d always wanted my brother to come home and have a relationship with our father. But that would mean that I wouldn’t be in Hugh’s bed tonight. Probably never again.
My heart ached.
It ached for something that was never really mine.
“Sure,” I whispered, catching Del’s eye when I looked away. I saw all the empathy there because my best friend knew that I was hurting. Hurting for a million different reasons, but only one mattered at the moment.
“I love you, guys. I’ll be back in a few months, okay?” I took turns hugging them, anxious to get to Reynolds’ to find Hugh.
We hugged, and we cried, and Travis hurried me to his car, as he said he was heading over to Reynolds’, as well, which meant I wouldn’t get to talk to Hugh alone.
Del mouthed the words, “Tell him,” before turning and walking to her car with Rina and Sloane. But what would be the point of saying anything now? I was leaving in less than twenty-four hours.
If Hugh didn’t want me to leave, I’d need him to tell me that.
Travis was on the phone with Shay, telling her to pack a bag because they’d be staying at my dad’s tonight. He ended the call just as we pulled out of the parking lot.
“I’m so damn proud of you, Lila,” he said, catching me off guard.
“Thank you.” My voice was quiet as the reality of what was happening was setting in.
I was leaving in the morning. I was sleeping at my father’s.
I’d have no time alone with Hugh. No more showers or boat rides or skinny dips in the cove.
No more cuddles in bed or morning runs with him biking beside me.
No more Sunday dinners or long conversations about what we wanted out of life.
I’d come home to help my father, and I’d done it.