Chapter 24
Ryder
She made progress over the last few days of self-defense practice, but I still worry about her.
She might be prepared to face a physical attack, but I’m not sure she’s ready for the mental struggle she’ll face seeing people in public for the first time.
I wish she had taken my suggestion for therapy.
So now, on Saturday morning, I’ve been anxiously waiting outside the entrance of the Flower Festival for twenty minutes.
It’s a beautiful day—the sun shining in the blue March sky, a light breeze fluttering the flowers marking the entrance.
Lily said her family would arrive around nine and then they’d walk to the farms, but I couldn’t sleep last night and decided to get an early start.
Unfortunately, I woke Gwen when I went into the kitchen to make coffee.
She was nice about it, though, and offered to come with me.
That way I don’t look like a creeper doing nothing outside the festival alone.
Now we’re standing by the gates, watching the people filter into the festival, and I’m scanning every group walking up to see when Lily will arrive with the Stones.
“Do you think they got lost?” Gwen teases.
“Hah, hah,” I fake laugh.
“Or maybe Agatha found a spaceship and decided to fly in.”
I chuckle for real this time, but my eyes are still too focused on the crowd to have more of a reaction. Because heading our way are the Stones.
First, I notice Adam and Henry. They’re leading the way, their tall, imposing bodies impossible to miss. Their fiancées stand on either side of them. Between them all, I can make out Lily with her father and Agatha.
Lily, with her golden hair in waves, her curves accentuated by her fitted sweater and jeans, and…wow.
“Just friends, huh?” Gwen whispers.
I look over at her. “What do you mean?”
“Watch your face, or her brothers will know exactly how you feel about her.” She taps my chin closed, and I want to argue with her, but right now is not the time or place.
“Do you see her?” I whisper.
“Oh, I see her,” she replies. “Everyone sees her.”
I look around us and realize she’s right. Everyone who was about to walk into the festival has stopped and is gawking at the Stone family. People whisper to each other, and I hear the name “Lily” floating on the wind.
Just like she feared.
As the family approaches, I finally get a glimpse of Lily’s face. I wish I could say she looks happy, even just a little nervous, but that’s not what I see.
She’s terrified. And this isn’t an external threat she can knee in the groin. This is one she has to face internally.
Still, I feel the need to save her. I don’t think much about what I’m doing. I just walk right up to the family. Adam’s scar across his eye is terrifying, and he and Henry scowl at me as I approach, but I hold out my hand and say, “Hey, guys. Good to see you.”
The brothers glance at each other, neither of them taking my outstretched hand.
Crap. Maybe this was the wrong call. I see Gwen appear at my side for moral support, but she doesn’t get a chance to say anything before Agatha comes to my rescue.
She skirts around the brothers, her silver cape flapping around her, and rushes up to me, wrapping me in a hug.
“Ryder, darling! So good to see you!” She titters a laugh.
“And Gwen Darling! That’s your actual last name!
” She comes back to me, snakes one arm around my waist, and turns to the family.
“Do you all remember Ryder Hawthorne, Peter’s friend? And Gwen’s cousin, of course.”
Adam’s and Henry’s faces don’t change. They’re intent on covering Lily and keeping her protected, which frustrates me to no end. Do they realize they’re making everything worse?
“I saw Ryder a few weeks ago in Mason and Madeleine’s shop,” Henry says, holding his hand out to shake mine now.
I exhale in relief and shake his hand, trying not to make a show of how strongly I’m gripping his hand.
Men read a lot into the strength of another man’s handshake.
Henry moves on to shake Gwen’s hand, and Adam’s next to shake mine.
He doesn’t say anything, but he sizes me up as he grades my grip.
Agatha introduces us to Mr. Stone, Isabelle, and Luna, whom I also met in the cookie shop, and then says, “Do you remember Lily?”
Her brothers scowl at her, questioning her decision to make a show of Lily’s presence, but they don’t know what Agatha knows—that I’m the safest person they’ll see today. Reluctantly, they separate, and I get my first full-on, clear look at Lily.
The moment our eyes meet, her expression lights up. She grins widely at me, and all the anxiety I saw from a distance fades away. “Hi, Ryder. It’s good to see you again.”
A knot loosens in my chest, and I grin back at her. “Hi, Lily. You too.”
We stand there staring at each other for a beat too long, but Gwen saves me. “Lily! So good to see you.”
Lily passes through her brothers to give Gwen a hug, and her brothers stiffen at her approach.
Ease up, guys. I don’t think they realize how much worse they’re making it for Lily by acting like she’s royalty entering society for the first time.
The more they tense up, the more people notice what’s happening.
In fact, the crowd around us is openly gawking now.
“It’s good to see you, Gwen,” Lily says. She pulls back and glances at me, then at her brothers, and finally she looks around at the crowd. Her smile falls as she notices all the people noticing her. Her eyes meet mine again, the worry evident to everyone.
“Ryder, Gwen, why don’t you join us?” Agatha asks. She pats me on the shoulder. “Ryder here has been a stunt double in Hollywood. I bet he can keep Lily safe.”
Adam and Henry exchange a glance, one I read as saying Like he could do anything we can’t, and I feel the hairs on the back of my neck raise up. My hand balls into a fist, but Gwen squeezes my shoulder to stop me from doing something stupid. “We’d love to join you,” she says.
“Fabulous!” Agatha cries, throwing her hands in the air. “Let’s go!”
Adam and Henry push past me. “Come on, Lily,” Adam says, his voice gruff and his eyes narrowed at me. She shoots me an apologetic glance and follows her brothers, flanked on either side by their fiancées.
Agatha hangs back with me and Gwen. “Sorry for the cold greeting,” she murmurs.
“They really take this seriously, huh?” Gwen asks.
“Lily is the eternal reminder of the mother they loved and lost,” Agatha replies. “They guard her with their lives.” She shoots me a warning glance, then follows behind.
“You’re sure you want to get involved with this family?” Gwen asks.
I sigh. If it were any other woman, the answer would be no. I don’t like this macho energy, especially coming from Adam.
But for Lily? Sweet, kind, sincere Lily, who deserves the world?
I tip my head in their direction and start walking. “Yeah, I’m sure.”