Chapter 35
Lily
Talk about a bomb drop.
Agatha? My Aunt Agatha? In love?
“When was this?” I ask.
“Many years ago. I wasn’t much older than you.” She tilts her head. “In fact, I was your age. Nineteen.”
Ryder rubs his thumb over the top of my hand as we wait patiently for Agatha to continue her story.
“We were in theater together,” she says.
“Wait,” Ryder interjects. “You did theater?”
She fixes him with a no-nonsense stare. “You didn’t think Adam’s acting talent came from nowhere?”
We exchange a glance, and I shrug. I’m already shocked at the start of this story. But should I be shocked? She always dresses in character. She has a flair for the dramatic. Her acting history fits right in with what I know of her.
“Eugene worked in the crew. He was in charge of the lighting.” Her eyes drift off to the corner of the room, lost in memory.
“The night I played Ophelia in Hamlet was when he told me he loved me. He brought roses to my room after the show and said he missed his lighting cues because he couldn’t take his eyes off of me.
” She looks back at us with a smile. “And I told him that I forgot my line because he smiled at me on my way to the stage.”
My mind is still blown. Agatha in love? I can hardly imagine it.
“We had a whirlwind romance. For a few months, we were together constantly, whether in rehearsal or not. He quickly became my best friend.” She shakes her head. “But all good things must come to an end.”
“What happened?” I ask, my voice soft.
“My father,” she says, her expression hardening.
“He came to one of my shows unannounced. I had no idea he’d be there, but how would I have known his reaction to our relationship?
” She closes her eyes, gathering herself.
“When he saw us together after the performance… I’ll never forget the look in his eyes. ”
I suppress a shiver.
“He told me our duty to our family was to marry well. To choose someone who would carry the Stone legacy into tomorrow. And Eugene…well, Eugene came from nothing. A broken family, a poor home, and few ambitions beyond making it in show business.”
“So what happened?” I ask. I know how the story will end, even though I hope for something impossible.
“So…I broke things off. My father made me choose—our family, or Eugene. And I thought I was making the right choice.”
We sit in silence for a moment. I swallow hard. “Do you think you made the right choice?”
She looks at me, warmth entering her expression. “My dear Lily. If I hadn’t made that choice, I don’t know if I’d be here with you right now. Perhaps I’d never be part of your life.”
“But Eugene,” I say. “And you never… Not again…”
She shakes her head, a sad smile on her lips. “There was no one else for me.”
“What happened to Eugene?” Ryder asks.
Agatha’s eyebrows raise. “You’d never believe it. He made it all the way to Hollywood.”
“Do you keep in touch?” I ask.
“Oh, heavens no. But it’s fairly easy to find anyone you want on the Interweb.”
I snort a laugh, imagining Agatha google-stalking her former lover online.
Agatha places her hand on my knee. “But Lily, this is why I say that we must carefully plan our tactics with your family, especially Adam. He means well, just as my father did with me. But they err on the side of overprotective. They jump to conclusions.” She looks me straight in the eye.
“I know you’ve grown. And I know what you two have is nothing like what happened with Tristan.
” She pauses for a moment. “I trust your judgment.”
My eyes immediately well with tears. Her words sink into my chest, and I realize the full import of what she just said.
She trusts my judgment.
For the last eighteen months, all I’ve told myself is that I’m stupid and naive. That I made a terrible decision and that I deserve all this suffering because of it. That I can’t be trusted.
But Agatha is taking that nagging voice in my head and shutting it down. She trusts my judgment.
Ryder squeezes my hand, and I look at him with gratitude. “For what it’s worth,” he says, “I trust your judgment, too. Not just because it has to do with trusting me—”
I laugh, and he winks before he continues. “But because I know you. And you’re a grown woman with complete thinking ability.”
I swallow hard and look down at my hands so I can think clearly.
Okay. So one option is to let Tristan tell my family.
I know what their reaction will be—they’re going to lose it.
They’ll basically want to lock me up even longer and make me break things off with Ryder.
So I’ll have to either rebel against them, ruining our family relationship, or listen to them and be stuck even longer than I already have been.
But if Ryder leaves…
I turn my head to look at him, and my breath catches in my throat. I can’t do this. I can’t decide.
Then Ryder nods at me, that small gesture instilling confidence in my abilities. With his encouragement, I keep mulling it over.
If Ryder leaves, we’re just hiding again. Sure, I’d be taking control of my own life by keeping the information on my terms, but that’s not right either. And Tristan will think he won.
What if…
My thoughts are interrupted by a buzzing phone.
Mine.
Which means it’s either my dad, brothers, or Bethany.
We all look at each other, the dread in Ryder’s eyes mirroring mine.
Ryder checks his watch and scowls. “Tristan said he’d give me fifteen minutes. I should’ve known better than to trust him.”
Swallowing hard, I stand and walk to the kitchen counter where my phone sits covered in flour. But the name on the screen is unmistakable.
Adam Stone.
Of course my most hotheaded brother would be the one to call me first.
I answer the call. “Hey, Adam.” My voice shakes, but what else can you expect?
“Lily? Are you all right?” The softness in his voice shocks me, and I almost burst into tears. My beastly brother, the one who swore to protect me, is affecting me more with his gentle tone than if he were angry.
“I’m fine,” I reply.
“Lily, listen to me. I…I know about you and Ryder. Please tell me he isn’t there right now.”
I don’t say anything.
Adam mutters something under his breath.
Another voice speaks on the call. “Adam, this is what I warned you about.”
“Who is that?” I ask.
“Hi, Lily. This is Mr. Calhoun.”
I swallow. What’s he doing on this call? Can’t I just talk to my brother?
Adam speaks up. “Lily, I’m coming to get you. I don’t know what we were thinking, leaving you with Agatha.”
“Adam, no. I’m not in any danger. Ryder and I… It’s not like that.”
“Not like what?” His voice rises slightly. “I saw the picture. You were kissing in the middle of the street! Mr. Calhoun sent it to me and said we need to get you out of there immediately.”
Wait, Mr. Calhoun sent it to Adam? Did Tristan send it to him?
I want to ask clarifying questions, but it’s going to distract from the topic at hand. My heart is racing, but I will myself to continue. “It’s not anything you need to worry about.”
Mr. Calhoun says, “I’m sorry to disagree, but this is exactly what we’re worried about.”
“Yes!” Adam exclaims. “Lily, ‘it’s not anything to worry about?’ Do you hear yourself? These are the same words you used when I picked you up from the hotel in Vegas.”
And there it is. I wince at his stabbing reminder of my mistakes. He’s never going to see me as anything but a little girl, but I still have to try. I have to use my voice. “It’s different this time. Ryder isn’t anything like Tristan.”
“Of course he’s going to seem that way.” Adam’s voice drops again, softer.
“But you’re still healing. You’re so fragile right now.
Let us take care of you. Soon, you’ll be strong enough to be in a romantic relationship.
Believe me. I know how important that is.
When Isabelle came into my life, everything changed. ”
I swallow hard, remembering Adam before Isabelle. As tough as he seems now, he was a formidable beast before. “I know.”
“I understand how much you want to be loved. Please, Lily. Just don’t do anything rash.”
I glance over at Ryder, who’s watching me with eyes full of concern. For a moment, my resolve drops. I feel Ryder’s care, but I also know how much my brothers care for me, too. How much they’ve gone through. How much heartache I’ve given them because of my poor decisions.
Am I being too rash? Am I making a bad decision again?
My gut tells me no, but my gut was wrong with Tristan.
Then Ryder smiles at me and mouths the words, You got this. And that’s when I know I’m right.
Ryder isn’t anything like Tristan. I’ve known this from the first interaction I had with him. He’s so full of genuine consideration for me, where Tristan only cared about himself, even when he pretended to love me.
Mr. Calhoun is wrong, and Adam is wrong for trusting him. Ryder is real, and his feelings for me are real, too.
My mind is spinning and my stomach is churning, but I have to see this through.
“Lily?” Adam’s voice comes through the phone.
I grin at Ryder. “Yeah, I’m here. I’m not leaving. And I’m not backing down.”
“Lily…” Adam says.
Mr. Calhoun lets out a sigh. “I didn’t want it to come to this.”
My voice shakes. “What do you mean?”
He continues. “Staying there in Brookhaven is the wrong path for you. This is non-negotiable. You will leave Brookhaven, or I will make it my priority to ruin Ryder’s career.”
The smile drops from my face. The one thing Ryder needs right now is his next job. He’s out of money, and he’s said multiple times how excited he is to work on a kids’ movie. I’ve been miserable knowing he’s leaving, but the idea that he was going to fill multiple needs made it bearable.
“Wait, Mr. Calhoun,” Adam says, his voice hesitant. “I don’t know if this is within your role.”
“My role is to protect Lily at all costs,” he retorts. “Isn’t that what you want?”
“Of course.” But Adam still sounds uncertain.
“You hired me to do my job. Trust me. I’ve seen this time and time again. This is what Lily needs.”
Adam’s silence is confirmation.
I turn away from Ryder so I don’t have to look at him, stepping over to my kitchen table and taking a seat there.
My heart is pounding harder and harder. This is so unfair.
But saying that out loud makes me sound like a petulant teenager.
I might still be a teenager, but I’m not going to give Adam that impression.
Think, Lily, think. If I go along with this and let them think I’m agreeing to this plan, maybe they’ll leave Ryder alone.
I’ll tell Ryder about my plan after the phone call so he knows what’s happening.
We can give it some time to simmer, and then we’ll find our way back to each other. Just a quick, predetermined separation.
If I don’t agree, and Mr. Calhoun ruins Ryder’s career, and I put up a fight, then it’s setting us up for misery, both for him and my brothers.
I love my brothers, even if they’re way too overprotective.
I don’t want to ruin my relationship with them, not when they’ve sacrificed so much for my happiness and well-being.
Fighting with them will only make them think I’m more immature.
If I pretend to agree and just stay with them while proving how mature I am now, maybe there will be a chance for me and Ryder in the future.
“Okay,” I finally say. “I’ll do it.”
Another sigh from Mr. Calhoun, but this one sounds relieved. “You’re making the right choice, Lily. Adam? Can you get Lily this evening?”
“Yes. I’ll be there after work.”
“Great. And Lily?”
“Yes?” I manage to squeak out.
“Don’t do anything stupid, like running away again.” Mr. Calhoun’s words are sharp and pointed.
The word stupid physically stings. Doing something stupid again, the reminder that I have done something stupid once and am likely to do it again, at least in their eyes.
The reminder that my brothers have needed to protect me and keep me safe ever since our mother died, and that the one time they let me make my own decision, I caused pain and suffering.
“And,” Mr. Calhoun pauses for dramatic effect. “Don’t you dare tell Ryder.”
I suck in a breath. “What…why…why would you say that?”
“Call it a hunch. But if you tell him, you won’t like the consequences.”
Tears prick my eyes. My whole plan is shattered. Now I’m going to disappear and leave Ryder, and he’ll never know what happened to me.
Will he care?
Will he even want to find me?
Or will he move on, maybe back to Peter and all the girls he was dating before?
I’m going to be sick.
My eyes land on the shattered picture of our family, still sitting on my kitchen table.
I wish I could go back to that little girl, wrapped in her mother’s arms. I wish she could tell me what to do.
I wish I didn’t do stupid things and hurt my family.
Instead, I’m here, suffering the consequences of my dumb decisions and making my brothers pick up the pieces.
“I’ll be there around ten,” Adam says, startling me from my thoughts. “Be smart, Lily.” He hangs up before I can respond.
My hands shake as I lower the phone from my ear.
What now?
I’ve been placed in an impossible situation.
If I tell Ryder, I’ll sever my relationship with my brothers.
But I’ve only been in a relationship with Ryder for less than twenty-four hours. Can I even call it a relationship? We’ve kissed a couple of times. I admit he’s been my best friend through this all, but do I know that what I’ve got with Ryder is worth severing my ties with my family?
I can’t say that with complete confidence.
So I’ll go along with their plan. Pretend nothing is wrong. Tell Ryder nothing.
And then disappear tonight.