Chapter 42
Ryder
We wrap up with the police and paramedics while Lily’s family stays at a distance. Adam reports back to the family so Lily doesn’t have to explain everything again. He still seems uneasy about me, but at least he’s allowing my presence and giving Lily freedom to make her choice.
After the formalities are done, Lily looks completely drained. We make our way over to her family, and Henry is the first one to wrap her in a hug. “I’m so, so sorry,” he murmurs into her hair, holding the back of her head.
“It’s not your fault,” she says, her voice muffled against his chest.
He pulls her back and holds her shoulders, stooping his head down to meet her eye level.
“In a way, it is. We’ve held you back for so long.
I should have said something to prevent Mr. Calhoun from taking so much control, but we’ve all been so afraid.
” His eyes glass over with emotion. “What we feared happened, but you’re still here.
” His eyes shift over to me. “Because of Ryder.”
Lily sniffs and blinks, two tears trailing down her cheeks. She looks over at me with pure love in her eyes. “Yes. Because of Ryder.”
My chest feels tight, and I swallow the emotion down hard. “Anything for Lily.”
Henry releases Lily’s shoulders and holds a hand out for me to shake.
It’s not just a greeting, or a way for him to acknowledge me.
It’s a symbol of respect and new beginnings.
I put my hand in his, making sure to grip it firmly, but the smile on his face is in stark contrast to the glare he had the last time he shook my hand, when we met at the Flower Festival.
“Okay, so we’re happy with Ryder now?” Peter’s voice sounds from behind Henry.
I snort a laugh and take a peek at my friend behind his brother. “I sure hope so.”
“What a relief,” Peter says, grabbing me in a bro-hug and slapping my back. “I’ve been trying to tell them you’re not that bad.”
“Sure you have,” I reply, pulling away from him. “Or maybe you’ve been ignoring everyone, the way you’ve ignored every one of my calls for the last nine months.”
Peter has the decency to look a little ashamed. As much as I wish he could have had my back with his family, I know who Peter is.
Lily’s father steps up next and shakes my hand. “Thank you,” he says, his voice softer than his sons’. “And I’m sorry.”
“I’d do anything for her,” I reply.
“All right, we all love each other now,” Peter calls, clapping his hands together. “I think it’s time we got out of here and had some fun. Let’s go eat!”
Lily looks at me, her eyes lined with exhaustion.
“Peter,” I say, my voice low. “I don’t know if that’s what Lily needs right now.”
Lily loops her hand through my arm, resting on my bicep. “I think I need a break.” She looks at her brother and says, “But we can get breakfast in the morning.”
Peter reluctantly agrees, and altogether, her family and I walk her to her apartment building, which is just a few steps away from the theater.
Lily says goodbye to her father, Henry, and Peter, but Adam and Isabelle hang back an extra minute.
When the rest of the family has gone, Adam stares at me and Lily, stone-faced.
I don’t know why he’s waiting around now.
Is he finally going to beat me up? But he wouldn’t do that in front of Isabelle and Lily, right?
Isabelle nudges Adam. “Come on, now,” she says to him.
He looks at me. “I’m sorry,” he says, his voice gruff and hesitant, but he still said it.
I raise a brow at him. “Really?”
He glares at me, but then he sighs, and his stony expression falls. “Really. I may have taken things too far, especially in trusting Mr. Calhoun, and for that I apologize.”
“Maybe?” Lily says, standing by my side. “You tore away the one person who cared about me.”
“One person?” Adam’s voice sounds pained. “He wasn’t the only one, Lily. We all cared about you—we still do. But you have to understand how suspicious we were—” Isabelle smacks him on the shoulder. “Fine. How suspicious I was of Ryder’s intentions.”
“I know it looked bad,” I reply. “But if you’d taken the time to get to know me instead of overreacting, I think you would have seen the difference.”
He looks at me and gives a reluctant nod. “You’re probably right.”
“So can we move forward now?” Lily asks, the hope clear in her voice. “Together?”
Adam looks at her and nods. “Yes. I’d like that.”
She runs into her brother’s arms, and he wraps her in a hug, emotion clear in his eyes as he soaks in this moment of holding his sister. Isabelle rubs his back, looking like a proud mother hen, and I can’t help the smile on my own face.
“All right, time to leave these two alone,” Isabelle says, pulling on Adam’s shoulder. “I’m sure we’ll be seeing you around.”
Adam releases Lily, then holds his hand out to me. Like earlier with Henry, it’s a peace offering, a promise of a new start between us. I put my hand in his and we shake, and Lily clutches on to my other arm with excitement I can feel through her fingertips.
“Have a good night,” Adam says. His eyes narrow. “But if you try to do anything untoward with Lily, I swear—”
“Okay, bye!” Isabelle cuts him off and tugs him away. I can hear her mutter to him as they leave, “I told you, she’s an adult now!” Adam grumbles something back to her, and Lily and I chuckle.
I finally take a deep breath and gather her into my arms. This day hasn’t been what I envisioned my reunion with Lily looking like. We haven’t had a moment to just be together, to appreciate that the last few months are over and we can finally be together again.
Looking down at her, I can’t believe we’re in the same place at the same time, and I marvel at the miracle that brought us back together.
“Where are you staying?” Lily asks, her head tipped up to me and her eyes shining.
“Peter said I can stay with him. I guess he got a hotel separate from the family.”
“Figures.” She rolls her eyes. “Although it was nice to be with him. I haven’t seen him in person for years.”
I shake my head. “I’m sorry about that.”
“It’s not your fault. But wait. When did you arrive? How do you not have a place to stay?”
I shrug. “I flew straight here as soon as I figured it out.”
She furrows her brow. “How did you know about the concert?”
I explain the conversation I overheard and how I saw the Windsor Conservatory website. How I made a snap decision, not knowing for certain that she would be here but knowing that I’d regret it the rest of my life if I didn’t come.
“I’m so glad you were here, especially with Tristan showing up,” she says.
I run my thumb across her cheek. “But you don’t have to worry about him anymore. There’s no way he’s going to try anything again.”
“Honestly, I believe it this time.” She gives me a smirk. “You made sure of that.”
“You handled yourself first, though,” I reply. “And I’m really proud of you for that.”
“Thanks to what you taught me.” Her eyes flick over to my wrist, and they fill with emotion. Her voice is soft when she speaks. “You’re wearing the bracelet.”
I grin. “Hardly ever took it off.”
She lifts her hand and wiggles her wrist. “Same.” She swallows, her glassy eyes darting back and forth between mine. “I’m so sorry I left, Ryder.”
I shake my head, moving my hand from her cheek to cup the back of her head. “It’s not your fault.”
“No. I could have talked to you about it. We could have faced it together.”
“I don’t blame you.”
“They threatened your career,” she says. “If I told you anything, Mr. Calhoun was going to make sure you didn’t get a job again.”
“Lily,” I say softly. “That wasn’t your call to make.”
“But this way, I was the only one getting hurt. If I got you involved, then you’d—”
“Still have you,” I say. I kiss her lightly on the forehead, letting my lips linger there. “Losing my job would have meant nothing compared to the agony I’ve been in for the last seven months.”
She sucks in a breath. I look at her, and the tears are falling down her cheeks now. “I’ve been in agony, too. Or more like…numb, I think.”
I nod. “I never want to feel that way again. So no matter what happens, from now on, we face it together.”
“Together,” she repeats.
We lock eyes, and I wipe the tears from her cheeks. I tilt my head to the building where she lives. “So is this your plan? Staying here to finish the program?”
She inhales, and I see the uncertainty fill her eyes. “Don’t worry about me,” I say quickly. “What do you want?”
“I want…” She swallows and then nods. “I want to stay and finish my program.” She rushes to continue. “It’s just that this has been my dream for years, and the teachers here are incredible, and I think this is my chance, and—”
“And you should stay,” I say. “And I’ll stay with you.”
Her eyes widen.
“Not like that! I’ll just move here. But I’ll get my own place.”
“That simple, huh? You’ll just move to London for me?”
“Lily.” I hook my finger under her chin, tipping her head up to me.
“I don’t care what it takes. I may have used my last dollars to get a flight here, but I’d do it ten times over if it meant being with you again.
” I pause, making sure she’s hearing every word.
“I would go anywhere for you. I would do anything for you. I will be by your side until the end of time, and then beyond that.” I give her a half-grin.
“You’re never getting rid of me. I hope you’re okay with that. ”
“That’s all I’ve wanted,” she whispers, her eyes glistening with happy tears.
“Then that’s what I’ll give you.” I lean down, capturing her mouth with mine, and seal that promise with a kiss.
Kissing Lily is like the first rain after a drought, and I soak in every moment of it. Her lips, her citrus scent, her gentle touch all saturate my soul. Then the rain ignites a fire in my chest, and there’s nothing I want more than to continue kissing her and holding her close.
So we kiss on the street for longer than is probably appropriate, but finally the kisses soften and we pull apart. She rests her head on my chest, and I can feel her relief in the way she relaxes into me. “I don’t want to leave you,” she says.
“I don’t either,” I say. “But I’ll be here first thing in the morning. And every morning after.”
She looks up at me. “You promise?”
I press one soft kiss to her lips. “I promise.”