chapter 25 #2
“There’s no reason to be scared. Charlotte will be there for you, and so will I. A little more structure in your life would
help, which is why I’d really like to see you back in school.”
Lilly wasn’t sure she’d fit in with her classmates anymore. She felt years older than everyone else her age. “I’ll go back in the fall.”
“You know you can go to school here, right? You can come live with me, and if you’re behind, I’ll help you get caught up.”
She thought of the kids she’d known, briefly, while she was living in Cherokee. She hadn’t been there long enough to make
any real friends. She’d lived out of town, not in a neighborhood with other kids close by. Her social life had consisted of
hanging out on the farm with Old Blue or being in the house with her mother. Her mother had been so bored while they were
there; she was always looking for something to do. So they’d played a lot of card games—not that Sabrina paid much attention
while they were doing it. She kept checking her phone whenever it wasn’t her turn.
“Do you mean it?” Lilly asked.
“Of course I mean it. Charlotte didn’t tell you?”
Lilly thought of the terrible things her mother had yelled at him when they stormed out the last time, how she’d accused him
of being like Walter. Lilly didn’t have to worry about Steve being like Walter, did she? He’d never done anything that made
her skin crawl.
But would she be able to count on that if there was no one else around? “We haven’t talked about it yet. We agreed not to
make any big decisions until we got home. This is . . . this is just a time to get to know each other.”
“I see. Well, there’s no pressure on my part. I just wanted you to know I’m here if you need me.”
“Thanks. I . . . I miss Old Blue.”
“He misses you, too. He wandered around this place looking for you for weeks after you left,” he said with a chuckle.
She hated that the dog probably assumed she’d deserted him. “Charlotte promised she’d bring me for a visit soon. I can’t wait.”
He must’ve heard her sniff because he said, “Are you crying?”
“No,” she lied, embarrassed.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” She couldn’t say it, but she missed him, too. She just didn’t know if she could fully trust him, not after Walter.
“Okay, well . . . you can call me anytime.”
“Thanks,” she said and disconnected.
She’d just set the phone aside, wiped her face and blown her nose before reaching for her e-reader when she got a call.
Although she’d received a few texts from Charlotte, Sloane and Julian—saying things like, Time to eat, or Want to help me decide what to make for dinner tonight? or Want to go get some gelato?—this was the first time she’d ever received a call.
Assuming Steve had forgotten to tell her something, she picked up the phone and saw a picture of Penny on the screen. She
hadn’t even realized Charlotte’s adoptive mother had her number; Charlotte must’ve given it to her.
“Hello?” she said tentatively.
“Hi, Lilly. It’s Penny.”
“I know. I . . . I saw your picture.”
“I didn’t want to bother Charlotte while she’s writing, but I thought I’d check in on you and see how you’re doing.”
“Good,” she said automatically.
“I was also wondering what your favorite color is.”
Why would she want to know that? Lilly wondered but didn’t ask. “Yellow, I guess.”
“Then I’m glad I didn’t assume it was pink or purple.”
It was pink. But when she’d told Steve’s mom her favorite color was pink, she’d wound up with curtains that were for a little girl.
Pink could easily be misunderstood, she’d decided. She didn’t see how that could happen with yellow.
“I’m going to buy you a tennis outfit,” Penny explained. “I’m not sure I can find a yellow one, but I’ll do my best.”
“Tennis outfit?” she echoed.
“I’m a tennis player. Well, I used to be a tennis player. And then I was a coach. Nowadays I can’t play much. But I thought I’d take you to the club and have
someone I used to coach teach you the game. That might be fun for you while Charlotte finishes her book. And if you like playing,
I’ll make sure you get lessons.”
Lilly had taken band in the fourth grade. But then they’d moved, and she’d never had the chance to take any kind of lessons
again. That was when she’d also had to leave her cat. “Does that mean . . . does that mean I’ll be living near you?” she asked.
“I’m hoping you’ll be living with us,” Penny replied. “At least for a while—until Charlotte moves out and takes you to whatever house or condo she decides
to buy.”
Penny was assuming Charlotte would keep her. But even if Charlotte didn’t go back to Cliff, wouldn’t she rather be on her
own, free to do whatever she wanted? What would she do when she got with another man? Would she want Lilly then?
“I appreciate that,” she said because she didn’t know what else to say.
“Charlotte doesn’t want me to push you. I don’t want to do that, either. I just . . . I wanted to let you know not to worry.
That you have a home. We’ll make sure of it.”
“Thank you.”
They hung up, but before she even had the chance to think about their call, a knock sounded on the door.
“Come in.”
Sloane poked her head into the room. “Hey, you! Ready to go to Torre dello Ziro?”
Lilly scrambled off the bed. “Not yet. Has Charlotte finished writing?”
“She’s almost done—so chop, chop,” she said jokingly.
Lilly moved toward the dresser to put on a different shirt and a pair of shorts while Sloane continued down the hall, but
a second later, Lilly called her back.
“What is it?” Sloane asked, once again poking her head through the doorway.
“Do you still think I should go live at the farm? Because I just talked to Steve. He said I can.”
She took a moment to respond, as if she was thinking it over. “That’s up to you. What do you want to do?”
“I don’t know,” she said. “It’s hard.”
Sloane came farther into the room. “It’s not like you’ll have to let go of anyone either way, Lilly. If you go to Steve’s,
Charlotte—and me and Julian—will still be part of your life. We’ll make sure we talk to you and see you often. And if you
stay with Charlotte and her folks, Steve will do the same.”
“Steve can’t leave the farm. He has animals to take care of,” she pointed out.
“That doesn’t mean you can’t go there and visit for a week every now and then.”
The idea that she might be able to have both eased the cramping in her stomach. “Okay,” she said and, thankfully, managed
to stave off the fresh tears that were burning the backs of her eyes.
Everything was going to be okay. She hoped. But when she’d been afraid her half sister wouldn’t want her, Luca had promised
he’d stay in touch—check in on her, make sure everything was going okay, at least while they were in Italy—and she hadn’t
heard from him even once.
Julian sat on a crumbling watchtower below Praiano, letting his legs dangle while the sea breathed in and out below. Charlotte’s
text glowed on his screen.
Last night was incredible—did that really happen???
Unfortunately, it had. And now he’d have to answer for it.
“Damn.” He’d known better than to let things go that far. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt someone else, especially
Charlotte.
He watched several seagulls strutting along the coastline and raised his camera to capture them.
The setting—with Positano, Capri and the white surf in the background—was pretty spectacular.
But then he lowered it again. He’d taken thousands of pictures.
He had more than enough. He’d left the villa early this morning because he needed to escape, not because he needed to work. He didn’t like birds, anyway.
At the moment, he didn’t much like himself, either.
He had to make a decision. Did he tell Charlotte the truth right away? Or did he simply allow himself to enjoy the short time
they had left?
Sloane had a case of the jitters as they set off for Atrani. All night she’d been considering something she believed could
make a world of difference—to her and to Ben. A solution to their stalemate. A way to save their marriage. She hadn’t said
a word about it to anyone, but the more she considered the possibilities, the more hopeful and excited she became. She just
hoped Ben would be open-minded enough to accept what she planned to offer.
The drive wound between lemon terraces and sea cliffs. Sunlight flashed on the tiled domes; laundry snapped over narrow lanes.
It was beautiful scenery, but even after they arrived at Torre dello Ziro, she was only half there. She wandered around, feigning
more interest than she actually felt and trying not to miss what the others were saying so they wouldn’t realize just how
far away her mind really was. She didn’t think Charlotte or Julian noticed her preoccupation, but at one point, sweet, serious
Lilly edged closer to her and asked if something was wrong.
Sloane was touched that Lilly would be concerned about her. The girl was so in tune with those around her and what they were
feeling. Sloane was coming to love Charlotte’s little sister like her own.
“I’m fine.” She reached out to squeeze Lilly’s hand, something she wouldn’t have done even a week earlier, and was gratified when Lilly squeezed back before running over to join Jules, who was trying to teach her how to take better photos.
Waiting until they got back to the villa and the others went to bed was agonizing. Sloane wanted to talk to her husband as
soon as possible, but the fact that it was midday on a Friday in Seattle, and Ben had to be at the pharmacy, was working against
her. She didn’t want to confront him at work. She preferred him to be at home, relaxed and ready for a heart-to-heart.
It was after midnight in Italy when he finally responded to the text she’d sent earlier asking if he could set aside a half
hour to talk to her tonight.
Got off work a little early. It was slow this afternoon. Is this a good time?
She climbed out of bed, opened her door and peered down the hallway to make sure the house was quiet and she wouldn’t be interrupted.