Chapter 30 Lily
CHAPTER THIRTY
LILY
Having lived in Edinburgh my whole life, I had, along with my family, participated in the four-day Hogmanay festival multiple times.
However, the last few years, we’d avoided the city on Hogmanay if we could because it was packed with people from all over the world.
In particular, we avoided the Royal Mile because everyone congregated there for the street party.
It took Jan and me ages to even reach the high street and then we had to “politely” shove our way through the crowds to get to the main entrance of Sebastian’s building.
Two massive doormen blocked our way. I’d never seen them before, and they both had a rough, intimidating demeanor. One held a tablet computer and barked, “Name?”
“Oh, uh, Lily and January Sawyer.”
He scrolled through the screen and nodded, stepping aside. “Go on up.”
“There’s a list?” January hissed as we hurried into the building. “Bloody hell, you didn’t tell me this was a VIP party.”
“I think it’s to stop randoms from coming inside.” I shrugged. “There’s never been a list before.” Not that I’d been to any of Sebastian’s parties. I was thankful I’d asked Sebastian if January could tag along and not just shown up with my sister.
January had agreed to attend the Hogmanay party with me as support but also because she was nosy and wanted to see Sebastian’s Royal Mile penthouse.
While my friend and I had exchanged multiple texts over the holidays, we hadn’t talked again since Christmas Day.
Instead of moping over how much I missed him and worried about him and his situation with his parents, I attempted to look at the time apart as a good thing.
It helped me gather my emotions and put the boundaries in place I needed to continue a friendship with him.
The door to the flat was wide open, probably because of the doormen downstairs halting any “undesirables” from walking in.
Music pumped loudly from inside. Surprisingly, it was Dua Lipa, not the boys’ usual indie rock.
Catering to the masses, I assumed. I enjoyed a bit of Dua Lipa; the catchy beat of the song put a much-needed swing in my step.
We strolled up the wide hallway. People I didn’t recognize lingered near the entrance to the open-plan living space. As soon as we reached the strangers, I sucked in a breath. There were so many people crowded into the apartment. Way more than I’d anticipated.
“Holy shit.” January gaped around at the teeming kitchen and living room. “This place is huge.” Quickly, she unbuttoned her coat. “I’m getting a drink. Want one?”
I nodded, still a bit dazed as I scanned the room in search of my friend.
Zac suddenly appeared in front of me. Sebastian’s roommate grinned as he pulled me into a tight hug. “Lil, you made it.”
“I did.” I returned his embrace before pulling loose, too hot in my coat.
“Let me get that for you.” Zac gestured as I hurriedly unbuttoned it. “Did you come alone?”
“No, I came with Jan. She’s …” I glanced over my shoulder into the kitchen where my sister was already laughing and chatting away with some cute guy. That was fast! “Getting us a drink. Or supposed to be.”
I shrugged out of my coat and Zac reached for it. My cheeks heated at the hungry expression on his face as his eyes swept down my body.
“You look gorgeous.” He gave me another quick grin before he strode off with my coat. I watched him throw it into his bedroom and tried not to overanalyze the overt appreciation he’d shown me.
Smoothing my hands down my dress, I searched the main room again. Where the hell was Sebastian?
My outfit was armor. After the sting of his rejection, I needed to feel good about myself. Sexy. In control. Nobody’s reject.
However, my plan failed. As I took in the female guests dressed in similarly sexy party attire to my own, I felt stupidly self-conscious.
There were so many überslender beauties in the room.
I’d never have gently sloping hips and elegant curves.
The dress I wore was body-forming, accentuating my exaggerated curves.
I had boobs, an arse you could sit a coffee cup on, and hips in abundance.
Jan called my figure an “hourglass.” She reminded me famous people paid surgeons to make their body look like mine.
I held on to that thought as I took in the stunners who made up half the guest list.
Zac’s compliment did give me a boost, but I couldn’t help but wish I’d worn some jeans and a cute top.
“Here.” Zac appeared with a bottle of chilled beer. “Your sister is preoccupied.”
“Thanks.” I looked back into the kitchen to find Jan shoving her male companion playfully as they flirted. “Less than a minute.”
“What?” Zac leaned in, his brow wrinkled with confusion.
“My sister. It took her less than a minute to find a bloke to snog at midnight.”
He snickered. “That’s like Harry. The guy is charmed.”
I snorted because I didn’t know how. Harry had all the subtlety of a battering ram, but I guessed some girls liked that sort of thing. “Where’s Sebastian?”
Zac wouldn’t meet my eyes as he took a swig of beer.
My gut knotted. “Well?”
He glanced at me before searching the room. “He was introducing some girl around.”
The beer I’d sipped sat unpleasantly in my belly. Before I could find an airy response to the implication in this information, Sebastian’s bedroom door opened, and he stepped out.
He was accompanied by a tall, beautiful strawberry blond.
She was dazzling. As tall as Sebastian in her glittering heeled sandals.
Her dress was sophisticated and sexy at the same time.
Modest neckline with bell sleeves, but a mini-miniskirt and cutouts at the waist so everyone could see her torso and waistline were as toned as her long, long legs.
Thankfully, neither of them appeared disheveled and her lipstick was still firmly in place.
That didn’t alleviate the crushing sensation pressing on my chest.
I wanted to burst into loud, messy tears.
I wanted to leave. Immediately.
“Lily!” Sebastian’s voice boomed over the music seconds before he crossed the crowded room. His arms came around me as he embraced me tightly, lifting me off my feet a little. “Christ, I missed you.” His words were growly and full of sincerity.
His welcome made me want to cry even more.
Instead, I pulled out of his embrace and explained hurriedly, “Don’t want to spill my beer all over you.”
Sebastian’s hand lingered on my waist, so I stepped back, bumping into Zac who stayed put, like a supportive wall.
Sebastian’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly. Then he grabbed my free hand, apparently forgetting about the strawberry blond at his side. “Come with me.”
Discombobulated, I let him tug me toward the exit.
I caught January’s eye as I passed the kitchen, but she merely grinned evilly at my silent plea for help.
Sebastian’s hand was strong and warm in mine, his fingers flexing in tight wee squeezes as he guided me out of the apartment and into the quiet hallway.
I took a fortifying swig of beer as he turned to face me, dropping my free hand. His gaze swept down my body and back up again. The little flush high on his cheeks wasn’t my imagination, nor was the way his eyes lingered on my breasts before he swallowed hard and looked back into the flat.
“What’s up?”
Sebastian turned to me, those startling eyes roaming my face. “I haven’t seen you in a while. I missed you.”
“Aye, it’s … been a while,” I repeated stupidly, my smile tight as I refused to say I missed him back.
I needed my boundaries, after all.
Especially if he was going to be coming out of his bedroom with gorgeous blonds. Or redheads. Or whatever strawberry blond was categorized as. It didn’t matter. All females in Sebastian’s bedroom made me want to pour my beer over the top of his perfectly formed head.
Sebastian frowned, searching my face. Then he stared fixedly at my cleavage again. I scowled until I realized he wasn’t ogling me.
He was looking for something.
The necklace.
I stiffened.
He was looking for the lily necklace he gave me.
It was tucked away in the back of a drawer.
I’d worn the locket January got me for Christmas instead.
It was gold and shaped like a book. It opened to reveal an engraved quote from one of my favorite childhood novels.
“‘Why, sir. I think—I don’t know—but I think I could be brave enough.’” It was from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
And it made me cry because January always had a way of telling a person something meaningful without actually saying it out loud.
I didn’t know if she was right.
My fingertips grazed the locket. “It was a gift from Jan.”
Sebastian gave me a strained smile. “It’s nice.”
I shifted awkwardly. “How are your parents?”
“Talking. So at least that’s something.”
“Good.”
“Thanks for that, by the way.”
“I didn’t do anything.”
“It was your idea to force Gemma to tell the truth.”
“I’m glad it worked. How’s Juno?”
Sebastian shrugged, his mouth tilting upward in one corner.
“In love with Leona. So strange. The love part, not the Leona part. She’s cool.
I get the attraction. They were supposed to be here tonight, but Leona surprised Juno with tickets to New York.
Can’t really compete with New Year in Times Square. ”
“I dunno. I’m a wee bit biased, but a Scottish Hogmanay is a special thing.”
“Is that because it lasts longer?” he teased.
“We Scots do like to draw things out, don’t we?”
“Sebastian!”
We turned to find the strawberry blond leaning casually against the entrance of the flat. Her eyes flickered over me, dismissing me, before warming on Sebastian. “Do you know what you did with that prosecco I brought?” Her accent was as crisp and classy as Sebastian’s.
“Uh, sure. Candice, this is my friend Lily. Lily, this is Candice. She moved to Edinburgh for a job and is a friend of my grandmother.”
A friend of Princess Mary?
Wow.