31. Lily
Lily
DECLAN
D eclan upped the ante after I agreed to go to the gala. He’d given me space when I asked for it, but he took my acceptance as permission to show me that he was still here, and not going anywhere.
It started after my night of overindulgence with Sasha.
I’d woken to a quiet knock on the door. I’d opened it, mind still half-asleep and fuzzy with a killer hangover, only to find no one there.
Instead, there’d been a cute woven basket, the handle wrapped with a blue ribbon, tied into a wonky bow.
There’d been no note, just a small bottle of pain relief, orange juice and an electrolyte drink, and a still-warm ham and cheese croissant.
Underneath that, there’d been a small crossword book, because he knew that I wasn’t a fan of gossip rags.
Two days later, there’d been a small hand-delivered envelope in my letterbox when I got home from work, a note inside, written in his sloping handwriting.
To my wife,
You’re on my mind.
All day. Every day.
I don’t want you to ever think that you’re not the brightest spot in my life, the best part of me. Because there is no me without you, Lily. You make me whole. Thank you for giving me another chance. I won't let you down again.
Your husband.
My heart raced as I read it, hearing his deep voice whispering in my mind, my stomach fluttering as each word sank into my bones. I’d read it again, slowly and then tucked it away into my purse, keeping it safe and accessible.
I’d debated with myself for over an hour about whether I should contact him, thank him for the basket and note. He was giving me every word that I needed to hear, every reassurance that maybe we could actually get past this, but I couldn’t quite stifle the little voice of doubt.
It was constantly reminding me about how he’d made me fall for him once before with lies, and I never even saw it coming. I needed his actions to match up with his promises, and it was going to take more than a hangover basket to pull that off.
Over the following two weeks, there’d been several other notes, each of them now tucked into the same zippered pocket of my bag.
He didn’t message or ring, but he’d had lunch delivered right to my desk several times, always from one of my favorite restaurants.
My coworkers had started eyeing me with speculation, and it’d been a nice change from the pity that had been burning into me until then.
Now, it was Friday, and the gala was tomorrow night, but I’d received nothing today. No note, and no lunch. I definitely wasn’t disappointed about that.
I wasn’t.
Dad had messaged me this morning, asking me to come over to Hi-Tech in the afternoon, citing he had something to tell me, even though I was supposed to have dinner with him and Julie later tonight.
As I walk in, his assistant greets me cheerfully. “Go right in. Grant’s just finished up on a phone call.”
“Thanks, Sally.”
I head over, knocking briefly and opening the door. “Hey, Dad.”
“Lilypad!” Before I’ve closed the door behind me, he’s up and out of his seat, coming around the desk and pulling me into a tight hug. “Ah, that’s what I needed.”
I hug him back with a laugh. “Been a rough day, has it?”
“Not really, but a Lily-hug makes everything better.”
He pulls away, and I follow as he draws me over to the chairs facing his desk. He gestures for me to take one before sitting in the other, his body angled towards me. “It feels like you’re buttering me up for something,” I observe with a smile.
“Me? Why would I need to butter you up?” His eyes are round with shock, but it doesn’t feel entirely genuine.
“That’s what I’m wondering,” I murmur, unable to hide my amusement.
He leans back in his seat, lifting one ankle and resting it on his other knee, watching me closely.
The silence stretches out between us for a minute, and then another.
I lift expectant brows. “If you don’t get on with it, we’ll actually miss dinner and Julie’s going to end up hunting us down. ”
“Can’t have that.” He gives a mock shiver, making me laugh, but then clears his throat, rubbing two fingers on one side of his jaw. “I’ve got some news for you.”
“Okaaay,” I drag out slowly, filling the silence when he doesn’t immediately continue. “This sounds serious.” My expectant look doesn’t fall away.
He moistens his lips, not quite meeting my stare, and my mind starts jumping to worst-case scenarios. But then his lips curve with a secretive little smile.
“Not serious, per se,” he teases, but he’s interrupted by a knock on the door. He calls out for them to come in, and I look over just as Declan comes into the office, two takeaway coffee cups in his hands. I do a double take, eyes wide.
“Declan?” I ask cautiously as he comes over, handing one cup to Dad and giving me the other. I take it on autopilot, eyes flicking down to the label stuck to the side, unable to stop the smile tugging my cheeks up.
Hazelnut latte.
I bounce my stare between the two of them. “What’s happening right now?” I ask. No one answers, and I pin narrowed eyes on my dad. “Why is Declan here? And why is he bringing us coffee?”
Yeah, Lily, because that’s the weirdest thing about this.
Dad chuckles lightly, sipping at his drink. “I take it you didn’t think too hard about that intern I mentioned.”
I stare at him blankly before the conversation we had weeks ago trickles back into my memory. Not retiring, new intern, potential. A bark of laughter escapes my lips, and then I’m pointing a finger at Declan, not looking away from Dad.
“He’s your intern? Him?” I lean forward, dropping my voice to a whisper that they can both still hear. “You have the CEO of Nexus bringing you coffee?”
Declan huffs, but doesn’t say a word as Dad shrugs. “He had a lot to learn,” he says, but then pauses, flicking a look over at Declan. “Or unlearn, as the case may be.”
Declan doesn’t look offended and doesn’t deny it. “Happens when you’re raised by an unfeeling monster, I suppose.”
I shift my focus to him, tilting my head back, eyes locking with his. “Why didn’t you say something?”
He tilts his head to the side, his smile softening his next words.
“I didn’t do it for you, Lily, and I never wanted you to think that I did.
” I frown, unsure, but he continues quickly, “I’m winning you back.
Don’t worry about that. But this? This is something I needed to do for me.
A way for me to take back control of my life.
” He looks away, expression solemn. “I want to be a better person. For you, and for myself. I figured learning from Grant was a step in the right direction. He raised you, right?” He looks back, eyes warming to a melted chocolate that has my pulse jumping.
“So, he’s gotta know some things. He’s teaching me more about running a successful company than Donald ever did.
” He gives me one last lingering look, like he’s memorizing my face, and then takes a step back.
“I’ve got to go. But I’ll see you tomorrow night. ”
It’s not a question, but there’s something in his tone that has me taking a closer look. His eyes slide away from mine before darting back, his smile still there, but slightly smaller.
I feel a thread of amusement as I realize he’s nervous, as if he thinks I’ll change my mind. His fingers pluck at the dark fabric of his slacks. He notices where I’m focused, and he quickly tucks both hands into his pockets.
This side of him is sweet and unfamiliar, and something in me melts a little. Beside us, Dad clears his throat, bringing my attention to the fact that the silence is stretching out awkwardly, both of them waiting for some kind of response from me.
I nod jerkily. “Yes. Tomorrow.”
Declan exhales loudly, his shoulders sinking as he does nothing to hide his relief.
“I’ll pick you up at seven,” he tells me, all confidence once more.
He turns and heads for the door, pausing to throw back over his shoulder.
“There’ll be another surprise waiting for you when you get home after your dinner. ”
My mouth drops open, but he’s gone, the door firmly shutting behind him. I turn to my dad, bewildered. “What the heck was that?”
He shrugs innocently, still sipping at his coffee.
I look down at my own cup, heart racing a little too fast for the fact I’m sitting there, doing nothing.
Trying to shake it off, I lift the drink to my lips, savoring the taste of the sweet beverage, wondering if it just tastes better because he got it for me.
“Is that what you had to tell me?” I ask Dad. “That he’s your intern.”
“No.” He eyes me over the lid of his cup. “I, uh…I wanted to tell you I asked Julie to go steady with me.” A pause, and then quietly, “And she said yes.”
I snort, unable to help myself. “Go steady,” I echo disbelievingly, leaning forward. “How freaking old are you? What, are you gonna give her your letterman jacket?”
His gray-blue eyes twinkle back at me, looking lighter than they have in years. “Maybe I will, I’d just have to find it first.”
“You do not have a letterman jacket,” I exclaim, watching him, affection welling in my chest. I don’t know why I’m not shocked about him and Julie, but it just feels kind of…right .
He winks back at me, looking less tense than five minutes ago. “There are more than a few things you don’t know about your old man, Lilypad.” He sits back with a sigh. “You’re taking this well.”
I tip my head from side to side. “I love Julie, you know that. It does seem sudden after everything, though.”
He nods, making a thoughtful noise in his throat.
“I’ve been wondering about it all myself, trying to work out if I’m just acting impulsively, because of—” he swallows loudly, throat bobbing.
“I think learning about your mom…I’m sad.
I won’t deny that. She was my wife, and she gave me you.
I loved her, and I think part of her loved me.
” His smile is tight and sad. “We had some good years, me and Gloria. Some even better ones after you came along. So, I’m grieving that.
” I stand up, sitting my cup on his desk and crouching at his side, wrapping my arms around him in a hug, careful not to knock his own drink.
He hugs me back, pressing his cheek to the side of my head.
“But she’s gone,” he murmurs, “and she’s been gone a long time.
Lilypad, it feels like there was this tether that was connecting me to her and now…
it’s just been snipped. I’m drifting away from the weight of it, seeing everything from a distance.
And Julie…” he says her name with a sweet sigh.
“You deserve a happy ending, Dad,” I whisper, every word heartfelt. “I’m happy for you.”
He pats my back before pushing me away, averting overly bright eyes from mine, color coating his cheeks. “Yes, well. I wanted to tell you because Julie’s worried about your reaction.”
“Julie is, huh?” I ask dubiously, even as he rubs a hand over his eyes, acting like he’s not one good sniff away from falling to pieces. I bite my lip, hiding my smile.
“Yes,” he says firmly. “Julie is.”
“I don’t know why,” I say. “I love her to pieces. She’s my Jules.” Something occurs to me, and my voice goes stern. “If you guys don’t work out, I’m definitely choosing her.”
He rolls his eyes, but can’t hide the flash of amusement. “Well, if that’s the case, I’ll choose Declan.”
I gasp dramatically, sitting back on my heels. “That was just plain uncalled for! ”
He laughs. “He’s a good intern, and I think he’ll climb the ranks pretty fast.” A pointed look. “He brings me coffee, at the very least.”
“Hey now, I don’t bring you coffee because I choose not to bring you coffee. If you paid me to do it, it might be an entirely different story.” We both stand up. “You aren’t angry at Dec any more, Dad?”
He pauses on the way back to his desk, his brow furrowed as he runs an assessing look over my face.
“I think I’ll always hold some anger towards him, Lilypad,” he says quietly.
“You were devastated over something he did, something he could’ve stopped.
I’m not ever going to forget that.” His expression is grave as he lifts a shoulder.
“But I’m watching him pay his dues, and try to right a few wrongs.
I’m watching him relearn what it means to actually be a man, not just in business, but also his personal life.
I can’t really ask much more of him than that.
I’ve never been one to blame a man for his father’s mistakes, but I’ve told him—more than once—that he doesn’t get another chance. ”
“What, you won’t punch him again?”
He shoots me a carefully blank look. “I’m sure I have no idea what you’re talking about.”