Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
Until a week ago, Lilly would have insisted that now that Austin liked her, no one in the world hated her anymore.
But on Saturday morning, she wasn’t so sure.
Daisy sent her the Instagram post with the caption: Just so you hear from someone who loves you…
and not some jerk at the banquet this afternoon.
“No!” she exclaimed.
“What is it?” her father demanded, leaning curiously over the garden table where they had eaten breakfast. He was getting more mobile every day. Yesterday, he’d even agreed to take Delfina for a walk. Sure, he complained about his walker the entire time, but Lilly had still considered it progress.
“Don’t be so nosy, honey,” her mother scolded — before adding innocently, “Why do you look so shocked, Lilly?”
Lilly didn’t reply. She was just glad Delfina was in the bathroom at that moment.
Austin’s ex-wife and model, Christine, had posted two pictures.
One showed was her wedding photo with Austin and next to it was a blurry image of Lilly and Delfina walking along Sunshine Pier.
The paragraph below wasn’t long, but it was powerful:
That damn woman who destroyed our marriage. I’m glad it’s finally out in the open. To everyone who thought Fox was a saint and me the bitch who messed it up: Nope, he cheated and had a child with someone else! I’m surprised I managed to keep it to myself for so long.
With her mouth open, Lilly stared at the post for a full three minutes — then she laughed.
“What’s so funny?” her father complained.
“Everything,” she replied. She could only laugh at such a blatant lie!
Christine hadn’t known about her or Delfina and Lilly certainly wasn’t to blame for the end of her marriage!
It was ridiculous. Quite unlike the comments under the post where people were badmouthing Austin and her and calling Delfina a bastard.
“You know, anyone who has time to laugh and keep secrets can also clean the garage this afternoon,” her dad grumbled.
“Sorry, I don’t have time — besides, your garage looks great! I just cleaned it last week.” All in all, the house was back in perfect order. The world could be so wonderful…
Oh man. She forwarded the post to Austin so he would be aware.
Hours later, when he came to collect her for the banquet, looking somber, she knew he’d read it too, although she was surprised she could even focus on his face, given that he was wearing a tuxedo and looking incredibly handsome.
They exchanged a glance and he mouthed the words I’m sorry as if it were his fault, before turning his attention to Delfina.
He gave her a tight hug in greeting and then dramatically clutched his chest, pretending to faint.
“I’ve never seen such a gorgeous girl in such a beautiful dress!
” he said admiringly. “You look enchanting.”
Delfina grinned with immense satisfaction before replying, “I know!” and twirling once.
A large gold dragonfly brooch, a gift from Austin after his last away game, sparkled on her flowing blue dress.
Lilly had done her hair in a fishtail braid and allowed her to wear a little glitter on her eyelids just this once.
Even though she wasn’t usually a fan of makeup on nine-year-old girls, Del had begged her…
and the thought that one of her classmates might call her a bastard next week, she’d given in.
“Look, Dad, I’m glittering,” Del said as if on cue, closing her eyes. “It’s gold and matches my brooch.”
“I can see that! Gorgeous. I love the color of the dress. It looks like the sea.”
“I know!” Delfina jumped up and down excitedly. “That’s why I picked it.”
“Well, everyone will know at first glance that you swim faster than everyone else.”
Delfina’s cheeks turned pink, but she nodded as if that was obvious, while Lilly’s heart swelled to three times its size.
Austin always did everything right. He always made Delfina feel like she was being heard and seen. He went to so much trouble to find out everything about her and remember it all… It was no wonder Lilly loved him. How could she not?
“Hey,” he said softly to her after he’d admired Delfina enough, taking in her simple, off-the-shoulder dress that flowed in dark red waves down her hips. “You’re beautiful, red suits you.” He lowered his voice. “Actually, I’d kiss you right now if everyone on the pier couldn’t see us.”
She swallowed, her heart fluttering. “I might kiss you back.”
“Only maybe?” He smiled.
She bit her lip. “Well, I’ve missed you and I’m afraid it wouldn’t stop at just one kiss.”
He chuckled softly. “You can kiss me as much as you want tonight. And wherever you want.”
God, she was looking forward to it.
“Come on, we have to go!” Delfina called, tugging at both their hands. “I’ve never been to a banquet before and I don’t want to be late.”
Austin smiled broadly. “All right, all right, let’s go to the parking lot.”
Delfina walked ahead of them along the boardwalk, while Austin lightly stroked the back of her neck with his fingertips. “I’ve missed you too,” he whispered.
Goosebumps fanned out down her spine. Every time he said something like that, Lilly was…hopeful. And hope was so terribly dangerous.
“Couldn’t those sexy boards satisfy all your needs?” she asked, sighing heavily.
“No. They were incredibly stiff and lifeless in bed.”
She laughed loudly…and had to restrain herself from simply wrapping her arm around him and burying her head in the crook of his neck. She was wearing high heels, so she was at least somewhat tall enough for that.
“I love making you laugh,” he murmured, giving her a warm sideways glance.
Her cheeks flushed. “Then it’s a good thing you have a talent for it.”
“I think that’s one of the nicest compliments I’ve ever received. But tell me, can I put my phone in your purse?” he asked. “I don’t want any of the journalists writing that I had an erection on the red carpet. They do that as soon as a pair of pants look like they are bulging.”
Shaking her head, she laughed and pulled the phone out of his suit pocket to put it away. “No problem. I’ll keep an eye on it and take some selfies while I’m at it, but…” She paused, her eyes widening. “Why is there a limo in the parking lot?”
Austin grinned and squeezed her shoulder. “I thought Delfina would be excited about it and feel special if…”
“Oh my God, oh my God, is this our limo?” Del squealed, whirling around to face them.
Lilly chuckled. “Well, I guess you’re right.”
“Yes, it is,” Austin confirmed. “But we’re not alone. Moreau, Anna, and Melody are inside.”
“Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!”
“Breathe, Del,” Lilly said gently. “Before you hyperventilate.”
“Yeah, yeah.” She waved her hand dismissively before running to the limo and flinging open the door.
“Oh my. Now she’s going to demand to be chauffeured around in a limo every day,” Lilly said with a sigh, and started to follow her into the car, but Austin gently held her back by the wrist.
“Wait a second,” he murmured. “I want to talk to you.”
Her lungs contracted. “That doesn’t sound good.”
He sighed and scratched the back of his neck. “Christine will be at the banquet.”
Her heart sank and a bitterness rose in her stomach. “Oh. Wonderful.”
“Yeah, I’m not happy about it, either, but it is what it is. I just thought that if we were going to run into her today, I’d better tell you what happened back then. Before she forces her version on you.”
She lifted her chin to look into his face…and his words landed as a fist-sized stone in her stomach.
Was that the only reason he wanted to be honest with her? The fear that Christine would get to her first?
The thought bothered her more than she wanted to admit, but she murmured, “Okay. Right now?”
“Yes.” He sighed heavily. “I should have told you sooner. It’s not that I don’t trust you with the story,” he said, as if he’d read her mind. “I just don’t like thinking about it. If I could, I’d just like to forget it all. But I can’t, so…”
Lilly gently took his hand. He looked visibly tormented and she hated the thought of him suffering. “It’s okay,” she said warmly. “You don’t have to…”
“Yes, I do,” he objected, squeezing her fingers.
“I want to be honest with you. I always want to be honest with you, so…” He took a deep breath.
“I’d wanted to leave her for a long time, you know?
We hardly ever saw each other because we were both always traveling and it just wasn’t working out.
When I met you, we’d been separated for weeks; the divorce was merely a formality, in my opinion.
So I didn’t even think about the possibility that sleeping with you might be wrong.
I was…single, at least in my mind. But the next morning, at 3:30 in the morning, she called.
I was lying in your bed. You were in my arms — and I wouldn’t have left.
Shit, I probably would have driven you to the airport.
But…” He rubbed his forehead nervously. “Well, she told me she was pregnant.”
Lilly opened her mouth, perplexed. But Christine had never had a child. She…
“I was completely thrown. She never wanted children, and that was one of the reasons for the breakup, but you already know that. At that moment, though, it didn’t matter.
I went to her. She had the positive blood tests and everything.
Maybe because she knew I wouldn’t have believed her.
So I stayed with her. I told her that a child would make trying one more time worth it.
And, shit, I was so happy about it.” He gave a joyless laugh.
“I had always wanted a family, that was never a secret, and I thought…the child at least deserved for me to forget you and make more of an effort with Christine. That was why I stayed with her. That was why I said what I said on TV.”
Lilly swallowed. Her pulse raced and her palms were sweating. She was afraid of what was to come. “She lied? She wasn’t pregnant at all?” she asked quietly.
He nodded curtly. “But that wasn’t the worst part.”