Chapter 16
Lily
I stretch my arms over my head, my head filled with a dream where Luke didn’t interrupt our moment yesterday.
Sebastian was going to kiss me.
He was going to take that step.
Then my brother ruined it.
The phone ringing was annoying, but when it was Luke’s name flashing across the screen, I could sense Sebastian’s walls coming right up again.
We were finally making some progress, but in that moment, I felt like we were back to square one.
Part of me is tempted to march up to his apartment and just kiss him.
Get it over with.
Hopefully, he would kiss me back.
The promise I made to myself, though, won’t stand for that.
He must be the one to make that decision. He’s the one struggling with this.
I know what I want, and don’t necessarily care that much about what Luke has to say about it.
That is different for Sebastian.
I know he struggles with his loyalty to my brother, as he told me himself.
Therefore, I stay in my apartment, getting ready to make our usual breakfast, when a text from Sebastian pops up.
Sebastian: Won’t be able to make it to breakfast this morning! I’ll see you later for game night.
I feel like I’ve been punched in the stomach.
What a fucking coward he is.
Now he won’t even dare be in my presence alone?
If I was uncertain about those walls before, I have my confirmation now.
I let out a frustrated huff.
I need to blow off some steam. Just as I’m ready to take a walk, my phone rings with an incoming group call from my friends.
Sunday.
Our catch-up is today.
This is just what I need: a call with my girls.
I decide I’ll talk to them while I do my walk, needing to move at least to release some of the strain.
“Hi girls!” I greet them.
It’s nighttime for Mira and Wendy. Kait is in Australia, so it’s nearing evening there.
We take turns talking about our progress on our projects.
Kait is having some trouble with the sailor being closed off and not really in the mood ever to share any substantial thoughts about his career.
According to him, he was “forced” into this project by his agent.
That leaves Kait with some uphill battles each day, but I’m confident she’ll do great either way.
“Maybe just flash your tits or something, then he’ll open up,” Mira snickers, and we roll our eyes at her.
“Yeah, then he would probably have me sent right back to America. I don’t think he’s ever seen a set of tits,” Kait says, making us laugh.
God. What kind of dude is this?
Wendy is the only one of us who is following a female athlete. She’s having a great time learning about the dynamics of beach volleyball and how her athlete works together with her teammate.
It’s cool hearing about a sport that combines two athletes, like a petite team.
She’s also gotten a nice tan since I last saw her. The Brazilian weather will help a girl out in that matter.
Mira is still enjoying the sunny weather and the beautiful men of the NFL in Texas.
“I’ve been thinking about our trip. What about the Caribbean?” Kait asks.
She’s the planner of our group.
Tell Kait you’ve been thinking about seeing a movie or booking a new workout class, and everything will be fixed the next day.
Whenever we go somewhere, she’s the one in charge, and we love her for it.
“That sounds amazing to me,” I say, looking over a small pond of ducks in the park I’ve ended up in. Whenever I take a trip outside, I discover some new sights that make my heart a little fonder of London.
The others agree, meaning Kait will have a proposal for us with flights, hotels, and activities the next time we talk.
We’re just waiting for the plan for the few classes and meetings with our supervisors, then we’ll be all ready.
When we hang up and I go back to my apartment, my anger has simmered down.
This is just what I needed.
Talking with my friends and enjoying a Sunday-morning walk.
I decide to do some sightseeing, wanting to make the most of my time in London whilst I’m here.
I have the Vegas trip in under two weeks, and when that’s all done, I’ll be heading back to the US two weeks after that.
The time really is flying.
I spend my day exploring the city and checking off some of my boxes. Making a list of things I wanted to do whilst I’m here was the perfect plan for a day like this.
There are some attractions I really want to see before I go back.
The Harry Potter tour is one of them.
There’s just something about that universe.
I want to take my time, though, so I’ll save that for a later time when I can spend my whole day there.
When I spot an ad for The Dungeon, a horror experience, I think about Sebastian and how he would probably enjoy that, the horror freak.
I sigh.
I really wish Luke hadn’t interrupted us yesterday.
Then I remember him skipping breakfast with me, as if he were shutting me out.
He could have made plans, but I feel like he would tell me, which leaves me to the conclusion that he’s avoiding me altogether.
We could have been exploring these things together, but instead, he took the cowardly way out and avoided me.
Well, he won’t be able to avoid me tonight.
～
I smile as I take in my reflection in the mirror.
I’m wearing a black dress that is tight across the chest and flows from the waist. I’ve paired it with textured stockings, gold earrings, and my necklace. I’ve curled my hair and added a touch of eyeliner, enhancing my eyes.
Game night is probably a laid-back affair, but I don’t mind being a little overdressed.
I plan to make Sebastian sweat a little.
If he chickens out on us from one interruption of my dear brother, then I’ll at least make him think twice about shutting me out.
The least he could do is talk to me about this; we could figure this out together instead of him being in his own head.
But no, he’d rather not eat breakfast with me and hide.
Yeah, I’m still bothered by that.
Our breakfasts have become my favourite time of day, so when he dropped that, it stung.
When I knock on his door, it’s Dean who opens and his reaction is the exact thing I wanted.
“Oh, darling. You look ravishing,” he says, kissing my cheek for good measure. I lean into him, probably a little more than necessary.
“Thank you, Dean. You don’t look too bad yourself,” I say, my smile sly as I walk into the apartment.
I greet Fredrick and Ian, who quickly stand when I come in. Their admiration is adorable, but the man I’m interested in doesn’t seem too eager to greet me just yet.
I ignore Sebastian, who’s standing behind the counter in the kitchen, taking my time greeting the guys.
I do have manners, so I bought a large plate of tapas-inspired dishes. I’ve made some chicken skewers and mini pizzas together with a variety of fruits and cold cuts.
When I’m all done with my greetings, I make my way over to Sebastian.
The look he gives me halts my steps.
He’s clearly not happy with me.
He’s leaning on the counter, gripping the edge with both hands as his eyes send daggers my way.
The usual playful smile is gone, and in its place is a scowl.
“Sebastian,” I say, putting down the dish in front of him. I’m tempted to turn back around, but I decide against it, wanting to push.
He has no right to be angry at me.
He’s the one backing away from us, not me.
It may be a little childish to use his friends to make him jealous, but it’s not like I’ve done anything with them.
“Lily,” he mutters.
I meet his stare, feeling like we’re arguing without saying a word.
I’m tempted to call him on his bullshit right then and there, but with his friends in the room, that could get awkward.
Therefore, when I’m tired of our staring contest, I shake my head before turning to the boys, clapping my hands together.
“Shall we get started, boys?”