“What about Dominic’s mother? Rosella?” It had to be hard for her to watch another woman assume her role in her child’s life. Lil couldn’t imagine how she would feel if something like that ever happened with her and Colby. Just the idea of it was heartbreaking.
Abby said, “Dominic has seen her several times. He loves her, but it’s still strained. Maybe it always will be. She hurt her children by leaving them. Hurt like that doesn’t just go away.”
“Was that who Nicole was referring to when she said that someone could come tomorrow?”
“Yes, and that was a huge step for her. Outside of one quick meeting, Nicole has refused to see her.”
“I can’t really blame her. She thought her mother was dead.” Lil found it difficult to find any sympathy for a woman who had deserted her children and faked her own death to protect herself.
Abby said, “We’re only on this planet for so long, Lil. Life is too short and too precious to nurture old injuries. Sometimes it’s better to just let it go so you can heal.”
“That means you’ve completely forgiven me for totaling your first car?”
A slight red filled Abby’s cheeks. “The one I had finally paid off and could have driven for free for years if you hadn’t taken it for a joyride before you had your driver’s license?”
Perhaps that had been the wrong injury to resurrect. “When you say it like that, it does sound awful.”
Abby patted one of Lil’s shoulders in mock support. “I’ve forgiven you, but that doesn’t mean I won’t enjoy watching Colby put you through your paces.”
“That hurts,” Lil laughed.
“The truth often does,” Abby joked back.
Lil sobered and asked, “We’re okay, right, Abby?”
Abby hugged her sister one last time and used a line that she’d started saying when she’d taken over the household and had continued to sprinkle into many of their disagreements over the years. “Always better together.”
Tears welled and spilled down Lil’s cheeks. Oh, how she’d mocked Abby over the years for voicing that mantra whenever things had gotten dicey between them. Today, she finally heard something in those words that she’d thought Abby had never said. It made her feel both ashamed of how she’d taken her sister for granted and grateful that somehow Abby had loved her through it all.
For the first time, Lil repeated the words in agreement, “Always better together.”
Her normally composed sister hugged her tighter and burst into tears.
Happy tears.
Cleansing tears.
“About that car,” Lil added to lighten the mood.
Abby pulled back slightly and smiled even as she wiped her wet cheeks. “Still going to enjoy your pain.”
“I love you, too, Abby.” Lil meant to say the words with some sarcasm, but they came out as a heartfelt declaration.
Abby’s smile widened and she stood, offering a hand to her sister. “I know, Lil. Now, let’s go pick out which dress you’re going to wear for the big party tomorrow night. We’ll see if we have the same definition of smoking hot.”
Later that night Lil was choosing a book to read to Colby. She picked up and dismissed each from the selection she had packed. Finally, she settled Colby onto her lap with only a bottle and said, “From now on we’re going to read alphabet books instead of this junk. None of these books prepare you for real life. It’s never as easy as having the right sized foot
Colby was more interested in her evening meal than her mother’s impromptu life lesson.
“All sound advice,” Jake said from behind her.
Lil whipped around in her seat, hearing a slight protest from Colby before she settled back with her bottle again. “What are you doing here?”
“We need to talk.”
“This is my private suite. You can’t just come in here.”
“Do you want me to go out and knock again? You didn’t answer last time.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t hear you.” Then she thought about it. “Wait, I’m not sorry. If no one answers, you don’t just walk in.”
There was a bit too much
“Another man would take the hint.”
“I’m tired of playing games, Lil. It’s time for us to be honest.”
Maybe he was right. Maybe the only way to get past this was for her to tell him everything. He wasn’t a vindictive man. Once she explained to him that Alethea and Jeremy had only been trying to find out if Abby was safe-he’d understand.
And there was a good chance that Jeremy had discovered something useful.
Abby would likely never forgive her if she went that extra step and told Jake that Dominic had invited his parents, but didn’t he deserve to know? After all, hadn’t Jake spent the last few weeks trying to save Dominic? He didn’t deserve to be broadsided like that.
“Yes, it is,” she said. “And I have something I need to tell you…” As he stepped away from the doorway and into the room Lil noticed that one of his eyes was blackened as if it had been punched. He crouched beside her chair and she touched a bruise on his jaw. “What happened to your face?”
“Dominic didn’t like the truth.”
Instant outrage filled Lil. “He beat you up?”
Oddly, Jake looked pleased with himself. “I’d call it more of a tie.”
“What were you fighting about?”
There was always a chance it wasn’t about her, but she was beginning to think that telling the truth might not be the best idea. So far honesty looked painful.
“A difference of opinion…” he said.
“About?”
“Does it matter?”
“It might.”
Jake pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. “Dom and I have been friends since college. We built Corisi Enterprises from nothing. I have never minded that he wanted to be the face of the company. However, sometimes he forgets that I’ve invested as much into it as he has.”
“And you punched him to remind him?”
“He swung first.” Jake’s expression became more intimate. “It seems that someone told him we slept together.”
Lil blushed straight down to the roots of her hair. “Yeah, about that…”
He smiled and traced her bottom lip with a finger. “You’re not a very good secret keeper.”
“Jake…”
He put a hand on either side of her chair and said, “It doesn’t matter. He would have found out eventually, anyway. And it doesn’t change how I feel. I intend to marry you, Lillian Dartley.”
The room spun.
