Always & Forever (9 page)

Zach shook his head at his own foolishness and continued working his way through the crowd. What had he gotten himself into, and how could he fix it?

He spotted Sarah and Steven moving through the crowd and made his way over to them. “Hey, sis. Got anything Lilly can take for pain?”

Sarah ignored the question and favored him with a disapproving glare. “I overheard Julia Frank telling somebody you were rude to her.”

“I kind of was,” he admitted. “She called Lilly street trash. I lost my patience and told her she didn’t stand a chance in hell with me.” At Sarah’s shocked looked he clarified, “I was a bit nicer than that.”

“She called Lilly street trash?” Sarah’s eyes narrowed. “What possessed Julia to talk about her that way? People don’t even know Lilly. Why judge her?”

Steven shook his head at his wife. “Darling, you know Julia expected to dazzle Zach tonight and convince him to date her, same as all the other women here. They don’t have to know Lilly to dislike her.”

“But Lilly’s so sweet,” Sarah said.

Zach shrugged. “She works for Grandma, so that prompted a little more venom on Julia’s part.”

“That’s ridiculous.” Sarah’s mouth tightened. “Steven works for Grandma, too. Are they saying horrible things about my husband behind our backs?”

Steven laughed and kissed her cheek. “Of course they are. Try not to get yourself worked up.”

“The medicine?” Zach asked.

“Oh, yes, of course. My purse is upstairs. I’ll go get it.”

“I’m going to grab drinks. Lilly’s sitting outside.” Zach motioned to the back of the boat. “Meet us there?”

“Sure,” Sarah agreed. “Steven and I were headed out for a quick spin around the dance floor ourselves. We haven’t gotten a chance yet, and the boat will be heading back soon.”

Sarah and Steven walked off to the stairway while Zach headed for the bar. He grabbed iced tea for Lilly and water for himself.

When he stepped back onto the deck, Lilly wasn’t where he left her. He couldn’t imagine her traipsing around. She had obviously been in a lot of pain.

He searched the dance floor. The thought that she might be out there with Crandall clenched his heart with a tumble of emotions, and Zach frantically circled the dancing couples. Relief flowed through him when he didn’t spot her.

Maybe she did go for a walk. He looked down port side of the yacht and didn’t spot anyone along it. Heading to starboard, Zach saw two figures standing halfway down the outer walkway—his worst fears confirmed.

***

Lilly’s leg had stiffened so quickly, she knew she needed to walk and loosen the muscles. Besides, watching that woman wrap her arms around Zach put Lilly on edge. She’d needed to work off some frustration. A trip around the boat would help both problems.

She made it halfway down the walkway when Crandall materialized out of the shadows, moving toward her. He pressed himself against the wall to let her pass, but stopped walking, resting his head against the wall of the ship.

Lilly paused, facing him. “Is something wrong, Mr. Crandall?”

He shook his head. “It was just seeing you tonight, knowing I don’t stand a chance with you—it made me remember my past.” He wiped at his cheek. “I had true love before, but I lost it. I’ve been searching for it again for years, but I can’t find the right person to share my life with.”

She looked at the end of the boat, hearing the faint music from the band drifting along the water. Here she was, in the dark, alone with a strange man. If Zach were right, Crandall couldn’t be trusted. Perhaps he would do something horrible to her any second.

He seemed so broken, though. Lilly couldn’t just leave him without trying to help. “I’m sorry to hear that. Do you want to talk about it?”

Crandall leaned forward and touched her shoulder. “Why did Zach have to meet you?”

Lilly’s heart raced in her chest and she slid down the railing, trying to put some distance between them. Crandall was likely harmless, but Lilly feared being alone with him. Thankfully, his hand dropped to his side.

“Zach will be looking for me soon.” She nodded toward the band. “I need to get back. Do you want to walk with me?”

A part of Lilly prayed he would refuse the offer and she could escape.

“Don’t leave yet,” Crandall pleaded, stepping forward to grab her upper arms. “I do need someone to talk to.”

Lilly’s breath hitched in her throat and her body trembled. She took a step back, desperate to escape Crandall’s hot palms against her bare arms. Her leg faltered when she put weight on it, and she fell against the railing. Crandall gripped her tighter, pulling her upright and brushing her body against his.

As soon as she felt steady on her feet, he stepped back from her, hands spread wide in front of him. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I just want to talk. I’ll keep my distance.”

She sighed. Life with Charles had made her overly sensitive. Curtis Crandall was likely a harmless flirt who missed his lost love and needed a friend. “Think nothing of it.”

“I saw the way you looked at Zach. I don’t have a chance with you while he’s around, do I?”

The hair on the back of Lilly’s neck rose. Why did he persist in this line of questioning? He acted as though his world was ending because Lilly came here with Zach. That was nonsense—she’d barely met him.

Crandall shook his head and looked out at the water. “Your silence speaks volumes. I think you should know something about him though.”

He stepped forward once more and the breeze carried his scent to Lilly. His cologne was familiar—patchouli and cedar. A Guerlain cologne her father favored. The same cologne her attacker had worn two years ago.

Lilly shivered and stepped back, matching Crandall step for step. She knew it wasn’t his fault he picked that unfortunate scent, but she wanted the man nowhere near her now.

Crandall stopped moving, seeming to sense her unease. “I’m sorry to tell you this, Lilly, but you need to know. You’re setting yourself up for failure with Zach.”

Lilly struggled to banish the images of the flashing blade and horrendous pain Crandall’s cologne provoked. She needed to focus on his words. He and Zach may not get along now, but Zach admitted Crandall had been his best friend. He might have some insight into what Lilly needed to do to win Zach over.

“What do you mean failure?”

He shook his head. “If you’re falling for Zach, this will be hard to hear.”

Lilly smiled. “Thanks for the warning, but I’d like the explanation.”

“Zach will never get over losing Victoria.” Crandall didn’t look at Lilly, resting his arms against the railing next to her and gazing across the water. “She was a wonderful woman and he loved her so much. She participated in charities, helping the less fortunate and not just throwing money at them. She especially loved helping children, and she and Zach always wanted kids.”

Lilly tried to keep her voice casual. “She sounds nice.”

“Of course, she was also very accomplished. She graduated from Yale at the top of her class.” His eyes held pity when he finally looked at Lilly. “She was a loving wife, and would have made a terrific mother.”

Well, Victoria sounded pretty darn perfect. Lilly hadn’t been aware Zach wanted children, but it made sense when she thought about how he acted with Savannah. What would happen if he found out she didn’t want to have kids?

“And you think Zach isn’t ready to move on after all this time?” she forced herself to ask.

“I know he isn’t.” He leaned toward her, and Lilly sidled back. “Sorry. I keep forgetting you like a lot of personal space.” He flashed a smile full of perfectly straight teeth. “Zach told me once how Vicky was the best lover and best friend he could ever hope for. He said she was his soul mate. He was over the moon in love with her. Her death destroyed him.”

“I’m not surprised at that.” Lilly fidgeted with her dress. She didn’t want to listen to Crandall anymore, didn’t want to think about Zach being unable to love again.

“And that is why I’m so sorry he met you before I did.” He touched her arm and Lilly cringed back involuntarily. “I really do find you very attractive. If things don’t work out with Zach, perhaps you and I...”

As his words trailed off, Lilly tried to banish her fear. It was simply the fact that she had a hard time trusting and he picked the wrong cologne. It was not Crandall’s fault Lilly could never imagine being with him. “We’ll have to see, Curtis. None of us know what the future holds.”

Zach chose that moment to find her. “Lilly?”

Relief flooded through her at the sound of his voice. “I’m down here, Zach.”

***

Zach walked toward Lilly, clamping down his anger. The pair was hard to make out in the darkness, but Zach knew who kept her company. He advanced slowly on them. Curtis Crandall’s patrician features became visible in the moonlight.

Zach handed Lilly the tea. “You should be resting, honey.”

Lilly’s eyes narrowed as she accepted the glass, just as they had earlier when he called her sweetie. Perhaps he waxed too eloquent with the pet names in Crandall’s presence, but the jerk needed to keep his hands to himself. Zach wasn’t about to lose another woman to him. He put his arm around her waist and kissed her forehead.

Lilly glared up at him, and Zach rethought his actions. He’d offered to pay Lilly for a date, after all. She didn’t owe him anything. Perhaps she was interested in Crandall and didn’t want Zach laying claim to her with such a heavy hand. That thought pierced him straight to the heart.

After an endless moment of glaring, Lilly took a sip of tea. “Well,
sweetheart
,” she finally replied, leaning against his chest. “I decided to take a walk and I ran into Mr. Crandall. He’s been telling me a bit about your late wife.”

“I see,
pumpkin.
Perhaps the two of us can talk about my past a little later, and I’ll tell you about it myself.” Whatever Crandall told her couldn’t be good. “Sarah’s looking for you,
baby
. She’s bringing you some medicine. Why don’t you go back, and I’ll be right there.”

“Of course,
cupcake
. I’ll see you in a minute.” Lilly brushed past him. He saw a grin flash across her face and the corners of her eyes crinkle with humor.

Good. He’d amused her with the names. She was perhaps annoyed, but not angry.

He watched her make her way slowly along the railing, enjoying the sight of her slim body swaying with the movement of the boat. “I’ll be right there,
sugar
,” he hollered when she stepped to the end of the cabin. The delicious sound of her laughter floated back to him.

“I apologized to your lady about the awkwardness earlier, Woodbridge.” Crandall leaned against the rail and folded his arms. “She asked me some stuff about Victoria.”

“So, you told her everything? How you destroyed my marriage?”

“Don’t you think this feud has gone on long enough? You’ve always been like a brother to me. Heck, Tommy still is a brother to me.” Crandall shrugged. “I’m sorry for sleeping with your wife. It was foolish. She used to tell me all this stuff. She said you did horrible things to her, and I believed her. I was confused.” He shook his head. “I was in love.”

Zach clenched his teeth together and sucked in a deep breath. The memories of his marriage and Crandall’s betrayal didn’t sting as badly as they had seven years ago when he found Crandall and Victoria in bed. “You were my best friend. How could you do that to me? I thought I could count on you.”

“Best friend?” Crandall scoffed. “I told you I was in love with Victoria before you married her, but that didn’t stop you. What about my feelings, friend?”

“You knew what she told me. I
had
to marry her.”

“I told you I would take care of things, but it didn’t stop you.” Crandall’s eyes narrowed and his lip quivered slightly. “Were we ever really friends, or did you always think of me as a second-class citizen because I didn’t have money?”

“You’ve got to be kidding.” Zach’s hand clenched into a fist and he struggled to maintain his composure. He clung to the promise he gave his mother. It might take all his control, but he would not throw Crandall overboard. “You’re the one who threw our friendship away. You slept with my
wife
, damn you. And when I caught you, you didn’t even have the decency to stop.”

“I told you, Victoria needed me. She loved me.”

“Victoria didn’t love anyone but herself.” Zach felt the old bitterness welling up.

“Don’t say that.” Crandall moved a step closer, and Zach could hear his ragged breathing. He had finally angered the unflappable Curtis Crandall.

“Is it upsetting because you know it’s the truth?” Zach asked.

“She was a goddess, damn you. You never gave her what she needed.”

Zach took a deep breath, rolling his head from side to side to relax his shoulders. “Look, I’m here to spend time with Lilly, not fight with you. I’m going back to my date.”

“You’ll never change, Zach. Lilly’s too good for you, and you know it,” Crandall said. “It’s only a matter of time before she dumps you.”

Zach took another sip of his water. His free hand twitched into a fist again. “Look, I know you’re still friends with my brother, and I’m not going to do something that will hurt him, but stay away from Lilly.”