KEPT: A Second Chance Fairy Tale (42 page)

I don’t think I want to know you anymore.

Although our bodies were connected in the most carnal of ways, I knew our hearts were no longer. Instead, we were each feeding our own hunger in reaching for what we once had. But with all the damage between us, there was nothing to be found. Everything was already empty.

I don’t know why Lucy let me have her again after already deciding we were done. Maybe it was her way of settling whatever score she deemed needed to be settled. To hurt me as I’d hurt her.

Make me forget.

Lillie arrived about an hour after Lucy left. When she knocked, I thought about not letting her in. The alcohol I’d drank earlier had worn off, leaving me sober in all ways.

“Corbin’s worried, too,” Lillie informs me while continuing to straighten my living room, picking up the remnants of the tuxedo I wore Saturday night.

“Did you come all the way over here to clean?” I question tersely.

Lillie turns, setting down the empty bottle of scotch, and finally makes her way to me.

Looking down with so much despair, she says, “There are things you can do other than sit here and mourn.”

I remember those same words weeks after my son had passed. Back then, Caleb’s death had nearly delivered mine. Judging by Lillie’s repetitive statement, I must look the same to her now as I did then. It’s the same strike of heartache, but worse. Lucy’s alive and I can’t hold her. Knowing she’s out there, without me, is a different hell, but still one cut from the same cloth.

“I’m okay, Lillie,” I tell her in a broken voice. “I’ll
be
okay.”

Eventually, I know I’ll believe this.

My heart will recover, my strength will regain, and I’ll go back to being the person I was before Lucy Monroe marched herself into my office and lashed out after hearing the way I spoke of her.

“I’m not sure I believe you this time,” Lillie huffs.

Her hand touches my shoulder and she grasps it for balance before slowly bringing herself to sit beside me on the floor.

“I can get up, Lil,” I offer. “You don’t have to–”

“Shh,” she hisses, getting comfortable. “The view from down here is as dreary as your face.”

“Came by to cheer me up, I see.”

“Oh yes. Always that.” She winks.

Taking in a breath, I note that Lillie’s vibrant company has turned my outlook from black to grey. I’m starting to appreciate her uninvited visit.

When she arrived, I’d given Lillie the short version of what happened between Lucy and me. Corbin took it upon himself to give her the full story. Her look of disappointment when I relived each detail wasn’t only for me. It was for Lucy, too. A small part of me relished in that, although I have no idea why.

“What will you do now?” she questions.

“I don’t know.”

I honestly don’t know what I’ll do. I know there’s a part of me that still clings to the small amount of hope I believe is there. The other part of me still feels the goodbye in Lucy’s words.

Lillie drops her gaze to her lap, twisting her small fingers together. “I’m responsible for this in part,” she whispers in defeat. “You told me you didn’t want to ever know her. Corbin and I both pushed.”

“You didn’t make me do anything I didn’t want to do,” I respond. “You were doing what you thought was best. I know that.”

Without wasting a second, Lillie states, “I still think Lucy is best for you.” She clears her throat and adjusts her back against the wall, seemingly bracing for what else she has to say. “Corbin feels terrible about what’s happened.”

“Good,” I return, wishing like hell I had a drink.

I’ll forgive him. We work together, and it wouldn’t be conducive for our business to remain at odds. However, trusting him as I once did will take some time.

“Talk to him, will you? I’ve never seen him like this before. He hasn’t waded out of this much better than you. You’re his best friend.”

“I know,” I agree. “I’ll fix it.”

“In your own time and way,” she adds with a small smile. “What will you do about Lucy?”

Sighing, I lean my head back against the wall as she did. “I’m not sure there’s anything to be done. She’ll work her anger out and maybe, in time–”

“Time,” she chides. “Time is a fickle little bitch.”

I almost laugh hearing her curse. She generally always saved those sentiments for when Corbin and I really deserved them.

Swallowing hard, I think to ask Lillie what’s been weighing on my mind since Lucy left. Lillie knows me and I trust her. She’s been my maternal compass in New York for as long as I’ve known her.

Pulling my knees up and resting my arms against them, I look down in fear of the answer. “How do you ask someone for a chance you never should’ve had?”

Lillie stills beside me. “You love her, Michael. Second chances are sometimes the hardest to take. Maybe you can convince her to take one with you.”

“I wish I never knew her.”

“That’s silly,” she scoffs. “Not to mention impossible. You already love her.”

“Yes, I do.”

“Then you have things to think over, Michael. You’re allowed time to hurt, to miss her, to wish things had turned out differently, but you, of all people, know you can’t change the past. What’s done is done.”

Lillie moves from the wall and starts to stand. Grabbing her hand, I bring her up with me.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” she informs me to my surprise. When I don’t comment either way, she adds, “Lucy sent Corbin a text. She told him not only is she quitting, but she’s decided to move to Florida.”

Smiling, I look down at the floor with a small amount of relief. Somehow, in the wake of all this mess, it feels good to know Lucy’s not lost her ridiculous ways of making people laugh without knowing she has.

“What’s in Florida?” Lillie questions, bringing her eyes to mine and comfortably smiling with me.

“Disney World.”

Lucy

“W
E’RE READY FOR BOTH JACKSON
Wills and Margret Hollings,” Jane reassures.

It’s trivial, I know, but Jane insinuating we’re a team eases my tension as I sit across from her worrying and biting my bottom lip. Tears fill my eyes, but not from sadness. Only relief.

Michael was right. Jane Gilroy really is a dog with a bone. She’s livid on my behalf and, from what she’s told me, she has enough dirt on Margret that if she takes this meeting further, she’ll happily bury her lawyer in paperwork until Dillon reaches the age of eighteen. In the midst of all that’s happened around me the last few days, it’s a welcome reprieve.

Although all of this has stressed me to the point I haven’t slept, it’s not the only matter weighing heavily on my mind.

When I left Michael’s apartment, I took a taxi to my place, then sat alone in my living room and cried. I don’t remember that many tears since the day I was told Gabe was never coming back.

I can’t let you walk away.

Michael’s voice, pleading for me to stay as his body took mine in a rush of frustration, left me empty.

Your sadness is suffocating me.

I can’t breathe
.

The pain laced within his tone made me weak.

I already miss him.

I’m not sure how long I sat on the couch before finally standing up, brushing the tears away, and vowing to focus on what matters – Dillon.

Over the last few days, Dillon hasn’t brought up Michael or his absence. My son adored him, as did I. Watching him tiptoe around the subject only reminded me that if I bring a man into my life and it doesn’t work out, it only hurts him, too.

“We’ll be meeting at their office. Until then, do your best not to worry.” I faintly nod in understanding, and she smiles. “I know this is hard, Lucy, but it’ll all be over soon. I promise.”

“Dillon,” I state. “Does he have to be there?”

Her small, reassuring smile widens. “No. They’ve requested him to be, but this meeting isn’t required by any court in this state. Jackson’s not an idiot. He only takes cases he can win, so I’m guessing he’ll take one look at you and tell Margret to find another lawyer if she chooses to move forward with this ridiculousness.”

Exhaling a heavy breath, I sit back in my chair. “I don’t want Michael or Corbin to know any more about this than they already do. I came here because you offered, and I’m going to pay you back every cent–”

“Lucy,” she says my name quickly, and I quiet. “My fee is covered.”

“What?”

“Michael.”

His name from her mouth irritates me.

“Michael’s not paying for this. I am.”

Her expression relaxes, if only a little. “I saw him yesterday.”

Guilt surges through me in epic waves knowing she didn’t see him after I left last night, but before I’d broken him completely.

“I must say he didn’t look any better than you, but he still insisted I bill him.”

“You won’t,” I stress. “Don’t.”

“Men like Michael are so few and far between. I have to wonder…” She pauses, waiting for me to interrupt her unsolicited advice. “Well, maybe I saw something that wasn’t there.” She brushes it off. “So be it. I’ll send you each an itemized list of fees, and whoever sends payment first, wins.”

So be it.

Michael

“Dear God, Michael. The woman’s been gone but two days, yet you’ve got your appointments all clumped together,” Lillie lectures on the state of my calendar. I just sit back in my desk chair and smile.

“We’re back to where we were two months ago, Lillie,” I observe. “It’s like you never left.”

She rolls her eyes dramatically. “Maybe so, but I’m not sticking around to train the new girl this time. I’ve got things to do in my old age, and I’m going to do them.”

“Did you book your cruise?”

I’m asking about small things, trivial details into someone else’s life. The more interest I pay to theirs, the less chance I have to remember mine.

After Lillie left my place last night, I did as I told her I would. I picked myself up and thought long and hard about what has happened in the short time I’ve known Lucy. I came to the conclusion it wasn’t Lillie’s advice I was going to heed.

It was Jane’s.

Eventually, maybe even without Lucy’s consent, she’s going to hear me out. If I have to tie the woman down, gagging her in the process, she’s going to listen. Before making any further rash decisions, such as quitting her only job and giving up her only car, she needs to know how I feel about her without the static of what I’ve done tainting it all.

“I did book my cruise.” Lillie smiles. “Thank you again. January is as good a time as any to get out of the city.”

“It is.” Pressing my luck with her further, I ask, “Have you seen Corbin this morning?”

Lillie grins as relief flashes through her eyes. “I have. He was in his office when I came in. His door is closed, so he’s probably hiding from you.”

She finishes the work on my laptop and spins it around for me to review. Tomorrow’s, not today’s, list of events takes up the open screen.

“Lucy’s meeting with Margret and Jackson is at two,” she explains, even though I’m looking at the appointment now. Lillie shrugs and walks to the door. “In case you didn’t have anything else going on, I thought you may like to know.”

“Right,” I throw out to her back as she walks away.

Turning around before leaving, she advises, “I’m going to send Corbin in here. You boys are going to talk, then you’re going to tell us what it is you intend to do to bring Lucy back here. I love you and Corbin, but I really haven’t missed being here as much as I thought I would.”

Bossy
.

Little.

Liar.

Only a few minutes pass before the knock at my open door breaks my concentration.

“Lillie said you wanted to see me,” Corbin informs as he feigns confidence while approaching my desk. He then casually takes a seat in the chair on the other side of it. “If you plan to slug me, don’t make it a cheap shot. Give me that, at least.”

“I’m not going to hit you,” I return. “Not that I wouldn’t love to.”

Corbin raises his head to the ceiling—thanking the heavens or begging for patience, I’m not sure which.

“I’m less pissed now that I’ve had time to think.”

“Good,” he snaps. He adjusts in his chair, crossing his ankle over his knee as he gets comfortable. “Not that you thinking is ever good, but glad you’re less pissed.”