Second Rate Chances (10 page)

             
It was snowing outside and there was something old fashioned about walking down the cobblestone streets from boutique to boutique with the rest of the holiday revelers.

The Shoppe’s were encased in a U shaped center. In the middle of it all was a giant twenty-foot Christmas tree decorated to the nines with ornaments and lights. Bows hung from the branches and a beautiful five-pointed star adorned the top.

             
The first place anyone passed as they entered the U, as the locals called the shopping village, was the coffee shop. Like everyone else out and about doing last minute Christmas shopping, Lil stopped in for a pick me up. She spent the next hour browsing the stores and buying last minute gifts.

             
Lil loved the holiday season because of the gift giving. It was the only time a year she enjoyed buying for others rather than herself.

             
If Kane and Abe were creatures of habit, Lil knew she’d find them amongst the shoppers. They always spent the last full weekend before Christmas in the U. Kane, being the responsible man he was, usually had his shopping done by Thanksgiving. Abe ordered things online because he hated the crowds. But it never failed; this weekend was the time when they would brave the crowds for a nice shirt for Abe to wear to Kane’s family’s holiday gathering. Flannel wasn’t something a man of taste sported to a Ryker family get together. Besides, Kane always bribed Abe with lunch at The Sushi Sioux.

             
Lil strolled down the path into the next store. Nick’s Knacks was new in the U so she decided to see what kinds of knacks Nick was selling.

             
She browsed antique tea sets and costume jewelry. Nothing unique caught her eye until she spotted a lone rabbit’s foot in a velvet box under the glass counter. She fingered the glass, thinking she knew someone who might appreciate the irony behind this good luck charm. She signaled for one of the salesmen to help her. When he brought the dusty white foot out of the case, she knew she had to get this for Sam. It was perfect for all the wrong reasons. Maybe it would serve as a reminder of her time helping him when his memories resurfaced.

             
With her purchase tucked away in a brown paper bag, Lil was out of the store and on her way to finding Kane and Abe.

             
She passed a men’s upscale boutique and scanned the people inside through the window display. There inside was one of the men she had come looking for.

             
An older gentleman held the door for her as she walked through. With a nod of her head and a thank you from her lips, she walked into the store, and through neatly folded tables of scarves and ties. In the back, fingering through crisply starched shirts, was her old friend Kane. Stealthily, Lil walked behind him, a smile on her face.

             
“Fancy meeting you here,” she said.

             
In slow motion, Kane turned around, his eyes as round as the moon. His hand went to cover his gaping mouth. Lil’s smiled widened.

             
“Are you real?” he asked in barely a whisper.

             
“Every bit of me,” she replied.

             
In the blink of eye, he had her in his arms, crushing her to his chest. He stood almost as tall as Sam did, so that his chin rested on the top of her head. He pulled back and looked at her, his mouth slowly forming a smile.

             
“You look fantastic,” he said.

             
Lil shrugged one shoulder and acted as if those words didn’t mean more than they should. “Eh, like a fine wine I only get better with time.”

             
Again, Kane pulled her to him, his body vibrating with laughter. “My God, Lil. I’ve missed you. So damn much.”

             
“Me too, Kane,” she said into his chest.

             
When they pulled apart, it looked like tears were forming in his eyes. She felt awful. She should have never pushed two of her best friends away from her. She should have accepted any kind of condolences and offerings they had for her.
             

             
Seeing Kane look so torn up about seeing her, Lil couldn’t help but feel her own eyes water. Her lips quivered when she said, “I’m so sorry.”

             
“Don’t,” he said in a firm voice. “I don’t want to hear it and neither does Abe. Speaking of…” Kane craned his neck, moving it from side to side and over the crowds of people in the store.

             
“Well, well, well,” a familiar voice said from behind Kane. “What do we have here?”
             

Lil looked around Kane, the start of a smile on her face. “Abe,” she said in a breathless whisper.

             
“You’re damn right, sister. Now, get your sweet ass over here and give me a hug. It’s been too damn long.”

             
Lil obliged and wrapped her arms around his neck. “It’s so good to see you.”

             
“You too.” He pulled back, grabbing her wrists and holding on to her hands. “Now, are you here to spring me from this joint? He promised me sushi two hours ago and he’s yet to deliver.”

             
“Jesus Christ, Abe.” Kane groaned.

             
“Yes, it's his birthday we'll be celebrating, dear. And you know damn good and well you’re just going to buy whatever shirt you like so you might as well pick it out so we can go have lunch with our girl.”

             
“Oh no,” Lil said. “I don’t want to impose.”

             
Abe waved off Lil’s comment. “The blue one looked nice, Kane. Get that one and meet us outside.”

             
Abe looped his arm through Lil’s and escorted her out of the store. A park bench not far from where they stood was vacant. He led her over there to wait for Kane to pay for his purchase.

             
They sat, their bodies turned in, facing one another.

             
“I’m sorry,” she blurted out.

             
“Please,” Abe said. “Don’t be. You did nothing wrong. Kane and I have talked about this until we were blue in the face.
We
should have been more demanding with you. We should have made
you
talk to us.”

             
Lil shrugged. “I would have just pushed you harder.”

             
Abe’s smile was sad. “I know. We don’t hold you responsible. You had to spread your wings.” His arms fluttered out to his sides, which made Lil giggle. “You needed space. Unfortunately, we gave you too much.
All
of us,” he said, his head leaned in slightly so he could touch her forehead with his own.

             
“Ready,” Kane said. He lifted up his bags and smiled. “Successful day. Let’s go eat!”

             
“Are you sure I’m not imposing? I know this is your thing.”

             
Kane and Abe stood side by side. They shared a knowing glance and looked back at Lil with matching grins.

             
“Why, Lil. Were you looking for us?” Kane asked, flanking her on one side while Abe took the other.

             
Lil gasped. Her tone held innocence while her eyes were mischievous. “I would never!”

             
“Uh-huh,” Abe said. “Just you wait till we sit down. We have some juicy gossip to share with you.”

             
And just like that, it was like three years of absence never existed. They walked to Sushi Sioux arm in arm like the times hadn’t changed.

             
If only they hadn’t, Lil thought.

71

SECOND RATE CHANCES

CHAPTER 11

They were sat at a small table in the corner of the restaurant. Women dressed in kimonos flitted about, taking orders and delivering food and drinks. Kane and Abe sat next to each other on one side, while Lil sat alone on the other.

             
“I’m starved,” Abe said. “Did you get the blue shirt?” He asked Kane in a sweet manner, batting his eyelashes at him.

             
“I shouldn’t have. I should have gotten the seersucker shirt.”

             
Abe grimaced. “I told you I hated that shirt.”

             
“I know.” With a dramatic sigh that had Lil giggling to herself, Kane said. “But alas, I got the blue one. It’ll look amazing against your complexion.”

             
They shared a quick kiss, and then turned their attention to Lil who was grinning ear to ear. She missed them terribly and she didn’t realize how much until this very moment.

             
“So, tell us,” Kane said, folding his hands together under his chin. “What has been going on in the life of Lil Harper? We have a lot of lost time to catch up on.”

             
“Where to start,” Lil mused. “Nothing other than work, work, and more work.”

             
“Don’t tell me you’ve become one of
those
business owners,” Abe sneered. “The ones who don’t let anyone else do the work. That’s why you own your own business, Lil. So others make money
for
you.”

             
“Abe,” Lil said and laughed. “I’m a photographer. It’s not like I can hire a team of people to take pictures under my name. People want Lily Rose,” she said with a flourish of her hand. “That’s me.”

             
“And how goes it? Staying busy?” Kane asked.

             
Lil nodded. “The holidays are always busy. And so is the summer. Weddings, engagements, babies.”

             
The waitress came over to take their order. Lil was certain Abe ordered one of everything just to spite Kane. When he asked for a carafe of Sake, Kane shook his head and huffed.

             
“It’s not even noon.”

             
“But it’s happy hour somewhere.”

             
Kane rolled his eyes and focused back to Lil. “Are you happy with your work?”

             
“I’ve always been happy with it. I make my hours, set my own appointments. I can come and go as I please. What’s not to love?”

             
“Is Ellie still working for you?” Kane asked. Abe groaned.

             
“Skankalicious Ellie Mae? That girl took in more men from the bar than she did tips.”

             
Lil laughed at the love/hate relationship it seemed Abe still harbored for Ellie.

             
“She does still work for me. She’s actually been seeing this guy named Zach. He’s great,” Lil gushed. “Perfect for her. They’ve been together for almost two years now.”

             
Kane and Abe both raised their manscaped eye brows. “That’s practically old and gray in Ellie years,” Kane replied.

             
“She’s changed, guys. Once she met Zach she settled down. He grounds her. You’d get a kick out of seeing her now.”

             
“And what about you?” Abe mused. The waitress had brought over his mid-morning cocktail to which he sipped like it was a fine wine. “You have a special man in your life?”

             
Lil shook her head. “No time. I’m happy just being me.” Before they could ask any other questions about her nonexistent love life, Lil changed the subject. “What about you guys? Still gaming away at Titan?” Lil knew from Sam they still were but she needed to keep the friendly conversation going before she blind sighted them by bringing up their ex-friend.

             
“We are,” Kane said.

             
“And we’re working on some stuff on the side.” Abe leaned across the table to whisper. “Super-secret gamer stuff.”

             
Lil chuckled. “And do you still love it?” she asked. They both nodded. “Good. That’s all that matters, right? That you’re happy?”

             
“In the scheme of things,” Kane said.

             
“Oh!” Abe exclaimed. “Speaking of work, you’ll never guess what’s happened.”

             
Kane laid his hand on top of Abe’s, halting him from speaking further. “Abe, I think Miss Lil here might already know what happened.” He arched an eye daring her to refute his statement. “That’s why you were out looking for us today, wasn’t it?”

             
Lil didn’t want to lie to them. Too many years had passed. Besides, Sam wasn’t the only reason she had decided to find them.

             
With a heavy sigh she said, “I know about Sam.”

             
“What?” Abe shrieked.

             
“I figured as much. Did he send you here?”

             
Kane, ever the pessimist.

             
“No,” Lil said sternly. “I came of my own free will.”

             
“How did you get roped into this mess?” Kane asked. “Did he really lose his mind?”

             
“First off,” Lil began, “He didn’t lose his mind. Only the last three years. Second, Chloe called after he woke up.”

             
“Why?” They asked in unison.

             
“Because when he woke up, I was what he remembered.”

             
Kane’s face grew red. “Remembered what exactly? That he walked away from you when you needed him most? That he turned into the biggest jackass this side of the Mississippi River? That he lost everyone who meant anything to him?”

             
Thankfully, the waitress chose that moment to walk up with their food. After several minutes of letting the food fill the awkward tension that had grown around them, Lil took a sip of water, ready to face the barrage of questions Kane and Abe had.

             
“He doesn’t know what happened to us. The last thing he remembers is buying the house.”

             
“Oh, Lil,” Abe said sadly. “How can you face him? Knowing what came in those final weeks? How can you look him in the eye and not want to gouge it?”

             
Lil had to laugh at Abe’s dramatics. “What else can I do?” She asked them. “He doesn’t know who he’s become. He doesn’t remember the woman he’s asked to be his wife. He doesn’t know why we broke up. I’m trying to help him.”

             
Kane scoffed. “You’re a better woman than I am, Lil. I’d have told him to go straight to hell.”

             
“Didn’t you, though? When he saw you at Titan last week didn’t you both brush him off? Guys, he doesn’t know how he lost his two best friends. Hell, I don’t even know what happened.”

             
“You want to know what happened, Lil? You really want to know why we’re not friends with him anymore.”

             
Lil met Kane’s fierce stare. She leaned slightly forward and nodded. “Yeah, Kane. I do.”

             
Kane sat back and crossed his arms over his chest. He studied Lil, his eyes drilling holes into her own. There was one thing Kane Ryker was good at, and that was never wavering from eye contact. He could make a calm person nervous under his glare.

             
“Fine,” he finally said. “I’ll tell you what happened but you have to tell me why you’re helping him. Why, after he up and left you, are you the one who is helping him find his lost memories? Because you know what’s going to happen, don’t you? When he remembers, he’s going to run off again. Only this time, there is another woman waiting in the wings. A woman who wears a ring on her finger that he put there. He promised you the moon and the stars, yet he left you at the first sign of trouble. He left when it got too hard, when he couldn’t take it anymore.”

             
Lil swallowed past the lump in her throat. She would not cry, she told herself. She would not let Kane’s words cut through her heart. Yet, as a single tear fell down her face, she knew she had lost that battle.

             
“Damn it, Kane! You’ve made her cry!” Abe came around to Lil’s side of the table and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side. He patted the top of her head like she was a sick child and he was the consoling parent.

             
“Say you’re sorry,” Abe demanded.

             
Kane closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He opened them again and looked Lil straight into her own watery gaze.

             
“I’m not going to say that because you know I’m right. You know what could happen. So why?” His voice had gone soft. He cared. Lil knew that. It was why he was offering her a little bit of tough love.

             
Lil sat up and wiped her face with the cloth napkin. She looked across the table at Kane and explained her reasons why. “Because,” she shrugged and fought back another round of tears. “He’s Sam. What else was I going to do?”

             
“Walk away like he did? You have every reason to do so.”

             
“Maybe, but I’m trying to be the bigger person here. I’m trying to find closure. I’ve gone through years of therapy to help me understand why he left like he did. A part of me is hoping he remembers and can tell me why. It’s selfish, I know, but I need to know. It’s been three years and I don’t have the answers from the one person who can give them to me.”

             
Kane looked away from Lil and out of the window at the people walking down the street. He kept his arms drawn across his chest but his face wasn’t nearly as angry as it was moments before when he looked back at her.

             
“After he left you, he stayed with us for a little bit. We tried talking to him. I swear. He wouldn’t listen. He devoted all of his time to work. He got there before the sun came up and didn’t leave until it was well after dark. Mr. Miles–”

             
“Chloe’s dad?” Lil interrupted.

             
Kane nodded. “He’s the CEO of Titan. He noticed Sam was putting in all these hours– working all hours of the day and night – he thought he was trying to prove himself. In reality, Sam was looking for a distraction. He didn’t want to come home to us. Who would besides, well, us?”

             
Lil let out a nervous laugh. Abe’s arm was still wrapped around her shoulders and he gave her a light squeeze.

             
“Before we knew it, Sam was spending less and less time with the gamers and more time with the big wigs. Gone were the nights of beer and pizza.

             
“We came to work one morning to find Sam’s cubicle cleaned out. We thought he had been fired but that wasn’t the case.”

             
“It was worse,” Abe added.

             
Kane nodded. “Sam showed up at nine that morning, from upstairs, in a suit and tie. Lil, you know we didn’t wear suit and ties to work. We wore Call of Duty shirts and beat up sneakers. Sam left gaming for a big office with a view.”

             
“Don’t forget the secretary.” Abe leaned in and whispered in Lil’s ear. “He has a secretary named Florence who wears orthopedic shoes.”

             
Lil turned her head and had to laugh at the serious look on Abe’s face.

             
“Anyway, we heard through the grapevine that Mr. Miles was looking to retire in the next ten years and he was looking for a replacement. He wanted someone young and experienced with the games to take his company into the future. None of the suits upstairs had ever worked the games. They only knew the numbers. Sam showed promise because of all his late nights.”

             
“Don’t forget a certain blonde took a liking to Sam,” Abe added.

             
Kane nodded. “Right. Chloe started coming around the office more once Sam had been promoted. He skipped lunch with us for lunch with her. It almost seemed like an arranged relationship. She obviously knows nothing about video games or business, and Sam does. Mr. Miles killed two birds with one stone. Find his daughter a suitable husband and himself a CEO to train.”

             
“Wait,” Lil stopped them. “You mean to tell me that Mr. Miles is grooming Sam to take over Titan and Chloe is kind of like an offering?”