Page 17 of The Lilac River

She blinked. “What?”

“If he forgets, then… he forgets me.”

She didn’t speak.

“I broke his heart, Mom. He’s not going to be my best friend.”

Grandma grunted. “You married a dick. Think he knows?”

Panic surged.

“I hope not,” I said, nails digging into my palm.

“Never heard it from me,” Mom said quickly.

“Same,” Grandma muttered. “Not even at the bridge club.”

It didn’t even sting how little faith they’d had in my marriage. I’d had even less.

“What do I do?” I choked. “How do I face him?”

Tears burned behind my eyes, stubborn and unspent.

“He looked at me like I was dirt,” I whispered. “Like I wasnothing.”

Mom pulled me close, stroking my hair the way she used to when I was a little girl with scraped knees and broken dreams.

“It’s the first time, honey. He’s still hurting. Give it time.”

Grandma’s voice, when it came, was softer than I’d ever heard it. “Maybe if you explained, he’d understand.”

I met her gaze through a blur of tears.

But I couldn’t. Because if Mom ever found out the real reason I left, she’d never forgive herself.

And neither would I.

Chapter 7

Secrets – One Republic

Nash

Nash

It had been four days since I’d seen Lily. And if I thought time would cool the fire inside me, I was dead wrong.

Maybe on the outside, I looked calm. Maybe I’d even fooled my brothers. Maybe I’d convinced myself, a little, that I was past it. That I’d moved on. But inside?

Inside, it was a goddamn war.

The knot of need, pain, and rage tightened a little more with every minute she wasn’t in my sight, and every minute I had to live with the fact that Iwantedher in my sight.

My emotions were a mess. Did I hate her? Did I Still want her? Why, when I closed my eyes, did I only see her?

My Lila. The girl who promised forever and gave me silence.

And when I opened my eyes, all I could remember was the way she left.

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