Page 73 of The Lilac River

Chapter 28

One Step At a Time – Jordin Sparks

Lily

Inever thought I’d be driving back to the ranch so soon. Not after the last time I’d left with my heart in tatters and a goodbye that felt like it should’ve ended things. But here I was, pulling up the long driveway, thanks to Suki from the school office—matchmaker disguised as admin queen.

Apparently, Nash had offered to drop my phone off.

But Suki, with all the grace of a romcom sidekick, had decided I should come pick it up myself. Her words had been, "Closure is good for the soul, sugar." Closure. Right.

“Damn it, Suki,” I muttered, clutching the steering wheel as the familiar outline of the ranch house came into view. "You really ought to mind your own business."

I parked but didn’t get out. Instead, I sat with my hands still on the wheel, staring at the house that had once been the center of my world. My stomach twisted as the memory of last night clawed back up—Nash’s voice, raw and broken; his eyes, fullof something dangerously close to forgiveness. Or maybe just longing. I didn’t trust myself to tell the difference anymore.

There was no point in checking the mirror. I looked like I’d been trampled by thirty glitter-covered kids and emotionally steamrolled by the ghosts of my past. I wasn’t here to impress anyone. And yet… my hands were shaking.

The ranch looked the same. Wide skies. Wind-ruffled fences. The porch I used to sit on with a lemonade in one hand and Nash’s fingers tangled in mine. The trees whispered like they remembered me, like they still carried the weight of secrets and soft promises.

I was so lost in the ache of it all, I didn’t hear the footsteps until a sharp rap made me jump.

"Shit!" I yelped.

Wilder’s face appeared in the window, grinning like a devil. He opened my door, letting in the scent of hay and cedar and summer.

"What are you doing, Lily? Not hiding from my big brother are you?"

"No. I’m here for my phone."

The warm air wafted in, invading the small space alongside the smells of the land and my stomach turned. I didn’t know if I could go inside and face him again. It was too hard. It was too familiar.

“I thought you might be.” He leaned his forearms on the door, sticking his head through the open window. “Nice car.”

It was not a nice car. It was all I could afford after Erik, and I split. Seeing as he made sure that I left the marriage with nothing except bitterness.

“It’s not really.”

He held onto the door and leaned back, stretching his arms out as he looked down at the side of the car. “What’s with the different color door? Did you have a bash or something?”

I didn’t, I bought it like that because…it was all I could afford.

“Yes, something like that.”

“Got to be honest, Lily, this thing is a heap of shit.” He suddenly disappeared, dropping down to examine my tire. “This is almost illegal, too.” He stood up and opened the door. “I’ll have a look round for something better for you. You can tell me the budget later.”

“Wilder, I…I don’t…I can’t…”

He waved me away. “You can’t keep riding around in this. It’s an insult to the invention of the automobile. Right, let’s get inside and get that phone of yours.”

“You could just?—”

“No, Lily, I couldn’t. You’re not a coward, now get inside the house. Nash is cooking dinner so you can watch the master at work.”

My heart dropped to my feet as I placed them on the driveway. I’d just thought I’d knock on the door, ask for my phone, get it back and go. At no point did I expect to go inside and watch Nash cooking. To have to watch Nash doing anything.

Wilder held his hand out. “Come on Miss. Jones, after you.”

He jerked a thumb toward the house, already turning away like he knew I’d follow.

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