Page 22 of Lilly
Chapter Six
Lilly
“She’s right,I should go if you’re feeling better. I just thought you might have needed something, but now you’re up…” I ramble while removing myself from hisgrasp.
“I’m only feeling better if youstay.”
“What?” I ask, thinking I must have heard himwrong.
“I’m sure I’ll feel much worse if you leave, so I think you shouldstay.”
“You’re blackmailing me into staying withyou.”
He makes a non-committal noise as a response and just stares at me. I can see from here that he’s really struggling, so I decide not tofight.
“Fine, get back tobed.”
After some disagreement, he finally caves, and once he’s brushed his teeth he goes back to bed. I wait until he is settled before asking if he needs anything. He says he doesn’t, but I head out to the living area and place an order for some toastanyway.
When it arrives, Lucas takes one bite before rushing back to the bathroom. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea, after all. Listening to him heaving into the toilet seriously put me off eating as well, so I have it cleared away and on a tray out in the corridor to be picked up by the time hereappears.
I think he manages about ten minutes before he is asleep again. I can only imagine how irritating being ill must be for a guy like Lucas. I don’t get the impression from him that he spends many days lazing around in bed—he’s too busy trying to take over the world, or whatever it is he spends his days rushing arounddoing.
I get a huge sense of déjà vu when his phone starts ringing again. I jump up from the sofa where I was sat quietly doing some uni work after he passed out. Again, I don’t look at the screen; I just swipe it and put it to myear.
“Hello?”
“Oh my, is it you?” another female voicesays.
“Uh…I guess that depends on who you think itis.”
“Are you the girl that’s got my Luc tied up in knots?” Something happens inside me when the lady on the other end says those words. I can’t quite describe it. A bubble of excitement? Dread? Hope? I have noidea.
“I’m just his cleaner,” I say, and I feel just as much like a nobody as I did when I was talking to Catherine earlier. I enjoy my job most days, and I have total respect for people who do this day in and day out, but it’s not my calling in life. I want more than this, and I’ve worked damn hard to hopefully havethat.
“Hmmm, what’s your name, mydear?”
“Lilly.”
“That’s pretty. Is my son there?” It’s not until she says it that I realise who’s on the other end. Mrs. Dalton. The woman is a bit of a legend with all the female staff around here. She must be in her sixties, but she is the most elegant woman I’ve ever seen. The way she holds herself is like nothing I’ve ever seen before. Weirdly, it’s not pretentious though. She also has this soft and gentleness to her—much like my mum has, I guess. Mrs. Dalton is just a richer, more sophisticated version. I bet she hasn’t ground a coffee bean in herlife.
“He is, Mrs. Dalton, but he’s sick. From what I gather, he went out last night and got foodpoisoning.”
“Oh my goodness. Let me whip up some of my famous chicken soup and I’ll be rightover.”
“Oh, that’s so lovely of you, but I should warn you that he just tried some toast and it didn’t stay down. I wouldn’t want you to waste yourtime.”
“Nonsense. My chicken soup fixeseverything.”
“Well, okaythen.”
“You’ll still be there; I’ll bring extra. Thank you for taking care of him, dear. Now I know it’s not my place, but I just need to say something.” Everything inside me wants to groan out loud at her statement. She is reading far too much into this situation. “Lucas doesn’t let people in. He has a handful of trusted people and that is it. He also doesn’t let his walls down easily. What I’m trying to say is that he’ll push you away at every possibility, but it’s only because he’s scared. If you care for him like I know he does you, then you need to give him time—and whatever you do, cling on tight, because it will be a bumpy ride. I can guarantee it will be an amazing one as well though, because my boy is a one of a kind. And if you do show him that he can trust you and let you in, you’ll never regretit.”
My mouth drops open to say something, but no words comeout.
“Oh, I’m sorry, my dear. I didn’t mean to scare you. I just thought it best I say those things now before it could be too late. I’ll see you soon. I hope you’rehungry.”
The phone beeps in my hand, telling me she’s hung up. I drop back on to the sofa and let her words roll around myhead.
