Page 27 of Lilly
Chapter Seven
Lilly
“Are you free this week?”Nicole asks the second I put my phone to my ear. She doesn’t wait for me to respond; she just keeps talking, knowing the answer doesn’t really matter. “The carers have organised for me to have a week of respite and got a room for Mum in the local hospice at the last minute. Apparently, I look like I need it. Anyway, I’ve got to be back for the weekend, but if you’re free I’ll get in the car rightnow.”
“OH MY GOD,” I shout into the phone. “YES, YES, YES, get your butt down herenow.”
After a bit more overly excited chatter about her imminent arrival we hang up. I fly around the flat like a mad woman, getting it cleaned for our guest as well as making up spare sheets for the sofabed.
I obsessively check the clock every ten minutes, hoping the four hours have miraculously gone by. It’s been too long since we’ve seen each other, and life has been really tough for Nicole recently. I need to give her a hugehug.
Nicole and I met at playschool. She was a tiny little thing with bright red hair and freckles. We hit it off instantly over our love of My Little Pony, and were inseparable from then on—until she moved up north with her mum to look after her grandparents. I now realise it was for financial reasons as well. Nicole’s mum brought her up on her own after her dad died. She was living in Oxford and working three jobs to try to support them. She was desperate not to uproot Nicole, but in the end her parents’ deteriorating health meant they had to make the move. I was gutted to lose my best friend, but we’ve stayed in touch and apart from the distance we are still as close as we everwere.
Lucas is still in Yorkshire with no idea as to when he’ll be back. I’d be lying to myself if I said I didn’t miss him. Something changed for me the night I slept in his bed when he was ill. I can’t put my finger on what it was, but suddenly I didn’t have the urge to run anymore. Which is weird, because after what his mum told me I think I should be runningfaster.
He texted me earlier in the day with a brief update, but it seems they are still no further forward in working out whathappened.
Thinking it will pass some time, I pick up the phone and callhim.
“Hey, beautiful,” Lucas says in his sexy, deep voice. It sends goosebumps rushing over myskin.
“Hey, is this a badtime?”
“I’ve always got time for you.” Swoon! “So, what’sup?”
“Nothing. My best friend is heading down for a few days. She lives in County Durham and can’t get away much at the moment. I’m just waiting for her toarrive.”
“So you’re telling me you’re bored and needdistracting?”
“Uh,” I think about how he knows me so well. “Something like that,” Iadmit.
“I’m joking, Lilly. Call me whenever—whatever youneed.”
“Thank you. I wanted to let you know that I’ve booked last minute holiday as Nic’s coming, so your room might not getcleaned.”
“You didn’t need to book holiday. I don’t have a problem with you not going in while I’m not there. I hate that you have to clean my room atall.”
“Lucas, it’s my job, and just because you and I are…whatever, doesn’t mean I want special treatment. That’s not why I’m—” Thankfully, he interruptsme.
“You’re looking too much intoit.”
“Am I? Because the way everyone else will see it is that I let you in my bed and now I can turn up to work when I feel like it. That doesn’t sit right with me,Luc.”
“I’ve told you before, just quit. Focus on your last couple of weeks atuni.”
“NO,” I shout, a little too forcefully. “I need my job, Luc. I have things to pay for. I’m not like you with thousands sat in your bankaccount.”
“I’ll make sure you have money, don’tworry.”
“Oh great, so now everyone’s going to assume you’re paying me for sex!” This isn’t the first time we’ve had this discussion. I thought he understood—clearlynot.
“Lilly, that’s not how itis.”
“No, because we’ve only had sex once. I’ve got to go. Goodbye.” I jab my finger against the phone screen to end the call in a huff. How dare he? Just because he’s some rich fancy pants businessman he thinks he can tell me what to do. I don’t thinkso.
By the time the buzzer goes off, I’ve already had half a bottle of wine while ignoring my ringing phone. My mood instantly lightens when I think about who is at the otherside.
I pull the door back and launch myself at Nic, we hold each other for the longest time on thedoorstep.
