Page 64 of The Season
“I… I had a bagel,” I reply defensively, my eyes squeezing shut again when the locker room and Liam’s face start spinning around me.
I should pull back from his touch, should push him away and tell him to mind his own business, but his hand is warm and I find myself leaning into his touch instead, like a cat starved for affection, until my cheek is resting against the flat of his palm.
“A bagel,” he repeats, his voice gravelly. “That’s not lunch, that’s…”
“Lily, Liam, there you are… oh…”
Liam drops his hand, and my eyes fly open at the sound of Matty’s voice. I blink, my vision coming into focus just in time to see the hurt flash across Matty’s face before he manages to school his features into a forced smile. “Sorry,” he says, ducking his head. “Didn’t mean to interrupt anything...”
“Do you know all Lily ate today was a bagel?” Liam says, waving one arm and speaking over Matty. “Can one of you guys talk some sense into her, please?” Because of course Antoine and Eddie are there now too, appearing out of nowhere to stand behind Matty—Antoine with a soft frown on his full lips and Eddie with his signature scowl.
I groan, leaning forward to press my face into the palms of my hands. “I’m fine.” Or at least, I would be if they would go away and stop embarrassing me on my first day of work.
On my other side, I hear Pete chuckle.
“What are you guys all doing here anyway?” I ask, lifting my head to frown up at them, hoping I look less like death than I feel.
“What are we doing here?” Eddie rolls his eyes. “Liam said we could catch a ride with you. Seth is already at your car, because apparently Tom had some date he had to go on and couldn’t give anyone a ride home. So you’re it.”
“We can walk,” Matty interjects, wringing his hands nervously and looking between me and Liam. “If you have other plans or…”
“The hell I’m walking,” Eddie hisses. “Lily has a car and is literally going to the same place as us. Why the fuck would I walk?”
“Don’t talk to her like that.” Antoine rounds on Eddie, green eyes sparking. “Lily isn’t your chauffeur.”
“Guys…” I say weakly.
“Looks like you’ve got your work cut out for you, eh Miss Hawai’i?” Pete interjects, sounding gleeful. “Four boyfriends to keep in check. That’s quite the task.”
“Roommates,” I reply flatly, turning to frown up at him.
“We’re flatmates, boomer,” Eddie snaps at the same time. “Not sure if you heard, but it’s been a pretty common practice ever since your lot destroyed the housing market.”
And… that sounds like my cue to go.
“Oh, look, your taxi is leaving,” I say, gathering my last reserves of bagel-fueled strength and pushing off from the bench. I shoot Eddie awhat the fuck is your problemlook, which he pointedly ignores. “See you tomorrow, Pete.”
Pete gives an annoyed huff from behind me, and I cringe thinking about how awkward tomorrow morning is going to be now.
But that’s tomorrow’s problem. Right now, I just have to figure out how I’m going to drive home—and how I’m going to survive the next couple weeks until my first paycheck.
Chapter20
Seth
The moment Lily steps into view I know something isn’t right. And it’s not just because her usually golden skin is nearly as ashen as the snow around us.
Liam’s lips are set into a frown as he hovers close to Lily’s side, scowling menacingly at every stranger who walks within a meter of her. Eddie stomps ahead, his face flushed, a scowl plastered on like a mask. Matty trails behind, feet dragging in the snow as his blue eyes move between Lily and Liam with unabashed longing.
And Antoine… the moment Antoine sees me he shoots me a look of silent desperation, his green eyes wide and full of panic, like he thinks I can fix whatever is going on.
“Hey, Lil,” I say, giving her a smile, taking care to keep my voice soft. Even. Calm. “How was your day?”
“Good. Thanks.” Lily’s smile is tight, her voice flat, and there’s a dullness in her eyes that I don’t like.
“Can you drive?” Liam asks me abruptly. “I mean, you have a license, right? And you’re used to driving on the right side of the road?”
I start at his question, but nod. “Of course, I can.” I give Lily a questioning look. “You want me to drive, hon?”
