“Yes. I think I’m finally getting the hang of it.” Lily threw him a gloating look over her shoulder.
“That’s great. I was so worried about you after the diner, but I knew everyone would look out for you, and Mrs. Langley doesn’t have anyone. The doctor is going to release her in an hour. I’m going to spend the weekend with her, but I wanted to stop in to check on you.”
“I’m doing great. In fact, why don’t you stay here, and I’ll stay with Mrs. Langley? No one will think to look for me there,” Lily spoke in a rush, staring at Shade.
“Maybe when she’s better, but she needs skilled care after just having surgery.”
Shade smirked at Beth’s answer. His woman had thought she was going to get out of her punishment. Not fucking likely! He would bar the doors if he had to in order to keep her inside.
“I’m glad you showed up. I have another idea. Since we don’t know who was watching me, it makes sense for me to leave Kentucky. I can contact Penni and stay with her until the band she’s working for goes on tour.”
Shade lost his smirk at her quick thinking.
“I think that’s a great idea. I know you would be safe with Penni, and I can understand that it’s not comfortable for you to stay here.” Beth’s eyes went to Shade’s. She had no legitimate excuse for why she couldn’t go stay with Penni, and they both knew it.
“I need to go shower. I’ll be back in a few,” Shade said, turning on his heel as he heard Lily and Beth talking.
“I’ll call her after dinner then let you know her answer.”
“I can get Razer to drive you to the airport,” Beth offered.
Shade closed the door then went down the steps to his room. Taking out his cell phone, he made the call he was already dreading.
“Hello, bro, what’s up?” Penni answered.
“I need a favor.”
There was a brief silence. “Does this involve Lily?”
“Yes, she wants to come stay with you,” Shade said, already knowing her answer since the two had become firm friends during their time as roommates, which was what he had intended. However, the unexpected consequence was that, more often than not, she had sided with Lily against him while still taking his money.
“Cool! I miss her like crazy. I now this fun bar we can go to—”
“No,” Shade snapped. “I want you to tell her no, or better yet, make up an excuse. You’re good at that. I heard the whopper you told your mom on why you couldn’t spend the summer with her.”
“I’m not going to blow Lily off.”
He heard the steel behind his half-sister’s voice and knew there wouldn’t be any changing her mind, unless…
“You know that old bike of mine you’ve been wanting? I’ll give it to you. I’ll even teach you how to ride it.”
“Fuck.”
Shade knew he had her. He merely needed to tighten the noose.
“I’ll start your allowance back again.” Shade had quit giving her money when she had graduated and found a job.
“Dammit! Why does she want to come down? And it better be the truth, Shade!”
He decided to give it to her. “Because she wants to run.”
“If you’ve done anything to hurt—”
“I love her. I would never hurt her,” Shade admitted. If he had to confess it to the world, he would to keep her. Then he unashamedly told the biggest lie he had ever told. “I’m trying to work up my courage to ask her out, but she’s nervous about being around all the brothers.”
“Awe. I can tell her their bark is worse than their bite. Let me talk to her and—”
“No!” Shade said sharply then made his voice soften with fake meekness. “If she knows I called, she’ll get mad and never go out with me.”
“All right,” she agreed grudgingly. “But I’m going to come see her as soon as I can.”
“Thanks, Penni.”
“You’re welcome. Just don’t make me sorry I did this,” she warned before hanging up.
After showering and changing, he went back upstairs and fixed himself something to eat. Beth was telling Lily how good she looked. Shade agreed; she was much healthier than when he had driven her in from college.
“You have color in your cheeks again. I hope being here this week has shown you that they really care about you.”
“Yes.”
Beth and Razer got up from the table. “Let me know what Penni says.”
Lily stood up, hugging both Beth and Razer goodbye.
Shade was glad Lily was trying to put her hurt feelings behind her. Beth loved her and hadn’t intentionally tried to hurt Lily. She had tried to protect her—they all had. It had backfired, of course, because they had smothered her with that protection. Then, when she had cut herself off from it, Lily hadn’t been able to handle it.