“How can I not?!” I exclaimed as I leaned in closer to him.
“I hate to say this, Lily, and I know your therapist is going to tell you the same thing, but you need to talk to Brynn to let go and get closure. I told you the same thing about your mom, and look how that turned out. The two of you are speaking again and trying to put the past behind you.”
I took a bite of my burger and I looked at Luke. “OMG, this burger is amazing! Why is this burger so amazing?!”
Luke threw his head back and laughed. “I hired a new chef yesterday, and he uses some secret ingredient. It’s so secret that he won’t even tell me what it is. I’ll be sure to tell him that you love his burgers.”
Once I got over how amazing the burger was, I went back to the subject of Brynn.
“I can’t believe you would suggest I talk to her after what she did. Have you forgotten that she carried on a relationship with my fiancé, and then fucked him in the church on my wedding day?!”
“No, babe, I haven’t forgotten that. But maybe you need to hear why she did it. You’re carrying an awful lot of anger around with you about Brynn and Hunter, and maybe it’s time you hear her out and let it all go. Besides, look at where you are right now. Just think, if you wouldn’t have found them in the church, you’d be living your dream life with a big real estate agent, in a big house with a white picket fence, pretending that everything was great, and I’d be sitting in my apartment, all alone and feeling sorry for myself. It’s called fate, Lily. You were meant to find out about them that day.”
A part of me knew he was right. Luke was always right, and it drove me nuts. I got up from my chair and sat on his lap. He wrapped his arms around me and buried his face into my neck.
“You’re right, Luke. It’s time to let go,” I said as I kissed him.
“Do you think that you two could either go get a room somewhere or at least go lock yourselves in the office?” Maddie said as she walked over to us.
“Go away or you’re fired,” Luke mumbled.
Suddenly, we heard a crash. Luke looked up as Maddie dropped a glass on the floor and stared straight ahead towards the door. I got up from Luke’s lap and looked over to where she was looking at someone standing in the doorway.
“Who’s that?”
“It’s Adam, that motherfucker!” Luke said as he quickly got up and started walking over to him.
37
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Luke
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Lily grabbed my arm to prevent me from kicking Adam’s ass out of my bar.
“Don’t, Luke, please. Think of Charley,” she said as she tried to pull me back.
As I approached Adam, he put his hands up.
“Hey, Luke, I’m not here to cause any trouble. I just want to talk to Maddie.”
“Well she doesn’t want to talk to you!” I spat.
“Why don’t you let her decide that for herself,” he said as Maddie came walking over.
“Luke, pull back,” Maddie said as she looked at me.
“Maddie, you can’t be serious!”
As Lily pulled me over to the side, Maddie and Adam sat down at a table.
“Luke, take your own advice!” Lily said between gritted teeth.
“What are you talking about, Lily?”
“We just had a conversation about letting things go and moving forward. You told me that I need to talk to Brynn. Well, maybe it’s time you talk to Adam.”
“It’s different. There’s a little girl involved here.”
“I understand that, but he’s her father, and you at least owe it to Charley to listen to what he has to say.”
I rolled my eyes and turned away from her. She was throwing my own advice back in my face. Wrapping her arms around my waist, she asked me to please stay calm for her. I sighed, turned around, and kissed her forehead. I grabbed her hand, and I led her to the table where Maddie and Adam were sitting.
“Hi, Adam, I’m Lily Gilmore, Luke’s girlfriend. It’s nice to meet you,” she said as she extended her hand to him.
“Hi, Lily. It’s nice to meet you too.” Adam smiled as he took her hand and shook it.
Seeing him touch Lily made me sick, and I wanted to fucking punch him right then and there. But, I promised I would stay calm for Lily’s sake.
“Would you like to explain why you just showed up here without calling?” I asked as I folded my arms and leaned back in the chair.
“Before I answer that, I just want to congratulate you on the bar. I was very surprised when I walked up and saw the sign.”
I didn’t say a word to him. I just sat there and stared him down as he continued to speak.
“I’m a changed man—”
“The fuck you are!” I exclaimed.
Lily looked over at me and gave me a dirty look. “Watch your mouth,” she said with a serious tone.
“I’m clean, and I have been for over a year. I don’t drink, I don’t do drugs, and I’ve quit smoking cigarettes. If you don’t believe me, then I can do a drug test for you.”
“Why this sudden change of character?” I asked.
“Because I hit rock bottom and almost died. I guess you could say I had an epiphany, because when I woke up in that hospital bed, alone and scared, I knew I couldn’t live my life like that anymore. So, I checked myself into one of the best rehab programs in the country and they helped me.”
“Then why the hell didn’t you come see your daughter like you promised her you would? Do you have any idea how you broke that little girl’s heart?”
Adam sighed and looked at Maddie. “The reason I couldn’t visit was because I’m a sponsor, and the person I’m sponsoring, who had been clean for six months, decided to shoot himself up with heroine the night before I was supposed to leave. I had an obligation to be there for him and help him.”
I got out of my seat and slammed my fists on the table. “You have an obligation to your daughter!” I yelled.
Lily grabbed my arm. “Luke, that’s enough!”