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“Probably not as much as everyone thinks,” he said. “So since you’re new to the area…have you seen the Statue of Liberty yet?”
“No,” she said. “It’s on my list of things to do.”
“How about we do that tomorrow?” he asked. “Unless you’ve got plans with another fiancé I don’t know about?”
“No,” she said. “One to keep track of is enough. And I’d love to do that if you’ve got time. Sure you don’t have to work?”
“I’m sure something will come up, but I won’t have to go in. When West is away, things tend to be quieter.”
He’d been hearing it from his mother enough to start taking more time for himself and he was going to listen now.
“That’s good. My boss will leave me alone most times. I mean if she texts me something, it doesn’t mean I have to do it. It’s more like she can’t organize her thoughts to wait and just fires them off of a list of things for me to do. Sunday is the day I get most of the texts.”
He shook his head. “Tomorrow we can just play tourist then.”
“That will be fun,” she said.
Lilian hadn’t wanted dessert and though he could have the back room as long as he wanted, he didn’t feel right staying here. He knew when to end something on a good note so they left and he brought her home.
When she went to get out, he reached for her hand and pulled her closer, his mouth landing on hers. Not kissing her as deeply as he wanted. Just testing her. Closed mouths but lingering enough that his blood was pumping and her face was flush.
She smiled sweetly, got out and before she shut the door, he said, “I’ll pick you up at nine.”
“I’ll be ready,” she said. “And not wearing heels.”
“As much as I do like them on you, probably not wise.”
She shut the door, smiling, and he told the driver to wait until she was in the building safely, then they pulled away, the smile not leaving his face either.
9
JUST A NAME
Lilian changed her outfit for the third time and then told herself to cut it out. She only had to clean up and put everything away again and it wasn’t as if she had that much to pick from.
She still had thirty minutes before Braylon would be here, so she made sure her little place was clean and then sent a text to Quinn that she might not call tonight, saying she had plans today and didn’t know when she’d be home.
She shouldn’t have been surprised when her phone rang a second later. Of course her sister was up. She had three kids and a husband that she probably made an awesome breakfast for.
“Good morning, Quinn,” she said.
“Sounds like you are going to have fun today,” Quinn said. “What are you doing?”
“I’m going to see the Statue of Liberty. Maybe play tourist some more. Not sure yet.”
Which wasn’t a lie. She had no other plans with Braylon other than that.
“Are you doing it alone?”
“No,” she said. “Just with a friend.”
That wasn’t a lie either. Her sister wouldn’t ask her if it was a guy or girl. “I’m glad that you’re getting out. Can you let me know when you’re home? You know I worry and it’s not like you’re on any social media for me to track you.”
She sighed. Lilian wasn’t used to anyone watching her every move, not since she’d lived with Tess and Ronnie. She had social media accounts back then but deleted them when she moved to Lake Placid.
It’s not like she had all that many friends and she only had them to fit in.
She wanted to say she wasn’t used to anyone worrying about her either, but that would be a lie. Quinn had always worried about her. Always called her and sent her money and anything else she needed. She hated to take those things and when she ended up with Tess and Ronnie she didn’t need much.
