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Quinn had confessed this to her years ago when her sister wanted to pay for her college.
She’d said no way. She wouldn’t take money from Max, but Quinn had said it was hers.
She still didn’t want it, but Quinn did end up paying for half. That was only because the bills were paid before Lilian could get her loan to do it herself.
“West bought a bookstore for my mother. One in town and it’s barely staying afloat. He doesn’t care if it’s running a deficit. My mother needed a purpose when Talia went away to college. She works there part time. When the bookstore was going to close its doors, he bought it and put it in her name. But it’s managed mostly out of our office in terms of administrative stuff. She gets to work when she wants and interact with people, hold book clubs and things like that. The fun stuff.”
“Well, that trumps my big sister paying for half my college.”
He grinned. “There is no keeping score. I’m just saying our family is the same way. It sounds as if Quinn wanted you to have an easier start on adulthood. Trust me when I say it looks like West and I had it easy to most, but you know that isn’t the truth.”
“No,” she said. “It’s not. And I’m very thankful for everything Quinn has done. Most of her money she uses for the kids anyway. Or me and my brothers. I think Max knew that. Quinn was never going to be able to not help those she loves and it gave her a way of doing it and keeping her pride at the same time. As if she earned it even though Max could gladly give her anything she wanted.”
Her sister lived a pretty simple life and always would.
Lilian felt the same way, but yet moving here, it was hard to say that.
Nothing was simple in this city and everything cost more than it should.
She was making it work her way.
“You do that for those you love,” he said, pulling her into his arms. “You know I’d do the same for you.”
“Are you saying you love me?” she asked, looking up at his adorable grin. His eyes were light and almost soft as they gazed down at her.
She felt safe in his arms now and wasn’t sure she’d ever say she felt safe much in her life.
“I am,” he said. “I came to realize that if I wait to hear the words from you first, they might not come.”
“I’m still waiting,” she said, grinning.
He leaned down and gave her a quick kiss. “I love you, Lilian. I do like Lily though. I think you don’t want me to call you that.”
“I love you too, Braylon. And you can call me anything you want.”
“Really?” he asked.
“You know what I mean,” she said, stepping back and swatting his arm like Quinn did Max so often in that playful loving way.
“I do. I think Lily just suits you better but understand that at work you’re someone else.”
“I’m starting to realize that I didn’t know who I was when I got here. I have this idea in my head of what I want and can’t seem to find it or get it. But going home this weekend, I saw what I needed in my life. Those people—they know me as Lily.”
“Then Lily is who you are going to be to me too. I’ll make sure everyone else knows too.”
“Thanks,” she said.
She’d answer to either, but if she learned one thing from the Carlisles it was that work and family were different universes. Whether it was how you act or what you were called. You could be two different people as long as you could go to the ones that you loved and would be there when they needed you the most.
21
NOT HOLDING ANYTHING BACK
“Congrats,” Braylon said to West first thing on Monday morning.
“Thanks,” West said. “I have to admit I was sweating it a bit. I wasn’t sure if she’d say yes or not.”
“She’d be crazy to say no,” he said.
