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She whirled and rushed across the upstairs hall and down the stairs.
Miles let out a heavy breath and let her go. What else was he supposed to do? Would she listen when he tried to explain? He doubted it.
He texted Lily, determined to see this through.
I’m in Coleville. Can you meet me?
Her response was immediate.
I didn’t know you were coming home.
It was a surprise to me too. He tapped out the words and waited a long minute, pacing the upstairs hall.
I’m just getting off a shift at the hospital. I could meet you at the dock.
He didn’t want to meet at the lake. A place they used to kiss when they were teenagers. It didn’t matter, though. This wasn’t going to be one of those meetings. He also didn’t want to go face her family. He loved the Lillywhites. They’d always treated him like one of their own. Would everybody hate him after tonight? Probably. His own mama wasn’t going to be happy. She’d long been planning the wedding with her friend Ivy, Lily’s mom. But this was so past due he couldn’t stand delaying any longer.
See you there.
He hurried through the house, grabbing his hat from the laundry room and realizing he hadn’t even asked one of his brothers to borrow their truck. He’d text Walker. Walker wouldn’t care. He stomped out of the house and around front. Clint stood there, his hat on his head. He wasn’t even reclining against his truck as he waited. Another fist fight?
“I don’t like fighting with you,” Clint said.
“Really? I love fighting you.” He meant it. Clint was as good a match to spar with as anyone he regularly duked it out with.
Clint smiled. “Okay, I like the fight. I don’t like the feeling of us being at odds. Cade and I fought, emotionally, for over a year about Sheryl. It was an ugly feeling in my gut all the time. I don’t want that with you.”
“Maybe you do like the emotional fighting. You’re the one who keeps being all tense and taking shots at me,” Miles challenged, plunking his hat on his head to shield his eyes from the setting sun and folding his arms across his chest. He wasn’t one to start a fight, but he wouldn’t back down from someone coming at him.
“I’m ticked at the way you’re treating Lily.” Clint rubbed at the back of his neck and peered at him under his hat. “She’s an angel and deserves better and you’re the most loyal person I know. What gives? You meet the famous actress that Easton and Walker have always crushed on and you start two-timing Lily? That’s not the straight-arrow, loyal brother I remember.”
Miles flared instantly, but he could see Clint’s point of view. Clint wasn’t as easy to confide in as Walker or Easton, so he didn’t even know about the many times Miles had tried to set Lily free. Of course no one would believe how unique and special Eva was. Not simply some ‘famous actress’. Not to him.
“Lily and I were a fun senior year of high school romance,” he said slowly. “When I first went into the Navy, it was nice having someone beautiful and fun to text or FaceTime with, get packages from, a photo to make my buddies envious, someone to hang out with and kiss when I came home.”
Clint listened, but his fists grew tighter. “So you used Lily to have a girl back home?”
He was right. That was what Lily had become to Miles. The girl back home, not the woman he loved or his future wife or anything close to the level of commitment he displayed toward her. He imagined it was the same for her; she could brag about her military boyfriend. Maybe she needed that to keep other men at a distance. Who knew?
“It wasn’t a couple of years and the novelty wore off. I did love Lily, but it became more a good friend than anything romantic. Our calls got shorter and less frequent, and I rarely gave her anything more than a quick peck and hug when I visited.”
“Why have you strung her along, then?” Clint demanded.
Miles blew out a breath. “I’ve tried, many times, to tell her to date and give other guys a chance.” Clint’s gaze was shielded by the hat and the dying sun. He couldn’t get a bead on what his brother was thinking. “Every time she’s asked if I wanted to date someone else and the honest answer was no. I was focused on the SEALs, not in places to meet women or date.” He shrugged. “Then you know how it is with Mama and Ivy planning the wedding already.”
Clint actually smiled. “Planning the wedding is an understatement. Ivy Lillywhite has had your tux and boutonniere picked out for years.”
Miles smiled too. He loved Lily’s mom and family. It was another reason this was so hard. He continued, “Six months ago, I knew I had to end it. It was past time.”
“Six months ago?”
“I had a few weeks’ leave for your wedding.”
“I remember.” Clint’s voice went hard.
“I tried once again to end it with Lily. She sobbed and clung to me. Seeing Lily cry like that ripped me up inside. She’s not the type to fake tears.”
“That’s for sure. She’s the type to comfort anyone else who’s crying and selfishly forget about herself.”
