by L. B. Reyes
Lily’s face lit up, and she jumped excitedly onto her feet. “I’m going to teach you a lot of things,” she exclaimed. “I know a lot of things and can teach you all about princesses and playing with toys, and I also know about cars because my daddy has a very pretty car and…”
She continued without stopping. It astounded me how she didn’t run out of breath because the conversation went on and on. I was far too mesmerized with the way she expressed herself to care. With Evie and Nathan’s help, I knew I’d get back up on my feet.
But Lily Maxwell would be the reason I became the best person I could be.
***
“What about this shirt? This would look so pretty on you.” Evie held up a blouse, wiggling her eyebrows playfully. “It’s cute.”
It was gorgeous. It was yellow, and I knew that it was a difficult shade to pull off, but obviously, Evie had noticed it was a color I always liked to wear.
“You should get it for yourself.”
Evie bit her lip thoughtfully, her cheeks taking on a rosy color. “I’m pregnant.”
My eyes widened. “What?”
“Yeah. A few weeks only, but we want to keep it secret until…you know…I’m further along.”
I grinned, nudging her gently with my elbow. “Congratulations.” No wonder she was glowing. “But if it’s a secret, why did you just tell me?”
She shrugged, laughing softly. “I trust you. Plus, we’ve never had a sister secret. This could be our first.” My heart constricted at her saddened demeanor. Evelyn tried to make up for lost time. It reminded me of when we were younger, and I wanted to hang out with my friends. She’d chase me down to get my attention. She wanted to tell me something, said it was a secret, but I had been so caught up with impressing my friends, I’d paid no mind to her.
I found it ironic.
I’d grown up thankful when I left high school because I no longer had to impress anyone, only to find out being an adult was the exact same thing.
I had a reputation to keep up with.
“All right. I’ll keep the secret.” I smiled, taking the shirt from her hands. “But you have to buy something for yourself too, okay?”
She beamed. “Not a problem.”
Once in the dressing rooms, Evie and I tried on the crazy amount of clothes we’d picked up in just a matter of minutes. Nathan had taken Lily to the Disney store to give Evelyn and me some time to talk, for which I was thankful, especially when she asked the following question:
“When are you going to start looking for a job?”
I sighed, loud enough for her to hear, and stepped out of the dressing room to show her the dress I wore. It flared out and looked stunning but was far too expensive.
She smiled when she saw me, and I knew that she was going to end up buying it no matter what I said.
“I don’t know,” I replied. “I’m not really sure where to apply. No one will accept someone with my record. I’m not trustworthy enough, you know?”
Her gaze softened.
“Nathan needs help at the gallery many times—”
I shook my head before she even finished. There was no way I could work with Nathan. For starters, I had absolutely no interest in art…never had. Now I respected it but was ignorant on the subject. Besides, being close to Nathan would only cause problems, of that I was sure.
“I’d rather get another job,” I admitted. “You guys are doing enough for me as is, Evie. I’m not going to take advantage of it.”
Thoughtful, she handed me a blouse with a pair of jeans, a not-so-subtle way of saying that she wanted me to try them on. I snickered, stepping into the dressing room again and changing.
“I know a place,” I heard her say. “I don’t know if you’d be very happy, but I mean, it’s something. It’s up to you, though. I don’t want you to feel weird or forced to take the job but—”
“Quit rambling,” I teased, smoothing down the blouse.
She always had such a pretty sense of style.
Evie was already waiting for me, wearing a simple lace dress. It contrasted against her skin perfectly, and I could already picture what she’d look like with her pregnant belly in a few months.
“I like that,” I admitted. “It looks pretty on you.”
“Thank you.” She curtsied, reminding me of the time she’d said she’d watched porn, when in reality, I’d known she had been with my then husband.
So many things to talk about still.
“What job are you talking about?” I asked. The sooner I was working, the sooner I’d feel like a normal person.
Or like I had a purpose.
She shrugged. “I’ll take you to the place, if you want. The owner needs personnel, so I’m sure they’ll take you in.”
I nodded. “Okay, yeah. I just want to get out there, you know? Start over.”
“I know, Han. I’m sure this is the right choice, though.”
I hope so too.
Chapter 3
Hannah
I stared at myself in the mirror.
I couldn’t recognize the person looking back at me. Physically, I hadn’t changed much, but inside, I felt different.
I applied a bit of mascara and some lip gloss Evelyn had bought for me, hoping I’d look presentable enough that the person I was going to interview with would ignore my history.
“You messed up your life,” I said to myself.
Deciding it was pointless to obsess over the things I had done in the past, I let my hair down and walked downstairs. I heard Evie and Nate’s hushed whispers, and though they didn’t seem to be arguing, it was clear that they didn’t agree on something.
Nathan quieted down when he saw me, and he forced a smile that, quite honestly, seemed pained. Evelyn smiled, and Lily ran up to me, greeting me with a hug.
“You ready to go?”
“Yes, I am.” I smiled nervously. “It this okay?”
The dress I wore was simple and black, something that screamed professional. I never liked using my physical appearances to work my way up, though I did other things that weren’t necessarily good, like taking advantage of people. It was easier that way, but that didn’t make it right. Now, I had to use only my brain to get ahead, and hopefully, appearing professional would help. I considered myself relatively smart, despite the many mistakes I made.
The people who believed this were few and far between.
“Yes, I think that’s perfect,” Evie replied, always encouraging.
I nodded, taking hold of Lily’s hand. She was quiet, yet content, hugging a doll. It made me feel better that at least she was relaxed. It meant that Evie and Nate’s argument wasn’t too serious, or else she would have picked up on it.
“Well,” Nate began, scratching the back of his head, “I need to go to the gallery, but, uh…good luck, Hannah. I hope it all goes well.”
It was obvious he meant it, and I was thankful because deep down, I knew I needed all the good luck possible. “Thanks, Nathan.”
He smiled the first sincere smile since he’d seen me. Those smiles were rare before, when we had been married, but now that he was married to a woman he actually loved, he couldn’t hide them. I turned my attention away when he pecked Evie’s lips and whispered something in her ear.
“Mom says I’m going as your good luck charm,” Lily said with the brightest eyes in the world.
To be honest, I firmly believed she would bring me all the luck I needed. Lily said goodbye to her dad, and after all of us got in the car, we were off to what would hopefully be my first step into society.
***
I saw Evie’s grip tightening on the steering wheel several times, and she nibbled on her lip as if she was nervous or wanted to say something but wasn’t quite sure if she should.
I, on the other hand, couldn’t find a way of telling her how fucking freaked out I was.
Sometimes people judge former prisoners and don’t believe they should ever be able to step foot out of a jail, but what many peo
ple failed to notice was that those of us who had the opportunity to return to the real world didn’t have it easy. People judged us by our past mistakes and no one ever wanted to give us a second chance.
While many returned to their old ways, I refused to be one of them. I was too proud, too eager, to prove myself and everyone else I changed.
My mom used to always tell me that it was better to look at everything objectively because feelings could taint one’s perspective. With time, I realized her logic was flawed. If I had been using my heart rather than my greediness and her goals, my life would have been completely different.
It wasn’t until we were pulling up to a very fancy-looking establishment that I began dreading Evie’s suggestion.
Paradis.
I shook my head, not even giving Evie a chance to speak up. “Are you serious? You brought me here?”
She gave me a small smile, one that said she’d planned everything.
“I can’t do this, Evie. What the hell? You should have told me.” I ran my hands through my straightened hair, wanting to pull all of it out. This could not be happening.
“I know it isn’t ideal,” Evie said as calmly as possible. “But this is the best for now.”
“Working with Derek?” I shrieked, sure she could sense my disbelief. “He hates me! Why in the—why would he ever give me a job?”
For her.
Realization slapped me in the face. I’d burned all my bridges, destroyed the few real friendships I ever had. Now, all the help I would receive was because of Evie, and I wasn’t sure how to feel about that.
Uncomfortably, I shifted on my seat. I loathed feeling like a lesser person.
“You need to find a job that will show others you can deal with money and that your interactions with others have changed, Hannah. It’s going to be difficult to find one like that so—”
“So you brought me here? With one of my victims?”
With a sheepish smile, Evie shrugged. “You can do both here. You’d deal with money and prove to others that you’re a better person. Once you’ve got someone who can give you a recommendation, it’ll be easier for you to get a different job.”
“But out of all the options, why Derek?” I asked her, trying to stay calm. I wasn’t doing too good of a job.
“Because I know he’ll give you the job.” She spoke without an ounce of doubt in her voice.
“Does he know I’m here?”
“It’s a surprise, Aunt Hannah.” Lily’s interrupted our discussion. I turned around in my seat, facing the little girl who kicked her feet against the driver’s seat.
“A surprise? Really?” I snorted, my cheeks flushing.
I wanted to see Derek and talk to him, but not this way. It was cruel to him, unfair.
Besides, even if Evie and Lily were there, I had no guarantee he’d give me a job.
“I’m just trying to help you, Hannah.”
I knew she was. Evie never did anything if it wasn’t for the well-being of others.
“I’m afraid if you don’t keep your mind busy, you’ll turn to other stuff,” she admitted, avoiding my eyes. “I don’t want you to go back to your old ways. And maybe it’s selfish, but you’re finally being sisterly. I don’t want to lose that.”
I swallowed.
Doing bad things was always easier, and despite everything, Evelyn knew that.
Deep down, however, my main worry was Derek. I’d hurt him too much in the past, and he didn’t deserve to have me forced into his life if he didn’t want me in it.
“Fine,” I said with a sigh. “But if he doesn’t want to, please don’t insist. I can’t blame him for not wanting me around.”
Her gaze softened, and she nodded. “Are you ready for this?”
“Ready as I’ll ever be.”
With those words, I took Lily out of the car and we walked up to the restaurant. I had never visited his location in New York, but I knew Derek’s restaurants were one of the most visited and most liked by the more prestigious families in the state. Paradis was a place he’d worked hard to maintain and expand, a place whose reputation I nearly ruined out of pain and selfishness.
The restaurant wasn’t open yet. It was still before noon, and if things hadn’t changed, the restaurant would be opening at exactly 12 p.m.
Evie squeezed my hand before opening the door and walking inside. I braced myself for however Derek would receive me, if he did at all.
“Evelyn,” a young woman greeted, her hair up in a bun. She has hardly any make up on. “What are you doing here? We weren’t expecting you. Hey, little Lily. How are you?”
“I’m fine. Is Uncle Derek here?”
“Yes, he is.” The woman turned to face me, eyeing me curiously and with an arched brow. “And this is?”
“Hannah,” Evie replied, her arm intertwining mine. “She’s my sister.”
“Oh, nice to meet you.” The woman smiled. “I’m Lisa, the manager. So, it’s…three siblings?”
I snorted, trying not to burst out laughing. Poor woman, she had no clue the mess our lives had been. Even we had a hard time making sense of our situation. How could we explain to someone that Evie had grown up thinking we were sisters, only to find out we didn’t share the same blood? Add Derek to the story and it all became much more confusing. The only thing that remained clear was that, though Evie saw Derek and me as her siblings, we weren’t related. The bond between us would never be that of a family.
We’d met under different circumstances—we didn’t share the same blood, but we shared the memories of the time we’d spent together years ago.
“It’s a long story,” Evie swiftly said. “Where’s Derek?”
I didn’t have to see him to feel him. His footsteps approached, heavy and determined, and for a moment, light-hearted. As excited as I was to see him, I also felt terrified. He wouldn’t want to see me; there was no way.
His gaze fell instantly on Lily, his face breaking out into a grin when she ran up to him, throwing herself in his arms. He lifted her up, placing a kiss on her forehead, and my heart, my poor little heart, started doing somersaults all over the place.
“How are you?” he asked her, unable to hide his smile.
Evie remained by my side, and for that, I was infinitely thankful. I would have run out of the place otherwise.
“Evelyn, I wasn’t—” Derek’s jaw tensed when he took in the sight of me. “—expecting you.” His green eyes were ablaze as he studied me. “What exactly is going on?”
Smiling, Evie walked up to him and placed a kiss on his cheek. “You mentioned you needed more personnel. Hannah needs a job, so I thought it would be convenient and that you two could help each other out.”
Derek scoffed. “Does she have any experience?” he asked, his gaze unwavering.
“Derek—”
“I’m asking her,” he interrupted.
My lips parted in a small gasp, and his eyes followed the movement. My heart thudded in my chest when, for a moment, his gaze turned dark and heated like it used to years ago. It was so brief, I wasn’t sure if I imagined it, but I knew it was there.
“I—I don’t know much about this.” I blinked, surprised to hear myself stutter. I never stuttered. “But I can try…I want to try.”
Working his jaw, Derek stared at me, and stared and stared. With every passing minute, it was more difficult to breathe. Finally, he cleared his throat, setting an oblivious Lily on the floor. “Can I talk to you, Evelyn? In private?”
Evie didn’t seem surprised. “Of course.” She smiled.
I let out a long-held breath, running a hand over my face.
“Well,” Lisa muttered, her eyes wide, a hand fanning her face.
I’d totally forgotten she’d watched the whole interaction unfold.
“What?”
She grinned. “Is it just me or did it just get it hot in here?”
CHAPTER 4
Derek
Never in my life did I expect to see her again.
Especially searching for a job at a restaurant which she’d managed to destroy.
I looked at Hannah from where I stood, and I wasn’t sure how the fuck to feel.
Pissed.
Definitely pissed.
But being in front of her reminded me a lot of the woman I had met years ago—the woman she was when we were together. Pushing away the thought, I focused on Evie, who waited for me to say something.
“Are you mad at me?” she asked, a tight smile on her face.
I shook my head. “I can’t hire her, Evelyn. I won’t.”
Her brows furrowed, her lips tilted slightly down. In the years we’d spent together, I had learned how to read her—not that it had ever been difficult. My little sister was an open book. Despite my constant traveling, Evelyn and I were inseparable. Perhaps it was a subconscious way to make up for lost time, but every day we would talk on the phone if I was out of New York, and if not, I’d visit or vice versa.
Even Carter and Nathan’s family learned to accept me. It was like having an actual family, a strange thing for me, yet one that I took a liking to instantly.
We now had the family we had both needed when we were younger.
Minus our older brother.
He decided for both of us when he opted to stay away. I didn’t blame him. Dylan ran when I was a kid. It made sense if he kept running as an adult too.
“I can’t believe Nathan didn’t tell me your plans,” I said.
“Oh, he didn’t know.” Evie smiled, as if she was proud of how everything turned out. “Look, I get you don’t want Hannah around, but she will be around. I’m not telling you to be her friend, Derek—”
“I can’t have her around.” Judging by her expression, the words came out harsher than I intended. “The last time I worked with her didn’t turn out so well, and I’m not risking it again. It’s taken me a long time to get to where I am now, Evelyn. I know you want to help. That’s fine, but just leave me out of it.”
She was angry. She didn’t say it, but the harsh glare she gave me was hard to hide.
