French Kiss (Silver Cove Series Book 2)
Page 21
“I also hear that congratulations are in order.” She nodded to Adam. Then, in fluent French, she said, “Congratulations, may your life together be as adventurous and as powerful as your coming together.”
Adam smiled, then looked over to Rowan and winked. “I like this one.”
Rowan coughed and turned a little red. “Well, we should be going. We don’t want to be late.” He took Kayla’s hand and practically dragged her from the room.
“What was that all about?” Lilly turned to Sarah who just rolled her eyes.
“Let’s just pray that she didn’t turn out anything like her sister,” she added.
“Didn’t her sister die when she was—”
“Sixteen. Yes, on the night of Rowan’s sixteenth birthday party. Right after he’d broken up with her.”
“That’s right,” Lilly added.
“I sure hope he knows what he’s getting himself into.” Sarah frowned at the closed door. “I don’t think he could stand to go through something like that again.”
“What? Loss?” Adam asked.
“No, dealing with a bitch who cheated and manipulated him, then caused her own death because she was a psycho.” Sarah turned to Lilly and gasped. “I’m sorry.”
“What?” She blinked. “Why?”
“Carl.” The name was a whisper in the room.
“It’s okay.” She smiled. “For all of Carl’s faults, with his last breath, he tried to save me.” She smiled and reached for Adam’s hand. She’d told him everything that had happened and had relayed it to the police for their reports. “In his twisted way, he just wanted to keep me safe.” She shook her head and felt her skin shiver. “Okay, enough of that…” She broke off when the door opened again. Expecting a nurse, she smiled at the woman who entered. Then she felt every ounce of blood drain from her face as she stared back at her own eyes. Only these were older, sadder, and empty of almost any love.
“Mother?” It came out as a whisper.
***
Adam sat in the corner and watched Lilly closely. He refused to leave the room even when she had told him she would be fine. Everyone else had vacated quickly, but not Adam.
His eyes had raked over the woman. Scanning for… well, he didn’t know what. Emotion? All he knew was that he wasn’t going to leave Lilly to deal with all the emotions alone. He’d made himself a promise that he would never leave her alone to deal with anything again. Especially her past.
“I understand your hesitation in agreeing to see me. When I heard what had happened…” Carolina glanced in his direction and twisted her hands together, a move he’d seen Lilly do herself on multiple occasions. “Well, I was worried and figured…” Her tone was flat.
“Thank you for the flowers.” She nodded towards the bouquet of pink carnations, which sat among a wall of brightly colored flowers and balloons from everyone else. “And thank you for making the trip from Atlanta.”
“Oh.” She nodded. “I read what happened to you. I’m sorry you had to go through something like that.” There was no emotion in her voice and Adam was beginning to wonder if the woman had any at all.
Lilly’s eyebrows shot up. “Something like…” She chuckled and Adam could see the hurt. “You mean, sorry I had to be blown up? Is that what it takes for you to feel remorse?”
“I…” Her mother shook her head, then he watched her chin rise. “I know you’re angry with me about the past, but I’m a changed woman. I had to hold down three jobs just to keep food in your mouth.”
“Is that how you justified it?” She shifted. “You told yourself you were too busy to deal with the problems? Or did you even have a problem with what Dave did to me? Maybe you got off knowing what he was doing?” She shifted when Adam’s hand reached out to touch her, to calm her. She jerked her hand away. “No, I understand that you’ve made nice with your mother, but your mother didn’t idly sit by while her husband fucked her teenage daughter every night.” She was almost screaming it.
“You watch your tone with me,” Carolina warned.
“Or what?” Lilly sat forward. “Let’s get one thing straight. I forgive you. I forgive you and the moment you walk out that door, I will forget you. You have no place in my new life, nor in the life I will build with my own family. I replaced you, years ago, with a woman who would fight to the gates of hell to make sure I was happy and safe. I have a sister who, even there’s no blood between us, would gladly give up everything she has to do the same.” She glanced over at Adam and a tear slipped down her check. “I have a man who would do everything in his power to see me smile, even with his or my dying breath.” Her eyes turned slowly back towards her mother. “So, go. Live your changed life and know that I am well, despite anything you’ve ever done.”
Carolina looked between him and Lilly, then without a word and without shedding a tear, turned and walked out of the room.
Adam got up, picked up the pink flowers, walked them to the trash, and dumped them in. Then he walked over and wrapped his arms around Lilly and held her as she cried.
“Well played, my love,” he murmured into her hair.
Less than a minute later, Sarah and Crystal rushed in. “Is that bitch still here?” Crystal said, glancing around.
“I called mom.” Sarah smiled and walked over to wrap her arms around Lilly. “I figured you would need us.”
Lilly sniffled and nodded. “I do.” She held on as her family wrapped their arms around each other. Crystal held out an arm to him and he joined in.
“There, now the universe is righted.” Crystal nodded as a tear slid down her face. “Don’t you fret any more about your past. I read your chart this morning and I see only happiness from here on out.” She glanced towards Adam and winked. “And there are five rings around your universe.” She turned to Lilly.
“Mother,” Sarah warned. “You can’t possibly…”
“Shush.” She waved towards Sarah. “Serenity Sunshine Holley, I’ve told you to leave reading charts to me.”
Ben coughed from the corner. “I think you mean, Serenity Sunshine Rothschild.” He smiled and walked over to wrap his arm around his wife.
“Yes,” Crystal smiled. “Of course I do.” She tilted her head and wiggled her eyebrows. “I read your chart this morning too.”
Sarah groaned and rolled her eyes.
“What did it say?” Ben asked.
“Don’t, you’re only egging her on,” Sarah croaked.
Lilly laughed. “I would like to hear too.”
“Let’s just say, twins run in our family.” Crystal laughed when Sarah slapped playfully at her as she rushed around the room, giggling.
Adam couldn’t help but laugh and realize that he had the best family in the world. A family that stuck together no matter what and one that knew how to laugh and, more importantly, one that knew how to love.
Other books by Jill Sanders
The Pride Series
Finding Pride
Discovering Pride
Returning Pride
Lasting Pride
Serving Pride
Red Hot Christmas
My Sweet Valentine
Return To Me
Rescue Me
The Secret Series
Secret Seduction
Secret Pleasure
Secret Guardian
Secret Passions
Secret Identity
Secret Sauce
The West Series
Loving Lauren
Taming Alex
Holding Haley
Missy’s Moment
Breaking Travis
Roping Ryan
Wild Bride
Corey’s Catch
The Grayton Series
Last Resort
Someday Beach
Rip Current
In Too Deep
Swept Away
Lucky Series
Unlucky In Love
Sweet Resolve
Silver Cove Series
Silver Lini
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French Kiss
Coming this fall…
Entangled – A Paranormal Romance Series
The Awakening… Fall 2016
The Beckoning… Spring 2017
The Ascension… Summer/Fall 2017
For a complete list of books, visit JillSanders.com
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
FRENCH KISS
PRINT ISBN: 978-1-942896-70-8
DIGITAL ISBN: 978-1-942896-69-2
Copyright © 2016 Jill Sanders
Copyeditor: Erica Ellis – inkdeepediting.com
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.
About the Author
Jill Sanders is The New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Pride Series, Secret Series, West Series, Grayton Series, Lucky Series, and Silver Cove romance novels. She continues to lure new readers with her sweet and sexy stories. Her books are available in every English-speaking country and in audiobooks as well as being translated into different languages.
Born as an identical twin to a large family, she was raised in the Pacific Northwest and later relocated to Colorado for college and a successful IT career before discovering her talent as a writer. She now makes her home along the Emerald Coast in Florida where she enjoys the beach, hiking, swimming, wine tasting, and of course writing.
Connect with Jill on Facebook: http://fb.com/JillSandersBooks
Twitter: @JillMSanders or visit her Web site at http://JillSanders.com