Besting Brady: Hearts of Hollis
Page 16
I look down at my phone, and as much as I hate doing this, I call Landon. I know I can call Madden or Keegan, but Landon’s the oldest, and I feel he should know what I’m doing.
“I thought you had shit to do,” he answers like the smartass he is.
“I do,” I reply. “I need you to tell me where Lilly is.”
He’s quiet, and I wonder if he’s going to answer. If I was him, and she was my sister, I wouldn’t tell him shit. I’d keep her as far away from me as possible. Instead, he rattles off the address and then gives me a warning.
“She’s my sister, Brady, and I don’t think I need to tell you what will happen if you fuck her over.”
“I understand,” I confirm, letting him know I get that the three Steele brothers will have my ass if I screw this up. If I screw it up, I’ll deserve much more.
When I get to the address, it’s pretty much what I expected. The house is a large estate in a nice neighborhood. A Mercedes and BMW are parked out front, but not Lilly’s vehicle. My truck looks completely out of place. Still, I go ring the doorbell in the hopes that she’s here. I need her to be here.
The woman who answers has shoulder-length brown hair and light brown eyes. I’m only guessing it’s Mrs. Benson because there’s no resemblance to Lilly. Her smile is warm and genuine as she looks me over.
“You must be Brady.”
“I’m...I’m sorry?” I stutter, truly shocked that she knows my name.
“Lillian has told me all about you, young man,” she states. “And apparently, the two of you had the same thing in mind. You just missed her.”
Chapter Forty-Six
Lillian
I’m staring at the drink case that holds several different sodas, trying to decide between Dr. Pepper and Pepsi soda at the gas station. Maybe I’m really just stalling and trying to make an even bigger decision. Whether to chicken out or not.
My mom told me to follow the path my heart leads me to. I know without a doubt that path is to Brady. Doesn’t mean it’s easy for me to just start traveling down it, without fear, without hesitation.
Going to Hollis in the first place was a huge risk. And it took me long enough to come clean about why I was there. In reality, I didn’t actually come clean. I was busted. Besides, I had no intention of falling in love when I went there. Certainly not with a guy like Brady.
But I did fall in love. I am in love.
This is crazy. Brady has probably already moved on by now. That’s who he is, right? My blood boils thinking about Brady with anyone else. Yes, I know that’s not exactly rational. We ended things, and he has a right to move on. For that matter, so do I. But I can’t.
I take a deep breath and choose Dr. Pepper, taking it up to the register and paying for it before opening the door and walking outside. I unscrew the cap and take a drink of the cool liquid as I walk out to my car.
My eyes widen, and the bottle falls out of my hand, spilling all over the cement of the gas station parking lot as I take in the sight before me. Brady Thompson, in all his gorgeous manly glory, is leaning up against my car, wearing his sinfully tight jeans and shirt.
“Brady?”
He grins at me. “Lilly.”
“You’re in Dallas?”
“Yep. You see, I heard you were doing just fine, and I came to find out your secret.” Wow. I love this man’s honesty.
“And who told you that?”
He shrugs. “Landon. Amelia. I’ve heard nothing but how good you’re doing.”
I cock an eyebrow at him, trying to figure him out. “And that bothers you?”
He studies me and then closes the distance between us. His chest nearly touches mine. “Hell yeah, it bothers me. I’m all fucked up, and you’re doing just fine. How in the fuck do you do it?”
I can’t help the smile that comes over my face. He’s been messed up by me leaving. Time to stop being stubborn and allow myself to be vulnerable. “I haven’t been fine. Not even close. I’ve missed you every day.”
I’m about to add that I’m scared to death, though, and know that he won’t be able to move to Dallas and that I’m not sure what I can do in Hollis, but I don’t get a chance to get any of that out because I’m suddenly back in Brady’s warm embrace with his lips on mine. I kiss him back and let every worry melt away. In that kiss, he tells me that it’s all going to be okay, that we will get through it together.
We can figure out everything else. Where we are, what we’re doing, none of that matters as long as we’re together.
Epilogue
Brady
“We’re going to be late,” Lilly whispers over her shoulder, but I don’t stop.
I know she’s close, and I’m almost there, too. I grip her bare hip, digging my fingers into her flesh as I push myself into her, finishing as she tightens around me. This is what I had been missing while she was gone back to Dallas. Her being here with me. Me holding her. Me touching her. Her.
Hollis sucked another one in. It’s been three weeks since I found Lilly at that gas station. Three weeks and we’ve been inseparable. Lilly has decided to enroll in college in Redbud with Jade and Casey and get a degree in business. Turns out, she’s a lot like her damn brothers.
“We’re going to be late,” I say, smiling, finally slipping out of her warmth and climbing off the bed. “I can’t believe Madden is proposing tonight. Jade is going to flip.”
“She’ll be happy. Surprised but happy,” Lilly replies, rising from the bed and heading to the bathroom.
After she’s washed up and we’re both dressed, we head to Jack’s. It seems like any other Saturday night. Same local patrons, same music. We join Madden, Landon, Keegan, and Amelia at our usual table. My heart only pangs for a moment at the thought that Caleb is not here with us. He’s still avoiding my calls, and I haven’t heard from Avery either. She said he was different. I wanted that for him, but I wonder just how different he is.
“You nervous?” I tease.
“Of course not. She’s going to say yes,” Madden answers confidently. “I mean, she is going to say yes, right? Right?”
I laugh, causing him to look at us nervously. Lilly elbows my side, and I slip my arm around her. “She will definitely say yes. You have absolutely nothing to worry about.”
I look over at her and then tell her to come dance with me. When we reach the dance floor, she slips into my arms like she was made to be there. Patsy Cline croons, “Crazy” and my head tells me I am. I’m crazy for even thinking of saying anything to her. Everything has been so perfect these past few weeks.
“Lilly−”
“I know, Brady,” she cuts me off.
I smirk at her. “You know what, Lilly Benson?”
Her emerald eyes sparkle up at me, and she smiles as she inches closer to me. “I just know.”
She presses her lips to mine, letting me know that she knows I love her, and I don’t have to say it. Not yet anyway. She feels the same way. This is how we work. This is us, and I love us.
I taste Lilly, enjoying the feel of her in my arms and enjoying the fact that she’s not going anywhere. We might have started out thinking this was temporary, but we brought out the best in each other.
Lilly breaks the kiss and whispers, “She said yes.”
I realize then that everyone is cheering, and Jade and Madden are locked in an embrace. I lead Lilly over to congratulate them. Jade’s blue eyes are filled with tears as she looks at the diamond on her finger. Everyone is clapping, including Casey and Derek, although I believe it’s just a mask of happiness Casey is wearing. There’s no way that uptight prick is making her happy.
“Brady,” Lilly says, nudging me. “Brady, look who’s−”
“What the fuck is the celebration for?”
I turn toward the door, instantly recognizing the voice, but when I see the man standing there, I know he’s different. I look at Avery, and she gives me an apologetic look.
Caleb’s back.
THE END
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