“You could have, I dunno, actually asked first,” I said.
“Why would I have any reason to suspect you’d have a girl up here? You haven’t even dated since coming home from college. You’re all work, work, work these days, so when you said you were coming up for ‘work,’ why would I think anything else?”
“Maybe it’s just none of your business, Lil, and you don’t need to know all of my personal business.”
She snorted. “Yeah right, like that’s gonna happen. Dream on. No offense, lady, but I can already tell you’re calming down, so you have about three more minutes before the interrogation begins. This is my twin brother”—she overemphasized twin—“and it is my duty to make sure no one is going to hurt him. I take my twin duties very seriously, and just so you know, no one is ever going to be good enough for him, so the odds are already stacked against you. Jane, was it?”
Maddie giggled and sat up to face Lily. Her eyes were still filled with tears, but they looked like happy tears this time. She lunged off me and threw her arms around my sister, shocking us both.
“I love you, Lily Ann Westin,” she whispered. “Eight years, and you even remember the day?”
“MC? Is it really you?”
She nodded her head yes. I couldn’t let myself even think of what this meant. I sat and watched as the girls embraced and cried. I knew Lily would have a million questions and wanted to give them space to catch up, but I couldn’t bring myself to leave Maddie’s side. When they let go of each other, she sat back on my lap looking happier.
“I can’t believe you even remembered.”
“Not remember? Are you insane? Liam has to distract me every year on this day. We spent months hanging posters and looking for you after you left. Where have you been? Why didn’t you come home?”
Sadness filled her. I could feel it. “It’s okay,” I reassured her, rubbing her back.
“I’m sorry, Lil, I really can’t talk about it. It’s too hard and today was just really hard.” She looked at me and gave a small smile.
I returned with a hesitant smile. Instead of sharing her story with Lily, she instead bombarded my sister with her own questions.
“What are you doing these days? Are you living in San Marco? How have you been? I want to hear everything.”
Lily looked at me with questions still in her eyes before answering each and every one.
“Okay, I’ve answered all your questions,” Lily finally said. It was getting late and my stomach was rumbling. My leg had gone to sleep from Maddie sitting on it for so long, and I needed to stretch.
“If you two are going to yap all night long, I’m going to order pizza. I’m starving.”
“Oh no,” Maddie said, jumping up. “What time is it?”
“It’s nine o’clock,” I told her, seeing panic flash across her face.
“I have to go.”
“No,” Lily cried. “Please don’t go. We have so much to talk about and I’m afraid I’ll never see again once you leave.”
My heart hurt for both the girls, but I was afraid of the same thing. Maddie had leaned on me for comfort and support once again. Could she really just walk out of my life forever? I wasn’t sure I could just let her and Oscar go without a fight. They were worth fighting for.
“Call them,” I told her with more authority than I normally would.
She nodded without questioning me.
“Call who?” Lily mouthed while Maddie went to call Annie and check on Oscar.
When she returned, she looked relieved. She smiled and nodded. “Fast asleep.”
“It was a big day, I figured he would be.”
“Who? What are we talking about here?” Lily asked.
Maddie looked at me questioningly and I nodded reassuringly.
“Lily,” she started. “I have a son. His name is Oscar. He’s with his grandparents in our hotel room. I had promised him I’d be home in time to tuck him in, but he’s already fast asleep.”
I could see the guilt of missing bedtime written on her face. Without thinking I got up and walked to her, pulling her to my chest.
“Um, y’all want to clue me in what’s happening here? ҆Cause if I didn’t know any better I’d swear you were . . .” I saw recognition flash across her face. I looked away from my sister and down at my mate in my arms as she stared up with a death look. I wasn’t going to win either situation, so I let go of Maddie and backed away slowly. The girls could hash it out. “Liam Michael Westin, you better tell me right now. What is going on?”
“Mad, what do you like on your pizza?” I asked.
“Um, pepperoni and mushrooms,” she said.
“At least no pineapple,” I joked. Pepperoni, mushroom, and pineapple was my sister Elise’s favorite pizza. It grossed us all out, but then we found out her mate, Patrick, loved it, too. Gross! I could tolerate just pepperoni and mushrooms, as long as there was no pineapple.
I was grateful to have gotten a suite where the bedroom had a door of its own. I walked in there and shut the door behind me. Madelyn could figure out what she wanted to tell Lily without me. It wasn't like I had anything to hide, except I really didn’t want my sister to know I’d found my one true mate, especially if Maddie really did walk away from me.
I ordered the pizza and cautiously headed back to them.
“Do you have a picture of your son?” Lily asked.
“Yeah, it’s . . . dead,” she said with a frown, looking at her cell phone. “I guess I used up the last of it calling Annie.”
I took the phone from her, bracing for the tingle I always got touching her, and plugged it into my charger on the desk in the room. Then I took out my phone and scrolled through my pics to find one of Oscar grinning happily as we landed on Alcatraz. I wondered how it could possibly still be the same day.
“So, he’s with his grandparents?” Lily asked. “I know you don’t mean your parents, ҆cause I just talked to Shelby last week and they were planning the annual vigil they hold for you each year. They don’t know you’re still alive, but they still hold on to the hope you are.” A sad look passed between them, but I was thankful Lily didn’t press her about telling them. I could already feel the panic starting to rise in Maddie. “So”—she changed the subject—“it’s not your parents, so are these his father’s parents? Are you still with him?”
My twin had no filter. Mostly what she thought spewed out her mouth. It was something I equally loved and hated about her. My jaw set as that uncomfortable protectiveness flared in me. I shook my head no behind my mate so only my sister could see. Her eyes shone with both amusement and curiosity.
“No, we aren’t together,” Maddie said with disdain in her voice.
I could see Lily about to burst with more questions so I thrust my phone at her. “This is Oscar, Maddie’s son.” I told her.
Lily’s eyes were huge. “Oh my gosh. How old is he?”
“Sorry, I don’t know if you remember or not,” I told Maddie, “but Lily has no filter. If she thinks it, she says it. Actually, I think half the time she says it before she thinks it.”
“It’s okay,” Maddie reassured me. “I haven’t forgotten. I’ve always admired her for being able to speak her mind like that.”
“Hello? I’m right here,” Lily said obnoxiously.
Maddie laughed, looking more relaxed than I suspected. “Oscar is seven, Lily. No, I didn’t run away because I was pregnant and no, I’m not going to talk about it or try to explain it. I had my reasons and that’s going to have to be enough.”
“Okay,” Lily said. I think my jaw may have dropped open in shock. Lily never caved when she thought she was on to a story, and she had to know this was a big one.
“Thank you,” Maddie said in relief.
“Not getting off the hook that quickly, girlie.”
Maddie
Chapter 12
Somehow finding Liam hadn’t been nearly as shocking as seeing Lily. He had tried to give me an out. He introduced me as his frien
d Jane, but hearing how Lily still missed me, ME, so much that she even remembered the exact day I had disappeared, I had to tell her it was really me. That day Maddie Collier had died, or so I thought. Being around them made me question everything. I felt like me around them. Not Jane Winthrop, the beaten and broken skeleton of a human, but me, Madelyn Collier.
“Okay,” Lily started again, and I knew the questions were coming. “First, Oscar’s really a cute kid. He looks really happy in that picture. I gather since it was one my brother’s phone that he’s met him?”
“I’m standing right here,” Liam reminded her.
“Shush, and go away then. We’re having girl talk. When was that picture taken?”
I smiled, fondly remembering the first part of our day, when everything felt just right. “Earlier today. All he wanted to do on this trip was visit Alcatraz, but when we arrived the tour to take us to the island was booked solid. Liam was able to get us a private tour through a friend.”
“Steph and Mark?” Lily asked, and Liam and I answered yes at the same time. “Haven’t seen them in ages. How are they?”
Liam looked a little sad. “They’re doing well enough, but it’s always going to be hard on them. They seemed happy today, though.”
My eyes misted over and I wiped them quickly.
Lily didn’t mention the repopulation project and what they were going through, but I could tell she knew all about it and exactly what her brother was talking about.
“So, on to next question then. If you’re on vacation then you don’t live here, I take it?”
“No, I don’t. Annie and Jacob took me in a long time ago. They’re the only family Oscar’s ever known. They’ve been good us. You don’t have to worry about me, Lily.”
“Your reaction to seeing me after more than eight years was an anxiety attack. Yeah, I think I need to worry. But you asked me not to press you for details, so I won’t. So, why don’t you live in a pack? If they’re the only family he’s know, clearly you didn’t take up in a new pack.”
“No, I didn’t. Annie and Jacob are human. We live in the human world.” I decided straightforward, simple answers would be the best. I knew Lily well enough to know it wouldn’t stop her curiosity, but hoped it would appease her enough for now.
“Do they know about you? I mean, that you’re a wolf shifter and all? How do you hide that from them?”
“They don’t know, and it’s been easier than you’d think.” I almost laughed in light of the situation. They didn’t know about me because there was nothing to know, but I wasn’t about to tell her that.
“Does Liam know why you left and stayed gone?”
I took a deep breath and met Liam’s gaze. “Yes.”
“Does anyone else know? Like this Annie and Jacob?”
“No. No one,” I whispered.
Lily gave an evil grin I remembered all too well. It was the one she used when playing games that basically signified “checkmate.” “So Liam’s your one true mate then, huh?”
“Lily,” Liam growled in warning.
My cheeks flushed and I didn’t know what to say.
“Oh yeah, my twin, you got it bad,” she continued to tease.
“Lily,” I started to plead, but then shut my mouth, ҆cause honestly what was I supposed to say?
“Are you happy about it?”
I know my face gave away my sadness. Was I happy it was him? Yes. But he knew the situation, and I couldn’t back down from my stance to not accept him. I could never be a proper mate for him. He deserved so much better than me.
“It’s, um, it’s complicated,” I told her.
She frowned back at me, then rolled her eyes. “Been through this a time or two already. Seriously, what is wrong with you people? Frist Kyle, then Elise, now you two? When will you all learn that you can’t hide from your fate? If you are true mates, just accept it and be happy. It always leads to happiness, so stop being stupid and just go with the flow.”
“Like you’re going to do when you finally find your true mate?” Liam laughed. “I can’t wait till that happens and we all get to remind you just how simple it really is.”
“I can’t believe Kyle and Elise have taken mates. That’s awesome,” I said in a lame attempt to change the subject. “What are their mates like?”
“Oh, you’re going to love them!” Lily said excitedly, like it was inevitable I’d be meeting them, but I didn’t want to tell her I was rejecting her brother and going home to suffer in silence for the remainder of my life, so I encouraged her to keep talking. “Kelsey is the best, and she is one badass Pack Mother. Did he tell you Kyle took over as Westin Alpha?”
“Yes, he did,” I confirmed.
“Okay, good. So, yeah. Kelsey grew up in the human world, too. Doesn’t seem to have hurt her any. She’s really cool. But she didn’t even know she was a shifter. It’s a long story. She and Kyle worked side by side for two years fighting the mating call. Then Elise’s mate, Patrick, he actually came from Ireland to challenge Kyle for Kelsey. That lasted right up to the moment he got a whiff of my sister. It was pretty funny. Everyone was so shocked when he reneged on the challenge then stayed to hunt her down. Her dumb ass hid for as long as possible, but in the end it all worked out. So again, why are you even bothering to fight this?”
“I told you,” I said, unable to keep the sadness from my voice, “it’s complicated.”
I was so grateful when there came a knock at the door and the pizza delivery man arrived. Liam answered and paid for it. Sitting down to eat, he made Lily promise to cease with the questions, so it broke some of the tension in the room. I wanted to know what Liam was thinking. I couldn’t read the expressions on his face as Lily grilled me. I knew I didn’t have a right to know, but it didn’t stop me from wondering.
We talked about lighter things after that and the time melted away. I stifled a yawn.
“Sweetheart, it’s after midnight. Lil, I think that’s enough for today. Tell you what, why don’t I take Oscar out tomorrow and give you two some time alone?”
I was floored by his generosity. I had seen the hurt and pain I had already caused him, yet he would do that for me? Why? I couldn’t help wondering. I looked to Lily to see what she thought.
“He’s great with kids; Oscar will be fine.”
I laughed. “I have no doubts on that. Would you want to hang out with me tomorrow?”
“Duh, of course I do. I’m scared if I let you walk out that door I’ll never seen you again, though. Can’t you just sleep here?”
“No, she can’t.” Liam intervened. “Oscar will freak out and worry if she’s not back before he wakes.”
Dammit, every time I thought I had a handle on him, he did or said something that made my heart melt again. I didn’t know how to fully harden it with him around. I needed space and distance, but didn’t think I was actually going to get it, no matter what I said to him, until this trip was over. Just don’t fall in love in with him, I scolded myself, even knowing it was already too late for that.
“I promise, I’ll see you tomorrow,” I said, hugging Lily good night. It dawned on me how different and natural personal contact was with them. It didn’t make me panic or even feel uncomfortable. It felt right, and that was wrong. I already knew it was going to hurt like hell when we said goodbye forever at the end of the week. I had tried earlier to do just that with Liam, but now with Lily in the mix, life just got all the more complicated.
“Hey, Lil?” I needed her to understand and promise me something. “Swear you won’t tell anyone you saw me?”
She hesitated, then nodded. “I promise.”
Liam insisted on walking me back to my room. When I tried to protest in the hallway that it wasn’t necessary, he told me that Elise had been kidnapped in a hotel the previous year and with all I’d gone through already, his wolf was feeling particularly protective and asked me to just humor him. I did, but was thankful he didn’t draw out some awkward good night or try to kiss me at the door.<
br />
“Just come by or call in the morning. My number’s in your phone,” he said as he turned to leave, motioning me to close the door first.
I wondered when he had put his number in my phone, then remembered he had taken it when it had died. I supposed he must have done it sometime while it charged and I talked with Lily.
I quickly went to the bathroom, changing into pajamas, washing up, and brushing my teeth before sneaking into bed next to my son. Oscar’s little body seemed to relax, even in sleep, and he snuggled up against me. I held him close and kissed the top of his head, inhaling the sweet scent of his shampoo.
I wanted to reflect on the events of the day that felt more like a second lifetime, or in my case, I guess, a third. I smiled at the thought. As I closed my eyes and drifted into sleep, I dreamed of a third lifetime, with Liam.
All too soon, a wiggling little boy woke me. “Mommy, you’re here! I’m sorry I fell asleep before you could say good night. I was really tired.”
“It is fine, my sweet boy. Did you have a good time with Mimi and Papi?”
“Yes, it was great! I got to swim in the pool till bedtime.”
“Wow, that sounds like great fun,” I said.
“Did you have a good time with Liam?”
I tried not to think about the fort and all that had been said between us. Oscar was far too intuitive for a kid his age. I instead told him happy things. “I did, and guess what? His sister Lily showed up and surprised us.”
“You best friend when you were my age?”
“Yes, that’s the one. Now where’re Mimi and Papi?
“They went down for breakfast and then were heading to the conference. They said to tell you it runs till seven tonight, and they’d call to see if we had eaten yet or not. So, it’s just me and you today, Mommy!”
Forever Mine (Westin Pack Book 3) Page 9
