So Europe beckoned once more.
She said, “I’ve just completely made up my mind. I have to go.”
* * *
Jax was in a shitty mood. He tried to hide it as Greta told him and Lex that Lily had resigned early. She was still in her suite, packing. But she’d definitely quit.
At first, Jax thought it was for the best. So that she’d follow through on her plans.
Then he’d thought it was all wrong. There was another answer entirely.
Problem was, he’d been the one to give her the perfect out. He’d regretted it when he’d done it. He regretted it now. And Lex wasn’t too pleased, either, though he’d also agreed it was the right thing to do.
Also incredibly hard. Because in the long run, losing Lily was the absolute last thing they wanted.
But all Jax had been able to think about that night was how selfish it’d be to ask her to stay.
What would staying entail, anyway, once he and Lex were in New York, recording, and then on tour? They were going to ask her to wait around from them? For a year or two?
No. That would be unfair.
So let her go to Europe.
But that hadn’t sat right with him, either. Sparking the need now to take the bull by the horns.
He told Lex, “We know exactly what she wants. So why the hell aren’t we giving it to her? She’s given us exactly what we needed. It’s our turn to repay the favor.”
“You clearly have something in mind.”
“She wants Paris. We’ll give her Paris. She wants all of Europe. We’ll give her all of Europe.”
“Jax—”
“Just trust me.”
“You know I do.”
They left the study and Jax rapped his knuckles on the door to Lily’s suite. She pulled it open and immediately said, “There’s no point in me staying the rest of the week, so please don’t try to—”
Jax hauled her up against him and kissed her. With all the aching and longing stored up since he and Lex had left for that trip to New York—without her.
She returned his kiss with equal fervor. Giving Jax precisely the answer he needed.
When he released her, she looked a bit dazed.
He said, “Tell us you don’t really want to leave us.”
“Jax.” She was breathless. “You can’t just command me to do . . . what? Look after an empty floor? An empty music room once the two of you leave here?”
“I’m talking about the relationship, Lily. Tell us you don’t want it to end.”
“But it has to end,” she insisted. A tear sprang to her eye. “You wanted inspiration. You got it. And I got . . . really pretty dresses.” The tear spilled over. Followed by several more.
Jax’s heart wrenched.
Beside him, Lex said, “I think I know what Jax is getting at.” And he was fully on board with the unspoken plan. “Lily, go to Paris.” He took her hands in his. “But with us.”
Her eyes popped. “What?”