Lily could tell that Miranda wasn’t happy with Beth’s answer.
Following Charles out the door, she waved at the members sitting at the table, seeing Rider was also missing from the group.
“You’re quiet tonight,” Charles said on the drive back to her home, sending her a questioning glance.
“I guess I’m just tired,” Lily replied, laying her head back against the headrest.
“Lily, is everything all right? I try not to pry, but you know that you can talk to me.”
“I know, Charles. You’ve always been a good friend to me. I’m glad you’re back in town,” Lily said, looking out the window.
“Where are we going?” she asked Charles as they drove past her house, instantly alert.
“It’s still early; I thought we would take a walk.”
Lily was ready to go home. Her hand went to her wrist. “I have to be up early in the morning, Charles. I volunteered to help at the church.”
“I won’t keep you out too late, Lily. I missed you while I was gone, I thought we would be able to spend the summer together. Dad’s restaurant took longer to get situated than I thought. Didn’t you miss me at all?”
Lily looked at his handsome face as he drove. “I missed our friendship, Charles. I don’t really have anyone to talk to since Penni left school.”
His lips tightened. Lily knew it wasn’t the answer he wanted to hear.
She watched the road, wondering where they were going. They drove out of town, going toward the lake. Lily wasn’t frightened. She had dated Charles since high school, so his actions didn’t raise any alarms.
Ten minutes later he pulled into a spot within walking distance of the lake. Charles got out of the car, coming to open the door for her. Lily emerged, letting him take her hand.
He searched her eyes. “Do you remember when we used to do this in high school? We would walk for an hour and just talk.”
“I remember, Charles.” Lily walked next to his tall figure, knowing he was reaching out to her, and trying to reconnect after being away for most of the summer. However, Lily had felt the loss of closeness before he had left when he had tried to deepen their relationship, and she had to tell him she didn’t return his feelings. She thought maybe he had hoped being away would have changed her mind, that missing him would have shown her she cared about him after all.
Lily watched her feet as they walked. She could have told him before he left that she wouldn’t change her mind about him. He didn’t attract her in that way. No man did.
As soon as the thought crossed her mind, a picture of Shade appeared to replace it.
“Is something wrong?” Charles paused next to her.
“No, I guess someone walked over my grave.” She shivered again. Charles placed his arm over her shoulder as they walked further along, losing sight of the car.
* * *
Shade sat in the darkness of Cash’s borrowed truck, watching Lily as she walked next to the fucker that was courting a death wish if he didn’t move his arm. He relaxed when he saw Lily move slightly away, keeping a few inches between them. He didn’t like them holding hands, but he could handle it.
He had planned to come up with another lame-ass excuse to spend the evening with her, but Razer had told him that Charles had beaten him to the punch. He hadn’t had to deal with him before now because he had been out of town, but now he was back and thought he and Lily would continue dating.
Shade got out of the truck as soon as they walked far enough away that they couldn’t see their car. Keeping to the shadows in case they doubled back, Shade made it quickly to Charles’ car, kneeling down by the back tire. He slipped his knife out of his boot, and thrust it into the tire before moving to the front and doing the same. As soon as he heard the hissing air, he returned to the truck, sliding back behind the wheel.
Taking out his cell phone, he gave Rider a call to give him a head’s up that Razer would be calling him shortly, so he needed to finish his business with Kaley. He wanted his ass ready to roll when Razer called to give Lily a ride home.
Shade sat back and patiently waited for the couple to return.
* * *
Lily couldn’t hide her yawn as Charles talked about his father’s new restaurant.
“Let’s head back; I can tell you’re tired,” Charles broke off.
“I’m sorry, Charles. It’s been a long day.” She squeezed his hand, relieved when he gave her a smile.
When they got to the car, he opened the door, letting her slide inside. Lily watched as he walked around the front of the car, seeing Charles bend down by the front tire then stand with a frown on his face. She turned as he walked to the back tire and stood, staring down for a minute before getting inside the car.
“I have some bad news. We have two flat tires,” Charles said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his cell phone.
“Don’t you have a spare?” Lily asked then felt stupid at the look he gave her.
“I do, but not two. Dad’s still in Lexington, so I can’t call him. I’m going to try Lyle, but it’s Friday, so the chances aren’t good that he’ll actually answer.”
Lyle was the town drunk. Lily hated to refer to him that way; however, he was drunk more often than he was sober. She really didn’t want to be stuck in the tow truck with him after he had been drinking most of the night.
“I’ll call Razer,” Lily offered when Charles had no luck reaching Lyle. She pulled out her own cell phone, calling her brother-in-law. He answered on the third ring, and Lily quickly explained their predicament. He offered to send Rider.
“Thanks, Razer.” She disconnected the call, turning back to Charles. She could tell he wasn’t happy she had called Razer, but the problem with living in a town the size of Treepoint was that your options were limited.
“I wanted to spend some more time with you. I guess I got my wish,” Charles said wryly.
Lily laughed. Reaching over the console, she kissed his cheek. “I really missed you, Charles.”
The tension faded from his face and he relaxed back against his seat. They started talking about the mischief they would get into in high school.
Twenty minutes later headlights pulled in behind them. Rider opened his truck door as another truck pulled up next to him. Shade climbed out of the older-looking truck that everyone in town knew was Cash’s. Both Charles and Lily then got out of the car.
“What’s going on, Lily?” Rider asked as he walked next to Charles and looked down at the car with the two flat tires.
“We went for a walk and when we came back, the tires were flat,” Charles explained.
“I’ll get it loaded onto the trailer and drop it off at the garage.”
“I’ll give you both a ride home,” Shade offered, moving forward.
Neither of them said anything as the two men loaded Charles’s car onto the trailer. When they finished, Rider climbed back into his truck.
Shade went to the truck he was driving and opened the passenger door for them. Lily climbed into the truck first, holding her dress down as she slid across the seat so that Charles had enough room to sit. Shade climbed into the driver’s seat and started the truck, as Lily tugged her dress down over her knees.
When Shade backed up and turned around; she was sitting so close to him the movement of him shifting gears had him brushing his arm against her breasts. Lily stiffened, trapped between the two men with nowhere to go.
The silence in the car could be cut with a knife. Feeling agitated and uncomfortable in the silence, her hand went to her wrist, but before she could snap it, Shade’s hand covered hers, preventing her from snapping it.
She slid her hand away, laying both
hands on her lap.
“I appreciate you and Rider coming out.” Charles broke the silence as they hit the outskirts of town. “We tried calling Lyle, but he didn’t answer.”
“That’s because he was at Rosie’s. I saw his truck as I passed.” Shade’s cold voice filled the cab of the truck.
“That explains it.” Charles muttered.
Lily expected Shade to drop her off first, but he kept driving past her house.
“Where to?” Shade asked.
Charles gave him directions and silence resumed in the truck. She had to force herself to keep her breathing even as they turned a corner and she was pressed up against Shade’s side. Thankfully, Charles lived close by and it wasn’t long before they were pulling into his driveway.
Charles opened the door when the truck came to a stop. “Thanks, Shade. You and Rider come by the restaurant and I’ll buy you dinner,” Charles said, getting out.
“We’ll do that,” Shade said.
“Goodnight, Lily. I’ll see you in church Sunday.
“Goodnight, Charles.”
Charles closed the door and Shade backed out of the driveway, his arm again rubbing against her breasts again. Lily tried to scoot over, but his thigh was sitting on her dress. When her dress started slipping up, she sat still, pinned in place. She didn’t make an issue of it, since it was a short distance to her house.
“Did you have fun on your date tonight?”
His harsh voice startled her.
“Yes. We went to the movie and ate with my friend Miranda-Kaley’s sister.”
Shade didn’t respond, stopping at a red light.
“Beth and the others came into the diner when we were having coffee. You didn’t go riding with them?”
“No, I wasn’t in the mood for a ride tonight.”
The light turned green, and the truck moved forward again.
“I’m sorry you ended up having to get out tonight,” Lily apologized.
“You would have done better keeping your own ass home tonight.”
Lily stiffened next to him. “What do you mean by that?”
Shade turned the truck down her street.
“I mean, you need to be cruel to be kind, and quit leading him on,” Shade replied, turning into her driveway.