The Life That Mattered (Life Duet 1)

“Hate …” Lila’s lips twisted as she glanced up at me.

The waitress returned with my drink and took our order.

“Hate’s a pretty strong word, Evelyn. He finally told me what you said. What has Graham done personally to you to warrant your hatred?”

He made my best friend quit her job. And I felt pretty certain he put his political aspirations ahead of her dreams. More than that, I felt like he took her away from me. The marriage wasn’t supposed to replace our friendship. Since I couldn’t prove it, and Lila seemed headstrong on defending him and the direction of their relationship, I had to let it go.

“I’ll make it right.” For Lila … I would make it right for her.

“Thank you.” She smiled.

Right there.

That smile—the one that wasn’t the exuberant Lila smile I’d always known—that was the reason I knew Graham wasn’t keeping his promise. When you loved someone—truly loved them—you didn’t take their smile.

People with broken souls didn’t have real smiles. They grimaced from the broken pieces of their soul impaling their heart.

I didn’t think he actually broke her soul, but I felt certain he was suffocating it with his own selfishness.

“Franz and Anya,” Lila said.

I shifted my gaze to her. “What about them?”

“They’re something good in my life. And so are you and Ronin. And when Graham is Graham … not Governor Porter, he is something good in my life too.”

I held out my hand, and she reached across the table and rested her hand in it. With a single nod and my most sincere smile, I let her know that we were still us—and I would always have her back.

“We’re losing Mom.” Tears filled her eyes.

It was a late sentiment, but that was okay. I took it. I needed it. I needed to know that she had my back too.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Ronin recovered without a trip to the doctor’s office or hospital. I needed to see him get sick in a normal way and recover without incident. If he couldn’t be a true immortal, I could settle for a really strong mortal with a properly functioning immune system.

Lunch with Lila put the countdown clock in motion for me to make up with Graham. I said I would talk to him, but I had no idea what I was supposed to say. So instead of insisting he meet me for lunch or showing up announced at his office, I made the ultimate gesture—the ultimate sacrifice.

I invited him and Lila to go skiing with me and Ronin.

“Why did you do this?” Ronin shot me a side glance as we pulled into the parking lot of the resort.

“I told you. I knew Graham wouldn’t say no to watching me make a fool of myself. He knows I hate to ski, so this gesture says a lot without me having to actually say much at all.”

“Nothing says sorry quite like a broken arm or blown-out knee.” Ronin chuckled, opening his door and retrieving my skis from the rack.

“I have you. And you’ll have my back. Right?” I slipped on my jacket and grabbed my ski boots.

Ronin locked the doors and took my hand. “Always.”

We waited in the lodge for Lila and Graham to arrive. I loaded up on hot chocolate, knowing I’d freeze my ass off when we got up the mountain because I’d spend so much time on my ass.

“There they are.” Ronin nodded toward the door.

I stood, drawing in a deep breath.

Lila hugged me first, and then she hugged Ronin, leaving me standing in front of Graham. He did nothing to ease the tension or make my job easy. I squirmed under his emotionless gaze, his wordless scrutiny.

“I don’t hate you,” I mumbled, forcing my gaze to his.

“Is that an apology, Evelyn?”

Did he have to be smug about it?

“Yep.”

Gah!

I couldn’t help it. Graham had a PhD in arrogance. I knew he’d take an apology as an outright admission of total wrongdoing on my part. While I was wrong to say I hated him, the emotions that led to that misstep in words were very justified. They were the day I said it. And even after lunch with Lila, I still felt some anger and resentment toward Graham for allowing so much distance—or putting so much distance—between my best friend and me when I needed her the most.

“Hug it out, you two.” Lila nudged my arm.

Graham made no effort to ease my apology burden. He just stood there with no sign of remorse, not the tiniest bit of shared guilt evident anywhere on his body.

I wrapped my arms around his torso and hugged him. He didn’t hug me back.

Jerk!

After releasing him, I turned and gave Lila a tight smile—an I-tried smile. Before I could take more than two steps, Graham’s long arm hooked my waist, pulling my back to his chest as his chin rested on my shoulder.