Page 48 of Timeless
The anticipation of the night I had planned was a heavy, mixed cocktail of pure excitement tangled with the type of anxiety that scared a person into feeling like their life was on borrowed time, somehow like the universe might take her back if I didn’t hold on tight enough.
Lily was all I’d ever wanted, and having her back felt like a dream. It was a tangible feeling I never wanted to wake up from. I knew there was something in her past she wasn’t ready to share, and I respected her privacy, but that didn’t stop my mind from wandering when I was alone.
“Hey, man.”
I swung around in my chair to find Boden taking a seat on the other side of my desk.
“You looked pretty lost in thought there. What’s going on?”
“Just working through some stuff is all.” I gave a half-shrug.
“I’d ask if it were work-related, but I suspect it’s more centered around Lily?”
“That obvious, huh?”
“That and I might know a thing or two about seeking answers to questions I had about my girls’ past, given the tools at our disposal.”
“The urge is strong, my friend, but I know the best thing is for her to open up when she’s ready. The last thing I want to do is jeopardize the progress we’ve made.”
My mind drifted to the other night, watching her surrender under my touch—she was perfection personified, flawless, and I was the lucky man with whom she trusted and gave herself to so freely, like time and distance hadn’t chartered us off course and broken our bond.
“If that smile you’re rocking is any indication, I’d say things are going pretty fucking well.”
I chuckled and tipped my chin to the ceiling. “God, I feel so out of my depth here.” My chest tightened as the air around me thinned out. “I feel like I should turn in my man-badge for admitting this out loud, but being this deep in my damn feelings right now isn’t something I’m used to.”
“Fuck that! Life is short, and we both know it. Our main goal should always be making the most of the time we’ve got, sharing it with those who fill our cups, and if it means showing our emotions, then so be it. Bro, you’ve seen me at my weakest, and I never once felt an ounce of judgment from you. Best friends never judge or make assumptions. We listen and support each other without conditions, and we have each other’s backs no matter the situation.”
“Tell me more, old wise one,” I said in jest.
“I’m just saying, you don’t always need to present a tough-guy bravado. There’s power and strength in getting shit off our chests. It allows us to be the best versions of ourselves for those we love.”
I nodded my head in agreement. “I did talk with my mom,” I said, my voice low but steady. “Being patient, as you know all too well, isn’t my strong suit; it’s a major shift in gears when I want to race ahead at full speed. But I also know it’s just noise, a moment that will pass. I refuse to let anything derail my second chance with Lily, not now, not ever.”
“Your mom’s the best. She and your pops were over the other day.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah, your mom wants to organize a girls’ trip to take Lakelyn wedding dress shopping. They even discussed maybe flying down to LA.” Boden’s entire expression lit up with pride. “The way Brock and Camilla have embraced Lakelyn with open arms, giving my girl a true sense of family, has been life-changing for her.”
“That’s awesome, man. She deserves this.”
“Tell me about it. I’ll never understand why some parents treat their kids the way they do. Lakelyn and Lily both deserve so much better than the shitty-hands they were dealt in that department.”
“I swear if I ever catch wind of Lily’s dad trying to contact her—” My words drifted into silence.
“I more than hear you on that front.” He sighed. “Anyway, I want to ask, I know it’s last minute and all, but are you and Lily free next weekend? I checked your schedule, but obviously, you could have non-work-related stuff going on.
“I’ll have to ask her. What were you thinking?”
“Vegas.”
One word, and yet it was as if he’d dropped a bomb on me; my eyes widened with the weight of realization. “Shit, man, I’m so sorry. I should be organizing your bachelor party.”
Clearly, I was slacking on my best man duties.
“Don’t even sweat it. There’s still plenty of time before the wedding in July, so I didn’t expect it to be on your radar yet. Lakelyn was spitballing ideas with her friend Jenna last night and thought that with everything that’s gone on in the past few months, we could all use a mini-getaway for a few days.”
“I’m so fucking down.” I stood up and rounded my desk.
