Page 16 of Never Less

Marcus has always been attractive to me, but his kindness makes him ten times more so. It’s what I’ve been craving for so long, and experiencing it after such a long dry spell is… nicer than I ever thought it could be. Of course, it makes sense that he’s more mature. He’s twenty years older than I am. And in another life, maybe that wouldn’t bother me.

That’s not the problem, a voice in the back of my head whispers.

I close my eyes, trying to shut it out. It’s right, of course. The age difference isn’t the issue. No, it’s who he is—or more importantly, who his son is—that’ll keep me from ever indulging in more than the occasional, brief mental fantasy of him.

That’s how it has to be—for better or for worse.

Chapter six

Liliana

“Lily!” Nate calls. “We’re gonna be late!”

“Coming,” I yell toward the stairs.

I underestimated how long it’d take me to get ready, but I’m just about done. I grab my phone and tuck my new lipstick into my purse before heading downstairs.

The living room and kitchen are empty, so I hurriedly slip on my sandals. Nate and Marcus are probably already waiting for me in the car.

As I pass through the mud room, I catch my reflection in the full-length mirror Marcus installed in here. I stop to get a good look at myself since the mirror upstairs only showed the top half of my body. Double checking I look okay won’t take more than a few seconds, anyway.

I do a little twirl in front of the mirror. My dress looks gorgeous, and my hair falls past my shoulders in light waves. I got my makeup just right, and I think I look damn-near perfect.

Except…

“Shit,” I whisper.

“What’s wrong?” Marcus asks, stepping into the mudroom from the kitchen.

Well, at least I’m not the only one running behind.

“I forgot a necklace.” My fingers brush across my bare chest. It’s so much space left completely blank, and it makes the whole outfit look off. I meant to get a necklace when we were shopping, but I completely forgot.

Dammit. Why didn’t I pack nicer things just in case?

“Oh, that’s an easy fix,” Marcus says and pulls out his phone.

“It is?”

His eyes meet mine in the mirror, his gaze even and confident. “Do you trust me?”

I don’t even hesitate. “Of course.”

“Then you’ll have a necklace before you step foot into the party. That’s a promise. Now come on. Nate’s already in the garage.”

As we head to the car, Marcus taps away on his phone. I want to ask him what his plan is, but I meant what I said. I trust him. I’m just a little lost on how he’s going to pull this off.

Nate is already in the front seat, so I slide into the back. For the most part, he ignores me for the fifteen-minute drive to Charlotte and John’s. They’re in a nice upper middle class neighborhood similar to Marcus’s, minus access to the beach.

“All right, let’s go.” Nate pushes his door open once we’re parked on the street. “I wanna find Levi and Matt.”

I hesitate, and Marcus catches my gaze in the rearview mirror. It’s silly to be this worked up over a necklace, I know, but I really want to impress Nate’s family friends for some reason. A lot of people view what I do as superficial and unnecessary, and I just need to look as put-together as I can. For some reason, it helps.

“I’ve got you,” Marcus says reassuringly, his eyes softening at my worried expression. “Trust me, remember?”

I nod silently and get out.

Marcus steers me away from the house and across the street. His hand is warm and comforting on my back, and I lean into him ever so slightly. Guilt pricks at me, but when I glance toward Nate, he’s already halfway up the driveway. I don’t even think he realizes we’re not following.

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