Page 42 of An Endless Memory

Eliot

I pulled into Crocus Valley and turned on the highway that led to Lily’s place. I was meeting her parents.

It was no big deal.

My gut churned like there was a paddle inside, mixing the acid. No. Big. Deal.

I was married to their daughter. They had to think we were in love.

That day on the phone was the first time I said I loved someone.

Lily deserved to hear the words for real. Maybe someday— A loop around my stomach tightened. We had to get through the next year.

Once I was on the long driveway to her house, I stiffened.

Did she have company?

Three cars lined her drive. A Cadillac SUV, a BMW, and a regular hybrid more like Lily’s.

Please tell me she’s home.

I parked behind the stall she didn’t use in the garage. A tall man walked out, looking like he came right off the golf course with his khaki shorts and blue polo shirt. The corners of his eyes creased when he squinted at me. Lily’s dad.

Barns had never looked that sleek. My father’s skin had resembled the leather of the worn Chesterfield he’d sat in to smoke his cigars and drink his whiskey neat. His breathing had rattled long before he’d been diagnosed with cancer. And he’d had so many cancer spots cut off his face that he had looked like he was slowly getting patched together.

When I got out, Lily’s dad was staring me down. I waited for the deep, commanding voice I’d heard over the phone, only this time, he’d point out everything I did wrong.

“Afternoon, sir.” Mama hadn’t done much for me, but she’d taught her kids manners and Cody had ingrained them in us after she’d left.

He grinned. “Weston, please.”

His grip was strong and full of warning.

I respected his reaction. My dad hadn’t cared about Aggie. Weston Duke was invested in his daughter’s well-being. “Is Lily home?”

“I’m afraid you’re early.”

I was afraid of that too.

“All my other kids are here.”

I cocked my head, but no, I’d heard him correctly. “All of them?”

They outnumbered my big family. I was the lone Knight on the premises.

“Like a family reunion,” he said. “Don’t worry. It’s not just to inspect you. It’s been a logistic nightmare passing along information about the trust. My sister will talk to one kid and that kid will talk to another and then information gets warped.”

“Like a game of telephone with extra bad reception.”

Weston nodded grimly. “This way, we can have everyone in one spot. Linda finally coughed up a copy of the trust, and I had my people look it over last week. Enough of that for now. Come on in.”

My stomach was all kinds of twisted going inside. When I entered, I was pinned by several sets of eyes, like I was a bug for a school project. Wariness and tension were woven into the air, and I did not care for that feeling in Lily’s warm home.

A woman rose. She was older, closer to Weston’s age, with dark wavy hair and a pinched expression. Lily’s mom.

“You must be Eliot.” She held out her hand. “I’m Magnolia.”

I clasped it. “Nice to meet you. Can I call you Mom?” I heard a choking sound from one of Lily’s siblings, and I grinned. “Just kidding. Trying to break the ice.”

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