Page 98 of Bad Luck Club

When they reached his seat, she started to release his hand, but he tugged her back and dropped his carry-on bag to the floor, capturing her face in his hands and kissing her. Her lips were soft and inviting, and it took everything in him to hold back and keep it PG for the middle school boy sitting in the seat behind him. Nevertheless, he was reluctant to end it, even as cheers and a few catcalls broke out in the cabin.

When he pulled back, she looked dazed. “What was that for?”

“For luck.” But that was a lie. He felt like he was losing something, and he was doing everything in his power to reassure himself that it wasn’t her.

A smile lit up her face. “Good luck, Lee. You’ll do great.”

Then she turned and headed back to Maisie and Jack, who were watching him—Jack with a grin and Maisie with an eye roll. Despite what Blue had said the other day, he doubted he’d ever win Maisie over, which could prove awkward at family gatherings, but he’d deal with it so he could spend time with Jack.

“Sir,” a flight attendant asked in a stern voice. “Could you please stow your carry-on and take your seat so we can finish boarding?”

“Yeah,” he said, squatting to pick up the garment bag. “Sorry.”

But thoughts of Blue and his siblings soon fled as he pulled out his tablet and went through his notes and the short PowerPoint he’d made to show Jeremy Rousseau that he’d regret not hiring him. Then he went over possible questions that might come up about his father, because it was inevitable that theywouldcome up.

As soon as they landed and pulled up to the gate, Lee was out of his seat, his laptop bag in hand while he waited for the line in front of him to move. He glanced back to catch a glimpse of Blue, but other people had filled the aisle, blocking his view.

The people in front of him began to move, and he spotted her for a second as he rounded the corner to the ramp leading to the gate, her warm smile and wave giving him a confidence boost.

He raced through the airport to the taxi line, jumping in a cab as soon as it became available. He was breathless as he gave the driver the address. He might be a few minutes late, but he also stood a decent chance of making it on time.

Realizing his phone was still off, he reached into his pocket and turned it on, finding a fresh string of texts from Finn. Last week, Finn had set up a group text for him, Jack, and River so Finn could vent about Adalia’s anxiety, which was makinghimanxious. At first the texts were mostly from Finn, but it hadn’t taken much prompting for the other guys to start participating. Today, in typical Finn fashion, he had sent several wordy texts telling the guys how nervous Adalia was about the exhibit even though everything was perfect.

Smiling to himself, Lee typed,Take her for a hot fudge sundae.

Finn’s reply was immediate, a true sign of his desperation.What?

Don’t tell her what you’re doing. Just tell her to come with you. Go to Louie’s Ice Cream Shop, two blocks from the gallery. Don’t let her order. You do it for her, and see what she says.

Why do I feel like you’re setting him up?Jack responded.

I thought you actually LIKED Finn, River said.Addy’s going to beat the shit out of him if he bosses her around like that.

Trust me, Lee sent.For one thing, I’d never screw with Addy, today of all days. Two, I do like Finn and would hate to see his pretty face ruined. And three, it will help with Addy’s nerves.Then he sent again:Trust me.

I’m coming for you if this backfires, Finn said.

I’d try to hide you, Jack said,but Maisie will get the location out of me and give it to Addy. Sorry, dude.

Lee grinned.I’m betting Finn’s face on this…and I guess mine too. Let me know how it goes.Then he sent,And tell her I love her and will ALWAYS have her back.

A lump filled his throat as he lowered the phone to his lap, that all-too-familiar ache in his chest returning. He hadn’t always been there for Adalia. He’d let her down in so many ways.

But the hot fudge sundae would work. That had been their thing when they were kids, before Lee had fully accepted his role as their father’s mini-me. When their mother still had some influence over their lives.

Prescott had never approved of Adalia, always finding fault. Now that Lee was older, he realized that their father had picked at the parts of Adalia that were like their mother. Not unlike what Blue’s father had done with her. But back then, Lee hadn’t understood why Prescott kept picking on her—he only knew that their father ruled with an iron hand, grounding Adalia to her room for even minor offenses.

So Lee would sneak into the kitchen and make her a hot fudge sundae, then bring it up to her room and sit with her as she ate it, his heart aching like it did now, as he watched the tears stream down her face. As they got older, she would tease him by saying she sometimes purposely got into trouble so he would bring her a sundae and spend time with her.

He’d stopped the tradition after their mother died, lost in his grief and desperately seeking approval from their remaining parent. In hindsight, much to his horror, he realized he’d begun to believe his father that Adalia was lazy and whimsical, as though that were a character flaw, and that she needed to grow up and live in the real world, which didn’t include art.

And then he’d lost her for a time. Deep, vast shame filled him when he thought of the way he’d treated her. He may have been under his father’s influence, but he had always possessed a will of his own. He was amazed that she had not only let him back into her life last spring, but that she’d welcomed him with open arms. They’d taken baby steps as he tried to understand her life and her love of art. She’d brought him to Chelsea to see the art galleries. She’d been with Alan Stansworth then, her mentor and lover who’d later proven to be a traitor and a thief. Lee had known the guy was a total jack-wipe who was poison for Addie’s soul, but at the time, she had only just begun to realize it.

He’d taken her to Louie’s Ice Cream Shop and ordered her a hot fudge sundae, even though she’d insisted she wanted a cone, but she’d gasped as they sat down across from each other.

“Oh, my God. You used to…” Her voice broke as tears filled her eyes.

“I’m sorry, Addy. I’m so, very sorry,” he’d said.

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