Page 42 of Fortune's Control
My eyes widened at the unexpected question. “My sister got to you.” Sophie rebelled against every decision I made since our parents died. I should have expected her opinions to spill over to Lilah.
“No, I’m asking on my own behalf.”
I took the wooden spoon from her hand and licked it. Lemon and sugar. “If I always got my way, we would not be standing in the kitchen right now.” I took the baking pan from her and set it back on the countertop. “We won’t finish talking when it’s done baking. Best to leave it until we’re done.”
Her lips parted. “Everyone is waiting, and Lainey will be here in an hour.”
She arranged a pool party in my absence, and I lookedforward to attending, if only because it allowed me to see her in the dark green bikini she typically wore.
“She’ll wait, too. What’s one more guest to throw in the pile?”
“Sophie took the garage apartment back, so I moved out.” Lilah wrung her hands together and swallowed. “I took over the downstairs guest room.”
“Good, stay there.”
“What?” Her brows drew together.
“You’re delaying, Lilah. Why is that?”
She squeaked, ducked under my shoulder, and ran from the kitchen.
*****
I followed, closing the door behind her. “This will do.” I locked the door and approached. Lilah drew back, surprised. “Aiden is around, my sister is nosy, and I don’t appreciate interruptions,” I explained.
“Your sister and I spent last night together.”
“I heard.” I sent Dean over to check on her after receiving his update on Sandy Cooper, and then asked him to stay after he described the scene. “She’s also not relevant to this conversation.”
“You wanted a private conversation, Shane, so I’m here. If you wanted to set terms on what we talk about, you should have done that first.” Lilah crossed her arms and stuck her chin up in the air.
I stood between her and the locked door to prevent her from leaving until I was done. “Then go first.”
“I…” Lilah licked her lips. She had expected me to challenge her further. “Your sister shared the history between the two of you. I think you owe her an apology.”
“You mean after our parents died?” I was a dumb kid, yearning for no responsibilities and a lot of travel. Instead, I became saddled with unwanted demands and a permanent disability. My greatest adventure dissolved into a time I avoided thinking about. “They died in a car accident. That wasn’t my fault.”
“You sent her to live with strangers, Shane.”
“I was heading to boot camp, and she was too young to live alone. If Sophie enjoys her anger about it a decade later, she’s welcome to do so.”
Sophie telegraphed her frustration when I first made the decision, and several more times over the years. My choice also provided her with a home to stay in and covered her college expenses. I understood her grief at leaving Fortune’s Creek and our parents’ sudden death because I felt the same. I also knew it was easier to turn that grief into anger and direct it all towards me. Sophie didn’t want my apology; she wanted me to go back in time and make a different decision.
Lilah cocked her head to the side as her face scrunched up. I couldn’t read her expression. “She’s your family, Shane. Don’t give up on that.”
“Tell me about your mother, Delilah.”
“Her name is Sarah Jane Mayberry,” she said. I stayed silent, waiting for her to continue. “She doesn’t enjoy motherhood. I already told you about her.” Lilah picked at her swimsuit cover and refused to look me in the eye. “It was difficult, and I certainly didn’t make it easy for her.”
“I doubt that.” She peered up at me through her lashes. Her lips squeezed together, and I knew she was about to explain what made her so difficult. “It seems like she gave up on you. That’s notyour fault.”
“Once, I offered to help her pump gas. She was tired, so I offered to help, but I accidentally put diesel in the car. We couldn’t afford to repair it, and she lost her job. That was my fault.”
“How old were you?”
“Twelve.”
“That’s a mistake many kids would make. You don’t deserve the blame for it.” I sympathized with her mother for the financial hardship, but Lilah’s strong memory revealed a pattern.
