Page 44 of The Lady and the Footballer
“Says who?” she challenged him, lifting a brow. “Says you? I never asked you to marry me, Colin.” She straightened her spine, and even though she was directing her words toward him, he loved how she stood up for herself and what she believed in. “If this is something we want, we can make it happen. We should not be giving the power to make that decision to anyone else but ourselves.”
He nodded mutely, torn between how much he wanted her and how much his family needed him to survive. If he lost this job with the mill and the club, he would be giving up on all those who counted on him.
“We could make it happen, yes,” he agreed, hating himself when light sparked in her eyes. “But we cannot, for to do so would be selfish. Too many people need me, Lily. You have to understand that I depend on my job at the mill, my place in this football club. If it was just me, I would give it all up if it meant finding the woman I was searching for. But it’s about far more than me. I’m sorry, Lily. I just… can’t.”
He stepped backward, opening the door and looking out to ensure no one would see them.
“You go first,” he said. “I will watch to ensure you return to your family.”
She only nodded before brushing by him, leaving the scent of her perfume lingering in her wake to accompany Colin.
That and regret – but not for kissing her. No, against his better judgment, he would never regret that.
He only regretted that they were not born into different circumstances.
For then, he would have done all in his power to make her his.
Chapter Sixteen
Lily thought about sneaking back to the train car where Colin was traveling.
That was how much his kiss had affected her.
She knew it was impossible. Not only were her parents in the car with her—not that they were paying her much attention—but she wasn’t even sure which car he was traveling in or how to get there.
Then there was the fact that Colin wanted nothing more to do with her, that he had likely only been taken over by the moment and hadn’t actually meant to become so close to her, despite what he might have said to make her feel better about how she had practically thrown herself at him.
Although that didn’t change that she had never felt anything like she had when he had kissed her.
When he had pushed her away – figuratively, not literally, for she knew he would never do that to her – it had hurt so much more than she would ever admit.
She jumped when something poked into her side, and she looked up to find Emmaline staring at her with her arms crossed and an expectant look on her face.
“Did you just poke me?” Lily asked incredulously.
“I said your name five times, and you never even moved!” Emmaline exclaimed, and Lily winced.
“Sorry.”
“I will forgive you on one condition.”
“I don’t think forgiveness is supposed to come with conditions.”
“Well, in this case, it does. You must tell me what happened when you went to the necessary.”
“I did my business. That is not something we speak about, Emmaline.”
“Lily Evans, we both know that far more happened than that. Not only were you gone for so long I had to come looking for you, but your face had all kinds of emotions written on it, and now I’m not sure whether you are happy or sad or what is happening in your head right now.”
“Very well. I know I will regret telling you this, but I also know that you will not leave it alone until I do.” Lily looked from one side to the other before leaning in and whispering. “Lord Nathaniel trapped me and tried to prove I was making a mistake by declining him, though I think his pride was the main issue. Colin found me and rescued me, and then I needed a minute, and he kissed me but then pushed me away, and it was the best and worst moment of my life.”
Emmaline blinked rapidly, trying to process all that Lily had just let out in a stream of words that Lily knew were likely hard to understand.
“There is so much to discuss from that, but let’s start with the most important part,” she said. “Colin kissed you? As in Colin Thornton, the Manchester Central football player? The one who works as a foreman in your father’s mill?”
“That would be the one.”
“Oh, Lily,” Emmaline said, a smile growing on her face. “I am so happy and yet concerned for you at the same time.”
