Page 42 of Fragile Kiss (Fragile 2)
“But you see them every week,” Katharina protested.
“I know, but...”
“Yes?” she interrupted, turning her attention back to the phone then back to Lillian. “Talia says to call her when you’re free. She’s much more understanding than I am.”
Lillian smiled awkwardly.
“Oh, shut up,” Katharina laughed, looking at Lillian again. “Let me correct myself. Talia is much less selfish than I am.” She didn’t look hurt at all by her friend’s accusation; in fact, she looked pleased. “I know I am! Listen, I’m not ashamed of it. How else do you think I got where I am today?”
The conversation wasn’t going in a direction Lillian wanted to join.
“Oh, let me quickly tell you about what happened.” Katharina’s tone got serious. “Yes, he dared to call today after what he said to me yesterday.”
Yesterday? Lillian froze. Certainly she wasn’t talking about something Cayden did.
“He does have nerve, and he called me this morning. I had to step outside for some air while he tried to explain himself. Of course, it didn’t work in the least.”
Phew. It wasn’t Cayden. Unless Cayden knew how to speak whatever language it was that Katharina knew. She made a mental note to ask Cayden if he was seeing anyone, but only if the time was right. That wasn’t a question to just pull out of a hat. After last night, she didn’t want another argument.
“One more moment, dear. Please finish your wine.” Katharina winked and went out of the room again, rambling about the incident from yesterday evening.
Obediently, Lillian took another sip and pulled up Andrew’s message again. This shouldn’t be so hard, she lamented, bouncing her leg up and down. Why am I having so much trouble telling him what’s going on?
Because you know how he feels about you, and you know the only person you feel the same way about is Cayden. That was definitely Amelia’s voice. Lillian closed her eyes and saw, as clear as day, Amelia standing in the doorway of her old room, back in the apartment above the nightclub. Girl, you have got to do what’s best for you. Not Andrew. He’s your family, and that’s where it stops.
Easier said than done, she thought.
You’re so thoughtful, not wanting to hurt Andrew. A lot of people wouldn’t consider that if they were in your shoes.
Thank you, Lillian nodded, lost in the memory.
Take the time that you need to reply. Andrew loves you no matter what. Amelia’s voice faded away, and Lillian opened her eyes. How was there still so much wine in the glass? She took another sip.
Better than expected, she typed to Andrew. I’ve worked through some things with Cayden. We didn’t have much time to talk last night. She winced. That was fudging it just a little, but he didn’t need to know. We’re meeting tonight to finish our conversation.
She pressed ‘send’, feeling pretty good about her answer and knowing the wine helped more than it should have.
I need to work on taking the edge off by myself, not with the help of anything—or anyone—else.
Nervous that he might reply right away, and she would obsess over her next message, she put her phone back into her pocket, making sure that it was on silent mode. The time for Katharina’s meeting wasn’t too far off, and she needed to focus on getting the rest of the house done before it was time to fly back home. There really wasn’t much left except for little decorations to arrange and a few more storage ideas to implement.
“I’ll call you later to tell you how it was.” Katharina wandered back into the kitchen with her empty wineglass. “Yes, I’m passing your phone number to her right now. Talk later, love. All right, goodbye.” She hung up and let out a loud “Whew!”
“Everything okay?” Lillian asked.
“Yes, darling. Everything is fine. It’ll be more fine after my meeting. Did I give you Talia’s number already?”
“Not yet.”
“Hmm. Let me do it now.” In a couple of quick taps, she sent Talia’s contact information to Lillian in a text. “There. Now do not forget to let her know when your appointments with your little children back home are finished. She has a house
so big, it’s maybe...” she looked around the room and muttered something in words Lillian couldn’t understand, “it’s maybe five times as big as this house. You’ll need at least a week there.”
The surge of excitement at her business spreading collided with the fear of coming back to Los Angeles if things didn’t work out with Cayden.
If things don’t work out, she repeated to herself, shocked. What, am I hoping things do work out now? Figure out what you want, Lillian! I mean, figure out what’s best for you. I think.
“I need to get ready now. Are there any small things to finish today before I send you back?”
