Picking Up the Pieces (Pieces, #2)(23)

Then Lily turned serious. “Max, listen to me. Don’t ever do that again. I was panicking the whole way here. And you took advantage of the fact that I’d hurry down here to help you. I want to be here for you. I want to be your friend. Because despite my better judgment, I missed you over these last months. But if you pull some dumb shit like this again, I will be burying you in an unmarked grave in a pet cemetery. Got it?”

“Yes, Miss Hamilton,” I replied in a monotone. But when she started off toward the exit, I quickly followed her, grabbing her arm. “Wait, wait, I’m sorry. I was just kidding.” Pulling her back in front of me, I released her arm and blew out a breath. “I promise. I won’t do anything like that again. I apologize for making you worry.”

She thought for a moment, probably trying to figure out whether or not she believed me. In the end, she must have decided that she did. “Okay, apology accepted.”

“Thank God,” I sighed. “Now, you ready to hear some music?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” she replied with a wry smile.

We walked closer to the stage. The band was still setting up, so the crowd hadn’t followed us into this section of the bar yet. Standing there in a comfortable silence, I took in the sight of her. I hadn’t been lying. That green shirt highlighted the subtle sparkle in her eyes I’d noticed the first time they met mine in that airport. And those tight white pants fit her lean legs perfectly. I suddenly wondered if Lily knew how beautiful she was, if she’d appreciate hearing it. But I shook off the thought, figuring that she’d love to hear it. Just not from me.

“So, she talked your ear off for two hours, huh?” she said slyly as she cocked her head in my direction.

“Two horrendous hours. I was nice at first. That was my undoing. Once I realized that she was never going to leave me alone, I had to call in the cavalry.”

“Why didn’t you just excuse yourself and then find a new seat?”

“I did. Twice! She followed me both times. I made a valiant attempt at listening to her for about three minutes. But then she started talking about her porcelain doll collection and I panicked. That’s when I moved the first time. I lasted almost four minutes the second time. And then came the story about having her grandmother’s ashes sitting on her nightstand beside her bed. That’s when I knew it was time for escape number two. But she sniffed me out like a bloodhound and started jabbering again. That time I didn’t even try and listen. I just tried to keep calm and wait for you to get here and save me.”

Lily was no longer trying to hide her amusement. She smiled widely as she visualized the scene in her head. “It couldn’t have been that bad.”

“Listen, I’m not sure if you saw the white string of spit on the side of her mouth, but I saw it. I also had to keep dodging it as it flew out of her mouth randomly like a slingshot. So don’t tell me it wasn’t that bad. I lived it and I’m telling you that my life was in mortal danger back there.”

“Whatever you say,” she said smiling, flipping her chestnut hair over her shoulder as she turned her attention back to the band.

I gazed at her a moment, appreciating the simple beauty that encapsulated Lily Hamilton. I wasn't sure how many more times she'd forgive me after I screwed up, but I was glad that she hadn't given up on me yet. And as the smile spread across my face, I realized that her inner beauty may be even more alluring than the outer beauty.

As the rest of the night passed, I found myself wishing that I could freeze time. Being friends with Lily was easy. Natural. And for the first time in six months, I started to feel a little hope that my life wouldn't be shitty forever.





Chapter 10: Adam


As October passed, my schedule began to calm down a bit. I only had to check in periodically at the new home site because the guys seemed like they were finally able to function without my constant supervision. And Eva managed to get into the groove of the school year. She decided to play volleyball and seemed to have a handle on her grades. We’d gone to a few Sixers games together, but I had to admit I was thankful when she went to a dance and a few sleepovers. It gave me some time to do my own thing.

When Halloween arrived, I was glad Eva had decided against the Miley Cyrus costume she’d originally planned. When her friend Christina suggested that she and a few of her friends dress as the Pretty Little Liars, I couldn’t have been happier. I knew it would be a significant improvement on her first choice. Well, maybe significant isn’t the correct term. Slight might be more accurate. It certainly beat the image that had haunted my nightmares for the past few weeks: one that involved my scantily clad thirteen-year-old daughter prancing around the neighborhood with a shaved head and a sledgehammer.

I’d let her stay out later than usual because the girls had planned to go back to Christina’s with their candy and watch a movie. I knew she was growing up, and this would be one of her last years trick-or-treating, so I wanted her to enjoy the time with her friends. But like any concerned father, I waited by the door until Christina’s mom dropped Eva off a little before 11:30. As she skipped through the door wide awake, I’d pretended to be asleep on the couch so she wouldn’t know I’d been waiting up for her.

A while later, I heard her settle in for the night, and as I crept to the top of the stairs, I couldn’t resist peeking in her room to see her sleeping peacefully. Now I could do the same.