Chapter Eleven

Eli

Following Lily has become an obsession. She never notices me, but I make sure I keep out of sight. The people in town sure as shit notice me, and they whisper among themselves. Some haven't seen me in years, some think I died, while others spread wild lies.

I watch as she gets stopped by almost everyone she walks past, including Tom Morgan. It's all I can do to not step out from behind a smoker when he touches her arm. How dare he touch her! She belongs to us, even if she doesn't know it yet. I'm jealous that North is fixing her house; he has been there every day this week, even giving up a paying job so he can help her. And Harlen has been showing up to help her learn how to restore furniture properly. But me, I hide in the shadows like a chickenshit. Harlen and North both invited me along. They told her I don't like to talk, and they don't think she would judge me, but the step of officially meeting her scares the shit out of me.

She pulls her arm away from Tom and smiles at him politely while pointing to the diner. Thankfully, he lets her go, and I watch as she crosses the street and pulls the door to the diner open.

I cross the street behind her and keep my hoodie pulled all the way up, hoping to conceal my face as much as possible. The chatter in the diner dulls as I step through the door, and all eyes turn to me, except Lily, who sits at the counter with her back to the door. I wish everyone else would do the same. I sneer at Mrs. Bridges, who openly stares at me with her mouth agape, the silly old bat. No doubt the news of me appearing in town will spread like wildfire as soon as she steps foot out that door. I take a seat beside Lily as Asher comes out from the back, and his steps falter when he sees me. It's not that he is shocked to see me out and about, but more because he hates me since I'm the reason his brother wasn't adopted. He doesn't understand the bond we have—it's beyond a typical relationship between two people. Harlen gets me, and he's the reason I wake up every day. I didn't want to after my accident—I wished for death—but having him by my side has kept me strong.

"Eli," he greets me, and that gets Lily's attention. She turns her big blue eyes toward me and smiles, and my lips pull up at the corners.

"Hi, I'm Lily. Harlen and North have told me so much about you. Harlen maybe a little too much."

She holds her hand out toward me, and I take it in mine with a firm grip, electricity sizzling between us. I want to sit here and have a conversation with her—that is a first for me. Ever since we met, I've loved the way she looks at me when she hears my voice. Though, if I say anything now, it will ruin our secret. And I don't want that, for her or me.

"Harlen was right—he described you so well. Do you want to have breakfast with me? We can move to a table."

I'm nodding before I even realize what I'm doing.

"Can I take your order before you run away?" Asher says. "The usual for you, Lily?" She nods and Asher looks my way.

"I'll get us a table while you decide," she says, placing her hand on my arm as she gets up.

I feel Asher's eyes boring into me as I watch her walk away before turning back to him.

"Leave that girl alone," he says in a low voice. "She is a good girl and doesn't need?—"

"Need what?" I growl, and his eyes widen. Asher hasn't heard me talk since we were kids. "Why don't you mind your own fucking business and stay in your lane with your wife? I will have whatever she's having."

With that, I stand and walk over to the table Lily has chosen. Thankfully, it's in the corner, out of Asher's eyesight, and I figured I would order what Lily is having so he can't spit in my food.

She looks up at me and smiles as I sit. It lights up her entire face, and I want to do more to make her smile, just so I can feel this way all day.

"So, Harlen told me you don't really talk. If it's okay with you, we can use messenger, or I have a notepad in my bag."

Pulling out my phone, I open my social media. I only have two friends—Harlen and North—and I'd swear it's pointless, but since this stupid town works only off Wi-Fi, it's the easiest way to message people. I place it on the table and skate it her way. She picks it up and slides her finger across my screen. There is no passcode since the two people I live with can do what they please with it—I only use it to contact them. She smiles when she takes in my profile picture. It's Harlen, North, and me when we were about sixteen.

"Oh my gosh, look at how cute you all were," she gushes.

She finds her profile and hands it back to me, and the electricity that passes between us when her fingers touch mine is a novel sensation. I feel good and safe when the guys touch me, but this is new and exciting.

She sighs, and I send her a friend request, then open a message thread.

Are you okay?

She smiles at my message. "Yeah, ex-boyfriend problems. He won't stop messaging me or take no for an answer. I know I should block him, but then it means that chapter of my life is really over. Is it weird that I want him to see how good I'm doing? I think he is jealous of the pictures I've posted of Harlen and North."

She chuckles at the last comment as anger and jealousy course through my veins. Anger that her ex won't leave her alone, and jealousy over her not having a picture of me, though fucking no one would actually be jealous if she posted my photo.

I type another message.

North and Harlen are nice to look at.

She laughs this time and nods. "They really are. They make it hard to work some days. You're always welcome to come over as well. I wouldn't complain about three hot men working shirtless in the house. Oh shit, was that rude? I know you don't leave the house much, Harlen somewhat filled me in. I say fuck the town and their small-minded thinking. What you guys do in your own home is your business."

It's not that simple. They all hate me. But I would love to come and help at your place.

"Look what the cat dragged in."

The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Tom fucking Morgan, the bane of my existence, and the guy who made high school a nightmare.

"Do you need something, Tom?" Lily asks in annoyance.

He places his hand on her shoulder, and I ball my hands into fists.

"I didn't realize you were friends with Eli. Someone should have warned you about the company you keep. "

Lily smiles sweetly up at him and pushes his hand away from her. "Well, luckily, I have no intention of being friends with you. Since we've met, you have made me feel uncomfortable. You never take no for an answer, and you are being rude to my friend. I think you should go."

I snort, and Tom's eyes cut to mine, his glare of hatred aimed right at me. "You really think you have a shot with any of them?" Tom spews, moving his gaze back to Lily. "They all live in sin, or did they not tell you?"

Lily laughs. "They told me, and I hate to break it to you, but women can be friends with men and vice versa without being sleazy. What they do is none of my business. But hey, I should add it to my list of kinks: screwing strangers in public, check, being chased, check, watch three hot men get it on, unchecked."

Laughter spills out of me, something I haven't done in so long, as Tom stares open-mouthed at Lily. Asher's timing is perfect as he arrives at the table and puts our food down.

"Are you good?" Asher asks Tom.

"No, what is happening to our town? First, we have to deal with the gays, and now this woman is promiscuous."

Lily snorts. "Oh no, I'm a lady of the night. Lock up your husbands."

Tom huffs and walks away as Lily chuckles. Asher raises a brow and I just smirk.

"You shouldn't piss him off. He will target you, and being a deputy has given him a bigger head than he had back in high school—and it was plenty big back then."

"Then he should know better than to make a woman feel uncomfortable and how to keep his hands to himself. If standing up for people's rights pisses him off, then he can arrest me."

"Hey, I'm only trying to look out for you. Tom is a sleazebag and always has been."

"Thanks for the concern, but I'll be fine."

Asher goes back to serving customers. The whispers are not as loud in here, but they all notice me. I wonder what the papers will print tomorrow?

We both eat in silence, and once we are done, Lily looks up. "Did you want to come to the house? North should be there by now; he went to get some supplies from Willow Grove."

I bite my bottom lip. Do I want to go? Yes, but every time she asks me a question, I want to answer her. Would it really be so bad if she knew it was us? Things wouldn't have to change. I would still chase her until her legs gave out, if that's what she wanted. North might be right about this one. Not telling her who we are might not be lying, but sitting with her now and being friendly, it's starting to not hit the same. She thinks this is the first time we have met, but it's not. I follow her everywhere like an obsession. The last one of those I had was Harlen, and I still haven't shaken him all these years later. While I like North a lot, he and Harlen are closer. It's a weird dynamic, but it works for us, and nothing would ever come between the three of us .

When I nod, she claps her hands. "Yay, I think we are going to be good friends."

I have never been good friends with a girl, and I think I might like it. She smells so nice, a lot nicer than Harlen and North.