CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER NINE

BLAKE

This wasn’t how I wanted to introduce her to a member of my family.

I don’t want her to feel embarrassed. It’s not like I was expecting Sarah to show up. I had planned on getting her professional opinion on how to handle the Ted situation. My sister is a lawyer for our company, and I was going to pick her brain. I thought she could give us some legal expertise.

"Lily, this is Sarah. Sarah, meet Lily, my girlfriend." I keep her close to my side during the introductions. I don’t care if my family likes my girl, but it would be nice. I’m sure my mom will like any girl I want to call my girlfriend. I haven’t ever taken that leap yet. My siblings might be a harder sell.

I’m shocked that Sarah has a genuine smile on her face when she walks over to us.

"Nice to meet you, Lily. How did my dear brother get you to fall for his charms?"

I’m shocked that Sarah is joking with her. Any other woman Sarah sees me with, she goes for the jugular. I’m also shocked that Lily giggles at my sister’s joke. Is this the Twilight Zone?

"Blake isn’t so bad. He’s actually been my knight in shining armor," she tells my sister.

I can’t help but puff out my chest. I would do anything for her.

I don’t like it when my sister starts laughing at her answer.

"He’s trying to help me."

Lily’s answer intrigues my sister.

"I was going to call you. Lily’s ex-fiancé won’t leave her alone. Are there any legal actions we can take?" I hope she offers some good advice.

"What do you mean when you say he won’t leave her alone?"

It embarrasses Lily how she left her ex, but I am so glad she did. I grab a cup of coffee for Lily and then refill my cup. I don’t know if I should tell her or let Lily do the explaining.

Lily speaks up, so I guess that answers the question. "I left my fiancé on our wedding day when I found out he had been cheating on me. He’s been bothering me ever since, coming to my friend’s apartment wanting to make up. He texts and leaves phone messages. I don’t want to see him again."

I pull her into my arms. She wants to move on. I want that, too. Ted needs to get a clue. It’s not happening. I’m not giving her up.

I look over at my sister. She’s watching us with a stunned look on her face. I don’t know if it’s from what Lily has told her or that I’m giving my girl comfort. I’m not the hugger in the family.

My sister ponders the question before answering.

"I don’t think a restraining order will do. He could get around that. What does he do?"

"He is a lawyer at my dad’s law firm," Lily answers her.

"Does your dad know how he’s been acting?"

Lily shakes her head.

She doesn’t want to get into it with her dad, but there is no other way around it.

"You need to tell your dad about your ex. He could probably put the screws into him so he’ll stop harassing you."

I have mentioned to her once about telling her dad about Ted. I know for a fact she hasn’t told her parents that Ted has been sleeping with her own sister.

I look down. Lily is playing with the ends of her hair.

"You need to talk to your dad. Yes, it’ll be hard, but it needs to be done at some point." She looks at me like I’m sending her to the gallows. Her parents can’t be that bad.

"It’s not telling them about Ted I’m worried about; it’s telling them who he’s been sleeping with that’s the problem. They’ve been upset with her for years, and if they find out, they’ll truly hate her." She looks me in the eye, pleading with me to help her.

"Just don’t tell them who he slept with. You can keep that back. They probably won’t even ask."

I forgot about my sister still being here until she speaks up.

"Why doesn’t she want to tell her parents who the slut is?"

I love my sister, but she hates the bitchy girls, as she calls them. She had to put up with them harassing her since high school. Even though she was raised with a lot of privilege, she never flaunts it.

Lily answers her, at which I’m a little shocked. "It’s my older sister."

"Older sister?" It takes her a moment to process that information.

I want to laugh when my sister’s mouth gapes open and all you hear from her is an Ohh. My sister isn’t usually speechless. This is a first.

"I guess that would be a hard thing to talk about," she finally confesses.

"Tell me about it. I’m just glad I never actually slept with him."

I hold her tight in my arms and kiss her.

"He was a stupid jerk. I, on the other hand, am not letting you go." I give her another kiss. I’m ready to go back to bed with her and show her how special she is to me. I haven’t told her the L-word, but I know that I’m in love with her. I hear a cough. It’s coming from my sister.

I don’t bother looking at her.

"You can leave,” I say. “I didn’t invite you here."

I get a whack on my shoulder from Lily. "You don’t have to treat her like that."

She tries to pull away from me, but I’m not letting her. I look over Lily’s head at my sister. She’s smiling at us.

"It’s okay, Lily, I’m used to him being a jerk. I have to go anyway, but I’ll be seeing you both later."

I don’t wait for her to reach the elevator doors before I sweep Lily up into my arms and carry her back to my bedroom. I plan on spending the rest of the day here. Later, we will take care of Ted. Much later.