Brothers of Paradise Series

“When are we going on a date?”

I let my eyes wander along the brightness of her eyes, the pert nose, the full lips, the teasing smile. “I’m going to cook you dinner, and then we’re going to watch a movie, and then I’m going to drive you home.”

She smiles. “We’ve done wilder things than that. Are you losing your touch?”

I flick her nose. “We were teenagers. We’re not anymore, and I’m going to do this right.”

Hayden

Hayden, 18

It’s over two weeks post-accident when Lily’s finally discharged from the hospital. When the doctor read out the verdict, both Eloise and Rhys openly cried. Lily would walk again.

She would heal fully, even if she might have a slight limp and would likely have to eat painkillers for a long time. But she’d make a nearly full recovery, with a bit of work with a therapist.

Her father announces that he’s taking a month off to personally look after his daughter’s recovery at home. Because it’s going to be a process, even if I know Lily will manage it.

The first thing she did when she opened her eyes was smile. She gave everyone in the room a tired, soft smile, and a whispered hello. I’d had to wipe my own eyes then, hidden in the back of her hospital room.

She was all right.

The days pass quickly after that. I want to see her alone-I need to talk to her-but she’s never alone. Her large bedroom in the Marchand house is filled to the brim with flowers, friends and family. I once saw Rhys chucking some lilies out, and he shot me a sideways grin.

“She’s getting a headache from the scent.”

I’d nodded, biting my tongue to keep from asking how she’d been that day. She had family who cared-she had friends who cared-and she was universally adored. But it didn’t stop me from glancing at her window every chance I got. Our few interactions had been brief. They were always supervised by her mother or one of her brothers.

For the first time, I’m annoyed at our own secrecy. If I had been her boyfriend, accepted and welcomed, I could have walked up to the front door with a bouquet myself. I would be let in with a smile, escorted to her bedroom and given as much time with her as I’d want.

But I’m not her official boyfriend.

And I had been the one who drove that car.

Most of our communication is via text instead. It’s not the same, something Lily often writes. I miss you is a common text.

I feel too guilty to write the same thing back.

But there was one thing I’d underestimated, and that was Lily herself, with her iron will. I’ve just gotten back to the beach house after a full day at sea when my phone vibrates. Come to the back porch. Hurry.

She’s sitting in one of the chairs, a thick afghan wrapped around her to protect her from the evening breeze. Her leg is in a thick cast all the way to her hip and crutches lean against the wall. It’s not the first time I’ve seen her cast, but it still sends pain through me. It had been so close.

She hasn’t seen me yet. A small sketchpad is resting on her lap, and she’s drawing softly, biting her lower lip. The setting sun brings out the fire in her hair. Even sitting down, she looks like a living flame, and I’m as drawn to her as ever.

“Lily?”

She looks up from her drawing. Her smile nearly splits her face in half. “You came!”

“Of course. Are you okay being out here?”

“Oh, yes. Absolutely. I can’t take another day in my room, or I’ll go insane.” She pats the chair next to her. “Come here. Please.”

I sit down next to her and take her hand. She grasps mine back, strong and steady. For a long moment, she just looks at me in that way of hers. I can only gaze back, her eyes green and vibrant. To think that the world came close to losing them entirely. Because of me.

“It wasn’t your fault, Hayden,” she says softly.

I don’t answer her. There’s no point, is there? We’re going to disagree on this.

“Did you hear me? It wasn’t.”

“Well, the police investigation is still ongoing. It could be.”

“It won’t. It’ll be ruled an accident, and the car was insured. You’re in the clear, Hay.”

More guilt ripples through me. I’d crashed one of their cars. I know that Gary has been speaking to Mr. Marchand about it, though he’d waived off my offers to pay for reparations. More of a debt I would never be able to repay.

“I’m fine,” she murmurs. “Are you?”

“Yeah.”ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

“They told me you had two broken ribs and a cracked collarbone.”

I shake my head. “All nearly healed.”

“Okay.” With a sigh, she pushes up into standing. For a moment, she looks so much like her old self, with her hair blowing in the wind and the grin on her face. She looks proud of standing with no crutches, even if it scares me.

I wrap my arm around her waist just in case. It feels good to have her close again-too good. I’ve missed her so much.

“Look,” she says. “I’m on my feet. I can only hop so far, but as soon as my leg is mended, I’ll be walking again. Running, even. I’ve decided to take up lacrosse again. Do you think I can still make the varsity team?” Her eyes are glittering with sarcasm, but the smile she shoots me is hopeful.

I swallow down my emotions. “You’re okay. You’re truly going to be okay.”

“Of course I am! Look!” She spins slowly on one foot, a hand on my arm for support. “One more week and you’ll see me running. Usain Bolt better watch out.”

“You don’t run.”

“I’ll start.” She reaches up and presses a small kiss to my lips. It’s the first time since the accident, and she doesn’t seem to care that her parents are around or that anyone might see. “I’m going to be fine.”

Relief so heady it makes my knees weak sweeps through me.

“Thank God for that.” I pull her closer. “God, Lily, I was so scared. You were unconscious. And there was so much… Damn.”

“I know,” she murmurs against my neck. “I know, Hay. Thank you for taking care of me.”

I rest my head against her hair and close my eyes. It’s a thank-you I don’t deserve, but I ignore my guilt, lost in the familiar scent of her hair. She’s going to be fine. The apology is dancing on my tongue. I want to go down on my knees and ask her for it, but I know she won’t let me. Lily has always had an impressive track record in trying to make me feel better. But that’s the last thing she should have to do at the moment.

Lily gets tired fast and I help her back up to her room, my arm still around her waist. Her parents are somewhere in the house-I can hear them talking-but we manage to avoid them.

She sits down on her bed. “I wish you could stay.”