#29 - Ignore His Attentions
1084 Words
Lily
"Aren't you going to get that?" I eyed Derby thoughtfully as I sat down across from her at my mini kitchen table. Her phone had been ringing almost non-stop since she came into my house, and she'd been ignoring it much like I had been with mine. In my defense, though, an ex-husband who scrambled the logical part of my thinking brain justified my decision to ignore his attentions. Not that that had kept Adrian from trying every possible way to reach me, to get me alone with him. Something had changed about him. Something towards me. I shook my head, trying not to read too much into it. Asher had spent the night at his father's for his very first sleepover, and I had no doubt Adrian would use the opportunity to invite me for something when he brought him back.
"Derby?" I prompted, noting the way her fingers tightened around the coffee cup. Something was clearly bothering her.
"Huh?" She cut the call so fast it was almost like she was afraid of the person on the other end. I arched a brow at her while sipping on my coffee. "It's Carl," she bit her lips. "He's been calling me since the day of our girl's night out."
"Carl? From the Cask?" I frowned, wondering why Derby would be bothered by him. He was among the sweetest people I had met in Radiant Springs and Derby's number one fan. During the campaigns for the mayoral position, Carl had offered up the Cask every time Derby needed a place to address her would-be voters. Not to mention how he'd gone all out helping on voting day.
"There is only one Carl in Radiant Springs," she huffed, making me scrunch my nose at her.
"You know everyone in Radiant Springs by name?"
She sighed and corrected, "Only one Carl who is bent on driving me crazy." Her cheeks heated up as she said that. My curiosity was officially piqued.
I sipped more of my coffee. "It could be important," I said, "Something that needs your attention maybe?"
"I slept with him," she blurted.
"Oh," I murmured, trying very hard not to let my surprise show. Whatever I had expected, it was not that.
"Yeah, how irresponsible is that?" she said with a self-deprecating smile.
"I didn't mean it like that," I said, setting my coffee down and reaching for her hand. "God knows I'm not any better." While I hadn't slept with Adrian after ending up in his bed, it certainly didn't stop me from imagining certain things once I was back behind the safety of my house walls, practically running from him.
"I'm the mayor of this town, for crying out loud." Pulling away, she stood and paced in a tight circle. "I don't do hookups or drunk s*x with the town's bartender." The way she said that made me do a double take. Was she ashamed of Carl? The thought didn't match the Derby I knew. She'd never struck me as someone who considered certain classes of people beneath her. "I'm sure I was just one more conquest to add to his belt," she grumbled. Oh, so it wasn't that she thought Carl was beneath her. "God, what was I thinking?"
"You were thinking of yourself for a change." Stella breezed in, all bright, energetic, and full of life. She looked sexier than ever in a bright sundress, her hair flowing past her shoulders and held back by sparkling shades. How did she manage that this early? Even after my shower, I still felt drained, wanting nothing more than to curl up somewhere and shut my eyes. "You should do that more often, Mayor Goodwill," Stella quipped, a playful nod to Derby's selfless dedication to the town.
"What, hook up with Carl?" Derby looked mortified at the idea.
"I meant thinking about yourself more often, but if what I have heard about Carl is half true," Stella grinned mischievously, "then I say go for that too."
Derby's cheeks flamed, putting her on the spot.
"Is it?" I asked. This had actually turned out to be the perfect distraction from thinking about Adrian showing up at my house.
"What?" Derby feigned innocence, but she wouldn't be shaking me off so easily. It was my turn to return the favour after she and Stella grilled the details of my time with Adrian the night of our drunken date. Thankfully I'd had nothing this juicy to share when they walked into my house later that evening.
"Whatever this half-truth is." I leaned in, pretending not to want to miss a word.
My friend only shrugged. "Does a couple of mean orgasms had while screaming his name count?"
"Gosh, I'm so jealous right now!" Stella shot her sister a wistful eye roll, making us burst out in laughter. Our laughter abruptly halted when the door opened, sending my heart racing with anticipation. Thankfully, it was only Benji.
"Hey Benji," Stella greeted.
"Stella," my bodyguard grunted in greeting. Something passed between them, but I was too preoccupied to think more of it as the doorbell to my house rang.
Certain that Adrian would be using the same door Benji just walked through, I rushed to open for whoever was ringing the doorbell.
"Lily? Oh my God, are you alright?" I got pulled into a frantic hug, the wind in my lungs momentarily stolen by the force of the embrace.
"Warrick?" What had gotten into him? "I'm perfectly fine." I said, trying to pull back, but Warrick held on to me like he had no plans to ever let me go.
"I heard what happened. The bastard will be hearing from me!" Warrick raged, losing me completely.
"I'm not sure I follow," I mumbled and only then did Warrick pull back, though not completely.
"I heard what happened at the Cask. I'm so sorry I wasn't there to protect you." Warrick's hand shot out and gently tugged on the hair at the base of my neck. I flinched at the touch because we did not share that kind of relationship. I didn't even know he'd been away from Radiant Springs.
"What the hell are you talking about?" I demanded, pulling away from him, my voice laced with confusion and a hint of irritation.
"Hmmm, this should be good," Stella's voice teased from behind me, drawing my attention towards her. Except it wasn't her I faced—it was Adrian, standing in the doorway with a deathly expression.
- Writer
