“Why doesn’t he like you?” Theo asks.
“We got into a fight. Here at the restaurant, actually,” I say, nudging my head toward the building.
Theo’s eyebrows lift slightly. “Seriously? Like a real fight?”
Brad straightens up. “Wait. That guy was Lily’shusband?”
“I thought you knew that,” I say.
“None of us knew who he was, or why you were fighting him. That was the only time we’ve ever seen you kick someone out of the restaurant, though. Makes so much sense now.”
I guess this is the first time I’ve talked about it since it happened. I remember I left for the night right after thatfight with Ryle, so no one had a chance to ask me about it. When I came back to work the following Monday, people could probably read my mood and see that I still didn’t want to talk about it.
“What did you get into a fight about?” Theo asks.
I glance at Brad, because he’s aware of what Lily went through. Lily told him and Darin at my house. But Brad looks like he’s leaving it up to me whether or not I’m honest with Theo. I usually am about almost anything, but it’s not my place to share Lily’s business.
“I don’t even remember,” I mutter.
I do think this could be a good teaching moment with Theo about how never to treat a partner, but it’s a part of Lily’s life I don’t feel comfortable talking about without her present. It’s also a part of her life I shouldn’t have interfered with, even though I wouldn’t take it back if given the chance. As immature as my reaction might have been that night when I hit Ryle, I was holding back. I wanted to do more than just punch him. I had never been that angry at another human—not even my mother or stepfather. Not even Lily’s father.
It’s one thing to dislike someone for how they treat me, but it’s an entirely different kind of anger when the person I admire the most in this world is mistreated.
My phone begins to buzz in my pocket. I quickly pull it out and see that Lily is attempting to return my FaceTime from an hour ago. She was driving and said she would call me when she got home.
We’ve exchanged several texts since our chat on Friday, but I’ve been anxious to talk to her face-to-face again.
“Is that her?” Theo asks, perking up.
I nod and try to pass him on the steps, but he stands up and follows me into the restaurant.
“Seriously?” I ask, facing him.
“I want to see what she looks like.”
I have to answer it before I miss the call, so I slide my finger across the screen while trying to shut Theo outside. “I’ll screenshot it for you. Go help your dad.” The video connects, and Theo is still trying to push his way inside. “Hey,” I say, smiling at Lily on the screen.
“Hey,” Lily says.
“Let me see,” Theo whispers, snaking his arm around the door in an attempt to snatch my phone.
“Give me a second, Lily.” I hold the phone to my chest so that she can’t see anything, and then I open the back door far enough to press my palm against Theo’s face. I guide him back down the top step. “Brad, get your child.”
“Theo, come here,” Brad says. “Help me with this.”
Theo’s shoulders slump, but he finally relents and turns toward his father. “But I’mclean,” he mumbles.
I close the door and pull the phone away from my chest. Lily is laughing. “What was that?”
“Nothing.” I walk to my office and close and lock the door for privacy. “How’s your day?” I take a seat on the couch.
“Good. We just got back from lunch with my mother and her boyfriend. Went to a little sandwich shop on Borden; it was cute.”
“How is your mother?” We haven’t talked about her parents at all, other than her mentioning her father passed away.
“She’s really good,” Lily says. “She’s been dating a guynamed Rob. He makes her happy, although it’s a little weird seeing her giddy over a man. I like him, though.”
“She lives in Boston now?”