Realization dawns. “Oh, sorry. I’m Charlie, Lily’s roommate and best friend.”
“No, I’m Lily’s best friend,” I say before I can stop myself.
“Not lately, it seems.” She cuts to the chase. “So, what do you want with Lily?”
“I want to see her.”
“Why?”
“No offense, but why does it matter to you?”
“Because Mr. Jax Porter,” she says my name with an air of disgust, “unlike your version of friendship, I’ve actually been here for Lily this past year.”
Ouch. Touché.
She continues, “And I want to make sure you’re not here to hurt her again. That’s why. She’s finally just starting to get out of her funk from when she came back after her birthday.”
“I know. You’re right. You’re a good friend,” I admit. “I’m here to get Lily back.”
“Really?” Charlie asks excitedly.
“Yes, really.” I chuckle. “I love her.”
“Well, it’s about time you came to your senses.”
“Yes, I know. I’ve been a dick. So, do you know where she is?”
She nods her head. “Yes, she’s in Central Park, getting some shots for a client.”
Awesome. “Great. Thank you so much.”
Central Park is a bigger place than I imagined. Charlie gave me directions and an explanation on where to go in the park, but even with her guidance, I feel like I’m strolling aimlessly over the paved paths. I’m thinking of taking out my phone to call Charlie when I spot Lily.
The sun’s reflection off her camera lens is what catches my attention first. She is down on one knee in the grass about a hundred yards away, her camera aimed at a spot to my right. I look that way and see a group of trees with leaves that have just started to change color for the fall.
I walk quickly to the spot I assume Lily is shooting toward, and then I turn around to face her. It takes a few seconds, but I know the exact moment when she spots me through her lens. Even from here, I can see her body stiffen, and she slowly lowers her camera. I walk with a determined gait toward her. As I get closer, the shock on her face is evident. Her hand holding the camera is down to her side. Her other hand is resting across her chest, her fingers splayed against the flowy tank top she is wearing.
“Hey, Little Love,” I say when I am standing in front of her.
“Jax,” she stammers out. “What are you doing here?”
“I have some business to attend to in New York.”
Her gaze drops to the ground momentarily, but she brings it back up to meet mine. “Oh.” She doesn’t do well at hiding the disappointment in her voice.
I stare down at her, temporarily speechless. Her beauty and the way my body reacts to her has always taken me aback. Her long hair is pulled back in a high ponytail. She looks like a modern angel, perfect in every way.
A rogue strand of her hair blows into her face, and I lift my arm, swiping it behind her ear.
“Yeah.” I clear my throat. “I have business here. Apparently, the love of my life lives in this city, so I flew here to try to win her back.”
Lily exhales, and her bottom lip trembles. A clear lack of trust is reflecting from her eyes. I’ve been so emotionally unstable recently, so I can understand her hesitancy.
“I came to tell her that I love her. I came here to tell her that I’m sorry.” I reach out and grab the hand that Lily is holding against her chest, and I grasp it between mine.
“I came here to find you because I want you to know that you, Miss Lily Anne Madison, are the love of my life. I’m sorry for everything. I’m sorry for living my life, always focused on the future, when I should have been enjoying the present. I had misguided priorities. In my mind, I thought that I was doing what would be best for our future. But now, I know that none of it mattered. It was only ever you that did.”
I pull her hand to my lips and gently kiss it. Her eyes are wide as she watches my lips press against the skin of her hand, but she continues to regard me with stunned interest.
“I’ve made some choices that altered our destiny. I thought life was so black-and-white. I thought that I could control our paths, that we would be together when I was ready.