glanced at her and the emotion in his gaze made her heart beat faster. “Have you noticed how much easier it is to breathe away from LA?”
Lily nodded, shocked that he felt the same way she did. “At first I thought it was the lack of pollution but...”
“It’s more than that.”
“You’ll find your home,” she told him, hoping the words were true for herself as well as Garrett. “We both will.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
“HOW DID YOU put all this together in eight hours?”
Garrett looked around the fenced-in backyard of his childhood home, hoping he remembered the names of all the people his mother had invited for this homecoming s’mores party, as she called it.
“The neighbors understand how happy I am to have you here,” Alice Dawes explained with a watery smile. “Even if it’s just for one night.”
“I promise I’ll stay longer on the return trip.” Garrett wrapped an arm around his mother’s shoulders. As a single mom, Alice had done her best and always made Garrett feel loved and wanted, even if his deadbeat father hadn’t given a damn about either of them. When he’d left for Hollywood, he promised her that he was going to make it big for both of them. She deserved to be taken care of after working so hard to support him.
He’d sent her and his aunt on a Caribbean cruise, Alice’s bucket list vacation. But the black hole of partying and excessive spending drained the money he made from the book and movie before he could truly set her up for life. He still received royalties, but when his second book failed, so did his dreams for a long literary and showbiz career.
“You have a beautiful home, Mrs. Dawes.” Lily’s sweet smile eased the ache in Garrett’s chest. Did she realize her effect on him? Could she tell he was on the verge of losing his composure? He mentally kicked himself in the teeth for the list of mistakes he’d made that had destroyed the life he thought he wanted.
“Call me Alice,” his mother said, reaching out to pat Lily’s cheek. “I’m so glad you needed a ride and my son was available to give you one.”
“Me, too.” The blush that stained Lily’s cheeks pink made awareness dance across his skin.
“I’m going to get another bag of marshmallows for s’mores.” His mom gestured to the kids surrounding the fire pit on the back patio.
Garrett rocked back on his heels as she walked away and tried to be subtle about checking out everyone who’d come to welcome him home.
“This is not what you had in mind,” Lily said, taking a step closer to him.
He sighed. “It’s making me rethink my commitment to sobriety.”
“Garrett, no. You can’t—”
“Sorry,” he said, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. “That was a bad joke. I’m using inappropriate humor to defuse my anxiety.”
She tipped her chin, her knowing gaze assessing him. Her eyes were the color of the deep moss that grew on the trees in the forest behind the house. She’d taken a shower when they got to his mom’s, and her hair was still damp on the ends. He wanted to run his fingers through it.
“I’m four years sober, Lily. Trust me. If I could stay clean in LA, I’ll be fine at a backyard picnic.”
“Your mom is so proud of you,” she murmured, her smile wistful.
He nodded. “Despite all the ways I’ve screwed up. I don’t deserve that kind of love from her or from my aunt.”
“Of course you do.” Lily’s eyes flashed. “Everyone deserves love.”
His mouth went dry. He’d never experienced anything quite like the way Lily Wainright made him feel.
“Can I show you something?” he asked.
“Sure.”
Without overthinking it, he took her hand, lacing their fingers together, shocked but elated when she didn’t pull away.
He whistled sharply and Chloe, who’d been sniffing around the buffet table most of the night, trotted over.
“Will it upset your mom if you leave the party?” Lily asked as he led her through the gate that led to the woods.
“Her friends saw me. They know I’m alive and not a drug-addicted bum in southern California. Mom will be thrilled.”
“That’s a problem with small towns,” she said with a sigh. “People latch onto something and don’t like to let go. I’m sorry if the attention bothers you.”
He squeezed her fingers. “I didn’t expect all of this, but I’m glad for it. With one fell swoop, we got all of the business of people seeing me again out of the way. It made my