Noah turned and pulled the bottle of whiskey down. “If you want my advice, you should go back and talk to Lily. Flat out ask her if she loves you. And then, you better prepare her for the fact that you’re going to let her down from time to time. You’re not perfect.”
Dominic flexed his right hand. “Yeah, I’m aware of that.”
“This has jack shit to do with your hand. You had plenty of flaws before you got shot. You were so determined to be the best man you could be for yourself and for Lily that you forgot to be the man Lily needed.”
“And you think you know what she needs?” Dominic demanded.
“A man who is willing to fail.”
“She already has one of those in her life,” Dominic shot back. “Her dad.”
Noah shook his head. “From where I’m standing, her father didn’t let her down. He never even tried. You came back. And yeah, maybe you messed up. But you can’t make mistakes if you never even show up.”
The truth sank in and Dominic reached for the bottle. “So you’re saying I should go back and try again?”
“Not right away, but yeah.” Noah took out a second shot glass and poured a drink. “Give her some space for now. Let her see that she’s fine and safe on her own.”
Dominic refilled his too. “I’ll give her two days. Then I’m going back.”
“Good plan. It might help if you clean up a bit. Trim that beard and cut your hair.”
Dominic nodded. “I’ll need flowers too. Something that doesn’t fit down the garbage disposal.”
“Can’t help you there.” Noah raised his glass. “But here’s to falling in love and fucking it up.”
Dominic lifted his. “To love and failure.”
Chapter Fifteen
LILY WATCHED THE sun set from her couch. And her sense of security slipped away with it. But she refused to call Dominic. She would stay awake all night if she had to, but she needed to do this on her own. Face her fears. And she had to win this time.
At midnight, she abandoned her attempts to watch TV. She couldn’t hear potential intruders with the volume turned up and the reality show didn’t make sense without it. She took out her lesson planner and the classroom roster for the upcoming year. She scanned the names. Three Masons and two Penelopes? Did everyone name their children after the Kardashian kids?
Knock. Knock.
She jumped, sending the paperwork to the floor. Her mother’s old clock read one in the morning.
Calm down. Bad guys don’t knock.
“Dominic?” she called as she walked through the entryway and headed for the door. Who else would come to her door at this hour?
“No,” a familiar and distinctly female voice called back. “But I know where he is.”
Lily peered through the peephole and spotted Caroline on the porch. She’d traded her work uniform of baggy shorts and combat boots for fitted blue jeans and sandals. And in her hand she held a square dish.
My backup bodyguard.
She undid the chain and flipped the deadbolt. Her nerves were frayed after hours of trying to convince herself that she was safe, that she didn’t need Dominic to feel secure in her own home. She didn’t care that it was the middle of the night. She craved the relief of having another person in the house with her.
“I know it’s late,” Caroline said. “But I have chocolate fudge brownies.”
Lily eyed the pan. “Brownies got me into this mess in the first place.”
“No, a man hurt you,” Caroline said firmly. “Don’t take the blame away from him. And whatever you do, don’t take it out on the baked goods. They’re always on your side.”
“You’re right.” She stepped back and let Caroline into the house.
“But if you’re not interested in them,” Caroline said as she marched in and scanned the room. Lily had a feeling the former soldier had located the exits and planned routes to them out of habit. “I’ll eat while you talk.”
“I’m guessing someone told you that I kicked out the last watch dog Noah and Josie sent over?”
Caroline nodded. “From what I understand, Dominic stopped by the bar to ask for a job and he’s been taking shots with Noah ever since. When I left, Josie was running the place while her dad watched the baby. I left Josh in charge of the dishwasher and changing kegs. But I’m guessing they’ve already switched to plastic and the place is in chaos. Josie knows how to serve drinks, but she can’t mix them.”
“I’d be mad at them for sending you over, but I’m too happy to see you,” she admitted.
“They didn’t send me. I wanted to talk to you.” Caroline lifted the dish just in case Lily’s had forgotten about her offering.