"Well, wait. Have you eaten? Maybe you'd just like to have a drink. It's just too weird running into you like this. Are you here for business or vacation?"
I couldn’t believe all the questions. Who did Lucas Prine think he was? I knew exactly who he thought he was. He thought he was the cat’s ass. Well, I had news for him. I wasn’t the same girl he knew in high school. This wouldn’t end well for Karl or Lucas Prine.
Chapter 25 - Lucas
When I stepped out of my car I had the feeling that something was happening around me. I couldn't put my finger on it. The city seemed to be moving at its normal pace. But my gut sensed a shift in the air and as soon as I walked into Felix's Restaurant I saw her.
Tilly Grant was talking fast to the hostess. Her arms were waving her face was animated and something had her very excited. Her hair was shorter cut in a sexy bob with bangs but her body had remained perfect in every way. This was not the same girl I knew in high school. This was a woman who looked like she had everything.
Whatever was going on it was obvious she was happy. Maybe she just had a really great dinner or maybe she knew the hostess and they were friends. I couldn’t tell. All I could see what that it was Tilly and she was right in front of me. In Minnesota. I didn’t believe in signs but it would be pretty hard to deny the coincidence staring me in th
e face.
It never occurred to me she could be on a date or maybe married. She might have had half a dozen kids waiting for her at home. All I thought of was myself, as usual. That inevitably brought the past into focus.
For a split second, I remembered our last conversation those years ago. Maybe not each and every word but I remembered the gist of it. That explained why her smile fell away so quickly when she saw me. I tried to act casual but she wasn't having any of it. What had I done?
“If you’ll just step aside I’d like to leave.” That was her only response to my dinner invitation.
“Tilly.” I choked. “Can we talk? I’m so shocked to see you right now.”
She pushed past me and out the revolving door. I followed right behind her and heard her grunt in disgust.
“What do you want?” She barked.
“I just want to talk to you.” I put my hands in my pockets like a kid being scolded for breaking a window with a baseball. Except the comparison made me realize I broke more than that. Only a woman with a broken heart could have so much hatred in her eyes. Still, I wouldn’t look away from her. I couldn’t.
“Talk to me? Like you did six years ago on Christmas? Did you really think I’d forget that? How many people have you spoken to like that in your life? Too many for you to count, I’m sure.”
“Tilly. So much has happened.”
“That’s right. So much has happened." She stomped up to me and for a moment I thought she was going to slap me. Still, I didn't flinch. I was ready for it, almost hoping for it. But, like everything Tilly did, she surprised me. She had tears in her eyes. "I could go into it and tell you how different things are for me. I could brag. I could try and one up a billionaire spoiled brat but I'm not going to. You don't get to know anything about me."
“Tilly, if you’ll give me a minute. Sixty seconds to explain.”
"Explain." She laughed. "Sixty seconds. Go." She folded her arms in front of her pushing her beautiful breasts up high. I didn't let my eyes stay there. I looked into her eyes that were red but still so beautiful.
“It’s hard to know where to start but I’m here in Minnesota to run my dad’s office. He just had heart surgery and Jenna told me not to come and visit. Can you believe that? She said she and my father thought it would be best if I just got to work. There was no need for me to come back to Chicago. That’s what they think of me.” I stood there and waited for her response.
“So you’re dad and Jenna are still together?” She asked quietly.
"Yeah. They got married four, five, six years ago. I don't remember."
“Were you at the wedding?”
“No.” I chuckled bitterly. “They had a small ceremony with just her family. I was supervising a major overhaul at our New Hampshire office and couldn’t get pulled away.”
“I’m sure you complained about that to anyone who would listen, didn’t you.” She patronized. “Did you tell them how Jenna is only after your dad’s money? How she can’t be trusted? Did you tell them how much you hate her?”
I stepped back.
“It’s funny.” She continued. “I’ll bet you could take those three sentences and substitute your name for hers and find out what she is telling all of her friends. Lucas is only after his dad's money. He can't be trusted. I hate him so much." She started to laugh.
I watched her face and she looked like she was really enjoying herself.
“My gosh, Lucas. You and Jenna are exactly alike. Exactly!” She nearly doubled over laughing. “No wonder you can’t find a way to get along. You’re two peas in a pod.”
The suggestion was horrifying. I was nothing like Jenna. She was a bitch who used people like my father to get what she wanted.