ChapterSeventeen
Lilly stood in the living room staring out the picture window as the sun set over the Rockies. She took a sip of her tea, the smell of the dinner she made still thick in the air.
She’d tried to call Tallin, but she just kept getting his voicemail, and her nerves were bothering her over the fact neither of the men were back yet. Riley was a doctor, and occasionally did house calls, or was on call for emergencies.
So he might be gone for longer than she was comfortable with if it was an emergency, but Tallin should have been home by now, or at least she assumed.
“It’s okay. Everything will be okay,” she whispered to herself.
She turned from the window and went back to the fire she’d made. She watched the flames lick over the wood, trying to keep her thoughts from going to anything morbid.
She drew her gaze to the mantel and glanced at the picture of the four of them. Even though she had seen that picture a million times, it never got old. Standing, she went over to the mantel and picked up the picture, her reflection staring back from the glass at her in a sad way.
She ran her gaze over Christian, his auburn hair sticking up everywhere and the sun making his freckles more pronounced. Remembering all the wonderful times they’d shared, she ran her finger over his face.
He had kindness and warmth, an energy that filled him that couldn’t be matched. He’d been her shoulder to cry on, her ear to talk off. Christian had been the one she’d shared all of her problems with, and now he was gone.
She heard gravel crunch outside and turned her attention to the window. Tallin’s heavy-duty truck, the back of it filled with boxes and bags, rolled to a stop. Seconds later Riley’s Honda Pilot pulled to a stop next to the truck.
They both got out, a bouquet of flowers in both of their hands as they scowled at each other. She couldn’t help but smile. She knew that even though Christian was no longer alive, he would always be with them, and want them to be happy.
A few minutes later, the front door opened and closed, and they called out for her. She was suddenly so nervous about seeing them together for the first time after they had been intimate.
Would it be strange to see them and talk together after what they had done? It hadn’t been hard on the phone with Tallin, but actually seeing someone’s face was a lot different from hearing their voices.
She rounded the corner and stopped. They both stood by the door, Riley in a pair of scrubs, his short hair damp from what was most likely a recent shower at the hospital, a bouquet of yellow tulips in his hand.
Tallin stood beside him in a pair of loose faded jeans, his distressed brown leather jacket open, and the black Henley peeking out from under it. He held a bouquet of pink roses and smiled at her.
They held out their bouquets, and she blushed as she walked up to them and took them from their hands. It wasn’t until she saw the middle flower in each of the bouquets that she started to cry, not able to hold it in. In the center of the tulips and roses sat a single white lily—the same ones Christian used to give her.
The tears streamed down her face, and she closed her eyes. She knew they’d placed those lilies in remembrance of Christian. The thought alone touched her heart so much that if she didn’t already love these men, she would have fallen for them at that moment.
She opened her eyes and looked up. They took those few extra steps toward her and wrapped their arms around her. She didn’t doubt that they knew what her tears were for, but they didn’t call her out on it, just held her.
“How did I get so lucky?” She said, and their arms tightened around her.
“No, we’re the ones that are lucky.” Tallin’s deep voiced rumbled through her.
“You complete us, Lilly. We’d be nothing without you,” Riley said and kissed the top of her head.
She cried harder, and even though she was sad, she was so happy.