The Lucan's Prince Undoing

14

Chapter 14 — Lily

Five days had passed since Lily had last seen Vaelric. She knew that because she'd worked three shifts, attended four lectures, and spent far too much time looking up whenever the café door opened.

He hadn't come back. After telling her she was the person he'd been looking for, he had apparently decided to leave her wondering what the hell that meant.

“Are you packing that shirt or taking it hostage?”

Lily looked up. Claire stood beside the bed with her hands on her hips, waiting for the shirt Lily had been holding.

“I was checking whether it would fit.”

“It's a shirt, Lily. Fold it.”

She did, then tucked it into the open suitcase. Claire knelt beside the second one and tried to close it, leaning her weight against the lid while pulling the zip.

“You could leave something behind,” Lily suggested.

“I already have.”

“Apparently not enough.”

Claire gave the suitcase another determined shove. “If you help instead of criticizing, we might actually get to the airport.”

Lily sat on the lid while Claire worked the zip around the corner. When it finally closed, they exchanged a relieved look, and Claire flopped back onto the floor.

“See? No problem.”

“You'd better hope they don't ask you to open it.”

They laughed, but Lily's smile faded as she looked around the room. The dresser was almost bare, and Claire's shoes were gone from beside the wardrobe. Even the chair looked wrong without a pile of clothes thrown over it.

For months, Lily had complained about that chair. Now she wished Claire would leave something on it.

Her friend followed her gaze. “I'll leave a sock under the bed if it helps.”

“You probably already have.”

“Then you'll have something to remember me by.”

Lily tried to answer, but her throat tightened. Claire got up and sat beside her on the bed.

“I'm coming back, you know.”

“In a year.”

“And you'll visit. We'll talk all the time.”

“I know.” Lily rubbed her palms over her jeans. “It's just going to be strange without you here.”

Claire leaned against her shoulder. “Who's going to tell you to stop studying and eat something?”

“You. Probably over the phone.”

“Exactly. Distance won't improve your chances of getting rid of me.”

Lily laughed and put an arm around her. She was proud of Claire. The scholarship was something her friend had worked hard for, and Paris was an opportunity she deserved. Missing her didn't change that, though Lily wished she could feel happy about it without wanting to cry.

“Don't replace me with someone who owns better shoes,” she said.

“That leaves me very few options.”

Lily nudged her, and Claire hugged her properly before getting up to check her documents again.

While she searched her bag, Lily felt the familiar prickle at the back of her neck. She turned toward the window, then got up and pulled the curtain aside.

A woman pushed a stroller along the pavement below. Two people waited at the crossing, and a man near the corner was looking at his phone. None of them looked up at the apartment.

“What are you looking for?” Claire asked.

Lily hesitated. She'd felt this several times over the past few days, usually on her way home from class or leaving the café. Each time, she'd checked behind her and found nothing she could point to.

“I keep feeling like someone's watching me.”

Claire stopped searching her bag. “Have you seen anyone?”

“No. That's the annoying part. I look, and everyone's just going about their day.”

“The same person more than once?”

“Not that I've noticed.”

Claire came to stand beside her and looked down at the street. For a moment, they watched together, but nothing happened.

“Tell me if it keeps happening,” Claire said. “And Andy, if you're leaving work late.”

“I will.”

Lily let the curtain fall. She felt silly standing there, but telling Claire had helped more than pretending there was nothing to mention.

At first, she'd expected to turn around and see Vaelric. He'd watched her so closely at the café that she'd started associating that feeling with him. But she hadn't seen him anywhere, and she had no reason to assume this had anything to do with him.

“Have you heard from your mysterious man?” Claire asked as they returned to the bed.

“How would I? We didn't exchange numbers.”

“You could have asked.”

“So could he.”

Claire picked up her passport. “Fair point.”

Lily straightened the luggage tag on the suitcase, though it was already secure. “He said he'd see me again. Then he told me he'd been looking for me, which is a strange thing to say to someone you've barely met.”

“And you want to know what he meant.”

“Wouldn't you?”

“Yes. But I think you also want to see him.”

Lily looked at her friend. There was no point denying it; Claire had watched her flirt with him across the counter.

“I do. That doesn't mean I'm going to sit around waiting.”

“Good. You have enough to do.”

“Including getting your ridiculously heavy suitcases downstairs.”

Claire glanced at the time and winced. “We should probably start.”

By the time they reached the taxi, Lily was out of breath and Claire was insisting she hadn't packed anything unnecessary. Lily didn't believe her, especially after catching a glimpse of how many pairs of shoes she'd squeezed into the second case.

During the drive, Claire checked her flight details while Lily watched the streets pass. They talked about the apartment in Paris, the classes Claire would take, and whether she would manage to unpack before going out to explore.

“You'll send me pictures?” Lily asked.

“So many you'll mute me.”

“I already do that.”

Claire gasped and nudged her knee. For a few minutes, Lily almost forgot they were on their way to say goodbye.

At the airport, they found the check-in desk and joined the queue. Claire shifted from one foot to the other, checking her passport again even though Lily had just seen her put it away.

“It's still there,” Lily said.

“I know.”

“Do you?”

Claire zipped her bag firmly. “I know it's there. I'm just nervous.”

Lily took her hand and squeezed it. “You're going to be brilliant.”

“You have to say that. You're my best friend.”

“I can be your best friend and still know when you're good at something.”

Claire smiled, then held on until the queue moved forward.

Once the suitcases were checked in, they walked toward security more slowly than they needed to. People hurried around them, dragging cabin bags and calling to one another. An announcement interrupted their conversation, and Claire checked the time.

Lily knew they couldn't put it off any longer.

“Call me when you land.”

“I will.”

“Before you get distracted by Paris.”

“Yes, Mum.”

“And let me know when you get to the apartment.”

Claire's teasing smile softened. “I promise.”

They hugged, and Lily held on longer than she'd intended. Claire's hand pressed against her back, and neither of them moved until someone brushed past with a suitcase.

When they pulled apart, Claire's eyes were wet.

“Don't,” Lily said, feeling her own begin to sting.

“I'm trying.”

“Try harder. You're setting me off.”

Claire laughed shakily and wiped beneath one eye. Lily did the same, then hugged her again because there was nothing else she wanted to do.

“I'm going to miss you,” Claire whispered.

“I already miss you.”

They stayed that way for another moment before Claire stepped back and adjusted her bag.

“Please do something besides work and study while I'm gone.”

“I do other things.”

“Laundry doesn't count.”

“There goes my weekend.”

Claire smiled through the last of her tears. “And if Vaelric turns up again, get his number. Even if it's only so you can ask him what his problem is.”

“Go catch your plane.”

“I'm serious.”

“So am I. You're going to miss it.”

Claire began walking backward toward the queue. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Lily watched her turn and join the line. Claire looked back twice, waving the second time, and Lily stayed until she could no longer see her.

Then she took out her phone, checked that the sound was on, and headed toward the exit.

Outside, the cold made her pull her coat tighter. She followed the signs toward the taxi rank, trying not to think about returning to the apartment alone.

Her phone buzzed before she'd reached the queue.

Claire: Already miss you.

Lily smiled and typed back.

Lily: You haven't even left yet.

Claire: Details.

She was still looking at the screen when she felt that prickle again. Her smile faded, and she moved to the side of the walkway before looking around.

A family was arguing over which bag held their tickets. A driver helped someone load a suitcase, and a man walked past speaking loudly into his phone. Nobody seemed interested in her.

Lily put her phone away, keeping her hand around it inside her pocket. She wasn't going to dismiss the feeling, but she wasn't going to stand outside searching every face either. The taxi queue was close, with plenty of people around it, and she joined the end.

Once she was home, she'd message Claire again. Then she'd find something to eat and work on the assignment she'd been putting off while helping her pack.

As for Vaelric, he knew where she worked. If he wanted another conversation, he could come and explain himself. She wasn't going to spend another shift hoping every person through the door would be him.

Her phone buzzed again, and she reached for it. Before she could check the message, someone moved into view beside the queue.

Lily looked up and forgot about the phone.

Vaelric stood a few feet away, his eyes fixed on her. She recognized him at once, and the rush of pleasure that followed annoyed her almost as much as his timing.

Five days of wondering, and now he was standing there as though appearing outside an airport was the most ordinary thing in the world.

Lily tightened her grip on her phone and faced him.

He had better have a good explanation.