The Neighbor Favor(88)

Nick said nothing. A numbness spread over him. His gaze was fixed on a crack in the stoop.

“Are you going to tell me where you are?” Teresa asked.

“New York.” A voice in the back of his head reprimanded him for revealing that information, but he felt so detached from the moment. Out of body.

“Wow,” she said, surprised. “How long have you been there?”

He took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Since March.”

Teresa was silent. Most likely coming to terms with the fact that Nick had been back for five months and hadn’t told her. “I hope you’ll come, Nick. This is the number to reach me. Let me know what you decide.”

“Okay.”

She said goodbye and the line went dead. Nick let his phone drop into his lap.

Behind him, Marcus stepped outside. Caleb stood in the doorway. Both looked equally concerned.

Marcus walked closer to Nick. “Was that . . .”

“My mom,” he finished. “Yeah.”

Marcus was quiet for a moment. Then, “What did she say?”

“My dad got into a car accident and hurt his leg and head. They say he’ll be okay, but they want me to come down to Warren.”

“Are you gonna go?” Caleb asked.

Nick continued to stare at the street. A hint of panic pricked through his numbness.

“I don’t know,” he said.



* * *



? ? ?

Nick relayed the phone call with his mom to Lily later that night. Violet was gone, so it was just the two of them and Tomcat in Lily and Violet’s apartment. They sat on the couch facing each other. Tomcat was snuggled up against Nick’s leg. He could see why Lily liked to cuddle with the cat for comfort.

“I think I need to go,” Nick said. “I don’t want to, but I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if something happened to him and I didn’t see him first.”

Lily nodded. “I understand. Do you want me to go with you?”

“No,” he said too quickly, causing Lily to blink. He didn’t want her anywhere near his parents and their drama. He couldn’t let any of that shit touch her. “You have work and your interview.”

“I’ll figure something out.”

“I’ll be okay.” He picked up her hand and kissed the inside of her palm. “Thank you for offering.”

She eyed him quietly, then reached forward and hugged him to her. “I’m here for you, however you need me to be.”

“I know.” He laid his head on her shoulder and closed his eyes. “And I’m here for you.”

Before Teresa called, Nick had been in the process of developing a much more positive outlook on his life. His career was stable. He had Marcus and Caleb, and his friendship with Henry and Yolanda. He had Lily.

And now by seeing his parents again, he couldn’t shake his worry that his efforts to finally create a semidecent life would soon be upended.





24


That following Saturday night, Lily was squished beside Iris on the plush velvet couch of Karamel Kitty’s VIP section at LIV nightclub in Miami, celebrating Violet’s bachelorette.

“I see Karamel Kitty and them getting lit over there!” the DJ said on the mic. He switched to a Karamel Kitty song and the whole club shouted, “Ayyyeee!”

Violet and Karamel Kitty were standing on top of the table, surrounded by Karamel Kitty’s entourage, as she poured Hennessy straight from the bottle into Violet’s mouth.

It had been so interesting to spend the weekend with a celebrity. Karamel Kitty, given name Karina, was sweet and a lot calmer in real life compared to her energetic in-your-face rap persona. She’d rented out the backroom of a restaurant on South Beach for Violet’s bridal shower yesterday and they’d been bombarded with a horde of fans as soon as they got out of the car. Violet was used to this and easily slipped behind Karina and her security. But Lily and Iris got lost in the chaos. Being trapped amid a crowd of Karamel Kitty stans, who were eagerly rapping the lyrics to her newest song, wasn’t something Lily had expected to add to her bingo card for the year.

Tonight, Lily was wearing one of the few club-appropriate outfits she owned: a black leather bandeau top and a matching high-waist black leather miniskirt. She’d borrowed another pair of Violet’s high heels and her feet were killing her, hence the sitting. She should have gone the same route as Iris, who’d paired her loose-fitting, white T-shirt dress with a pair of all-white Stan Smiths. Meanwhile, Violet and Karamel Kitty both donned spandex sleeveless catsuits. Karamel Kitty’s was bubble gum pink (with a lace front, waist-length bubble gum pink wig to match), while Violet’s was bride-to-be white. Lily and Iris had bought her a glittery veil that kept slipping off her head as she danced.

Violet’s admission that Eddy was barely home and that she’d planned so much of the wedding alone had concerned Lily and Iris, of course. But whenever they brought it up, Violet insisted that she wanted to marry Eddy and that she was happy. She definitely seemed happy tonight.

Lily had gone over Violet’s situation in her mind time and time again. Ultimately, there wasn’t much Lily and Iris could do. It was Violet’s life, and Violet was going to do exactly what she wanted, like always. They could only hope that things worked out between Violet and Eddy. And in the event that they didn’t, Lily and Iris would be there for Violet no matter what.