The Sun in My Eyes

43 Been Burning For You Baby Since the Moment I Left

Lili watched them with glistening eyes. She looked Bobby's way and he couldn't pull his gaze from hers. It was so sweet and wanting. And there was love there. He couldn't doubt it any longer. No one had ever given him so much love in a single look. Whatever else was said by Lucas and Hope was lost in the roar in his ears as he stared back, knowing it might be the last time she ever looked at him like that.

As if she could read the turmoil inside of him, she looked away, staring down at her anxiously kneading hands. He wanted so badly to reach over and pull them apart. To hold them up and kiss the tip of every finger, but he couldn't. So he listened to the murmurs of the others as they waited. What was taking so long?

"Hey, what are you thinking about, Lili?" Chelsea said loudly.

Lili startled like a shiny bird. "Hm? What?"

"You were looking at your hands. You've been doing that a lot lately. Are you worried because Noah hasn't come out yet?"

"No, I'm not worried. I already know." He couldn't gauge from her voice what that meant. Was she sad? Upset?

Hope's brows drew together. "Noah's a lot of things, but do you really think he'd bring someone else back aft--"

The slam of the door and the clack of heels on the pavement answered her question. Noah came down the walkway with Blake--still limping ever-so-slightly--beside him.

"I knew it!" Lottie shouted. "What did I tell you, Lili. The leaves never lie!"

Hope gave a rueful laugh and shook her head.

"Hey," Noah said, nodding at all the stares.

Blake gave a wide smile and a little wave. "Hi! I'm so excited to meet you all! I'm Blake!"

Noah's gaze shuffled across the row of faces, pausing on Hope but shifting away to stop on Lili, who looked at him blankly. Noah stared at the empty space beside her. The warm evening breeze dropped away, and the night went still. His face crumpled and he dropped Blake's arm. "Lili, um... Hi."

Everyone watched curiously for her reaction. She raised her chin and gave a warm smile as she stood. "I'm so happy for you."

"You—you are?"

"Why wouldn't I be? I'm not going to be angry if you've found someone special." Her voice never lost its normal breathy sweetness.

Noah searched her eyes and swallowed. "If I'd have--" He ran a hand over his jaw. He didn't need to finish the thought for everyone to know exactly what he was saying. Blake gave him a bruised look, but he didn't glance her way. "I've got to say, I didn't expect you to be so cool about this. You--You're a better person than I am, Lili."

"Duh," Lottie said. "Everyone knew that."

Noah ignored her. "I'd--Well, I'd be upset if the tables were turned." He pointed at his new partner. "This is Blake, by the way. Which... she already said."

Blake's smile was a bit more brittle than it had been before. But she stepped forward and air kissed Lili on both cheeks. "I'm sorry we're meeting like this. I'd never choose to go behind someone's back. In any other situation I would have come and talked to you first, but I couldn't. I'm sure you understand."

"Of course!" Lili's voice warmed considerably. "This is--"

"That sounded so like something Lili would say," Chelsea interrupted. She looked Blake up and down. "You stand kinda the same way as Lili, too."

Marisol nodded. "There is a certain similarity isn't there? What do you do, Blake?"

Blake blinked rapidly. "Um, I'm a charity worker for adults with disabilities."