The Bennett Boys

CHAPTER 41

I pull my body back and notice that Lucas does the same. We're both looking at Teddy, who's confused, yet pained expression remains. Lucas situates the faucet back in its setting and swallows before greeting Teddy.

"Hey," he says unenthusiastically. His tone is low and gravely. "How was Henry's birthday?"

"Uh," Teddy says, peering down and scratching the side of his cheek before looking back up at us. "Fun, I guess. How was...your night?"

"Uh," Lucas turns back to look at me before centering his body to face Teddy again. "Didn't start yet."

Teddy glares at us, waiting a few seconds before responding. "Seems like it did," he finally pronounces and Lucas goes silent. In fact, the whole room feels so silent.

"It was nothing, T. Just an accident," Lucas says, and I don't know why the word 'accident' stings so bad. I guess it's because it feels like Lucas is referring to more than just the soaked floors being an accident.

"You might want to clean up. Mom and dad will be home soon," Teddy says before exiting the kitchen and heading upstairs.

Lucas and I look at each other, and I hate that Teddy's upset.

"You should probably go check on him," Lucas tells me, but his tone is so low it's almost like he's forcing himself to say the words. "I'll clean up here."

"Okay," I whisper. I go to make my way out of the kitchen when Lucas stops me.

"Lil," he calls out and I turn my head around. "Hold on a sec."

I don't move but Lucas leaves the kitchen to walk into the laundry room. A few seconds later, he exits, holding a plain white shower towel in his grip.

He makes his way over to me and drapes the towel over my shoulders, rubbing the sides of my arms up and down to dry me. The entire time that he does, his eyes are locked onto mine.

"Thanks," I say before turning away and heading for the other Bennett boy.

When I make it to Teddy's room, the door's closed, and I hesitate before knocking. I have a really soft spot in my heart for Teddy, and the last thing that I want to do is hurt him. I can't even imagine what he's feeling walking into what he just saw. And I also can't help but feel a major responsibility to try and correct whatever it is that he's thinking.

I finally bring my knuckles to the door.

"It's open," Teddy's voice calls out from the other side.

I slowly walk into his room and he's sitting at his desk, going through pictures on his laptop.

"Hey," I softly say. He turns around and takes one look at me before going back to what he was working on.

"Hey," he says. His tone is so un-Teddy like. Distant, unwelcoming, cold. And that alone tells me that this conversation is going to be difficult.

I glance at his computer, taking in the pictures. They're the behind-the-scenes portraits of me and Bridget setting up for the gala.

"They came out really nicely," I say of the photos.

"Thanks. Not sure I even need to edit them," he says, intentionally keeping his answers short and his tone monotonous.

I let a few seconds pass before speaking up again.

"Teddy, what you saw back there...," I finally begin, but he quickly chimes in.

"You don't owe me any kind of explanation, Lily. It's not like we're together anymore. It's not my business...what goes on between you and Lucas."

"There's nothing going on between me and Lucas," I state, but this time, he keeps quiet, so I continue. "You do believe that, don't you?"

He removes his hand from the mouse and swivels his chair around so that he's facing me completely. He squints his eyes like he's trying to pinpoint his thoughts exactly and then says, "I, uh...I don't know."

"Teddy, I promise," I state, making sure to look him in the eyes. "We were just messing around. Lucas was being...Lucas. I got mad at something that he said and hosed him down with the faucet. That's it."

Teddy shakes his head, which tells me that he disagrees with what I just said. "I see the way that he looks at you, Lily. I've never seen Lucas look at anyone like that."

"He looks at me like I annoy the shit out of him," I counter.

"No," Teddy shakes his head again, "no. He looks at you the way that I wish you looked at me."

"Teddy, I..."

He shuts his eyes, and seemingly forces his next words. "I don't want to be the reason you don't follow your heart if what your heart wants is Lucas."

"My heart doesn't want Lucas."

"It does, Lily! It does," he snaps. If the tone was coming from anyone else, it would still appear civil, but because I've never seen Teddy this worked up before, the sound of it catches me off-guard.

"Teddy, even if it did – and I'm not saying that it does – it wouldn't matter." I gulp. "It can't matter when I don't even trust what my heart wants."

"That's what they all say, Lily. And yet, they eventually give it to him anyway."

"But see, Teddy, that's where you're wrong. I'm not like the other girls that Lucas is used to getting. I would never allow myself to be."

"Again, that's what they all say, Lily. That's what they all say."