"Harvey!" Lillie smiled as she crotched down to pet her dog. "Meet Anthony."
"Hello Harvey." Anthony said as he too crotched down and petted the dog. Harvey rolled over with his tongue out. Anthony was confused on what to do. "Is he alright?"
Lillie chuckled. "He is asking for you to pet him. Scratch his tummy."
Anthony nodded as he did just that. The girl watched as the Bridgerton boy laid down next to Harvey and continued to scratch him. She thought about a lot of things in that moment.
It was like she was witnessing them caring for a child. Their own child. Was this what she wanted? Did she want a life where Anthony was her husband?
She never thought of it before. But now? She's slowly realizing she wouldn't mind marrying her best friend. But she wasn't gonna say anything or do anything about it because she didn't want to ruin their friendship.
Their friendship was worth more than her dumb feelings.
"Harvey seems to like you."
Anthony smiled. "In truth everyone likes me."
Lillie rolled her eyes. "Oh good God. Harvey barked at Jasper the first time he saw him."
"Jasper was never one to be friendly to animals."
"Very true." Lillie said as she continued to watch the boy play with Harvey. Then she said something that even she was surprised come out of her mouth. "Is this what it will be like if we to marry?"
"I beg your pardon?" Anthony said, taken back from her question. He wasn't sure if he heard correctly.
Lillie shook her head, embarrassed. "Do not worry about it my dearest Anthony. It was nothing."
"But I wish to know." Lillie still didn't look at the Bridgerton boy. She was embarrassed that she said such a thing. He noticed her attention wasn't on him so he lifted her chin up to look at him. "My dearest Lillie?"
Their lips were very close to each other. Anthony really wanted to kiss her, but he couldn't. He prided himself as a gentleman. And he didn't want to do anything to ruin their friendship.
Lillie really wanted to kiss him. She has always dreamed what it would be like to kiss the Bridgerton boy. But she was always too afraid to do it. They were best friends. If something were to happen to ruin it, she wouldn't know what she would do without Anthony in her life.
Both Anthony and Lillie were leaning in until they both heard a knock on the door. "Miss Lillie?" Kelly said.
The girl quickly pulled away and stood up, opening the door. "Yes Kelly?"
"Miss Maeve and Miss Ophelia are waiting for you for tea time."
Lillie nodded. "I'll be right down." With that Kelly left leaving a very awkward atmosphere between the two. Both of them not knowing what to say.
The silence was finally broken by Anthony. "I best be going now. I shall see you at Audrey Hall later."
With that the Bridgerton boy left leaving the girl in her thoughts. She almost kissed her best friend. She never saw Anthony that way. So why all of a sudden she felt these butterflies for him?
Anthony Bridgerton is her best friend, always have and always will be. Nothing was gonna change that. Right?
✄-----------------------------
well that was an interesting chapter, AND IT'S GONNA GET EVEN MORE INTERESTING