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would have known you were in town I would have rallied the boys out,” he says, referencing the guys we hung with in school.
    “It’s okay; it was a last minute type of thing anyway.”
    “What else has been going on in your life? How’s the Army treating you? Got a girlfriend yet?” He asks, nudging my shoulder with his fist, changing the subject.
    “I served a term in the Army and I haven’t decided if I want to re-enlist or not. I mean, there is nothing keeping me here, except my friends. I have no family anymore. But I have run into a girl a few times that I’d really like to get to know better. I’m pretty sure she doesn’t want to see me again, though.”
    “Dude! You need to tell me about this girl.” Tim takes a swig from his beer.
    I give Tim the full rundown of bumping into Lily at the hospital, and then bumping into her again at the cemetery. “I mean, it’s kinda creepy, right? The circumstances that we have met are quite unusual.”
    “True, it is unusual. But you both have lost a loved one, and you have that in common. I mean, I don’t believe in all that fate bullshit, but you never know,” he says with a shrug.
    “You have a point. What’s new with you?” I ask, changing the subject. Thinking about Lily and the circumstances that we met under is not going to get me anywhere tonight, so I push those thoughts out of my head.
    We both order another beer and Tim gives me the full details of his new job as an engineer, his new girlfriend named Molly, and the apartment he just started renting.
    “Hey, you can crash at my place if you don’t want to be at yours; I live by myself,” Tim offers. “Plenty of room.”
    “Thanks for the offer. I will keep that in mind. I think I will see how it goes first. Well, two beers is my limit when I’m driving. So I better head out.” We do our old handshake and I bid Tim goodbye promising, to keep in touch.
    Once I’m home, I wonder if I should have taken Tim up on his offer to crash at his place. But I realize that I need to face my reality sooner rather than later. My fucking reality sucks.
    Back in my old bed, while trying to sleep, I replay the day’s events from my dad’s funeral to seeing Lily. I feel like I need to see her again. We do have some sort of bond and connection. I wonder if she is thinking about me. I know Tim doesn’t believe in that fate bullshit as he would say, but I know she came in my life for a reason and I’ll be damned if I just let her walk away now.
    Sleep takes over and my only wish is to dream about her.
     
     

Chapter Seven

LILY
    Back home I slip inside unnoticed and make my way up to my room. As I’m lying on my bed wide awake, I’m thinking about my mom. Her service and burial were beautiful and I hoped she would be smiling down at the result of it.
    Parker, on the other hand, can go jump in a lake for all I care. He may be beautiful, exotic, and has eyes to die for, but the guy is dangerous and just looking for trouble. How can a man so beautiful be so dangerous; why does my body react the way it does when he’s around? Just a single touch from him sends shockwaves through my body like a surge from a lightning bolt. He lights my body up and every cell is awakened. It’s a hard reality to accept. I experienced the danger first hand today and you just have to wonder what it is that makes him seek the danger and thrill. I’ve been hurt so many times it’s hard to believe Parker would be any different.
    Exhausted, I fall asleep with my thoughts on pause for the night, but I slip into a Parker induced coma as I dream about his light blue eyes, his dark hair, his peeking tattoos, and his tanned and toned body caressing mine. My body craves his touch and it fuels my desire for him.
    It’s the middle of the night, and I jolt awake in a cold sweat as my heart is rapidly beating out of my chest and take a moment to calm myself down, taking several deep breaths. I go to my private bathroom and splash water on my