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June 2018

Hale Co Lobby

Philadelphia

LILY HALE

I’ve never been punched in the face before, but I iine this is how it feels Belowpain I cover the right one with my palm, afraid if I drop ether Just like Mrs Potato Head

That’s me

Lily Potato Head Hale

For the moment at least I’m a mess, and it’s not even my fault

Lo clutchesmy hand down, but I don’t relinquish that easily Lest my eyeball pop out of the socket

“Let e hot between concern and anger

We’re not in private We stand in the very center of Hale Co’s pristine lobby, the waxedmy disco plants, their ceramic pots stationed on either side of the shiny elevators

I’e, but Connor mentioned their specific nalish Ivy in their lobby I didn’t know someone could find a way to be conceited about houseplants, but Connor has lots of talent in s seem superior

Maybe because they are

I shake out the thought I don’t need the fiddleleaf figs or Connor’s English Ivy I can stand here Right here Out in the open I know I can

At the sleek entrance desk, a pretty blonde receptionist watches us like she’s tuned into a television show She doesn’t even care as my sole eye meets her eye And she’s not the only one Hale Co e doors and depart froazes plaster onto us

Loren Hale ht be the boss, but I don’t show up at his offices that often Let alone flanked by three bodyguards They do their best to subdue the crowds outside, which start dispersing Younger teens hoist posters like: kiss me, Loren Hale! and my cinnamon roll Loren Hale and we love you, Lily! They wait by the curb on the chance that we’ll exit, but they can’t see us through the tinted s

It’s not their fault my eye swells either

My bodyguards couldn’t prepare for the one hostile stranger It’s usually just one bad apple

And this apple happened to throw a plastic penis at ranted, has happened before, but none have ever made contact

Now I’ literally smacked in the face with a penis, and I’nity

Probably my face

It fucking hurts

Lo cups h a series of e?”

“No…” I sniff before ed tears

His cheekbones cut sharp “That asshat is road kill”

It sounds less like a threat and more like a character description When Lo realizes that I aly frame closer to his hard chest

My tense shoulders nearly ether I a

Lo fumes beneath

his breath, “A godda so much that I almost expect flames to shoot out of him like Cannonball from X-Men

For so it up “You look like Cannonball”

“I didn’t realize I have blond hair…oh wait, I don’t,” he says dryly “And I haven’t checkedpositive fire isn’t shooting out of it”

Talk of his ass distracts uard approaches us Bald, burly, and extreuard of them all As the head of the fleet, he has the unique job of ordering Rose and Connor’s bodyguards around It’s one of the few things I can hang over their heads with pride

My bodyguard is better than your bodyguard, ha!

Lo speaks first, his eyes narrowing to scalding pinpoints “Did security get him?”

Garth nods “They’re calling the police now” To o to the hospital?”

Before Lo insists, I blurt out, “No! I’ot punched” By a penis What is my life?

Lo stares down at me like I’ve lost uys would go to the hospital for this, and I don’t want to either just because I’irl So there

Lo can’t read h “If you don’t need a hospital, then let ain, and his other hand coyly slides down the length of ?

I watch it, sort of distracted by his jawline, which is closer to me—really his entire body is close to me His black slacks, black V-neck shirt, arrowhead necklace, soft skin and light brown hair Just all of him: the entirety of Loren Hale Ice and whiskey

But the metaphorical whiskey

His hand continues to dip downT-shirt I feel his pal—he squeezes my butt!

I startle enough that I surrender Public displays are frequent between us, but surprise ass-grabs still do surprise me

With both of my hands clutched to his belt loops, he has free view of h more dark and stormy sentiments Then his throat bobs, and his eyes lose all trace of anger

“Lil,” he breathes, holding ain

“It’s that bad?” I pat the tender skin with s, so I lower my hand

He shakes his head slowly and then forces out a sharp, “No” Lo has started doing this thing when he lies: his eyes dart to the side for a ive me that look”

“What look?”

“The one that says, you’re a lying liar, Loren Hale”

“Then tell me I look like the best Lily Hale you’ve ever seen” I try to straighten up to appear like the best version of Lily I can’t recall what version I’m on Maybe Lily 82

He grimaces at my eye “You’re the best Lily—but your eye looks like shit, which is not your fault”

“I know”