Page 56 of Memories of the Lost

“If it’s real,” Krish said, “it’ll stand the test of your wild schedule. That’s something she’s going to have to deal with, anyway.”

The thought of spending his life like this, on the road constantly, one city to the next forever, felt like a prison. “I hate this, bro. I never wanted it, not like this.”

“I know. But here it is.”

Liam thought of the team, hopeful faces around the table. He thought of the rooms full of people who paid princely sums to meditate with him in person. It seemed ridiculous, and it always kind of had, buthe’d been rooted in the practice itself, in the teaching, and the joy that gave him, so it was all right. Better than all right.

Good. Deeply fulfilling.

But now it wasn’t.

“Maybe just think on it for a night,” Krish said.

Liam nodded. “One night.”

“Good.” Krish clapped him on the shoulder. “I’ll tell the others.”

“Will you meet her?” Liam asked.

“What will that do?”

“Maybe a lot. Maybe you’ll see what I see.”

“I always see what you see, bro. You have good taste in women, aside from Opal.”

Liam smiled. “Try.”

“Sure. Name the time.”

“How about right now?”

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

After Jon dropped her off, Tillie fell face first into her bed and pulled the covers around her, exhausted. Comforted by the scent of Liam in the sheets, she slept and, for once, didn’t dream of cats or girls or anything else. She simply slept, hard, until the buzzer rang. Jumping up, she saw it was nearly six, and staggered over to the speaker. “Hello?”

“Hello,” Liam said. “It’s me.”

She buzzed him in and glanced in the mirror to make sure she didn’t look too wild. Just once, it would be nice to be ready for him rather than being a mess. She smoothed her hair and her shirt and waited for him to knock. One, two, three, with energy. It lifted her out of her fog. She flung open the door.

“Oh.”

He was not alone. A gravely handsome man stood beside him, his dark eyes unreadable.

“Tillie, this is Krish, my oldest friend and now my business manager.” He presented her in return. “Krish, this is Tillie, my ...” He looked back to her, vulnerability in his eyes. It touched her. “New friend.”

She accepted the outstretched hand. A dry, firm grip. He was prepared to dislike her, she thought. “Come in.”

Liam touched her waist as they came in, then bent to kiss her cheek. So polite. “I’m afraid I have only water or black tea or coffee to offer. I can’t seem to get myself to the grocery store. There is literally almost nothing in my cupboards.”

“We’re fine,” Liam said. “I wanted Krish to meet you and see the work you’re doing because he’s the one who can give permission for using my image.”

“Uh ...” It knocked her off-center, and she felt unpleasantly ambushed. “I’m sorry, I’m just sort of—” She touched her forehead. “I had a big morning, and I fell asleep when I got back here.”

Krish nodded, his hands folded in front of him like a deacon’s.

“If you mind,” Liam said, picking up on her discomfort, “he can come back. Or I can come back, too.”

“No, no.” She took his hand without thinking, and he smiled gently, his fingers curling around hers. Their team, solid.