Page 22 of At First Flight (Coral Bell Cove #1)

“I can, and I will. There are eight different slides in this park. If you’re that impatient to wait for your turn, why don’t you try out one of them instead?”

Watching the scene unfold, I’m not surprised the older kids huff and walk off the play set toward another. Lila waits patiently for Oliver and Evelyn to go down before she takes the steps downward. Oliver and Evelyn waste no time climbing the stairs to go down the slide a few more times.

“Hey,” I say when Lila spots me.

“Hi. I didn’t expect to see you here today,” she says as she unscrews the cap of her water bottle.

“What just happened up there?”

“Oh, you know, just trying to teach some kids manners. Their parents aren’t even here monitoring them.”

“Should they be?” I ask naively.

“Always. Anything could happen at a playground. What if one of their kids fell and broke a bone? Or worse… you know… someone comes and takes them.” Lila shivers as she sips from her water bottle and recaps it.

I didn’t want to push that it’s a silly playground in a small town. I know she has her reasons, and the longer I ponder, the more I can’t imagine not watching the kids and something happening to them.

“Besides, the one that kept pushing the kids out of the way? I went to school with his mom, and let me tell you, the apple clearly didn’t fall far from the tree.”

“That so?” I ask, curiously wanting to know more about things she experienced growing up. When she simply shrugs, I say, “Come on, I brought lunch.”

Lila thanks me and gestures for the kids to join us. Evelyn seems the most excited to get a sandwich of her own instead of sharing one with her brother.

As we finish, a group of four women approaches us, each of them carrying the same air of fake confidence. The way they walk, those exaggerated struts, the concerned head tilts, and eyes full of judgment all wrapped up in those perfectly painted-on smiles. I know this look all too well.

The woman in front, a boxy-blonde with an oversized fake leather bag, gives Lila a cold, calculating sneer.

She tosses her hair back dramatically as if she’s trying out for a Pantene commercial instead of preparing to sink her claws in.

I can feel the tension rise in the air, thick and charged with something that makes my jaw tighten.

“Lila Wright, I heard you were back in town. Still working as a nanny, I see. Just like in high school. Jessica here”—she nods toward the woman sporting unfortunate chunky highlights that are more orange than blonde—“she heard that your fiancé ended things, and that’s why you're back. Can’t say I’m surprised.

You never really could keep a guy, could you? ”

As the woman’s cruel words hit the air, something inside me snaps.

Her laugh—sharp and mocking, like the cackle of a hyena—pierces through the quiet space, and a wave of disgust washes over me.

I can feel my jaw tightening, my hands instinctively curling into fists at my sides.

Who the hell does she think she is, talking to Lila like that?

The venom in her voice, laced with judgment, makes my protective instincts flare up, and a raw anger surges through me.

I watch her, my gaze cold and unblinking, as she tries to tear down Lila with her petty comments.

I want nothing more than to step in and wipe that smug look off her face, humiliate her in front of everyone.

But then my eyes flicker to Lila, looking for any sign that she’s okay—her expression, her body language, anything.

I gauge her reaction to see if she can handle this on her own or if I should step in and make this woman regret ever opening her mouth.

But Lila? She’s holding herself together, though I can see the tension in her posture. It makes my blood boil even more. How dare this woman use Lila’s past as a weapon, especially when she doesn’t know anything about her?

Just as I’m about to speak, the ringleader takes a step closer to Lila with venom in her eyes. “Don’t ever try to discipline my kid. He can push around whoever he wants.”

Noticing a chill in the air, I immediately wedge myself between the two women, which, unfortunately, draws the attention of the lead viper.

“I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Ashley Campbell,” the vile woman says, holding her hand out in a flirtatious greeting as her eyes travel up and down my body.

I glare at her hand, then move my gaze to meet her eyes, raising my eyebrows at her boldness.

“I’ve just moved to town, and those two kids your son was pushing? They’re mine.” My sharp tone carries the weight of an unspoken warning. My expression is hard, eyes colder than I mean for them to be. “I suggest it doesn’t happen again.”

Turning toward my group, I advise we pack up and head back to the house, ignoring the chatter going on around us.

Vaguely, one of the women comments about who I am, clearly recognizing me from the numerous gossip rags floating around.

My love life and the recent death of my sister have been a topic of discussion far longer than I expected.

Yet it all focuses on me and not how my parents are coping.

You know, the owners of a billion-dollar yacht business that serves clients like royalty.

I slip on my jacket as Lila collects the trash from lunch. Gathering Oliver’s and Evelyn’s hands, I nod for Lila to direct us to where she parked the SUV.

“I’m guessing that you and that group have a history?”

Lila’s gaze drops to the ground as she shrugs. “I was an easy target. A girl who would rather spend hours in a science lab testing theories or learning calculus paints a bull’s-eye dead center.”

“Doesn’t seem like that’s the full story.”

“She was head cheerleader and didn’t take too kindly to the fact that I was her boyfriend’s chemistry tutor.

He dumped her right before junior prom and asked me instead.

I said no, of course, but the damage was done.

Honestly, though, she had it out for me since Ashvi was my best friend.

And that in and of itself is an entirely different story that Ashvi can tell you one day.

” Lila stops at the black vehicle and unlocks the doors, gesturing for the two kids to hop inside the back.

As Lila finishes buckling the kids into the back seat, I approach, my boots crunching softly against the gravel.

Something about the way she moves around them, so natural and instinctive, pulls me in like gravity every time.

I can see how much she cares for them, the way she touches their heads gently before shutting the door like she's anchoring them to the world with every little motion. And it hits me how good she is at this, how much she’s already giving.

I open the driver’s side door for her, but before she climbs in, I reach out and stop her with a gentle touch on her arm.

Her body stills under my hand, and I feel the slight hitch in her breath as she turns to face me.

My heart is in my throat for a different reason now because I need her to truly know this.

I tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, my thumb grazing her flushed cheek, the soft heat of her skin grounding me.

I watch the way she reacts to my touch. Her eyes flicker with something between surprise and vulnerability, and I can’t help but feel the need to make sure she hears me and feels what I’m saying.

“You’re worth a thousand of those women, Lila,” I say, my voice low and firm, the words coming more easily than I expected.

“They’re jealous. They’re catty and superficial, and they’ve never let go of that high school mentality because it’s the only time in their lives they’ve felt like they had power.

People like that… they’re miserable. And because of that, they’ll try to dull your sparkle.

They’ll try to steal your sunshine. But they can’t. You’re too bright for them.”

Her breath catches, and I see her eyes well with something—maybe it’s disbelief, or maybe it’s hope.

I can’t tell, but the way she looks at me, so raw and open, knocks the air out of my chest. I feel the weight of what I said and what I’m offering.

This isn’t just some casual compliment. I mean every word with everything I have.

She doesn’t say anything for a moment. Just stands there, staring at me.

And at that moment, I realize I’ve stepped too far.

I’ve shown her too much. I see it in the way her lips part, and her eyes widen.

It’s like I’ve cracked open a door between us, and I’m afraid that things will change if I step through it. Things will become real.

But then she surprises me. “I didn’t ask for any of this,” she says, her soft voice unsure but steady. “I never wanted to be anyone’s target. I never wanted to be anything more than… me.”

I swallow, nodding, not knowing what to say in response.

Because she’s right. She never asked for this.

She never asked to be here in this mess.

But she’s here now, and I can’t help but want to protect her, to shield her from all the things that make her feel small.

The last thing I want is for her to think she’s not worthy of the space she takes up.

I break the silence first, stepping back just enough to give her space. “You’ve got nothing to prove to them or anyone else. Just yourself.”

She looks at me, then, and something is different about how she meets my gaze. Something tentative but trusting. Like she's letting me in, just a little. And for the first time since meeting her, I realize how much I’m willing to give her. How much I want to offer her.

But she doesn’t have to take it if she’s not ready. I’ll wait.

She smiles softly. It’s the kind of smile that makes everything feel lighter, like maybe we’re both on the edge of something we’re not sure we want to jump into, but it’s something we’re willing to explore together.

“What are your plans for the rest of the afternoon?” I ask, knowing that I have something in store for later.

“I was going to do some reading with the kids and help Evelyn with her letter sounds.”

“Okay, I’ll follow you back,” I say as she hops into the driver’s seat. “Oh, and don’t worry about dinner. We have plans.”

“We do?” she asks, her eyebrows lifting. Dinner had become Lila’s thing. If science falls through, she absolutely has a calling as a chef.

“Yep.” I walk away with a new smile on my face, relishing in the feel of leaving Lila perplexed. I could watch the way her lips purse all day even though it constantly leaves me wanting to kiss her.