Page 52 of Only Lovers in the Building

Her talk with Sierra left her buoyant. Lily floated across the lobby, high on self-confidence and girl power. She was that bitch. It was time to reclaim her power. She would decide her future irrespective of a man’s opinion on the issue. Yes,

she’d done the dumb thing and fallen for her neighbor, but that shouldn’t condemn her to a life in exile. If she wasn’t ready

to leave, she shouldn’t have to. What was the rush anyway? So little of her former life remained. Her brother was moving into

her apartment. Her mother had custody of her plant baby. Most crucially, she did not have a job. New York was not a city for

navel-gazing. If this building wasn’t big enough for her and Ben both, she’d move out. The thought alone pierced her heart.

She loved it here. She loved the marble floors, fluted columns, gold leaf accents, faulty sconces, and every crystal chandelier—authentic

to the period or not.

“Hey, Miss Lily,” the doorman called after her. “You’ve got a package.”

His name was Al, and she loved him, too. Lily reversed course and followed him to the mail room where she signed for a huge

box.

“What’s in that thing, anyway? An oven?” he asked.

Al was from New York, Bronx specifically. They’d long bonded over this.

“A suitcase,” Lily said grimly. The day after Greyson’s book signing, she realized her dainty carry-on would not hold the

bulk of items that she’d accumulated over the summer and ordered the oversize suitcase online.

“If you want, I’ll break it out of the box. It would be easier to wheel it into the elevator.”

“Smart man,” Lily said.

Al broke out an industrial box cutter. With a few quick moves, he freed the suitcase from its packaging. “Here you go.”

“Thanks.”

“Of course, if it doesn’t work out and you wanna return it, you don’t have the box anymore.”

“You might’ve pointed that out before you took it apart,” Lily said.

“We’ll figure something out,” he said good-naturedly. “Have a safe trip!”

Lily held back from telling Al she would not be traveling after all. She thanked him and wheeled her shiny new suitcase to

the elevator. She’d stash it away then find Kylie.

The old building was blessed with great Wi-Fi and a strong cellular signal throughout, even in the elevator. She gave Kylie

a call. Her friend answered cheerily. “Hey! We’re all on the roof. Join us.”

Lily loved the roof.

“What are you all doing up there?” she asked. It was almost three o’clock. Happy hour didn’t start until sundown.

“Jeremy and I were hanging out,” Kylie said. “Ben and Noah showed up. Now they’re huddled in a corner. I don’t know what that’s

about.”

The appraisal. There was a good chance Ben’s father’s watch was worth a lot.

That was money he could use for the future—a future she would have no part of.

A future he refused to discuss with her.

It was as if nothing existed beyond her departure date, as if she’d board the plane and disappear into thin air.

“Guess what?” Lily asked. “I’ve solved the Jeremy mystery.”

“Which one? There are so many.”

“I know how he can afford his apartment.”

“Spill!”

“Is he around? I can’t tell you if he’s standing right there.”

Kylie’s voice dipped to a whisper. “Come on. He never tells me anything.”

Jeremy’s distinct voice cut through the background noise. “What are you whispering about?”

“Nothing,” Kylie chirped. “Could you be an angel and get me another beer? This one is warm.”

“Sure thing.”

Kylie waited a beat then whispered, “He’s gone.”

“I’m not so sure I should tell you.”

“Are you kidding?”

It no longer felt right to snitch on Jeremy. The self-effacing young man from Small Town, USA, was probably too embarrassed

to boast about a modeling career. Besides, he enjoyed a kind of attorney–client privilege she couldn’t ignore. “You two have

a relationship. If he wanted you to know, he’d tell you.”

“What relationship? We’re just friends.”

“Who’s just friends?”

It was Jeremy again.

“Jesus!” Kylie cried. “Why are you back?”

“I forgot my wallet. Why are you so jumpy?”

“I’m not jumpy,” Kylie said. “I’m just yapping with Lily. Now, go.”

“Are you telling Lily that we’re just friends? Is that what you’re doing?”

“That’s what we are,” Kylie replied firmly.

Kylie didn’t have a nuanced take on life. Things were black or white. They weren’t friends-to-lovers or friends-with-benefits, they were just friends. But seriously, how many friends did a girl need?

“That’s not what I think,” he said.

“What do you think, Jeremy?” Kylie demanded.

“I think you’re smart, sexy, and so much fun,” Jeremy replied. “Your cooking is so good it makes me want to cry. I’ve been

trying to paint the exact color of your hair for weeks. I think we’re good together. But if you want to be friends, we’ll

be friends.”

Kylie must have dropped the phone, because the next sound was a loud thump.

Lily let out a silent scream. Kylie and Jeremy had a true connection. It was worth exploring. From the muffled sounds coming

through her phone, she imagined they were exploring that connection right now.

Lily was in such a state she hadn’t realized that the elevator was still and likely had been for a while. Panic seared through

her. She pounded on the big red button and screamed into her phone. “Kylie! Pick up!”

A moment later, Kylie was giggling into the phone. “Shoot, I forgot about you.”

“I’m stuck in the elevator!” Lily cried. “Between the third and fourth floors. Tell Jeremy! He knows what to do!”

“Does he, though?”

“Yes!”

Kylie relayed the message then resumed their conversation. “Jeremy is calling the building manager. Now you’ve got to tell

me what’s up with him. If it’s something illegal, I need to know. Girl code.”

“You can’t invoke girl code in an emergency.”

“What’s the emergency? Everyone gets stuck in the elevator. It’s an inconvenience. That’s all.”

“Kylie, I’m trapped in a suspended box. Any second, I may plummet to my death!”

“Ugh! Drama queen.”

“I’m afraid of heights, and I have a touch of claustrophobia,” Lily explained between deep, rolling breaths. “We all have

our issues.”

“Noah,” Kylie called out. “Come talk your friend off the ledge. She’s stuck in the elevator.”

Next thing Lily was speaking with Noah. “Relax,” he said. “I’ll order you a drink. It’ll be ready when you get here.”

Lily gripped the handrail. God bless Jeremy for taking action. If she stayed in this building, she planned on writing a strongly

worded letter to management, or maybe she’d start a petition to get the elevators repaired. What was the point of a law degree

if you didn’t terrorize your community?

“I’ve got news,” Noah said.

“Yeah?”

“I turned down the promotion.”

That bit of news flipped her upside down. “Are you insane? How can you say no to Saint-Tropez?”

“France isn’t going anywhere,” he said in his blasé way. “I moved here for a reason. I want to be young and messy in Miami.

I’m not ready to give up that dream.”

“I get it,” Lily said, nodding. “If you’re not ready, you’re not ready. No one should pressure you.”

“That’s the good news,” he said.

She slumped onto the elevator floor. “Is there bad news?”

“It’s over between Nicolas and me.”

“Oh no,” she moaned. “But why? You’re not moving anymore.”

“That doesn’t matter. We want different things.”

She repeated the last bit of advice, as it applied here, too. “If you’re not ready, no one should pressure you.”

“It’s for the best.”

“How are you feeling? Are you okay?”

“I’m French,” he replied. “I think it’s cool we figured it out. No hard feelings.”

“We should all be French,” Lily muttered.

Noah laughed. “I’ll miss you, silly Lily.”

Like with Al, Lily refrained from telling Noah the truth. She’d break the news to Ben before telling the others. She’d draw

on her inner French girl to do it, cool and contained. I’m staying, Benedicto . Do with that information what you will.

“So, um, where’s Ben?” she asked, her voice clipped. “Is he still up there with you guys?”

“He took off the second he heard you were stuck in the elevator,” Noah said with a chuckle. “He’s probably on his way to rescue

you.”

It was hard to be mad at a man who had dashed off to save your life. That was when it hit her: it was hard to be mad at Ben,

period. He was perfect, neither alpha male nor cinnamon roll. He was simply an amazing human being. He wrote her notes. He

brewed her coffee in the morning and mixed perfect martinis at night. He bought her books. He listened with the patience of

a saint to everything she had to say. Handsome and smart, with a touch of social anxiety to keep him humble, Ben was perfect.

How could she blame him for the sticky situation they were in? How could she resent him in any way? But she did resent him. How could he just... let her go?

When the elevator finally kicked into motion, Lily was relieved but not relaxed. She hopped to her feet, ready for a fight.

Her fingertips tingled with rage. Sure enough, when the doors opened to their floor, Ben was there, standing stock-still,

arms folded across his broad chest, eyes level. She’d never seen him so self-contained, and frankly, it unsettled her.

“You were trapped in there and asked for Jeremy to help instead of me?” he asked.

His tone unsettled her, too.

“Jeremy and I have an understanding,” she said. “Get used to it.”

He strode into the elevator, slammed a button on the panel, and before the doors joined behind him, his hand was in her hair

and his mouth was crushing hers. He kissed her with sweet possessiveness. Lily clung to him, her fingers digging into his

shoulders. She was disoriented. Were they on their way up or down? How long had she really been trapped in this elevator?

What had happened to her tingling rage?

Ben abruptly broke the kiss, leaving her panting. “It’s back to you and me and a suitcase in an elevator, isn’t it?”

She’d forgotten the suitcase. Lily reached for it as it rolled away. “I’m not leaving,” she announced, chin high.

“Sure looks like it.”