Chapter 159

I was ready and waiting at six forty-five on Sunday morning. After canceling my plans with Victor the previous evening, I went to bed after a long run and slept until five a.m.

I grabbed a piece of toast and a banana from the kitchen before telling Alex goodbye. He was still in bed, but he gave me a wave and a sleepy smile as I backed out of his bedroom.

Dressed in Capris, a t-shirt, and a hoodie, I waited outside for William and his family to pick me up.

I was determined not to think about Victor all day as I enjoyed the lake and William’s company. I’m sure he didn’t spend his time thinking about me.

All he said when I told him I wasn’t going to the party was, “Okay. Get some rest.”

“Don’t let him ruin your day,” Diana said. “You need a break from everything, including him. All will be well again in time, Daisy.”

“You’re right.” I shook my head and forced him from my mind. The incident at Gray’s told me I needed to distance myself from Victor for a while. We had become much too close in the last months.

The emotions I felt when I saw him with the beautiful redhead were too confusing. I didn’t want to deal with them.

“You are lucky to be going to the lake with William and his parents,” I told myself. “Forget about Victor and enjoy yourself today.”

“Absolutely,” Diana said. “This is your time. Forget about everything else.”

The sun was shining, and the air was already warming up nicely. It was a terrific day for a picnic!

I wasn’t sure what the Jameses were using to drive to the lake. William’s Mustang didn’t have a comfortable backseat, and I couldn’t imagine his father driving a 4x4.

I giggled at the thought of the Jameses pulling up in a lifted pickup. It wasn’t Lily’s style at all. She probably insisted on a limo and driver.

Rechecking the driveway, I saw a large van approaching the house with a strange man behind the wheel. Was it the Jameses?

The van stopped in front of me, and I realized the man was wearing a chauffeur’s uniform.

“You were right about the chauffeur,” Diana said. “But what a vehicle to get to a picnic!”

“Good morning, Miss Wilson.” The chauffeur nodded to me and opened the van’s side door, exposing a luxurious interior with three rows of two reclining seats.

William hopped out and gave me his hand to help me step up and into the van. It smelled like coffee and cinnamon. They must have had breakfast on the drive over to pick me up.

“Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. James,” I said. “Thank you for letting me come along on your picnic. The lake is such a gorgeous place.”

“You’re welcome,” Lily said, not bothering to look up from the magazine she was reading. “But you should thank William. He insisted you come along.”

What did that mean? Did she still hold a grudge against me even though William came home?

Maybe I was imagining something that wasn’t there. We had been on good terms at the charity auction and ball.

The Jameses were sitting in the row of seats nearest to a small kitchen located behind the chauffeur that consisted of a tiny sink, a refrigerator, and a microwave.

I chose a seat directly behind the older couple and looked around as I waited for William to sit beside me. What was he doing outside the van?

Mr. James was watching a news program on a big flat-screen TV that was mounted on a partition behind the very front passenger seat.

There were several cupboards and drawers built into the van’s interior, and two large coolers sat on the floor near a door located in the rear wall beyond the last row of seats.

William stepped inside the van and pulled the door closed behind himself. He sat in the seat next to me and stretched out his long legs.

“This van is fantastic,” I said. “It has everything you would want for a trip. You could travel anywhere in comfort.”

“Yep.” He pointed at the door that I noticed next to the coolers. “There’s even a bathroom. Mom won’t use public bathrooms.”

Lily turned around to scold her son. “Don’t be telling tales, dear. We all have our standards.”

I couldn’t help giggling when William rolled his eyes at the back of her head.

“Are you hungry?” he asked.

I shrugged. “I could eat.” The cinnamon smell made me hungry.

William got to his feet and went to the kitchen. He soon returned with two gooey cinnamon rolls on paper plates and two small bottles of milk.

He handed me one of each. My mouth watered, just looking at the yummy treat. But Lily was about to ruin my appetite.

“Daisy, I was surprised to see Victor at the Watkin’s party last night without you,” Lily said. “I hope everything is going well between you two.”

I bit my lip. Why was I surprised Victor went to the party without me? Yet I was, and at first, I didn’t know what to say to Lily.

“Um. I …I was tired yesterday and wanted to be fresh for today's picnic,” I explained. “I’m glad Victor went to the party without me. He needs time for himself sometimes.”

“Don’t worry, dear. He seemed to be enjoying himself,” Lily said and turned a page in her magazine. “We left the party early, but Victor was chatting happily with the Stewarts and the Cabots most of the evening.”

Ugh. That means that redheaded flirt was with him! I felt that burning anger in the pit of my stomach, just like the night at the restaurant.

I reminded myself that Victor and I were just friends and forced myself to relax. I was having a lovely day with William. Thoughts of Victor weren't going to ruin my day.

“I’m glad he had a good time,” I said. “Victor hopes to land Mr. Cabot’s account for his investment firm. I met Mr. Cabot and his lovely wife Friday night at Gray’s restaurant. They seem like nice people.”

I leaned back and closed my eyes for a moment, wondering how I managed to say those words so calmly when most of them were stretching the truth to the limit.

Lily remained silent and began to turn magazine pages while I looked at William and did a palms up.

William pulled out his cell. He typed a message, and my phone vibrated.

“Don’t let Mom bother you,” the message from William read. “She doesn’t think we should be spending a lot of time together.”

“Why?” I typed into my phone and sent it to William’s phone.

“She’s afraid if I spend too much time with you, my wolf will get restless, and I’ll run away again,” William replied. “I told her I’m not going anywhere.”

“If you run to the lake like you did the last time, take me with you. I’ll cook for us both,” I typed, along with a smiley face and the star eyes emojis.

“Will do,” he responded with two wink emojis.

Throughout the trip, William and I texted whenever we didn’t want Lily to hear our conversation. Even though she held a new magazine in front of her, we could tell she was listening to our every word.

I understood her concern for William. I didn’t want him to get hurt either or be the cause of his pain.

“You worry too much,” Diana told me. I had heard her speaking softly with William’s wolf and was glad they had this time together.

“I just don’t want bad feelings to happen again.”

“Lily is an overprotective mother,” Diana assured me. “Enjoy this day with William.”

My excitement grew when we passed through the small town near Lake Pocono. We were minutes away from the James’s cabin!

I took William’s hand and squeezed it. “We’re almost there!”