Free Always & Forever by Chantel Rhondeau Page B

materialized out of the shadows, moving toward her. He pressed himself against the wall to let her pass, but stopped walking, resting his head against the wall of the ship.
    Lilly paused, facing him. “Is something wrong, Mr. Crandall?”
    He shook his head. “It was just seeing you tonight, knowing I don’t stand a chance with you—it made me remember my past.” He wiped at his cheek. “I had true love before, but I lost it. I’ve been searching for it again for years, but I can’t find the right person to share my life with.”
    She looked at the end of the boat, hearing the faint music from the band drifting along the water. Here she was, in the dark, alone with a strange man. If Zach were right, Crandall couldn’t be trusted. Perhaps he would do something horrible to her any second.
    He seemed so broken, though. Lilly couldn’t just leave him without trying to help. “I’m sorry to hear that. Do you want to talk about it?”
    Crandall leaned forward and touched her shoulder. “Why did Zach have to meet you?”
    Lilly’s heart raced in her chest and she slid down the railing, trying to put some distance between them. Crandall was likely harmless, but Lilly feared being alone with him. Thankfully, his hand dropped to his side.
    “Zach will be looking for me soon.” She nodded toward the band. “I need to get back. Do you want to walk with me?”
    A part of Lilly prayed he would refuse the offer and she could escape.
    “Don’t leave yet,” Crandall pleaded, stepping forward to grab her upper arms. “I do need someone to talk to.”
    Lilly’s breath hitched in her throat and her body trembled. She took a step back, desperate to escape Crandall’s hot palms against her bare arms. Her leg faltered when she put weight on it, and she fell against the railing. Crandall gripped her tighter, pulling her upright and brushing her body against his.
    As soon as she felt steady on her feet, he stepped back from her, hands spread wide in front of him. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I just want to talk. I’ll keep my distance.”
    She sighed. Life with Charles had made her overly sensitive. Curtis Crandall was likely a harmless flirt who missed his lost love and needed a friend. “Think nothing of it.”
    “I saw the way you looked at Zach. I don’t have a chance with you while he’s around, do I?”
    The hair on the back of Lilly’s neck rose. Why did he persist in this line of questioning? He acted as though his world was ending because Lilly came here with Zach. That was nonsense—she’d barely met him.
    Crandall shook his head and looked out at the water. “Your silence speaks volumes. I think you should know something about him though.”
    He stepped forward once more and the breeze carried his scent to Lilly. His cologne was familiar—patchouli and cedar. A Guerlain cologne her father favored. The same cologne her attacker had worn two years ago.
    Lilly shivered and stepped back, matching Crandall step for step. She knew it wasn’t his fault he picked that unfortunate scent, but she wanted the man nowhere near her now.
    Crandall stopped moving, seeming to sense her unease. “I’m sorry to tell you this, Lilly, but you need to know. You’re setting yourself up for failure with Zach.”
    Lilly struggled to banish the images of the flashing blade and horrendous pain Crandall’s cologne provoked. She needed to focus on his words. He and Zach may not get along now, but Zach admitted Crandall had been his best friend. He might have some insight into what Lilly needed to do to win Zach over.
    “What do you mean failure?”
    He shook his head. “If you’re falling for Zach, this will be hard to hear.”
    Lilly smiled. “Thanks for the warning, but I’d like the explanation.”
    “Zach will never get over losing Victoria.” Crandall didn’t look at Lilly, resting his arms against the railing next to her and gazing across the water. “She was a wonderful woman and he loved her so much. She