Chapter 84

- LILY -

I don't look back. I stride down the steps and out the door without even a glance over my shoulder to see if he follows.

He doesn't.

Only when I'm outside do I break into a run. My feet crunch over the gravel paths through the gardens. The cool night air whips at my face. I'm sure there are garden lamps out here somewhere, but no one bothered to turn them on tonight. My only light is that of the moon, but it's enough to get me across the grounds to the hedge maze.

I pause next to the dark, high walls of the maze. The hedges rustle in the breeze, but otherwise there's no sound. No footsteps behind me. No one calling my name, asking me to come back to the house and talk things out like two rational adults.

I'm not sure when I started crying, but there are tears on my cheeks. Am I overreacting? Completely misreading Calder? I remind myself of Lou's words: People deal with that stress in different ways. But it's not wedding stress that's bothering Calder. I know it isn't. Wha