It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover

“Yeah. Both restaurants are closed on Sundays—I’m just here cleaning
up.”
“I can’t wait to visit Corrigan’s. Is that where we’re going on our date next
Saturday?”
I laugh. “No way am I bringing you to either of my restaurants on a date.
The people I work with are too curious about my personal life.”
She grins. “Funny, because I’m curious about your personal life, too.”
“I’m an open book for you. What do you want to know?”
She contemplates that for several seconds, and then comes back with, “I
want to know who the people in your life are. You didn’t really have anyone
when we were teenagers, but you’re an adult now, with businesses and
friends and a whole life I know very little about. Who are your people, Atlas
Corrigan?”
I don’t know how to respond to that with anything but laughter.
She doesn’t smile in return, though, which makes me think she’s asking
the question more out of concern for me than curiosity. I look at her gently,
hoping to ease some of that worry. “I have friends,” I say. “Some of them
you met a while back at my house. I don’t have family, but it’s not a void I
feel. I like my career, and my life.” I pause, and then say something
completely honest. “I’m happy, if that’s what you’re wondering.”
I see the corner of her mouth lift. “Good. I was always curious about
where you ended up. I tried to find you on social media, but I didn’t have any
luck.”
That makes me laugh, considering Theo and I just had this conversation.
“I don’t use social media much.” If I told her I’d use it every day if her pages
weren’t private, Theo might say that confession would scare her off. “I have
profiles for the restaurants, but two of my employees manage them.” I let my
head fall back against the couch. “I’m too busy for it. I downloaded TikTok a
few months ago, but that was a mistake. Sucked me in for hours one night,
and I missed a meeting the next morning. I deleted the app later that day.”
Lily laughs. “I would do just about anything to watch you make TikTok
videos.”
“Never gonna happen.”
Lily’s attention is stolen away for a moment, and then she starts to lift up
on her bed, but pauses. “Hold on a second. I need to set my phone down.”
She drops the phone, but I don’t think she realizes it catches on something
and flips so that it’s at an angle. The camera is on her, and I see her adjust