Season of Love

by Jill Sanders

  By the time Robin walked in, he had a light sweat going. “Perfect timing.” He nodded to the line of people still waiting to order. “I’m thinking of getting another cash register.”

  “You could use it.” She nodded in agreement. “I’ve got those numbers. One person on my list will be here in about an hour for lunch.”

  “Oh? We can talk about it later,” he said as he turned to take someone else’s order.

  Most of the school kids ordered by the slice, so they had a variety of styles of pizza sitting under the heating lamps during lunchtime. At dinnertime, however, they limited orders to full pizzas, which slowed down the entire process some.

  They also had spaghetti, lasagna, salads, and breadsticks of different flavors. His favorite was the cheesy garlic breadsticks. Carter had learned the recipe a long time ago and when they had first moved out on their own, it had been a staple of their diet since it was cheap and easy to make.

  Shortly after the dinner rush, he glanced up and smiled as Lilly stopped across the counter from him. Her father and mother stood beside her. Aaron Stevens was a tall sandy-haired man with a light dusting of silver mixed in. Lacey Stevens was Pride’s mayor. He’d met her for the first time at the grand opening of Baked. She was shorter than Lilly and had almost jet-black hair cut very short in a pixie style cut. Looking at her, though, no one would ever mistake the woman for anything other than a warrior. She held herself like an Amazonian, as if ready to take on the world. He figured Lilly had gained her strength from the both of them.

  “Hi,” he said, holding out a hand to her father. “Thanks for coming so quickly earlier. How’s the little guy doing?”

  Aaron Stevens shook his hand. “Last I heard, he’ll make a full recovery, sans one back leg. The blood loss was minimal, thanks to your fast work.” Corey nodded. “Riley told us that you’re thinking of taking on the little guy yourself.”

  “Sure am. I’ve already run it by my partner.” He nodded back to where Carter was busy working with Jim, filling orders. “We’re looking forward to having someone else in the house.”

  Aaron chuckled. “We’ve got a houseful. Dogs, cats, kids.” He shook his head, then winced slightly when his wife slapped his arm playfully. “Not that I’m complaining.” He wrapped his arm around his daughter and Corey swallowed hard.

  His opinion of her father that morning had been that he hadn’t been pleased to see Corey in his daughter’s store. Now, however, it was almost as if the man was playing matchmaker.

  “Leave the boy alone.” Lacey stepped forward. “We’ve met a few times.” She held out her hand.

  “Yes, we have.” He took her hand easily. “Corey Miller.”

  “Lacey Stevens.”

  “Mayor Stevens.” He nodded and smiled.

  “Just Lacey,” she added with a smile.

  “Are you done?” Lilly sighed. “I’m starving over here.”

  Corey chuckled. “I know what you want.” He nodded towards her, then swallowed when he realized what he’d said. Covering quickly, he turned to her parents. “What’ll you have?”

  After the family took a booth near the front windows, he glanced over as a young brunette walked in.

  “That’s her,” Robin said into his ear. “That’s my Emma.” She smiled with pride.

  “Your granddaughter?” he asked.

  “Yes, and the perfect candidate for the evening shift.” She nudged him.

  “Right.” He nodded.

  “No obligation to hire her. Just take her back in the office and interview her,” she pushed him. “Emma, this is Corey Miller.”

  “Nice to meet you.” Emma held out a hand and he noticed that she shook his firmly.

  “Nice to meet you.” He nodded. “Why don’t we head back to the office. I’ll have you fill out an—” He stopped when she handed him a paper. “My gran printed it out and dropped it off before she came in.”

  He glanced over at Robin, who just smiled at him.

  “Come on back then.” He led her to his office.

  “Before you start,” she said taking the seat across from his desk, “I’ll give you a few quick points. I’m a senior in high school. I get out of class at one and can be here fifteen minutes later. I have worked at both the Oar and O’Neil’s. I wasn’t fired, but due to schedule conflicts I had to quit both jobs my sophomore year. I’m a straight-A student, and I have references from both Pattie and Iian Jordan, and a few couples I babysit for. I’ll work for minimum wage and since I live just a few blocks away, I can be here until closing.”

  He took it all in as he glanced over her application. Neat handwriting, he noted. Strong signature. He glanced up and looked into her eyes and saw honesty and eagerness.

  “You’re hired. Temporary basis to begin with. After a two-week period, if things work out, we can add more hours. How are you for the weekends?”

  She beamed. “Free.”

  “How does starting on Monday sound?”

  “Perfect.” She stood after he got up and held out her hand again. “I’m looking forward to working with you, Mr. Miller.”

  “Corey,” he supplied and tried not to cringe at the formal name that he still reserved for his father.

  “Corey.” She nodded. “Thank you.”

  “You can go tell your grandmother you got the job.” He nodded towards the door.

  When he walked out, he got a surprise hug from Robin. “Thank you.” She sighed. “She was so concerned she wouldn’t be able to save up enough for school next year.” She smiled up at him. “She’s going to Portland, wants to become a clothing designer.” The woman practically beamed.

  “You did it now,” Carter said softly a few minutes later as he was picking up Lilly’s order.

  “What?” He frowned across the open serving window at his brother.

  “Now Robin thinks you’re the good twin.” He nodded to where the older woman was cleaning a table.

  “Everyone already knows that.” He chuckled. “Because it’s the truth.” He took the order out to the table.

  5

  The way the brothers interacted reminded her a lot of her own extended family. It was the same way her cousins and her own siblings interacted with one another. Here was love in its purest form.

  When Corey delivered their food to the table, she was all smiles.

  “We heard you hired Emma,” she said as he set her veggie personal pizza in front of her.

  His eyebrows shot up slightly, then he smiled. “Yeah, she starts on Monday. Tell me I did the right thing.” His eyes moved over towards her parents.

  “You did,” the three of them said at the same time, causing Lilly to chuckle.

  “I babysat Emma for a couple years starting when I was thirteen.”

  “Sit.” Her mother motioned to the empty spot next to Lilly. “Things have slowed down. Have a slice, on us.” She motioned to the pizza.

  “I…” He glanced around and when he noticed how quiet the place was, shrugged and grabbed a slice of her pie.

  “I somehow always forget to eat myself,” he said.

  “Is that why you’re so fit?” Lilly’s dad added in, making her blush.

  “Dad,” she hissed.

  Corey just chuckled. “I’m a runner,” he said between bites. “I try to get in five a day.”

  Her father nodded. “Makes sense. I was going to say running or swimming.”

  Hearing her father talk to Corey about his body was causing heat to flood all over hers. She wanted the subject to change, quickly.

  “Do you have family near here?” Her mother must have sensed her frustration and broke in.

  She felt Corey stiffen next to her and frowned.

  “No,” he said softly.

  “Why Pride?” her mother continued, her silver eyes scanning Corey sharply. Lilly had seen that look enough times to know that her mother was trying to solve a mystery.

  “Flat tire. We were driving through, got stuck for an hour while it was being patched up, and f
ell in love.” He shrugged. “Besides, the price was right for the building. We’d been looking for a town along the coast to start Baked. Things just fit here.”

  “Where are you from, originally?” she asked.

  “Sorry,” Lilly murmured to him before stuffing a bit into her mouth.

  Corey chuckled in response.

  “Originally, Eugene,” he answered easily. “But we were in Portland for a while, Seattle, Spokane. Wherever we could find work.”

  “But you’re here now. Settled?” she asked.

  “For the moment,” he added and suddenly Lilly thought about how she would feel if Corey moved away. Missed opportunities. Sadness threatened to seep in.

  “You’re renting the Carson place?” her mother asked, surprising Lilly. She hadn’t known where Corey and his brother were living. Hadn’t thought about it.

  “Yes, ma’am.” He smiled. “Mr. Carson cut us a deal. We’re month to month for now. If we don’t find another place, there’s a possibility to purchase.”

  “So, you are planning on sticking around?” her father asked.

  Corey stilled. “For now. We’re invested.” He glanced up. “I’d better… Thanks for the slice.” He got up and started walking across the room.

  Lilly jumped up and followed him, catching him just before he stepped into a small office in the back.

  “My parents didn’t mean to give you the third degree,” she said as she rested her hand on his arm.

  “Don’t worry.” He smiled. “Since we’ve moved into town, we’ve gotten used to all the questions. I survived.” He chuckled.

  She smiled up at him. “Yes, but… They’re my parents, they’re supposed to embarrass me, not other people.”

  He sighed. “Be thankful.” He glanced back across the room. “It just shows that they care about you.”

  She tilted her head. “I notice that you don’t talk about your parents,” she said softly. His smile fell away and his green eyes darkened, as if a switch had flipped on, causing sadness and something else she couldn’t figure out to take over his features. “Actually, you avoid the subject. You and Carter both.”

  He nodded slowly. “It’s a dark subject, better saved for another time.” He waved to someone behind her.

  Taking a deep breath, she jumped. “How about tomorrow?”

  His eyes returned to hers.

  “Now that you have a full-time employee—Robin also bragged about that—surely you can take a day off? How about a picnic and a walk on the beach? I’ve worked so hard the past few weeks, I need a day off myself,” she blurted out.

  “Sounds wonderful. I’ll arrange everything.” His eyes changed, and his smile returned. “Pick you up around ten?”

  She nodded and tried to keep her smile from bursting too big. Then she turned and walked back to the table.

  “So?” her mother asked.

  “What?” she said with a sigh.

  “Did he ask you out?”

  Lilly rolled her eyes. “No.”

  Her father sighed. “What’s wrong with the boy?”

  “But,” she added, “we are going on a picnic tomorrow.”

  Her mother’s smile grew. “Nailed it.” She watched her parents give each other high fives.

  “You think you had anything to do with it?” She chuckled. “I asked him.”

  “Still,” her mother said with a smile.

  “What is up with you two?” She shook her head and then reached for another slice of pie.

  Her parents exchanged looks, then her father wrapped an arm around her mother and pulled her close. “We know when a good thing comes along.” He winked across the table at her.

  “And you think he’s a good thing?” she said softly, her eyes moving to find Corey helping someone at the register.

  “From the moment they set foot in Pride,” her mother added. “Patty’s the one that vetted them. Sent them over here to look at this place.” She nodded around. The place was still filled with people. It wasn’t as full as during rush time, but there were more than eight tables of people enjoying food. “She also gave them Carson’s info, since Patty had heard he was wanting to rent his house out.”

  “And what? That means you approve of them?” she asked.

  Her mother’s smile just grew.

  Her eyes met Corey’s across the room and she felt her heart flutter.

  “There it is,” her father said, gaining her attention. “That’s the look.” He pulled her mother closer. “I remember seeing that look in your eyes for the first time.” He leaned down and kissed his wife, who just laughed.

  “What look?” Lilly asked.

  “Later,” her mother said, playfully nudging her father away. “You’ll scare her.”

  Lilly let out a huge sigh of frustration. “You guys are weird,” she said between bites.

  Both of her parents chuckled. “And you’re just finding this out now?” her father joked.

  After dinner, she took her parents over and showed them the progress she and Riley had made that day at Classy and Sassy.

  Their sign had been approved by the city, and they had sent the order to the local sign maker. Soon, they would have a lit sign that would hang over the front of the brick building. It was scheduled to be installed two days before opening on the third, Riley’s twenty-first birthday.

  As she walked around the space now, showing her parents her hard work, she couldn’t help but see the finished place in her head and smile.

  “You’ve done so much.” Her mother walked over to hug her. Lilly saw tears of pride building in her eyes.

  “We’ll start opening boxes Monday,” she added. “We’ve agreed to take tomorrow off. Riley has to go into Portland to pick something up.”

  “Iian’s driving her,” her mother added. “They’re borrowing our truck, since his is in the shop.”

  “I can’t believe he still has Grandpa’s old truck and that it’s still running.”

  “My brother has kept a lot of our father’s things,” her mother said. Lilly saw the sadness seep into her mother’s eyes, the same sadness that always appeared when she talked about her father.

  “I would have loved to meet him.” She sighed. “He must have been wonderful.” She hugged her mother a little tighter.

  Her mother leaned in and placed a kiss on her cheek. “You remind me of him, sometimes.”

  “Do you need any help moving the stuff in?” her father asked.

  “No, Iian, Riley, and Jacob have it under control,” she answered. “They say it’s a surprise for me.” She shrugged. “Riley arranged it.” Her mother gave her father a quick look, and Lilly narrowed her eyes. “You know what it is?” she accused.

  “We do, but we’re sworn to secrecy,” her father said smoothly. “Even I wouldn’t go against Riley. That girl has always gotten what she’s wanted. Ever since she was yay high.” Her father held his hand to his hip and laughed. “Takes after her aunt.” He winked at Lacey, who only smiled.

  “Short and sassy,” Lilly added.

  “Which makes you the classy?” Her father walked over and hugged her. “This place is going to be amazing.” He kissed her forehead.

  “Patty says that the apartment above the store is opening up at the end of this month,” she said as she glanced out the window.

  Her parents’ silence spoke louder than any words they could have said.

  “It’s only a thought,” she added, biting her bottom lip.

  “Honey, you do what you want. Are you sure…” Her mother broke off.

  “George is going off at the end of next month.” Her brother was taking off for Europe soon. A year abroad. “He’s going across the world,” she added.

  “And we’re just as worried about him as we are about you,” her father stated.

  “I’ll only be two miles away. Besides, living in town, closer to the shop, will be easier on me. Less gas.”

  “What about rent?” her mother asked.

  “Patty has agreed to giv
e us a deal.”

  “Us?” they said at the same time.

  “Riley and I.”

  “You two will be there together?” her mother asked, turning slightly to look back at her.

  “Of course,” she said.

  “It’s just… Remember that summer Riley spent at our house?” her mother asked.

  “Sure, what about it?”

  “The two of you… well, sometimes you fought like…”

  “Cousins?” she supplied.

  “Sisters,” her father put in.

  “We are, in a way,” she agreed. “All of us cousins are.” She smiled. “Thanks to you guys, the lines between actual siblings and cousins were blurred.”

  Her mother sighed as they walked out of the building. “It’s wonderful, isn’t it?”

  “Yes.” She reached up and touched her mother’s shoulder, then pulled her into a hug right there on Main Street.

  Before heading into her childhood room later that night, she glanced around the house she’d always lived in. She’d been born and raised here. Had never known another home her entire life. But she needed—no, wanted—to feel like she could be on her own. The apartment above Patty’s was perfect. So many people she knew had lived above the local store at one point.

  Walking into her own room, she scanned her things. Comfort. Home. Still, she could imagine her and Riley sharing the space in the apartment across the street from their store.

  Stripping off her clothes, she pulled on the pink fuzzy pj’s Sara had given her one Christmas and crawled under the soft pink comforter she’d had since high school.

  So many things were changing for her. Gone was the little girl who wanted to sleep under a canopy bed. She smiled up at the lights that her father had hung on the canopy and, reaching up, flipped them on. Starlight filled her eyes.

  Just the thought of starting the next chapter in her life had her excited. So much so that she couldn’t sleep. She rolled out of bed and did what she had always done. She slipped on her shoes, climbed out of her bedroom window, and made her way across the road towards her cousin’s place.

  She knocked on Riley’s window and pulled it open a second later. Riley was sitting up in bed, her blonde hair tied in a bun at the top, a Kindle sitting in her lap.