“Sawyer!” She threw her arms around him and gave him a tight squeeze. “I was ecstatic when Lily told me you were coming this morning. How’ve you been?” She pulled back to look at him like a mother welcoming her long-lost son.
Sawyer’s heart warmed. “Hey, Meredith. I’ve been good. How’s the flower shop doing? I’ll be putting in an order for my mom’s birthday soon.” Never mind that he grew his own flowers in his green house. He liked supporting Meredith’s business whenever possible.
Meredith beamed. “I’ll make something special for her. How is your mom?”
“She’s great.” He glanced past Meredith and his heart tripped when he saw Lily standing behind her. She was gorgeous with her bright hazel eyes and golden hair running in waves past her shoulders. “Uh—” he stammered, looking back at Meredith as he tried to regain his train of thought. “I keep telling my mom she should retire from her job at the post office, but she insists she’s not ready for that yet. She likes interacting with people every day and says it keeps her busy.”
“I completely understand that,” Meredith agreed. “Seeing people in town is one of the things I like best about my shop. Otherwise what would I do with myself all day? Sit around and watch soap operas?” She laughed and shook her head. “Trisha is too young to retire . . . although it sounds like you’re all set to take care of her if she decides to.” She gave him a meaningful look and nudged his shoulder. “Why didn’t you tell anyone you were living in Mountain Cove?”
Sawyer flushed, but Lily stepped forward, coming to his rescue.
“Mom, I already told you, he doesn’t want people in town to treat him differently, and you promised to keep it on the down low.”
Meredith raised her hands. “I will, don’t worry.” She turned back to Sawyer. “In fact, Sadie told me about seeing you out there months ago and I didn’t breathe a word of it to anyone. I can be trusted with secrets.” She winked.
He nodded. “I know you can, and I appreciate it.” Meredith was a bit of a town gossip from time to time, but not in an unkind way. She just knew enough about the goings on in Eureka Springs to have her finger on the pulse of the latest happenings. The secret about Sawyer’s newfound wealth and status would eventually leak out, but for now it was nice to have people treat him as they always had.
“Well,” Meredith took a step back, smiling wide at Sawyer and Lily. “I don’t want to keep the two of you. I know you have plans to spend the day together, and I have to go into the shop to get a big order ready for next week’s fall festival.”
Sawyer shifted his weight. “Are you sure you can’t join us? I told Lily to invite you along today so you would be able to spend time with her.”
“That’s sweet of you, but with the size of this order it will require all-hands-on-deck,” Meredith explained.
“Is there anything I can do to help?” Sawyer offered.
“Yeah, Mom, do you need us to come in?” Lily asked.
She shook her head, her eyes sparkling as she looked between them. “Heidi and I have it under control. You two go enjoy yourselves.”
“Okay … if you’re sure?” Lily hesitated, arching an uncertain eyebrow.
“Positive.” Meredith gave an affirmative nod.
“Keep us posted if you change your mind,” Sawyer added. He would be happy to help Meredith if she needed it, but truth be told, he was excited to have Lily to himself today. He needed to pull out all the stops if he had any hopes of convincing her to give him another chance.
“I will.” Meredith stepped forward and gave him another hug. “I can’t tell you how good it was to see you.” She gave him a motherly squeeze before pulling back. “Don’t you dare be a stranger now, you hear? We’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you too, and I promise to do better at keeping in touch.” He couldn’t help but hope that when she’d said “they’d” missed him, it meant Lily had missed him too.
Meredith smiled and turned to Lily. “I’ll plan to take you to the airport at six tonight so we can say our goodbyes.”
“Sounds great.”
Sawyer nodded. “I’ll be sure to have her home before then.”
“Okay.” Meredith smiled, looking between them one more time before she waved and walked to her car parked in the driveway.
Sawyer and Lily watched her pull away before Lily turned to him and lifted her shoulders. “So, what’s on the agenda today?”
“Oh, you think I’m going to tell you—just like that?” he teased, quirking an eyebrow. “If I remember correctly, you are a fan of surprises. I wouldn’t want to do anything to ruin that.”
Her eyes danced. “What makes you so sure I still like them? Maybe I’ve changed.”
He bit the edge of his lip and placed his hand under his chin, pretending to study her hard for a moment before he shook his head. “Nah. You’ve grown up a bit, and you’re even prettier than I remember. But you’re still the same old Lil.”
She blushed but kept his gaze. “What makes you so sure?”
He smiled slowly and took her hand, loving the feel of her warm, soft skin. Her hand had always fit perfectly in his. “I’m sure,” he said, rubbing his thumb over the backs of her knuckles.
Her blush deepened, creating a pretty pink dusting on her cheeks. She cleared her throat and pulled her hand back from his, crossing her arms to form a barrier between them. Her expression wasn’t angry—just cautious.
Sawyer would have to take things slow, which was tricky since he only had today to show Lily that his feelings were sincere. He leaned his head back and slid his hands into his pockets. “Have you had breakfast yet?”
She nodded. “I got up early this morning. But if you haven’t eaten yet, I don’t mind a second breakfast.”
He grinned. “Sounds like that’s another thing about you that hasn’t changed. I’m glad to hear that you still have a healthy appetite.” For a girl as petite as Lily was, it had always amazed him how much she could eat.
She shrugged, a tiny smile tugging at the corner of her lips. “That’s one part of me I guarantee will never change. Food and I kind of have a mutual understanding. We’re in an ongoing relationship.”
He chuckled. “I never thought I’d be jealous of food … but I am.”
She scoffed and playfully swatted his arm. “And that’s something about you that hasn’t changed. You’re still as cheesy as ever.”
“And you secretly love it,” he teased back.
She rolled her eyes, but her smile betrayed that he was right. “Where are we off to?” she asked, changing the subject as she nodded toward his truck.
“Somewhere I think you’ll like.” He considered her jeans which looked high-end, and her fitted T-shirt—which was also probably high-end, but it would work. The sandals would be an issue, but he already had that covered. “You’re dressed perfectly for it,” he added.
She put her hands on her hips and gave him her best glare. “You’re really not going to give me anything more than that?”
“Nope.”
She sighed. “Fine.”
He knew her well enough to know that the small crease in her cheek meant she was secretly pleased that he was surprising her. Now if he could get that crease into a full-blown smile when she found out the surprise, he would really be getting somewhere.
10
“I’m so sorry, but I’d better take this,” Lily apologized.
“No problem.” Sawyer’s eyes flicked back to the road and he rested his hands on the steering wheel—the flat line of his mouth the only indication he was bothered.
She didn’t blame him. This was the second call she’d had to take since they’d started driving twenty minutes ago. But maybe that wasn’t a bad thing. The nostalgia she’d felt as soon as she’d climbed into his old truck had almost overwhelmed her. And that, coupled with the fact that Sawyer looked downright hot today in his gray button-down shirt and jeans was almost too much. She’d been tempted to slide over on the bucket seat and take his
arm the way she used to, but she’d resisted. The phone calls were keeping her grounded. She swiped to answer and lifted the phone to her ear. “Lily O’Brien speaking.”
“Miss O’Brien, this is Sally from shipping. I’m just calling to let you know that we received that order of mascaras on time. After last week’s sale, I know you were concerned about having enough inventory in stock, so I wanted to let you know we should be good to go.”
“That’s great to hear, Sally. Thanks so much for keeping me apprised.”
“Anytime, boss.”
Lily ended the call and turned back to Sawyer. “Sorry about that. It was just an inventory update.” She gave him an apologetic shrug. “What were we talking about again?”
“It’s not important.” He turned to give her a wistful smile. “We’re here.”
She frowned, about to protest that it was important, when the view out of her window stopped her short. They were up in the hills above Eureka Springs … but there was another surprise waiting. Her eyes widened. “Oh my goodness! Are those here for us?”
His smile deepened as he watched her reaction. “Yep.”
“Oh my goodness!” she repeated, covering her mouth and barely holding back squeals. She hopped out of the truck and bounced up and down on her heels.
Sawyer joined her, laughing in amusement. “So I’m guessing you still like horses?”
She nodded vigorously. “I can’t believe you arranged this!”
The man holding the reins of two beautiful horses waved and started walking toward them.
Sawyer smiled and placed his hand on the small of Lily’s back, guiding her forward. “Hey, Boyd. Thanks again for helping me out today.”
Boyd smiled. “That’s what neighbors are for.” He nodded at Lily and held out a free hand. “I’m Boyd, Sawyer’s neighbor in the Cove.”
“Lily,” she said, smiling as she shook his hand. “It’s nice to meet you. These are your horses?”
“Yep. I was about to saddle a third for your mom, but Sawyer texted me in time to let me know you only needed two. I’m much obliged that you’re taking them out for a little exercise for me.” He grinned and handed the reins to Sawyer. “Take them for as long as you like. I’m heading into town for a bit, but I’ll have my phone on me so just call when you start heading back.”
“Thanks, man.” Sawyer took the reins and gave him a grateful nod. “We’ll take good care of Copper and Zeus here, and we’ll likely be back by the time I told you.”
“Sounds good. Have fun.” Boyd waved and got into his shiny pickup parked near an equally shiny horse trailer before driving away.
Lily shook her head, stroking the neck of the chestnut mare that Sawyer had called Copper. “She’s so beautiful. I still can’t believe you did this.”
He shrugged, looking pleased. “I’m glad it was a good surprise.”
“Of course!” She beamed at him. “And the fact that your friend brought them here all saddled and ready to go was so thoughtful of him.”
He tilted his head. “That’s the kind of thing friends do for each other. Have you forgotten?”
“I—” She paused, considering. People did do things like that for each other in Eureka Springs, and apparently in the Mountain Cove development. The town had been so gracious to her mom when her dad had died, and the way everyone had shown up for Sadie’s book signing was another example. People did things because it was the nice and neighborly thing to do. They supported each other in the community … she’d missed that living in the big city. “I guess I had forgotten,” she admitted.
Sawyer didn’t say anything, he just nodded and patted Zeus’s side. “Those sandals aren’t going to be great for riding, so I hope you don’t mind, but I bought you something to make it more comfortable.”
She arched an eyebrow. “You did? When did you even have time?”
He shrugged. “A few of the shops open early in town.” He nodded toward the truck. “There are a couple of boxes for you in the bed if you want to go see.”
Her stomach fluttered. He really did remember how much she liked surprises. She moved to the bed of the truck and found four boxes, along with a picnic basket. “Sawyer McCall, you never cease to amaze,” she said, climbing into the bed of the truck.
“The smaller boxes are yours and the bigger ones are mine,” he explained. “Here, I’ll tie the horses up and come show you.”
She waited until he hopped into the bed of the truck beside her and handed her the first box. It was a shoe box, and it was heavy. She smiled at him. “If these are what I think they are …” she opened the lid and gasped. A pair of beautiful teal cowgirl boots lay inside.
Lily gently lifted them out, too touched to speak as she admired the stitching. They were gorgeous. Exactly what she would have picked out. Teal was her favorite color, and she noted that they were exactly the right size. Her throat tightened. How had he remembered these details after so many years? How did he know her better than anyone in New York had ever come close to knowing her? Even her assistant?
“Do you like them?” Sawyer asked, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
She turned to him. “I love them.”
His shoulders relaxed. “Good. I had the saleslady tuck a pair of socks inside, in case you didn’t have any. I know how much you like to wear sandals, so it was a good guess—” His words cut off abruptly when she threw her arms around him.
“Thank you, Sawyer. I don’t even know what to say.”
His chest shuddered once as he pulled her close, burying his face into her neck. “You don’t have to say anything, Lil. This hug is more than enough thanks.”
She smiled, pulling him closer and breathing him in. She loved him. She did. In fact, she’d never stopped loving him. And there was no point in denying it anymore. At least not to herself. Her heart reached for him, bursting to tell him the truth about her feelings—but what good would it do to tell him when she was leaving in a few hours? She needed to keep the truth to herself for now. She would hold it close until she had time to analyze the situation—time when she wasn’t wrapped in his arms, feeling his heartbeat pounding against her chest, rapidly matching her own.
She pulled back, intending to let him go, but suddenly their faces were inches apart. Her breath hitched in her throat.
Sawyer went completely still, his gaze sweeping to her lips and back to her eyes. “Are you still wanting to stick to those boundaries we talked about?” he asked, his voice husky.
Lily swallowed, her mouth going dry. She should hold strong, she should. But he was so close. So tempting. “What boundaries?” she whispered, dropping her gaze to his lips.
His eyes ignited and he closed the distance between them, kissing her with a hunger that stole her breath away. She let the boots drop to the bed of the truck and fisted handfuls of his shirtsleeves in her hands, wanting and needing Sawyer in a way that almost frightened her. He returned her fervor, wrapping his arms low around her waist and pulling her into him. Her senses reeled and she moved her hands up to the nape of his neck, playing with the ends of his hair. He smiled against her lips, coaxing the kiss deeper until her knees went weak.
After several minutes, the horses whinnied nearby, and they pulled apart. Lily put a hand to her throat, willing her heart rate to slow. Sawyer searched her face, silently asking if she wanted more.
She did. But she had to keep her head on straight. More kissing like that, and she would be confessing her feelings in no time … and then where would that put them? She would still be getting on the airplane tonight. How much harder would it be to say goodbye if she told Sawyer she loved him? How much more painful to go from seeing each other in person to only having phone conversations and occasional visits? No. She had to slow down and think this through.
She cleared her throat. “It sounds like the horses are getting impatient,” she said.
“Yeah … but I’m fine to make them wait.” He gave her a rakish smile, his brown eyes inviting her back into his arm
s.
She ached to reach for him, but this was for the best. She shook her head. “Your friend was so nice to do this for us. I wouldn’t want him to think his efforts went to waste.”
Sawyer sighed. “True.” He gave her one more cajoling smile and then picked up another box, this one even larger than the last. “Don’t forget to open your other surprise before we go.”
“You’re spoiling me,” she protested.
“I couldn’t resist.” He watched expectantly as she opened the lid.
Lily peeked inside the box and laughed in delight at the cute straw cowgirl hat inside. It was a darling design and again, it was exactly what she would have chosen on her own.
“Agnes from Le Chapeau helped me pick this out for you,” he said.
“I should have guessed. She definitely has a gift.” Lily couldn’t wait to set the hat on her head. It fit like it had been made for her, and she turned to Sawyer, playfully dipping one shoulder. “How do I look?”
He stared at her, furrowing his eyebrows in thought. “If I answer that honestly, we’ll never get to our horseback ride.”
She laughed uncertainly. “So you’re saying it’s a good look?”
He stepped toward her, holding her gaze as he gently brushed a strand of hair away from her face. “You take my breath away every time I look at you.”
Her cheeks heated. She’d asked the question playfully and wasn’t sure how to respond under the intensity of his gaze.
“How is it possible that you haven’t been snatched up yet?” he asked.
Her eyes flicked to his. She wanted to come up with something clever to say, but the truth fell from her lips instead. “I never found anyone in New York I wanted to be snatched up by.”
He considered that for a moment. “What about in Arkansas?” he asked quietly.
She held his gaze, her heart squeezing before she turned away, forcing a lightness to her tone. “So what’s in these other boxes?”
The Billionaire's Second Chance: Billionaire Bachelor Mountain Cove Page 7