“Yeah, Dad. I wish you’d really wanted to know.” She drew in a shuddering breath.
“There’s no way to justify how badly I handled things.”
“You’re right. I…um…I saw Tyler today. I understand you paid him a visit.”
“Five years too late.” Her father chuckled. “He’s fast. Either that, or I’m gettin’ old.” He paused, breathing heavily into the phone. “Are you and Chelsea doing okay?”
“We’re fine. I wondered if you’d want to come for dinner some evening and meet her.”
“Are you serious? Of course, I do. There’s so much to explain, Lily. I know I can’t expect you to forgive me.”
“This is for Chelsea. She deserves to know her grandparents. But if you take one drink, I swear, you’ll never see her again.”
“I won’t. I’ve let alcohol do enough damage to people I love.”
She swallowed back tears. “Do you have a pencil? I’m in Leesport. The address is 627 Harrington Avenue. Come on January fourth, around three o’clock.” Lily needed some measure of control and she needed time to prepare herself for this meeting. Perhaps she expected him to change his mind, given enough time to rethink this. It would be a test.
“I’ll be there. Tell me about my granddaughter, what does she like? I want to bring something for her, and I don’t have a clue about little girls.”
The last part of his statement stung, and she couldn’t speak.
“Well, I guess you already knew that.”
Lily reclaimed her voice. “She’s into The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast…anything Disney. But she already has three tiaras.”
“A little princess, huh? I remember once, when you were about four, you put your mother’s colander on your head, tied a blanket around your neck, and used a wooden spoon to cast magic spells. Chelsea must take after her mother.”
Tears blurred her vision. “I remember that, too. You took one of Mom’s cookie sheets and said it was a shield that could repel magic, but I got you anyway.”
He laughed. “You always did. Those are the good memories.”
“Yeah, well… So, we’ll see you on the fourth?”
“I can’t wait. I have a surprise for you, too, but I’ll tell you when I get there. Lily, thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Bye, Dad.”
Her insides trembled as she hung up the phone. A part of her still wanted to lash out at her father, hold him bound by her fury. Things weren’t settled between them, not by a long shot. But it was a start.
She settled on the sofa and punched Helen’s number into her phone.
“Helen?”
“Lily, I’m so sorry I couldn’t make it today. How did it go?”
“Helen.” Her voice broke as tears filled her eyes.
“What’s wrong? What happened?”
“Rick wants me to…to…marry him.”
“Oh, honey. That’s wonderful. Isn’t it?”
“How do I know I can trust him? We barely know one another.”
“And, yet, he’s been right there for you in this mess with your house and now with Tyler. And he hasn’t known you any longer than you’ve known him.”
“That’s what makes it so difficult. I’m so scared of moving too fast and finding out later it won’t work.”
“So, get to know him.”
“I want to.”
“What’s the hesitation, Lily? Is it Beau?”
“Beau? No. He’s attractive but not ready for a family. It’s Chelsea.”
“She loves Rick.”
“That’s just it. If things didn’t work out between Rick and me, it would destroy her.”
“And if things do work out? What then?”
Lily hiccupped and sniffled. “We’d be h-happy.”
“Honey, happiness requires risk. You have to take a chance. I’m sure Rick doesn’t plan to get married tomorrow. Here’s a novel idea: How about if the two of you go on a few dates?”
Lily laughed. “We haven’t spent much time together, except dealing with my crises. Which seem to be coming at me right now like a freight train, one car after the other. And Rick’s been right there for us. But, what happens when things settle, become mundane? We’ve been spending more time together, and he’s wonderful.”
“Lily, slow down and think for a minute. Tyler walked away when you needed him. Your father, well, he wasn’t supportive at all. You haven’t had a man in your life who you could count on, except Mason, while he was around. But don’t lump Rick in with the rest. Give him a chance. And what happened with Beau?”
“He treated Chelsea like an annoyance. He’s a nice guy but certainly not husband and father material.”
“And Rick is?”
“He says he is.”
“What do you say?”
Lily stretched her leg to ease a cramp in the calf. “I think he wants to be. He’s older, but I’m not so sure he’s mature.”
It was Helen’s turn to laugh. “Oh, Lily, you have a lot to learn about men. None of them are as mature as we are, no matter their age. You’re only twenty-four, but you had to grow up early.”
Lily sucked in a deep breath, massaging her cramped leg. “So, I should give Rick a chance?”
“Trust your heart, Lily. You did with Chelsea, and look how that turned out.”
Dragging fingers through her hair, Lily nodded. “You’re right. What would I do without you? My mother…” She swallowed. “My mother would appreciate all you’ve done for me. I know I do.”
“Lily, do you love him?”
Her voice faltered. “I…I think so.”
“Then don’t let fear get in the way. Now, tell me, how did things go today with the meeting?”
Lily filled her in on the conversation with the Dixons, and the outcome. “Tyler played us all. But if his mother’s expression was any indication, he’s still hearing about it from her.”
“The Dixons want to know Chelsea?”
“Yes. And, honestly, I think it could be good for her. They’re decent. Well, at least Judith Dixon is. Apparently, Tyler is a case of ‘like father like son.’” She let out a shuddering breath.
Helen coughed.
“Helen, I’m sorry. You couldn’t be here because you’re sick. And here I am, keeping you awake.”
“I’m fine. Or I will be in a day or two. Want me to drive down there this weekend?”
“No. No, I’ll be okay. I needed someone older and wiser to get me on track.”
“Call and let me know how you’re coping with everything. Okay?”
“I will. You take care of yourself. I love you.”
“I love you, too, honey.”
Lily stood and hobbled around the living room, working out the knot in her calf muscle. If she trusted her heart, she would tell Rick how she felt about him. She would give him a chance to prove himself. After all, they had a good start. They had two things in common: they both liked blue, and they both loved Chelsea. Maybe there was hope for them yet.
She glanced at the clock, picked up the phone again and punched in a number.
“Hello.”
“Did I wake you?” she asked.
“No. Well, maybe. I dozed off.”
“Rick, will you have dinner with me on Saturday night if I can get a sitter?”
Chapter Twenty-Four
In the office, Lily avoided any discussion of their upcoming date. The sexual tension between them nearly unwound her. Once she started thinking about pursuing a relationship with Rick, all she could think about was how he had kissed her, how his hands felt when he touched her, and how desire stirred in her every time she looked at him now.
On Friday, he stood by the counter until she looked up. “Lily, about tomorrow night…”
“If you can’t make it, I understand.”
“You want to call it off?”
“No. Do you?”
“No.”
“So, can you give me a clue about dinner? Where? When?”
She clos
ed her eyes. “I thought I’d cook.”
“Sounds great.”
“Seven o’clock okay? If that’s too late, I can make it earlier.” Their conversation was awkward and she considered that he may be feeling as nervous as she did.
“Seven’s perfect. Can I bring something?”
“You don’t need to.”
“How about wine?”
“Okay. Yes, wine.”
“Red or white?”
“Uh…”
“What are you serving?”
“Uh…”
He grinned. “Got it. I’ll bring one of each. Who’s babysitting?”
“That was a challenge. Vicki isn’t free. I was talking with Mrs. Glenn, and she suggested Chelsea stay overnight at her house. Her granddaughter will be there with her little boy. She’s taking Chelsea with them to a movie in the afternoon. I was hesitant, but with her granddaughter staying over and them being right next door, I…”
“Lily, are you nervous about this date?”
“Nervous? Of course not. Why?”
“You’re chattering a mile a minute.”
Her face warmed. “Am I? I’m sorry.”
He leaned on the counter. “Relax. It’s just dinner. With me—your friend.” He pushed off from the counter and returned to his office.
*
Lily delivered Chelsea to her neighbor’s house at noon on Saturday, meeting Mrs. Glenn’s granddaughter, Shannon, and great-grandson.
“Be good, Chelsea, and listen to Shannon. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Why can’t I come home and see Rick tonight?”
“Because Rick and I have a lot to talk about, and it’ll be very late. You’ll see Rick on Monday after school.”
Lily returned to her house and flipped open a cookbook. Helen had always told her, “If you can read, you can cook.” She hoped that was true.
After doing a last sweep through the house, picking up a few of Chelsea’s toys and a stray sock, she headed to the shower. Wrapped in a towel, she went to the closet and pulled out several outfits. She narrowed her choices to two, then recalled that she and Rick both liked blue. She slipped into a pair of dark blue linen slacks and baby blue blouse—the same one she’d worn at Thanksgiving that had elicited a compliment from him.
She donned an apron while she opened the oven to check on the rosemary chicken. It smelled heavenly. The doorbell announced Rick’s early arrival at six forty-five. Lily wiped her hands on a towel and headed to the front door, stopping briefly to check her appearance in the mirror.
Rick’s eyes scanned her from head to toe. He laughed, looking down at his own navy blue slacks and pale blue shirt. “Looks like we both got the memo.” He stepped inside and kissed her on the cheek.
Electricity sparked between them. Surprised, she took a step backward.
He held a bottle of wine in one hand with another tucked under his arm. In his left hand, he bore a bouquet of roses and had a folder tucked under his arm.
“Here, let me take something. The roses are lovely. Thank you.” She took the bouquet and one bottle of wine.
“They reminded me of you. We should chill the white wine for dinner. The red can stay at room temperature.”
“Come to the kitchen.” She closed the door and led the way, her cheek tingling from the brush of his lips.
“It smells wonderful in here.”
“Thank you. I made rosemary chicken with new potatoes and green beans with almonds in a light butter sauce.”
“You memorized that from the cookbook, didn’t you?”
She flushed. “I did. And for dessert, there’s a…” She glanced at the open cookbook on the counter. “…baked parfait topped with light, fluffy meringue and lemon zest.” She shared Helen’s quote with him.
“We’ll find out, won’t we? You got the reading part down.”
“How about a glass of wine?”
“The merlot?”
“Yes. I’ll get glasses.”
They were finding a comfort zone with one another, and Lily breathed a sigh of relief. She invited him to sit in the living room until dinner was ready. He took up one end of the sofa, and she occupied the other. “So…how’s your dad doing?”
“He’s good. No more chest pains. But he has to keep an oxygen tank nearby. My mother makes sure he behaves himself with his diet and exercise.”
“Good. That’s good.”
“How’s your other work going? Keeping you busy?”
“Only as busy as I want to be. I’ve cut back a bit on the number of tapes I take in a week. I was overdoing it and falling asleep at my day job.” She grinned.
“Good thing you have an understanding boss.”
She set down her wineglass. “Tell me more about your family.”
He talked about growing up in the small town, being the thorn in his older sister’s side during their teen years, and how he came to run his father’s real estate business. “Joyce couldn’t wait to get out of town after she graduated from high school. So, when Dad retired, I took over. He and Mom moved to Florida the following year.” He drained the last of his wine. “What about you?”
“My life wasn’t the fairytale yours was. You’ve heard most of it. Mom died when I was seven. Dad crawled into a bottle six months later. I only had my brother. Mason’s a good guy, you’d like him. He just got a discharge from the Navy, and he’s starting up his own computer business in Norfolk. I think there’s a girl in the picture, but he hasn’t said much about her yet. And you know about Chelsea and you’ve met Helen. My life in a nutshell.” She finished her glass of wine. “Dinner should be ready.”
They fumbled for topics of conversation over dinner. Lily learned Rick loved living in a small town, knowing everyone he passed on the street. She shared that, while in high school, she had the dream of becoming a journalist. She caught herself studying his features and caught him doing the same with her. The physical attraction between them soon built to a steady hum.
He helped her clear the table and load the dishwasher. “That was a spectacular meal. You’re quite a…reader.”
She laughed. “Thank you. Let’s have dessert and coffee in the living room.”
He carried the tray with cups of coffee, cream and sugar. Lily followed with the parfaits. She set them on the coffee table. “What’s in the folder?”
“A surprise. I wasn’t planning to unveil this project just yet, but after our conversation of last week, I feel compelled to show you the plans.”
She sat on the sofa, and he sat close to her. He opened the file folder, extracted a paper and unfolded it to reveal blueprints. “This is Champion Cove.”
“I’m sorry. What?”
He spread the paper on the table and leaned forward. “Champion Cove is a joint project of Beaumont Enterprises and Gardner Realty. It will consist of twelve three-and four-bedroom family homes to house families who lose their homes to foreclosures. Rent will be adjusted according to income to allow the families time to become financially stable. Gardner Realty will manage the property and will assist residents in finding new homes within their price range when they’re ready to buy again. It’s transitional housing.”
She gaped at the drawings of houses fronted by sidewalks and with narrow tree-lined streets. “I can’t believe this.”
“I told you I was working it all out, that I’d been listening to you.”
She touched her fingertips to the page: Champion Cove. “You named it for me?”
“Beau wanted to call it Lily Loop.”
She chuckled. “You’re kidding.”
“We compromised. The name of this street right here—” He took her hand and placed it on the entrance to the cove. “—is Lily Lane. And over here—” He lifted her hand and set it down again. “—is Chelsea Park. It’s a playground.”
She gazed up at him, her hand still captured by his. “You’re amazing. How did you and Beau ever come up with this idea?”
“You’ve made it clear to both of us
how you feel about foreclosures. I showed Beau the warehouse property on Hart Street. He liked the site but didn’t feel it was appropriate for commercial development, since most of that area is now residential. I told him about my idea for housing to help families over the rough spots after foreclosures. An hour later, we had the plans sketched out. He’s pretty good with a charcoal pencil.” He grinned. “I’m just glad he’s not as good at charming you.” He lifted her hand and kissed it.
“Yeah, well, Beau has his good points, but he’s not my knight in shining armor.” She tugged her hand free from his and pressed it to his cheek. “It’s a good thing you’re doing.”
He steadied his eyes on hers. “I was inspired.”
She moistened her lips, her mouth suddenly dry.
He dipped his face, his lips brushing hers. “You inspire me, Lily Champion.”
She pressed her mouth against his, both of her hands cupping his face.
The kiss was sweet, sensual. When she broke away, he didn’t push for more.
Lily bit her lip and swallowed. “I’m sorry. I’m giving you mixed messages, huh?”
“That was pretty straightforward, if you ask me.” He tilted her chin and brushed his thumb along her lower lip. “How are we doing?”
“We’re doing just fine.”
“Good. Would I be moving too fast if I kissed you again?”
She shook her head. “Huh-uh.” Her mouth met his, her tongue teasing and exploring.
His arms encircled her, drawing her against him. He whispered into her ear. “I love you, Lily.”
She nuzzled into his shoulder. “I love you, too.”
He sat back, gathering her in his arms. “So, we can have another date maybe?”
She looked up at him. “Is this one over?”
He grinned. “Not until you say it’s over.”
They sat for hours, talking about their pasts, and cautiously sharing their hopes for the future, intermittently touching and kissing.
After a deep kiss that left her breathless and heated, Lily pulled away from him. “I think we should call it a night.”
“Okay.” He stood, tugging her up with him. They walked to the door with arms around each other.
“It was a nice evening. I don’t know what to say about the project, except thank you.”
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