by Ciara Knight
Chapter Eight
Josh rolled out of his hotel room bed in Cape Hope Friday morning with jetlag after a round-trip whirlwind for business. He’d managed to land another account, but it wouldn’t be enough to save his company. He really needed that multimillion-dollar deal. He was tired of scraping by month to month to keep the lights on in a building he wasn’t even there to work in half the time.
“You ever call Lily?” Allen asked as he sat in his bed wiping the sleep from his eyes.
Josh shook his head. “I figured she didn’t want to hear from me. I’m hoping after a few days of giving her some space she’ll be more amenable to talking about the project.”
“You mean you turned tail and ran when you started thinking about her as more than just a business arrangement.”
Josh rubbed his hand through his hair as if every strand on his head stood up in agreement. “We’re talking about our company. If we don’t land this deal, everything we’ve worked so hard for will be gone.”
“I know that, but I also know you, man. You can’t handle seeing someone suffer.”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
Allen tossed the covers off. “You don’t want to make her work on something that she’s struggling with, yet you want to save your business. It’s a tough position to be in.”
Josh threw on his running shirt. It was time to de-stress. “I don’t even really know the girl.”
“You keep telling yourself that,” Allen said.
“I’m gonna go clear my head.” Josh grabbed his keys and headed for the door.
The sun hadn’t peaked over the horizon yet, but the moon was still bright in the sky. He drove through Cape Hope and didn’t stop until he reached the end of the main road. He pulled into a public beach parking lot and made it down to the shore before the first hint of sunlight. The roar of the ocean was soothing. He didn’t even want to listen to music while he ran, so he left his earphones in the car. Instead, he listened to the surf, the beat of his feet on the sand, the rhythm of his breathing. He ran and ran, farther and longer than he had in years, but still the fog wouldn’t clear from his mind. Maybe if he spent a little more time with Lily he’d be able to nudge her toward creating the new image his client had requested and help her heal from whatever that guy did to her at the same time. It could work.
He slowed and took a long breath of the fresh morning air then looked up to find the cottage above the sand dunes. Instead of making his way across the sand to the rickety old porch, he continued down the beach, knowing at this hour Lily was probably already out at her favorite spot.
With renewed determination and a plan, he managed to find the strength to run a little further. At the sight of Lily on the beach, he felt relieved. After his disappearing act, she probably wouldn’t want to see him, but out here she couldn’t hide from him. He trotted up to her, but she didn’t look up, her focus fixed on her sketching.
“Hey there.”
“Does it work on all the girls when you play games?” Lily asked.
Josh squatted in front of her. “I wasn’t playing games. I had business.” Her brow furrowed, and he instantly wanted to pull those words back into his mouth. “Uh, let me rephrase that. I had another account to deal with, but I could’ve called. I didn’t because I had the feeling you needed some time to think it over.”
Lily’s hand paused. “Better.”
“Allen says that I want to get you to do this job for us to save our company, but that I don’t want to hurt you either. He says I left so I didn’t have to face you while you were working on something that brought you pain.”
“What do you think?” Lily asked, her tone unreadable.
“I don’t know.” He saw her flinch and knew he was busted, again. How did she always know when he was lying?
She put her pencil down and looked up at him. “Yes, you do. Just like I know why I’m not sketching my normal life art with emotion even though I didn’t want to believe it.”
The sun rose higher in the sky, beating down on the back of his neck. “Why don’t we talk about it over coffee? A local showed me this great spot.”
She smiled. “Actually, I have a better idea. Where’d you park?”
“At the end of the peninsula.”
Lily tilted her head, her blonde hair falling over her cheeks. Highlighted by the morning rays, it looked even more golden. He brushed it back behind her shoulder. “You’re not lying?” she asked.
“Nope.”
“That’s like seven miles from here. You ran that far by sunrise?”
He offered his hand. “Yep, and I’m afraid now you won’t want to sit next to me while we drink coffee. I need a shower.”
Lily took his hand and stood up. He was rewarded with a whiff of lilies. “I tell you what,” she said. “Why don’t we walk back to the cottage and I’ll drive you to your car? You can go shower, I’ll finish up that blasted painting, and we’ll meet up this evening. We’ll talk about the project then.”
“Deal.” He shook her hand.
She gathered her art supplies and scooped them into her arms while he retrieved the blanket. He only hoped he was making the right choice. He couldn’t sacrifice his entire future and all the hard work he had put into building his company just because he liked a girl. What was he, sixteen?
They made their way back to her house, and by the time she dropped him at his car, they had worked out a time for Allen and Josh to be at their home to take them to Ray’s on the Bay.
“I’ll see you in a few hours,” Lily said as she pulled to a stop next to his car. “If you show.”
“I’ll show.” He offered her his most reassuring smile.
“Sure. We’ll see what you decide. Right now you’re still arguing with yourself.”
He stared at her for a moment then asked, “How do you do that?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know. I guess I tend to study faces so much I notice when someone is lying, or thinking about something.
“Have you always been able to do that?”
Lily’s mouth drooped into a sad frown. “No, someone taught me how. That same person also showed me that some people can hide their true intentions.”
In that moment, he wanted to find the man who had broken Lily and deck him. Maybe Allen was right. He really did like this girl, despite barely knowing her. But not enough to sacrifice his company. No way. Wouldn’t happen.
Chapter Nine
“Here, wear this.” Connie appeared at her side, holding the slinkiest dress she owned.
Lily stared at it, then at her sister, and returned to her sketch without saying a word. She gripped the pencil as if it were a life preserver.
Connie leaned over her shoulder to see the sketch she was working on. “That looks amazing. I think this Josh guy is good for you.”
With a sigh, Lily closed her sketchbook. “Why are you pulling dresses out of your closet and offering them to me?”
“Because we have a double date tonight, remember?”
Lily tucked her sketchbook neatly into the corner. “It’s not a date. It’s a business dinner. Now, put your slut away. I’ll go shower and get dressed.”
Connie huffed and followed Lily to her bedroom. “It’s not business. It’s fate.”
Lily eyed the three dresses laid out on her bed, then turned to her sister. “What are you babbling about?” She waved her hands in front of her face. “Forget it. I don’t want to know.”
“Oh, come on. You can’t deny it. We’re on this hidden little part of the Florida panhandle where even tourists don’t go, yet a handsome man and his partner show up here. They tracked you down from a drawing they’d found on eBay. Did you even ask how they managed to do that? How did they know it was yours? It had to take some effort to find you here.”
Ignoring the dresses on her bed, Lily grabbed a more conservative one from her closet and tossed it over the other three. “He probably had Allen make some calls or something.”
“Right, but how did he even know that drawing was yours to begin with? You didn’t sign it, did you? You threw it into the ocean without any information to connect it to you, yet it somehow found its way back. I’m telling you, it’s fate. He’s handsome, smart, sophisticated, kind. He doesn’t give up, even with your nasty attitude.”
“I don’t have an attitude.”
Connie rolled her eyes. “Peeelease. You so have an attitude. That man has been covered in sweat and sand, sunburned, the door slammed in his face, rejected repeatedly, and yet he still returns. I’m telling you he’s interested in more than just that drawing. If not, then why is he still here? Once you said you’d do it, he could’ve returned to New York.”
Without answering, Lily walked to the bathroom and shut the door, trying to gather her thoughts. Part of her was tired of being alone, but she didn’t want to risk another bad relationship where she wasn’t happy either.
“Listen, I know Steve was awful to you. The man manipulated you and turned you into a painting machine until he burned you out. That’s why I agreed to come here with you. To give you a chance to recover, but it’s been almost two years since you’ve sketched or painted anything that’s truly you. A Lily Holt original,” Connie said through the bathroom door.
Lily turned on the water, hoping to drown out Connie’s words and her own thoughts of Josh and the possibilities he offered. By the time Lily shampooed her hair, Connie had stopped shouting through the door about true love and fate. Why was she so convinced it was fate? Sure, there was the whole bottle thing, but that was hardly reason enough to consider forever with the man. He was good looking, and he regularly did charity work. Since he was in advertising, he was probably creative. While those things made him a catch, that didn’t necessarily mean he was right for her. Another part of her was thankful he wasn’t an artist. She’d had enough of competing and feeling inferior.
She emerged from the bathroom, dried her hair and put on a little make-up. Then she stood at her bed, eyeing the four dresses. The one she had pulled out of her closet she’d worn to a wedding. It was pretty, but ultraconservative and reminded her of marriage every time she looked at it. The remaining three were either strapless, or had plunging necklines. None were appropriate for a business dinner. She sighed and decided on a strapless dress. It had been so long since she dressed up and went out that fireflies were dancing in her belly.
Connie popped her head in the door. “Good choice.”
Lily collapsed on the edge of the bed. “Why are you doing this to me?”
“Because he’s a nice guy.”
“So was Stephon…in the beginning, anyway. He was considerate and attentive and loving. Somehow he made me feel like I was the only woman in the world he would ever look at.”
“That was his charm. It wasn’t real. Josh is real. And most of all, he’s here.” Two loud knocks at the front door sent the fireflies into a frenzy. Connie chuckled. “Literally here at the cottage. Wasn’t what I meant, but good timing.” She took off for the door, leaving Lily with her nerves.
Lily took two steadying breaths then walked out into the living room where Allen, Josh, and Connie waited. They all stopped chatting and looked at her as she entered and she felt like she was onstage and had forgotten her lines in front of a thousand people. She back-stepped toward the hallway, but Connie whistled and whooshed in.
“Wow! You look amazing. Nice dress.” She winked and tugged her toward the two men.
Josh stood there with his mouth open until Allen nudged him in the side and he cleared his throat. “You look beautiful,” he said in a hoarse whisper.
She felt her cheeks flush. It had been a long time since a man paid her a compliment. Josh looked amazing in his slacks and navy button-up shirt. His sunburn had softened into a nice tan. “You look handsome.”
“I was worried you’d think I was overdressed.” He winked.
Connie giggled and opened the front door. “If our reservations are in half an hour, we should get going.”
Josh placed his hand on the small of Lily’s back and the warmth of his touch sent tingles up her spine and down her arms. He was handsome, and gentle, and had never said a cross word to her, even when she had treated him so horribly.
The evening air was warm, but not stifling thanks to a fresh breeze rolling in off the ocean.
“You know, I’m learning to enjoy the sand. I hated it at first the way it’s always on your skin, but I do love the fresh air. It’s invigorating.” Josh opened the passenger side door while Allen attended to the back door for her sister. It was definitely a plus that they were both gentlemen. Maybe Connie was right, and he wasn’t just trying to make sure she did the art piece for him. Maybe he did like her.
They drove along the peninsula, cutting through several towns to the bay where numerous lights danced on the water and the moon shone down with promise. Josh opened her door and offered his arm as if they were walking into a high school dance. She had to admit the attention felt good. By the end of their relationship, Stephon’s idea of romance was to meet her at the front of the car, fondle her, and then offer to skip dinner and go home.
She let out a long breath, one that she hoped would help release some of the hatred and distrust that Stephon had poisoned her with. It was time to let it go, all of it. He was gone, but Josh was here. For the first time in a long time, she wanted to sketch people. “When we get back to the cottage, I’d like you to come inside.” She flushed, realizing what she’d said. “I mean, um, my sketch. I’ve been working on it. I want to show you what I have so far.”
He covered her hand with his. “I’d love to see it.” He opened the front door and they all entered the restaurant. The space had a romantic feel, with red tablecloths, candles and moonlight flooding in from the large windows overlooking the bay. The smell of fresh bread and the light yet manly fragrance of Josh’s cologne helped to settle her nerves.
“I have a question for you,” she asked as they waited for the hostess to ready their table. “How did you find me? I mean, I know Allen found the drawing on eBay, but how did you track me down from that?”
“You signed your initials at the bottom edge. I did some research and discovered a few artists with those initials and then found a copy of one of your paintings that you had initialed. I looked further into you and discovered you were once an artist in New York, so I asked around and tracked you down here.”
The hostess ushered them to the best table in the house, situated next to a large window that offered a view of the bay. As she passed out menus, the hostess told them it was a great spot to see dolphins play in the water. In that moment, she started to believe that Connie might be onto something. Maybe everything happened for a reason. Perhaps this was fate.
Allen pulled out Connie’s chair and she settled in across from Lily. “Who told you we were in Cape Hope?” Connie asked.
“A guy at Lily’s old gallery in New York,” Josh replied.
A sting of fear surged through her and all the sudden, nothing in the world smelled good or looked romantic. She fought against the panic, not wanting it to show on her face, but Connie must’ve noticed because she quickly put her hand over Lily’s.
Allen eyed them both and seemed to catch on quick. “Let’s order.”
Despite Allen’s attempt to change the subject, Lily swallowed her fear and lifted her chin. “What did he say?”
Josh lowered his menu. “I don’t recall exactly. Mostly I just pushed to find out where you were.”
Connie sighed. “Tell her the truth. Trust me, she needs to know. All of it.”
Josh’s gaze drifted between them and he hesitated, but Lily wouldn’t back down.
“Tell me.”
“He said I shouldn’t look for you because you were washed up, and that he’d found someone to replace you. Someone with real talent.”
Chapter Ten
Josh wanted to suck the words back in and never say them again. “Frankly, he was a jerk.” Josh ha
dn’t cared how talented the man claimed his new artist was. Five minutes after he met the guy Josh didn’t want anything to do with either of them.
“He’s a jerk that owns the most highly acclaimed gallery in New York City. He can make or break an artist,” Lily said.
Josh had a feeling from her tone that the gallery owner was the man who had broken Lily. The man who had smothered the depth and life he had seen in her artwork online and the drawing that had floated into his life.
“Are you ready to order?” the waiter asked as he stepped up to the table.
Lily planted on a fake smile. “Yes, I know I’m ready for some great food and conversation. I’ll have the shrimp bisque, please.” She nudged into Josh. “It’s to die for here.”
“I’ll have that to start, too, then.” He had a dying need to comfort her. To heck with business, his heart would crack if he didn’t. With a light touch, he placed his hand at the edge of his knee and shifted his pinky to graze her fingers. She instantly turned her hand over and slid her fingers between his. They didn’t look at each other or say anything. They just sat and listened to Allen and Connie order.
When the waiter left, Allen leaned in with his arm around Connie, but she wasn’t as difficult to get to know. Josh couldn’t remember the last time he wanted to connect with someone like this. Natalie had been the one who pursued him. When he thought about it, all his former girlfriends from middle school to now had pursued him. Lily was the first real challenge he’d ever faced outside of work. She was complex, beautiful, smart, and talented. Even with the pain her ex had caused her, she still maintained her pride and dignity. That spoke volumes about her.
“What’s your favorite movie?”
“What?”