Love in a Small Town

by Betty Jo Schuler

  "My business partner was in the same graduating class. Remember Nick Noland?" He directed the question to Lily.

  "You're in business with Lily's old boyfriend?" Carla squealed.

  Lily leaned against the doorjamb, trying to absorb what was happening, and hoping she'd misunderstood.

  Rob smiled. "We worked for another establishment, previously. Now we're joining together to open our own place." He kept his gaze riveted to Lily's. "I understand you live next door."

  Lily, feeling as if someone had given her a sedative that wouldn't let her think clearly, nodded.

  "Wait a minute." Carla backed away and narrowed her gaze on him. "Are you looking for a residence or business location?"

  "Both. With a little muting of colors…" He tapped his toe on one of the rugs Lily had placed at the door and took a few steps to look into the living room. "And the removal of a few things." He picked up a flowered throw pillow. "This could be the future location of Robbins-Noland Funeral Home."

  Lily gasped. "Over my dead body."

  Robbins, without seeming to notice Carla's guffaw or Lily's flaming face, calmly added. "Nick and I would live upstairs."

  * * *

  Sam stopped pacing and forced himself to think. He'd driven to Richdale and come home to find Lily gone and no note. He'd left her a note about Carla and expected to find Lily here, waiting. Spotting Carla's business card on the table, he realized she'd come and gone. Lily's car wasn't in her driveway. Had she gone to see Jenny?

  Next thing Sam knew, he was headed for Country Care.

  Lily bought a dress for the reunion and he'd gone to be fitted for a tux and order a corsage. The reunion gala was next Saturday and she'd often expressed her excitement in typical Lily-fashion, making him want to do everything just right.

  He hadn't seen her dress and didn't know the color, so the florist suggested a white orchid as a safe choice. Safe didn't sound like Lily, and since she liked the sweet aroma of lilacs, he'd ordered gardenias for their cloying scent. He'd arranged to pick up the corsage and tuxedo Saturday afternoon and couldn't wait to surprise her that evening.

  Country Care was clean-smelling and neatly kept, and he let out his breath. Some of these places were depressing, but this one was pleasant. He'd visited an elderly professor in a home at Phoenix, and it had taken days to get over it.

  He asked the receptionist where to find Jenny Oates' room, and a smiling dark-skinned woman holding two little boys by the hand, spoke up. "I overheard and I was just headed for Jenny's room myself. I'll be glad to show you."

  The phone was ringing and the receptionist mouthed a thank you to the other woman. Sam thanked her aloud, and she introduced the two little boys who were tugging to get away now. "Stop," she said firmly, and without losing her smile.

  I'm Margaret," the woman said, "and these are my great-grandsons, Mark and Luke."

  One popped his right thumb in his mouth, the other his left, and looking up at Sam, both smiled around their thumbs.

  Kneeling, Sam was immediately caught up in their dark chocolate eyes. He tousled their thick curly hair, and looked from one to the other. "How do you tell them apart?"

  "I'm Mark." One boy touched a mole on his left temple.

  "I, Luke." The other child held out a chubby wrist to show Sam a wart.

  "Thanks, guys. I get it now."Sam said.

  Margaret chuckled. "We usually tell by the way we dress them. Mark's favorite color is yellow. Luke's is blue. It's quicker that way." Sam nodded, seeing they were dressed accordingly. "I'm Jenny's and Lily's friend. I hope I'm not speaking out of turn, but I'll bet you're Sam."

  He told her she was right and he'd hoped to find Lily there and have her introduce him to Jenny.

  "You just missed her, but do come say hello to Jenny."

  Sam reached for one of the boy's hands. "Carry me," he said, holding up both arms.

  "No. Me." The other one held his up.

  Margaret protested they were big boys and could walk, but Sam swung them both up into his arms. Luke laid his head on Sam's shoulder. Mark inspected his ear, poking a tiny finger into it and giggling. They smelled sweet and felt good. He'd never been around children and suddenly realized how much he'd missed.

  Lily's friend was a lively oldster, and Sam enjoyed his visit, perhaps all the more so because of Luke and Mark. The twins climbed on his shoulders, used his feet to play horsy, and clambered on and off his lap, giggling. Whenever he'd say something or give a pretend moan, they'd give him hugs and sloppy kisses. "Make you better," Mark would say.

  "Better," Luke would echo. "Better too."

  Jenny, oblivious to the antics going on around her, extolled Lily's qualities while Margaret sat in a chair and rolled her eyes over her unabashed efforts as matchmaker.

  "I might take you two home with me," Sam told the boys. Scampering over to Margaret, they leaned against her, thumbs popped in their mouths again.

  "They'd wear you out," she said, "but you'd have fun. Their mother works, and I give their sitter a break one afternoon a week. They're a handful, but I love having them. Don't I, boys?"

  Grinning, they raised their faces for kisses, and she gave them resounding smacks that made them giggle.

  "Tell Lily I approve of you," Jenny said, when Sam was ready to leave.

  He impulsively hugged her before sweeping the boys into his arms once more. After handing them back and shaking hands with Margaret at the door, he left Country Care, feeling warm inside.

  Mark and Luke were preschool age, not old enough yet for kindergarten. Lily wanted to start a preschool. Would that be better for them than a sitter?

  Lily still wasn't home, and Sam popped open a beer. Where had she gone when she left there? He was eager to see her. His day had been unusually satisfying.

  No wonder he'd wanted to teach kindergarten. Little kids were cute. For years, he'd been limited to associating with college students. It was refreshing to meet tiny tikes.

  The roar of Lily's custom pipes, or whatever they were, told him she was home. He still blushed when he thought about the mistake he'd made. She and he were well informed in different ways. She pulled into her drive, per usual, and he waited eagerly for her to cross the lawn. When she started his way, he let himself out the back door and met her at the edge of his yard.

  "Sam. You startled me." She held a hand to her breast.

  He drew her into his arms and kissed her until he could feel her heart beating beneath his. He'd wanted to tell her about his day, but holding her like this, talk lost its importance. He darted his tongue into her mouth, and she tangled hers with his. Knowing she shared his desire, he ran his hands down her back to cup her bottom, and she grasped his shoulders, pressing her body more tightly to hers.

  "Lily. I missed you."

  "Sam," she whispered huskily, and he leaned away to look into her exquisite face. He traced her cheekbones, glorying in the smoldering emerald of her eyes. He moaned, and lacing his fingers in her mane of flaming hair pulled her face close and crushed her lips with his. She'd never before responded so eagerly and her passion set him wild with desire.

  Suddenly, she planted her hands against his chest and pulled away. "It's only been a few hours since we saw one another. Why are you acting this way?"

  "It's been many hours and I…have strong feelings for you."

  She looked straight into his eyes. "Is desire the feeling you mean?"

  What was wrong with desire? If he wasn't mistaken, she'd been overtaken by it too. She trembled and chewed her lip, and he knew. She wants me to say the feeling is love. But once he admitted it aloud--what then?

  "You don't have to answer." Lily stepped around him and led the way into the house, speaking in a no-nonsense voice. "I went to see Jenny while Carla and her client were still here, then stopped to pick up a box of Lily's Own Oils for Radiance. Did you get home before Carla left?"

  He wanted to talk about his trip to prepare for the gala reunion and his visit to Country Care. He wante
d to tell her about Luke and Mark. He forced himself to answer Lily's question. "She left her card with a circle around her phone number, but I haven't called yet."

  "Don't you think you should? I assume you've decided to sell right away."

  He'd picked up the receiver but hearing Lily's icy tone, put it down again. "That's not the way it is. She called to say she had an eager buyer who was only in town for the day. I said he could look."

  "He did, and when I left, seemed interested. So you may be in luck." Lily tossed her head in a swirl of wild red waves.

  Nothing was going the way it should. "I don't want to sell yet."

  "What do you want?"

  He swallowed hard. "I don't know, any more. I used to know exactly, but since I came to Browning, everything's changed."

  Her gaze softened for a moment, and Sam knew she wanted him to say more. What changed? What do you feel for me? She wanted him to explain, but his tongue felt paralyzed.

  When he didn't speak, she tossed her head again and rushed on.

  "Then it's time you sorted things out. Carla has a buyer, I'd wager, and I'm not a betting woman. The clock is ticking and soon, you'll have to make a decision."

  Like the ticking of a clock, the word started to repeat itself in Sam's head. De-ci-sion. De-ci-sion. Lily was right, but that didn't make it any easier, and neither did the slam of the back door.

  * * *

  Lily curled up in a ball on her bed and willed herself not to think. She'd almost dozed off when she heard someone running up the stairs. She sat up, startled, as Sam entered the room, wild-eyed. "What's wrong?" Lily clutched her chest.

  "A teaching assistant in my department phoned to ask why I'm not there. Rybolt is making the appointment tomorrow."

  "I thought Elizabeth said—"

  "She did, and I don't know what's going on, but I called the airport and booked a red eye flight."

  "You're leaving—tonight?"

  "I have to, Lily. I've worked hard to get ahead."

  He sat down beside her on the bed, pulled her into his arms, and gave her a swift hard kiss. She stiffened in his arms."What about the reunion? What about the house? What about Country Care?"

  "If Rybolt makes the appointment tomorrow, I'll be able to fly back in time for the reunion. As for the house..." Sam turned away from her and his voice grew husky. "Tell Carla if the guy wants it and I get this job, I'll sign when I get back."

  Sam left the room, and Lily squeezed her eyes tightly shut, against the tears that threatened to fall. He didn't care who bought the house. He didn't care about her. Or Country Care and Jenny. He wanted that job more than anything. She sniffled and blinked. She would not cry over a man who was walking out of her life willingly.

  Darting back into her room, he said, "I may have a handle on the problem at the care center, but I want to investigate a little more before disclosing my findings."

  She lay back and covered her eyes, wishing this were all a bad dream.

  "You should give the talk, Lily. It's your goal to keep this town on the map and I can't think of a better subject for a class reunion speech. Fire up old schoolmates about a Community Building. This is your big chance."

  She kept her arm over her eyes. If she looked at him, she would start sobbing. "What about the impact your talk could make in getting organ donors and raising money to further your campaign? We promised Kris King to attendees. I'd sound like an infomercial. You must have a prepared speech you've used other places."

  "Yes, but I don't know if I can get back in time."

  She swallowed her pride and sat up. "You'll try?" She didn't want to let Nick see her attend solo. Now that he was moving to town, and next door at that. Most importantly, she didn't want to go to the reunion without Sam.

  He nodded. "But prepare a talk, Lily, just in case. I'm sorry. This isn't the way I planned things."

  She closed her eyes. "You didn't plan. You avoid decisions. You ignore your feelings."

  He didn't respond and when Lily heard the door slam, she knew…Sam was gone.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Lily didn't open the mayor's office the next day. After Sam left, she threw a pillow at the wall, gave in, and cried--hot, furious, heartbroken tears. Today, her eyes were swollen and she felt too numb to work.

  She called Oliver, asked him to take over, and she and Brandy moped together. "I should call Carla," she said, and the dog licked her hand. "We won't be going to Sam's any more, but we'll get used to it." He was gone, and she had to accept that and move on with her life.

  Carla called her. "What's happening?" she asked before Lily could say hello. "Sam didn't call. I phoned his house twice."

  "He went to Arizona and said he'll sign the papers when he returns." She didn't add if he gets the position. Rybolt would be a fool not to offer Sam the job he wanted so badly.

  "Neither of you even asked what he offered."

  "It's not up to me."

  "Robbins is leaving this morning, but he'll be back. Did you find someone to replace Kris King?"

  "Sam will do it if he gets back in time." Lily told Carla about his organ donation and drive.

  "That's dynamite. We could get the Richdale newspaper to cover the story, as well as the local paper. I'll bet I can even get the cable station from Richdale. I'm friends with a producer there."

  She sounded so excited, Lily told her the "key to the city" idea.

  "Outstanding coverage for the reunion and Browning," Carla said. "This will boost your Grow Browning campaign as well as getting organ donors."

  Sucking in her breath, Lily let it out with a whoosh. Sam could save Country Care and breathe new life into her campaign but would he? "If he doesn't get back—"

  "With all that's hanging in the balance, he has to. Isn't he supposed to be your date for the reunion?"

  "Yes, but an appointment at the college where he teaches seems to be tops on his list of priorities. Of course, I understand but--"

  "That doesn't make it any easier. I know what it's like," she said wistfully, and Lily wondered if that wistfulness had anything to do with Jack Ryan. "What if he doesn't make it back in time?" Carla asked, a touch of anxiety coloring her tone now. "Who's going to cover for him?"

  "Sam suggested I talk about my Save Browning campaign and the Community Building we need."

  Carla's silence was a little too long. "That's not as mind-blowing as Sam's donation, but it could work, in a pinch."

  "Thanks for the vote of confidence."

  "It's a good idea, and you can pull it off if you have to."

  Lily's shoulders sagged. With enthusiasm like that, who'd believe Carla used to be a cheerleader? "Unless you would like to give the keynote speech, I may not have a choice."

  "Stop sounding as if the end of the world is scheduled for midnight. Things will be okay. Everyone in Browning is buzzing you and Sam are in love. Not just you, Lily, but him too. It's easy to tell by the way he looks at you."

  Lily's hopes rose, a smidgen.

  "About the house, I'll tell Robbins, Sam was called away and he'll have to wait until he comes home."

  "Why do you keep saying Robbins? The other night, he was Rob."

  "I'm not quite as fond of him now I know—"

  "That he wants to make the Thornbury house into a funeral home, just when I'd changed its appearance from funereal to livable? Sam didn't care enough to ask."

  Carla chuckled. "He's under duress, but I'll bet he'll care when he finds out. Meanwhile, write the talk. I believe he'll show up, but write it, just in case."

  "I don't want to go alone. Nick will be there."

  Carla laughed into the phone and Lily wished she were close enough to smack. "Your funny bone is severely warped."

  "I'll explain later, but to make things easier for you, I'll break my date with Robbins and we'll go together."

  "If Sam shows up, you'll be alone."

  "Don't worry. I'd rather go alone than with Robby."

  Carla hung up before Lily rem
embered to tell her Jack was coming. Since something seemed to have gone wrong between the realtor and mortician, Lily hoped the surprise would be a pleasant one.

  * * *

  Sam reached his condo in time to take a hot shower to loosen his tight muscles. Rotating his shoulders in the steaming water, he tried to make sense of all that was going on in his life. Lily. He loved her but couldn't ask her to move to Tempe. Browning would wilt on the vine without her, or was it the other way around?

  He dressed quickly and made a cup of instant coffee. He hated the stuff but there wasn't time for anything else.

  At eight o'clock, he was on his way to the dean's office. Sam closed his eyes momentarily before walking into the administration building. He opened them to see--Elizabeth coming out. "What are—?"

  "I have nothing to say to you." She brushed past him.

  He hadn't noticed her car out front. He stood on the steps and watched her climb into a gray van. Rybolt's. She drove away.

  Striding past the receptionist without pause, Sam opened the dean's door and sat down. Taking little pleasure in watching him pale, flush, and take a gulp of coffee that burned his mouth, Sam waited while Rybolt spat, swore, and finally started talking.

  "Elizabeth asked last spring if she stood a chance at being appointed department chair at Tempe. I said her qualifications were good, but you had age and experience on her."

  Sam cringed, even though it was true.

  "I also reminded her, you have your doctorate." She dropped the matter, you came to see me, and we understood one another."

  Sam understood…she'd tried to get the job for herself…before suggesting he go after it.

  "Elizabeth came back after you left for Indiana and asked me to reconsider. She was ticked because you wouldn't go with her to Boston and admitted it. She said she could handle the job as well, and we'd be good working together."

  Rybolt played with a pen on his desk. "She's a smart, attractive woman and I'm a lonely man, so I suggested we have dinner. I knew you two were seeing one another but I thought she was breaking things off, until she asked me to drive her to your place. I did, so I could spend time with her. It was an enjoyable trip."