Читать книгу Hometown Valentine - Lissa Manley - Страница 11
ОглавлениеBlake rang the doorbell of Molly and Grant Roderick’s house, holding Peyton’s baby carrier in his right hand. It felt odd to be arriving at a social function when his focus for the past month had been on the store and Peyton and nothing else remotely resembling any kind of life. But he needed some kind of social interaction, some kind of break, or he’d lose it. Though he was only acquainted with Grant and Molly as customers at The Cabana, and the one time Blake had come to a singles’ group function had been about a year ago, he was still grateful to them for including him.
The door opened and Grant stood there. “Hey, Blake. Glad you could make it.” With a welcoming smile, he moved back and gestured Blake in.
“Thanks.” Blake stepped through the threshold into an oak-trimmed entryway and set the carrier on the floor. “I appreciate you letting me bring the baby.”
Grant bent down and looked at a bundled-up, sleeping Peyton, smiling. “No problem at all. We all love babies. And it’s good for you to have a break from your killer schedule.”
Blake unbuttoned his coat. “Yeah, it’s been a little rough.” Peyton had slept a little better last night, but had still woken up fussing three times. And Mrs. Jones was still sick, so he’d had to juggle Peyton and the store again today. He really hoped Mrs. Jones was able to work tomorrow; another day doing double duty wouldn’t be good, even though the kid he’d hired as a barista, Jonah, was doing well. Blake was already behind in never-ending paperwork and the general administrative tasks inherent in owning a business. “Thanks.” He took his coat off and put it in Grant’s outstretched hand.
“I know I’ve said it before, but I’m so sorry about Anna.” Grant opened a nearby closet and hung up Blake’s coat.
A lump formed in Blake’s chest. “Thanks.” If he said more, he’d probably break down, so he left it at that.
“Everybody’s in the kitchen, so right this way,” Grant said, gesturing behind himself.
Blake picked up Peyton and followed Grant through a good-size living room tastefully decorated with brown leather couches, a colorful area rug, a large-screen TV and two dog beds sitting side by side. Voices floated to him from the kitchen.
When he stepped into the room, several heads turned. He recognized Molly, and a few other people who’d been into the store, though he didn’t know their names.
Molly stepped forward from the family room adjoining the kitchen, drawing his attention. “Blake! It’s good to see you.”
“Thanks for having me.” He saw the snack spread on the table and mentally slapped his head. “Oh, I guess I should have brought something.”
She waved a hand. “No worries.” Her gaze went to Peyton. “You have this little angel to take care of.” Molly bent over. “She’s adorable.”
“Thanks.” Thankfully, Peyton slept on, even with the conversation in the room. Figured that now she would sleep. “Still. I should have realized it was a potluck.” Where was his brain lately? Lost in the haze of sleep deprivation and overwork, probably.
“Do you want to bring her with you while I introduce you around?” Molly asked.
“You want me to take her?” a familiar female voice asked from behind him.
He turned, and there stood Lily Rogers, a lovely smile on her face. “Hey!” he said, surprised to see her here. She wore a blue-and-white-striped top and had her hair up on top of her head, showing off her slender neck. Wow. She was even prettier than he remembered.
“Hey back,” she said, her eyes catching on his for just a moment before shifting to focus on Peyton. “How’s my girl Peyton these days?”
“Quieter,” he replied drily. “At least for now.”
“Oh, good.”
“I understand you and Lily met yesterday,” Molly said.
“Yes, she came in to apply for a job,” he said.
“How’s the new guy working out?” Lily asked.
“He’s fine,” Blake said. “Fortunately he had barista experience, so I haven’t had to do too much training.”
“I’ll have to come in and hit him with some random, weird order,” Lily said. “Put him through his paces.”
“Go for it,” Blake replied, liking the levity she brought to the conversation, even though she was discussing a job she hadn’t gotten.
Lily held her hand out. “Why don’t I take her into the living room, where it’s quiet, while you relax for a bit.”
“You sure you don’t mind?” He didn’t come here to foist Peyton off on someone else; he knew where his responsibilities lay.
“Of course not,” Lily replied, shooing him away. “Go meet everyone.”
“You’ll let me know if you need me?”
“I can handle her if she fusses,” Lily said with a crooked smile.
The teasing glint in Lily’s eyes made his heart bounce. “Yes, I guess you can.” Smiling back, he handed her the carrier. “Here you go.”
She hoisted it into the crook of her arm and headed into the living room. He couldn’t help but notice the curls at her nape as she walked away.
Grant came up and handed him a glass of what looked like lemonade. “You know Lily?”
“She came in yesterday to apply for the barista job.” Blake took a sip of his drink. Tart, but good. “I had to tell her it was already filled.”
“She seems to like Peyton,” Molly observed.
“She helped out yesterday when it got busy and Peyton was having a fit.” He smiled. “She’s a genuine baby whisperer.”
“She’s also a very good clothing designer.” Grant looked at Molly. “Didn’t you tell me she wants to go to LA and audition for some fashion reality show?”
“Yes, Project Fashion,” Molly said. “She’s very talented. She designs and makes most of her own clothes.”
Surprise and unexpected disappointment washed through Blake. “She didn’t mention any of this yesterday.”
“Going to the audition has been in the works for a while.”
“I got the impression she helped with her brothers and sisters a lot.” Her commitment to her family had impressed Blake yesterday.
“Yes, her dad died when she was in her early teens and Lily has helped her mom with her siblings since then.” Molly put her arm around Grant’s waist. “She’s put off her own dream for her family. She lost her job at a local clothing store last week, so she really needs one.” Molly waved at someone who’d just stepped into the kitchen. “She helps her mom out with bills and stuff, so it’s taken her a long time to save the money she needs to go to LA.”
More admiration spread through Blake. “I wish I could have hired her, then. Even temporarily.”
“Hopefully she’ll find something else soon,” Molly said.
“Sounds like she’s pretty set on the reality show,” Blake replied, still feeling inexplicably disappointed Lily would eventually be leaving town.
“Oh, she is,” Molly said, nodding. “I think she could win, too, if she just had the chance. Either way she plans on staying in LA for the foreseeable future.”
Blake suddenly heard Peyton crying. “Excuse me,” he said. “Peyton calls.”
He headed into the living room, and there sat Lily, holding a screeching Peyton. “Hey, there,” he said, rushing over. “What’s up?”
Lily stood, pulling Peyton close so her head was touching Lily’s cheek. “She just started in.” Her face froze. “Oh, wow. I think she has a fever.”
With concern bubbling through him, Blake laid a hand on Peyton’s forehead. Though he was no nurse, even he could tell she was way too hot to the touch. “I think you’re right.”
“Poor baby,” Lily said.
He leaned in to look at Peyton’s flushed face, trying to ignore how close he was to Lily. “She’s never been sick before,” he said as more worry chomped away at him.
“All babies eventually get sick.” Lily pulled away slightly and then started in with the swing, swing, swing thing she did so well. She gave him a look tinged in sympathy. “Not that that makes it any easier.”
Peyton quieted just a bit.
“I have no idea what to do with a sick kid,” he said, swiping a hand through his hair. He was so out of his element trying to take care of Peyton.
“Infant fever reducer would be a start.”
“Do I just get that at the grocery store?” This fatherhood thing was complicated.
“Yep,” Lily said. “It’s in the pain reliever section.”
He scratched his cheek. “How do I give her a pill?”
“It’s a liquid you can put in her formula, or squeeze in her mouth with a dropper.”
“Oh, okay.” There was so much to learn. He stood for a moment, his shoulders sagging. He was just barely keeping his head above water; how was he going to handle the store and a sick baby? He prayed Mrs. Jones would be back at work tomorrow. If not...was it possible Lily could help him out? She did need a job. Hopefully he wouldn’t have to ask, but he filed the idea away, just in case.
“I know it’s scary to have her be sick, but since she’s too young to be teething, it’s probably just a virus that will go away in a few days.”
He let out a heavy breath. “I hope so.”
Peyton started wailing again.
Molly came into the room, her brow creased. “Is everything okay?”
“Peyton has a fever,” he said. “I should go.” He rubbed Peyton’s overly warm head. “I don’t want to spread germs around.”
“Once you get the medicine in, she’ll feel a lot better,” Lily said. “She’ll probably conk out as soon as you get home.”
“I hope so,” he said. Just the thought of another sleepless night filled him with dread. Of course, he’d do whatever she needed. But the strain of no sleep and another long day tomorrow made him feel as if he wore a cement coat.
As Lily tried to put Peyton back in the carrier, the baby arched her back and screamed, making it difficult for Lily to get the straps over her head.
More worry scraped across Blake’s nerves.
“I know, sweetie,” Lily soothed as she got the Y strap over Peyton’s head and snapped it in. “Daddy needs to get you home.”
“I’m so sorry you have to leave,” Molly said, handing Lily Peyton’s blanket. “You’ll have to come to next month’s get-together.”
He just nodded. Though he’d given the gathering tonight a try, at this point, with so many things pulling on him, socializing had fallen to last on his list. Maybe he’d feel like going out...in a million years or so. Or maybe when Peyton turned eighteen. Provided she was still with him then. Permanent custody still hadn’t been determined yet.
Lily tucked the blanket around Peyton and stepped back. “There you go. Nice and cozy.”
Blake picked up the carrier. “Thanks for all your help,” he said to Lily before looking at Molly. “And thank you for having me. Say goodbye to Grant for me, would you?” Blake started moving toward the door.
“Of course,” Molly said. She hurried ahead of him and opened the door. “Bye. Take care of that little girl.”
“I will.” Feeling the weight of responsibility bearing down on him, he went outside, down the cement stairs and headed to his car. He swung the carrier and Peyton’s crying went down a notch. Maybe she’d follow tradition and fall asleep in the car. But then she might not sleep tonight, and that meant he wouldn’t sleep, and tomorrow would be a bigger challenge than usual. The cycle went on and on.
Now he knew why God intended for kids to have two parents—to split the duties. What he would give for someone to help him out. But he was alone as a parent, with no one else to depend on. Though many people managed in his plight, he wasn’t sure he could do this by himself.
All of a sudden his stomach hollowed out and a feeling of hopelessness washed over him. He put the baby carrier down and leaned a hand on the window of the car and bowed his head for a moment.
Lord, how in the world am I going to cope with everything? Please, give me the strength to do so.
“Blake!”
He straightened and turned. Lily was heading out the door toward his car. Just the sight of her eased something inside of him, made him feel somehow less alone. Odd, since he barely knew her. He frowned slightly. He must be punchy from lack of sleep.
He unlocked the car and waited for her.
“You forgot your coat.” She held it out.
“Oh, thanks.” He took the coat from her. “Well, tonight was a bust.” He lifted the baby seat into the car.
“Not entirely.” Lily leaned in and stroked Peyton’s cheek. “I got to see this little lady.”
“And me,” he joked. Oh, man, where had that come from?
Lily pulled her chin in, blinking. “Um...yeah, that, too.”
“Ignore me,” he said, shaking his head in bemusement. “I was just teasing.”
“I know,” she said, shoving her hands in her pants pockets. “And...it was good to see you.”
“It was?”
“Well, sure. You need to get out.”
Oh, that was what she meant. “Yeah, but I don’t see that happening much for a while. I’ve got my hands pretty full.”
“I know. Let me know if I can help.”
He nodded. Hopefully it wouldn’t come to that. He was probably worrying for nothing.
“Okay, then.” Lily turned to the house.
Peyton let out a squawk and then started wailing again.
Lily spun back around. “Try not to worry too much,” she said. “Kids get sick and they get better.”
“I’ll try,” he said, closing the car door.
“And in case you didn’t know, The Market Pantry on the far south end of Main Street is open late.”
“Thank you,” he said.
She waved and then went up the stairs and disappeared inside.
Blake got in the car, and then started it. As soon as the engine turned over, Peyton’s crying ramped up. He gripped the steering wheel, feeling overwhelmed, drained and more alone than ever.
A break. He needed a break. And maybe a fill-in babysitter. Again, Lily came to mind. Was she the answer to his prayers?
With that question hovering in his mind and exhaustion hovering at the edges of his brain, he pulled out into the street and headed in the direction of The Market Pantry to get Peyton’s medicine.
It was going to be another sleepless night in a long line of many.
* * *
Lily hurried back into the house, and as soon as the door closed behind her, Molly stepped into the living room.
“You get him all situated?” she asked, her eyebrows lifted slightly.
“He forgot his coat,” Lily said breezily.
“You seemed awfully anxious to say another goodbye to him.” Molly smirked. “Grant said you almost ripped the coat out of his hands to take it out yourself.”
Maybe Lily had been a little grabby, though she’d tried not to be. But she wasn’t admitting it to Molly. Molly would latch on to that tidbit and take it to a place Lily wasn’t going. “There was no ripping involved.”
“He’s very handsome,” Molly said, coming at Lily from another angle. She was clearly fishing.
“You think?” Lily asked, looking as if she hadn’t considered Blake’s gorgeousness at all.
“What? You don’t find him attractive?”
Lily paused. “I didn’t say that,” Lily said, stopping short of lying.
“So you do find him attractive!” Molly said triumphantly.
“No harm in that,” Lily said, rationalizing both to herself and Molly. “Don’t get your hopes up.” Molly had met and married Grant over a year ago, and since she’d found true love, she wanted the same for Lily. Desperately. And while Lily was happy for Molly, happy-ever-after wasn’t on Lily’s radar right now. Winning Project Fashion was.
“But you did notice him.”
“I’d have to be dead not to notice him.” Lily was nothing if not pragmatic.
“Okay. You’ve really noticed him.” Molly cast Lily a brightly inquisitive look. “So...what did you think?”
Lily sighed. Molly wasn’t going to let up. And truth be told, Lily could use a shoulder. Maybe she should just spill and move on. “Well, I’ve actually been thinking about him a lot since we met.” As in all night long.
Molly moved in closer. “Really?”
“Yeah, and I have to say, it has me worried.” Lily nibbled on her bottom lip.
“You’re not interested in a romance,” Molly said. She and Lily had talked at length about Lily’s goals, and her desire not to be tied down with any kind of commitment so she would be free to go after Project Fashion. “And I get it.” Molly sank down onto the couch. “I didn’t want to fall for Grant, either. But sometimes we don’t have a choice in matters of the heart.”
“I choose and my heart listens,” Lily replied, lifting her chin. Or, that was the goal, at least. Think it, live it. Right.
“So why are you worried?” Trust Molly not to pull any punches. “Just move on with your plans and don’t give Blake a second thought.”
Lily opened her mouth to give Molly a retort, but quickly closed it. Lily stayed silent for a moment, then decided she needed to unload more or she’d go crazy. “Something about him draws me in.”
“Aha. Now we’re getting somewhere.”
Yes, maybe they were getting somewhere. Lily warmed to the subject. Maybe hashing it out would bring some clarity to the situation. And help her grow some semblance of a backbone. “Sure, he’s gorgeous.”
“Very.”
“But there’s also something else about him. A...vulnerability, maybe, that really calls to me.” Whatever it was, she was having a hard time pinning it down. She gnashed her teeth.
“Well, he has been through a lot lately.”
“I know. And he’s got this delightful baby to take care of, and he’s completely clueless about that, and he has this business to run.” Lily shook her head. “I don’t know, I just find myself thinking about him a lot and I don’t want to be distracted by him.”
“You don’t want any roadblocks.”
“Right. I’m on the cusp of moving forward with something I’ve waited a long time for. I can’t just set all that aside, you know.” Lily sat down next to Molly. “I’m too close to get sidetracked now.” A thought occurred to Lily. “But...being attracted to someone isn’t the be-all and end-all.” She warmed to her thoughts. “In fact, people are attracted to other people all the time, and it means nothing, goes nowhere, right?”
Molly looked at Lily sideways. “Um...yes...”
“So rather than deny the truth, I’m just going to accept it, voice it and that will be that.” Lily straightened her shoulders. “I’m attracted to Blake Stonely and I’m not going to let it bother me. I’m just going to get on with my life, business as usual.” She waited, half expecting a lightning bolt to strike her down from above.
But nothing happened. She sighed inwardly as relief spread through her.
“Feel better?” Molly asked.
“Yes, actually, I do. I’ve acknowledged my attraction to Blake out loud.” Lily stood. “Now I can forget about him.”
“You think it will be that easy?” Molly asked, her voice coated in skepticism. “I thought I could just ignore my feelings for Grant, too, and we both know how that turned out.”
With an engagement. And then a wedding. Their very own happy ending.
Lily scrambled for a foothold to support her argument. “It’ll be fine. I don’t have any reason to see Blake again. I’ll just putter along in my lane and soon enough I’ll be on my way to LA to win Project Fashion.” And her heart would stay just how she chose.
“So you think out of sight, out of mind?”
“Exactly.”
Molly gave her a look rife with doubt. “Let me know how that works for you.”
Lily shrugged off Molly’s disbelief. “It’ll be fine. I’m busy, or will be when I get a job, and he’s busy, too. Pretty soon he’ll be nothing but a memory in my rearview mirror.”
She was back on track. Yes. She felt better. Strong. Safe. Resolute. Perfect!
Free from worry about her fascination with Blake, she changed the subject. “Hey, do you still want me to help you plan the Valentine’s Day dance?” The singles’ group held a dance every year in honor of the most romantic day of the year. Lily went for the dancing, her second most favorite thing after designing clothes.
“Yes, definitely,” Molly said. “I was thinking of an ’80s theme this year.”
“Oooh, great idea. Nothing like a good hair-band song to get this girl on the floor.”
Molly grinned. “I thought you’d like that.”
An idea occurred to Lily. “I can go through my dad’s album collection for the music.”
“And I’ll have Grant transfer the tunes into digital format.”
“He won’t mind?”
“He’s a techno geek. He’ll love it.” Grant, a former programmer, owned a computer repair/software development company, which he ran from a Main Street storefront right next door to Molly’s store, Bow Wow Boutique, a designer pet store.
“Good point,” Lily said. “I’ll go through the albums soon, and then get them to him in the next week or so.” Valentine’s Day was still a few weeks away.
“I’ll let him know,” Molly said. “We should also make a trip to Party Depot in Pacific City for supplies.” Moonlight Cove lacked any kind of party supply store.
“Just let me know when you want to go,” Lily said.
“Will do.”
They rejoined the group in the family room and Lily relaxed and enjoyed the activities Grant and Molly had planned, as well as the cookies-and-cream cupcakes Grant’s aunt Rose Kincaid had baked for the event. Lily realized how much she’d needed a bit of socializing after the stress of her fruitless job search, and she was glad she’d decided to attend the event.
An hour after her conversation with Molly, Lily said her goodbyes, left and headed home, brainstorming job possibilities as she navigated the rain-slicked streets to the other side of town. She’d heard that a restaurant in the next town up the coast was hiring, and that perhaps the local dentist needed a receptionist while the regular gal went on maternity leave. Two leads to follow up on in the morning. One way or another, she had to find a job as soon as possible.
Just as she pulled into the driveway, her cell phone trilled. She pulled it from her coat pocket and checked the caller ID.
Blake Stonely. Lily’s heart did a little blip. Why was he calling? Her finger hovered over Answer, but she didn’t press it. She needed to gather herself before she talked to him. She didn’t know why, exactly. She was feeling her way here, and right now, she needed to deal with Blake via voice mail rather than by talking directly to him. Call her weak.
Eventually the ringing stopped. After about thirty seconds, a different sound came from her phone signaling she had a voice mail. With a quivery touch she punched the buttons to listen to the message, then held the phone up to her ear.
“Hey, Lily, it’s Blake Stonely.” A pause. “Listen, I hate to impose, but my sitter called and she has a bad case of pneumonia and she’s going to be out indefinitely.” A sigh came through. “Worse yet, Peyton is still running a fever, so I can’t take her to the store tomorrow. I hate to do this, but I was wondering if I could take you up on your offer to help out for a while, until my sitter is back on her feet. I’d pay you, of course.” He cleared his throat. “So, um, call me as soon as you can. Thanks.”
Lily clicked End Call and stared out the front window, her phone clutched in her hand. What was she going to do? Helping Blake wouldn’t exactly be out of sight, out of mind. In fact, coming to his rescue was the exact opposite of what she’d mapped out.
She let out a shaky breath, feeling torn. He was in a bind. She needed the money, and working for him for a bit would ease the job hunting pressure for a while. Would it really be smart to refuse a paying job?
Probably not.
Lily tapped a finger on her knee. Helping Blake was the right thing to do all around. She couldn’t turn him down. She didn’t have the heart to say no when he desperately needed her help, even though doing so felt like a distinct threat to her at the moment.
Bubbles of anxiety churned around inside of her like a rough ocean, setting her nerves on a jagged edge. She’d definitely have to find a way to work for Blake while keeping him at a safe distance.
She’d worked too hard, dreamed of being on Project Fashion for too long, to let anything derail her dreams now.
