15

 

Lily looked up from the appointment book when Chloe flew into the salon on Monday afternoon, bringing with her the smell of sunshine and summer air. The teen waved a paper in front of her like a victory flag.

“I got a B-plus on my mid-term.”

“That’s fantastic.” Lily swelled with pride.

“Congratulations!” Maxi hopped up from her seat at the manicure station, leaving poor Mrs. Harris with her hand in mid-air.

“Thanks.” Chloe grinned. “If I do well on my final exam, I’ll end up with a B average. And it’s all thanks to you.” She bent to give Lily a fierce hug.

Lily waved aside her sister’s thanks. “You did all the work. I only helped a little.”

“We have to celebrate,” Maxi interrupted. “Maybe ice cream sundaes over at Ruby’s.”

Mrs. Harris’s loud clearing of her throat had Maxi rushing back to her client. “Sorry, Mrs. H.”

Chloe pulled two envelopes out of her backpack. “Speaking of celebrations, you’re both invited to my birthday party a week from Saturday.”

Maxi whooped. “A party. That’s just what we need around here.”

Mixed emotions swirled through Lily as she slid the invitation out of its envelope. The party would be held at Rainbow Falls Community Center, which meant a big crowd would attend. The thought of being scrutinized by so many of the townspeople dampened Lily’s enthusiasm at being included in Chloe’s milestone birthday.

“I hope you’ll come.”

Under Chloe’s expectant gaze, Lily smiled, swallowing her unease. “I wouldn’t miss it.”

“Nick will be there,” Chloe whispered with a wink.

Lily kept her expression neutral. “What about Sarah Jane?”

Chloe rolled her eyes. “Not if I can help it.”

Thank goodness. Lily had faced enough of the woman’s constant hostility. Still, she couldn’t imagine Sarah Jane letting Nick attend a party without her.

Later, as Lily packed up her desk, she fingered the invitation before stashing it in her purse. The fact that her sister wanted her at her birthday gave Lily a warm feeling inside. Their relationship was progressing far better than she’d ever hoped.

She glanced at the sunburst clock on the wall. Five minutes to closing. Peg, Maxi, and the other part-time stylist had all left. The shop sat in silence with only the ticking of the clock for company.

The front bell jangled a few seconds later, startling Lily out of her musings. She swiveled in her chair—ready to tell whoever it was they were closed—when Nick strolled through the door, a single white rose in his hand. Pure pleasure flooded her system like liquid gold.

“Hey, beautiful.”

“Nick. What are you doing here?”

He smiled and held out the bloom to her. “Just wanted to see your gorgeous face.”

Warmth bled into her cheeks, and she lifted the fragrant petals to her nose. The thought of their brief kiss in the church parking lot made her stomach quiver.

“There is another reason I came by.” He stuffed his hands deep in his pockets. “I have a favor to ask.”

“Oh?” Why did she get the feeling this was something big? Maybe because Nick seemed nervous, and Nick was never nervous.

“As part of my final course evaluation, I have to preach at the service this Sunday.” He paused, fixing her with a serious gaze as he leaned over the desk. “I was hoping you’d come—for good luck—and to give me your opinion.”

Was he serious? He wanted her to go to church? She opened her mouth to say no but couldn’t bring herself to destroy the hopeful look on his face.

“I know it will be hard, given the history with your father. But I think if you come, you’ll see not all ministers are the same.” His mouth lifted at the corner.

She wanted to say yes. If only her body didn’t quake with fear at the thought of walking into that church with Sarah Jane Miller and the rest of the congregation staring at her.

“Don’t answer right now. Just think about it and get back to me.”

She managed a smile. “I—I will.”

“In the meantime, can I buy you a soda?”

The phone rang, and she picked it up, giving herself a minute to regain her composure. She jotted down an appointment and then turned her attention back to Nick who’d wandered over to the window.

“I’m closing tonight,” she said. “Can you wait five minutes?”

She was playing with fire, no doubt about it, but she couldn’t resist spending more time with him.

His lazy grin made her heart beat double time. “I can wait.”

At precisely nine o’clock, Lily turned off all the lights, grabbed her purse, and locked the front door of the shop. They strolled down McIntyre Street until Nick stopped in front of Ruby’s Diner. “You’re going to love this. Ruby makes incredible ice cream sodas.” He held the door open and ushered her inside.

The interior reminded Lily of a true fifties-style diner with red vinyl booths and a chrome counter flanked with round stools. An old-fashioned jukebox sat in the far corner cranking out Patsy Cline’s “Crazy.”

Nick nodded to a couple of guys at the counter as he led her to a quiet booth at the back. After a waitress had taken their order, Lily sat back against the cushioned seat, feeling suddenly like she was on a real date with Nick—a feeling both thrilling and terrifying.

“How’s your aunt doing?” she asked in an attempt to remain casual.

A frown marred his brow. “About the same.”

“Do you think she’s up to Chloe’s big party?” Lily unfolded a paper napkin onto her lap.

“Not really. I tried to talk her out of it, but her mind is made up.”

“Maybe Maxi and I can help.” Where had that come from?

Nick gave her an approving smile. “I’d appreciate that. Thank you. The ladies from the church are providing the food, but maybe you could help with the decorations.”

“I’ll talk to Maxi, and we’ll call your Aunt Sonia tomorrow.”

Uncertainty crept into his eyes.

“Don’t worry. I won’t say anything about Chloe being my sister.”

He let out a relieved sigh. “Thank you.”

The waitress arrived with their chocolate sodas. While Lily enjoyed the frosty treat, she took the opportunity to change the subject. “Where would the nearest hospital be?”

Nick blinked. “Memorial Hospital in Kingsville. About thirty miles from here.” An expression of concern crossed his face. “Is Doc sending you for tests?”

“No. Nothing like that.”

He frowned. “Then what’s this about?”

She swirled her straw through the chocolate liquid. “I talked to Doc about the Strickland murders.”

One of Nick’s golden eyebrows shot up in surprise. “What did he say?”

“He was called to the house that night.” She took a spoonful of chocolate into her mouth, relishing the cool burst of flavor.

“Did he tell you anything new?”

“Not really. But he did confirm that the older daughter, Addie, died in the hospital several weeks later.”

“That makes no sense.” Nick set his glass down with a thump. “Wait, who’s Addie?”

She shrugged. “My middle name is Adelaide.”

His slow smile made her senses spin like the swirls of chocolate in her glass. “Pretty, but I prefer Lily.” He sobered. “Still, the fact remains that you didn’t die.”

“Someone from the hospital must have told him I did. That’s why I need to go there and see what I can find out.” She looked at Nick as she took another sip through the straw.

“I hate to disappoint you, but I doubt they’ll tell you anything.”

“Why not? They’re my medical records.”

He held her gaze. “If they even have records back that far, I’m pretty sure there are rules about who can access them. You’d likely need photo ID matching your records.”

She stilled. Photo ID was out of the question. Her driver’s license still bore her adopted name, before she’d taken her mother’s surname when she moved to Bismarck. And she had nothing with the name Strickland, except her birth certificate. Lily slumped back against the seat, fighting a surge of disappointment. Those records would tell her if she’d been actually declared dead by the hospital or if she’d been released.

Nick reached a hand across the table to squeeze her fingers. “What if we get Doc on board? He has privileges at Kingsville.”

“What makes you think he’d help me?”

“If we both talk to him, I think we can convince him.”

Lily ignored the tickle of fear in her belly at the thought of telling Doc who she really was. But what choice did she have? “OK, if you’re sure we can trust him.”

Nick nodded. “I’m sure. I’ll call him tomorrow.”

When they’d finished their drinks, Nick paid the bill, and they started home. Lily loved being able to walk most places in town, especially now that the weather was so nice. She glanced up at the dark night sky, noting the cascade of stars out in full force.

“Look, you can see the Milky Way.” Nick pointed with one hand and draped the other around her shoulder.

She tried to concentrate on his words, despite the delicious warmth of his nearness. A star streaked across the night sky, and Lily gave a cry of delight. “I’ve never seen a shooting star before. Aren’t you supposed to make a wish or something?”

“I think you’re supposed to do this.” Nick put a finger under her chin and pulled her close for a kiss.

She forgot all about the stars as she melted into his embrace. For once, she didn’t fight him. Instead, she enjoyed the sensations washing over her. The tingle of every nerve. The way her senses all came to life and magnified.

When they finally drew apart, Nick tucked her hand in his, and they continued on to Lily’s house. She glided on feet that barely touched the ground. For the first time in her life, she felt cared for and protected by a man. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to relish this feeling for as long as it lasted, without over-thinking the situation.

They climbed the steps to her front porch, and Nick waited while she unlocked the door.

“So you’ll let me know about coming to church on Sunday?” He looked like a little boy asking for a puppy.

She took a deep breath and then a leap of faith. “I’ll come.” Her insides quaked as she said the words, but his lightning smile beamed her reward.

“You will?”

She nodded. “It’s the least I can do after all you’ve done for me.”

He took her hand in his warm one. “Thank you. This means a lot to me.”

Despite her trepidation, a warm glow spread through her body. It had been a long time since anyone had looked at her with such approval, and it felt good. Really good. She smiled back, wishing the moment could last forever.

When his gaze settled on her lips, her breath caught in her throat. “Aren’t you going to kiss me good night?” she whispered.

A slow grin stretched across his face. “As you wish, m’lady.”

Her pulse jumped in anticipation. He took his time, first raising a hand to smooth the hair off her cheek. His touch sent shivers all through her. Under the glow of the porch lamp, his eyes appeared dark and mysterious. Her own eyes fluttered closed as his lips met hers. Unlike the earlier sweet kiss, the intensity of this one made the blood sing in her veins. Nick cupped her face with both hands as though she were a precious gift. For once, she pushed fear aside and kissed him back with all the emotion bottled inside her. When they finally parted, he looked as dazed as she felt.

“See you on Sunday,” she said. “Unless we can see Doc Anderson before then.”

He blinked twice. “OK. See you then.”

Still smiling, Lily moved across the porch to open the front door and then turned to catch one last glimpse of Nick on the sidewalk. He’d waited to make sure she got inside safely, a chivalrous gesture that warmed her from the inside out. She stepped into the foyer and watched through the screen door until Nick was out of sight. She was about to close the door, when the loud squeal of tires caught her attention. A dark sedan roared away from the curb across the street, leaving a trail of dust in its wake. Lily caught a glimpse of the driver who looked a lot like Sarah Jane.

A chill chased goose bumps down Lily’s arms. Just how far would that girl take her obsession with Nick?

Lily hoped she’d never have to find out.