14. Lily

14

LILY

L ily felt like she had been floating through the last week, her heart light with happiness.

She and Levi had been too busy for another date, but they sent each other funny text messages and saw each other every day as they passed baby Flora back and forth.

Flora seemed very happy to have both of them in her world. She stayed very occupied at the toy store, where Lily had even set up a second pack-and-play. Lily gave her a few toys each morning, and whatever Flora had been playing with always seemed to sell out by the end of the day. Her enthusiasm and dimpled smile made her an excellent saleswoman, even if she didn’t know it.

Levi would stop by with lunch for both of them, and they would eat at the counter or on the floor if there weren’t any customers. Sometimes, he took Flora back with him for the afternoon. Other days, she stayed with Lily until closing time.

Caring for the little one was a lot of work, and she suspected that Levi wasn’t getting near as much sleep as she was. But neither of them seemed to feel too worn down or resentful.

Lily suspected that it was because they both knew their time with Flora was finite. One day, Andrea would come back for her darling girl, and when that day came, they would be glad they had enjoyed every moment they had with the apple of their eyes.

Today was going to be especially fun. Every year, the town threw a Hometown Holiday celebration. The fire department sold trees in front of the library, next to the spot where the town Christmas tree would be lit after some carol singing and a few words from the mayor. And there were fun things happening all day long—vendors selling special holiday items and doing activities, horse-drawn carriage rides, and so much more.

Miraculously, there was snow on the ground again this year, which gave the whole scene the perfect holiday touch. And Levi had only one client he needed to see before the celebration, so Lily and Flora were waiting for him at his place.

Lily would be doing an activity outside her shop for a little while in the beginning of things. Levi planned to walk around with Flora until she was finished, and then the three of them would take in as many of the day’s activities as they could before baby Flora got tired and had to go home again.

While they waited for Levi, Lily had made a few trips from her car, carrying in some things with Flora on her hip, chatting up a storm. After she finished up with the little surprise project she had done for Levi, she had gotten herself and Flora ready. She’d just stepped back to admire her handiwork when she heard him at the door.

“Hey,” she called out. “We’re ready. You don’t even have to take off your boots.”

“Excellent,” he called back to her.

She pulled Flora’s little hat onto her head and opened the front door, slipping out and pulling it behind her quickly so he wouldn’t be able to see past her into the house.

“How was your day?” she asked him, feeling relieved that he hadn’t peeked inside. She wasn’t sure about what she had brought over for him, but she hoped it would give him a smile when he and Flora got home tonight.

“Today was productive,” he told her. “The paperwork for Jaden and his grandmother is ready now, and they discussed the property line confusion with the Dawsons next door and they’re all happy. Now it’s just a matter of meeting with the two of them to sign off.”

She sensed something was off.

“You don’t think they should do it?” she guessed.

“Off the record?” he asked her.

“Of course,” she said.

“Not as an attorney, but as a family friend,” he said. “I don’t know if Mrs. Tally should leave that house. She tends the gardens, knows the neighbors, goes to her library book club…”

“It’s keeping her healthy and happy,” Lily said, nodding.

“I know she’ll be fine in a residential place too,” Levi said. “And I know that house is a lot to maintain, and it’s got a lot of stairs. I just feel like maybe it’s too soon after losing her husband for her to make a big decision about something so important.”

Lily nodded, kissing the top of Flora’s head as she thought about the situation.

“You aren’t allowed to say anything?” she asked.

“I can say whatever I want, but I’ve learned the hard way that people don’t really want to hear it,” he told her. “And that’s fine. But it sure makes the job hard.”

Lily nodded.

She knew that Levi would do what was expected and professional. But she also knew he was a person of integrity. It was a sad idea that he had to help the widow do something she might regret.

“Well, she hasn’t signed yet,” Lily said. “Maybe there’s still time for a Christmas miracle.”

He smiled at that and held out his arms for Flora. She squealed and practically jumped out of Lily’s arms to get to him.

Lily laughed and then felt a lump in her throat when she saw the little one snuggle into Levi’s neck like she was telling him she had missed him so much.

Lily honestly felt the same way when she saw him every day. But their tiny chaperone prevented her from embracing him like that, and maybe that was for the best.

He had said he was fine with her not wanting to build a family the traditional way, but Lily thought it was good that he was having a little time to think on it before they got super serious. Getting to know each other more and spending time doing fun stuff with Flora was probably a perfect way to move forward at the right pace .

“So, Amanda is going to relieve you in an hour or so?” he asked as they got closer to the village.

The streets were blocked off for the event, and they were close enough now to see all the cars parked on the quiet residential blocks.

“Yes,” she told him. “I know the main action will happen right away. Everyone likes to visit the toy store at Christmastime. So, Amanda will help Stephanie at the register for an hour or so and then when things get quieter, she’ll come out and handle the rest of the card making.”

Lily knew children loved making cards for their grown-ups. And sacrificing some of her art supplies seemed like a small thing compared to how much joy it would spread.

“Amanda has changed since school,” Levi mused.

Lily had to laugh. He wasn’t wrong. Amanda Luckett had been a bit of a diva back then, more of a stereotypical movie cheerleader than Lily and the others had ever been.

But these days, Amanda quietly helped out behind the scenes and didn’t seek to be the center of attention anymore. Lily had plenty of theories about why. But mainly she was just glad they were still friends. Amanda had been the first of the girls at school to welcome Lily into the fold, even when she was still wearing her cousin’s castoff clothes. Diva or not, it had been big-hearted of her to call Lily over to her lunch table back then, and Lily would never forget it.

They arrived at the shop, and she reluctantly turned to say goodbye to Levi.

“I guess I’d better get to work,” she told him.

“Maybe we’ll keep you company for a little while,” he told her. “Anything I can help with?”

“You’ve got your hands full,” she said with a smile. “But you’re welcome to stay and hang out as long as you’d like.

Steph and Amanda hurried out, carrying the plastic folding table and Lily went inside for the tablecloth she had made for the event, and the bin of craft items she had prepared.

The set up was easy as pie, and within a few minutes, the first family stopped by to check it out. A mom with two little girls exclaimed over the pretty Christmas table.

“How much for them each to make a card?” the mother asked, grabbing her purse.

“It’s a free activity,” Lily said. “They’re very welcome to make cards.”

“Oh, wow,” the mom said.

Her girls got right to work, concentrating hard and doing a very nice job sharing markers and stickers.

“Can I duck in for a minute?” the mother whispered to Lily after a moment. “I can see you have some really nice stocking stuffers in there and they’re distracted enough that I could probably get what I need without them noticing.”

“Great idea,” Lily told her. “I’ll keep a sharp eye on them.”

The mom gave her a grateful smile and headed inside, where Lily could see Amanda immediately greeting her through the big window.

The next hour passed in a flash as parents, children, and grandparents arrived to enjoy the card-making station and do a little shopping.

The whole time Levi stayed by her side, chatting with people and letting them interact with Flora, who was doing her own entertaining with a big smile for every child who greeted her.

Before Lily knew it, things finally calmed down a bit, and Amanda came outside to relieve her.

“Are you sure?” Lily asked as Amanda shooed her off.

“Of course I’m sure,” Amanda replied. “Stephanie knows what she’s doing in there. You’ve trained her well. And I could make cards with kids in my sleep. Go have fun. You’ve earned it.”

“Thank you,” Lily told her happily.

Levi held out his hand, and she smiled as she took it. Even through their gloves, she could feel the warmth of him flowing into her.

Everyone in town will know we’re together, she thought to herself as they headed into the crowd.

Suddenly she felt a pang of trepidation. What if people thought it was ridiculous to see an educated man like Levi with a woman whose greatest ambition in life was to wear pink every day and own a toy store? Anyone who knew them in high school would laugh at the idea of a brilliant man like Levi wanting to be with Lily Hathaway.

“What’s up?” he asked, his voice so deep it practically reverberated in her chest as she looked up at him.

“I’m just thinking… we haven’t been out together like this,” she said, glancing at their hands.

“You don’t want to be seen with me?” he asked.

She looked up again, expecting to see a teasing expression on his face. Instead, for a second she thought she saw real concern in his eyes. But that didn’t make any sense.

“Forget it,” she said, laughing and shaking her head. “I’m being silly. Let’s go have fun.”

“If you’re sure,” he said.

“I’m very sure,” she said, catching sight of a table with hot chocolate.

“Excellent,” he told her. “Because I think the hot chocolate lady has cookies at her table, and I’m starving.”

Lily had to laugh at her ravenous boyfriend.

“I’ll take Flora,” she said. “So you can take advantage of the food. But maybe you can have some of Mrs. Ludd’s famous chicken and dumplings before you fill up on cookies?”

“Oh, I never fill up,” he joked, laughing as she pointed out Mrs. Ludd’s booth.

But he did hand Flora off and lead them to the chicken and dumpling soup after all. And when Mrs. Ludd looked back and forth between the two and then nodded her head thoughtfully with a little smile, Lily felt a little shiver of happiness go down her spine.

After they had a bite of something wholesome to eat, they had a wonderful day enjoying the other food offerings and catching up with friends. Levi took selfies and photos of Flora on her own throughout the day and sent them to Andrea. Lily smiled at the idea of Flora’s mom being cheered at the sight of her daughter having so much fun.

They ended the day a little early with a ride on the horse-drawn carriage. Tucked snugly into the narrow seat, with a blanket over their laps, they rode through town as evening came, Flora dozing on Levi’s shoulder.

“I don’t think she’s going to make it to the tree lighting,” he said.

“No, it’s better to get her home to sleep,” Lily said, feeling a little sad that their day was over.

“Little lady looks tired,” Joe Cassidy called back to them from the driver’s seat. “Want me to drop you at home?”

“That would be great,” Levi called up to him.

“Wow,” Lily said, looking around her beloved town as they headed down to Princeton Avenue where the garland-wrapped streetlamps with their candy cane decorations were coming on one by one as the sun set. “This is like something out of a storybook.”

When she glanced over at Levi, he was observing her thoughtfully.

“What?” she asked.

“You had fun today,” he said, but she could tell it was a question.

“It was a Top Ten day,” she said.

“A Top Ten day?” he echoed.

“One of the Top Ten of my life,” she told him. “And definitely the best Hometown Holiday Celebration ever.”

“It was a Top Ten day for me too,” he told her.

“Well, Flora and I left a little surprise for you at home,” she told him, feeling suddenly nervous. “If you don’t like it, I can take it back again tomorrow, but I hope you do.”

“Here you are, folks,” Joe called out before Levi could answer.

Levi hopped down and held out his hand for Lily. She felt like a princess as he helped her onto the sidewalk and said his goodbyes to Joe Cassidy.

“I guess I’d better get on home,” she said, as the carriage pulled away.

She was standing beside her car. All she had to do was get in.

But Levi hadn’t let go of her hand yet.

“You don’t want to show me my surprise?” he asked, his eyes on her lips.

It took all her resolve to shake her head and grab her keys out of her bag.

“Tell me tomorrow if you like it,” she said, jumping into her car and starting it up before she ran out of willpower and got back out to kiss him.

As she pulled away, she could see him standing on the sidewalk watching after her, Flora asleep on his chest.

He held my hand in town all day today, she thought to herself in wonder. And not one person seemed to have a second thought about the two of us being together.

Wonder filled her heart, and she let herself smile at the idea that she really was Levi Williams’s girl.