Lily’s eyes sparkled at my offer, and I wished I could capture the excitement in her eyes. “I’d really like that. I’d love to see where you go and how you spend your free time.”
I set my wine glass down, cocking my brow. “Really?”
She shrugged one shoulder, her voice teasing as she said, “I guess it wouldn’t be theworstthing in the world. Plus, then you’d show me all the best spots and the best food. Consider it a favor for bringing you to the best restaurant in Golden Falls.”
“Ah, yes, such a favor to be brought to a restaurant by someone who tried to burn the place down.” My voice was lighthearted, and I was glad Lily picked up on it, because she tipped her head back with a laugh.
“Oh, stop it!” She gently bumped my leg with her foot underneath the table. “We both know it was an accident. If I’m going down, so are you as my accomplice.”
I narrowed my eyes. “That’s how it’s going to be?”
“Maybe. We’ll see if it gets to that point.” She innocently took a sip of wine, fluttering her black lashes at me. Once she set the glass down, Lily’s tongue darted out to catch a drop of wine from her bottom lip. If she noticed me staring, she didn’t say anything. “I’d also like to visit a few cafés in the city. See how other people run their businesses and chat with them about how they’ve expanded and all that. When Eliza was down in Madison for college, I had a chance to do that before I even started and found it to be helpful. I’d…well, I’d like to open a second location of Purrfect Blend one day.” Lily’s gaze dropped down, and I hated how soft and small her voice got. “It’s silly.”
My brows furrowed, and I quickly shook my head. “No, it’s not silly. Tell me more about it. What are you thinking?”
From working with Lily, I’d picked up on her passion for her business and entrepreneurship right away. She was good at it, too—she had a balance of trusting her instincts but also doing research and being prepared for that next step. She also seemedscared and nervous, though, which was understandable. But she already took the biggest step there was—opening her business. Most people didn’t even get to that point and let their dreams exist solely in their minds.
Lily rolled her lips and sat up straighter. “Well,” she started, looking back up at me, “it’s more in my long-term plan. I need to get things under control in Golden Falls first, like prioritizing baking classes, since I’d love to learn more and get better and more creative at baking. Once that’s in place, in the next few years, opening a second location feels like a good next step, but I’d need to find people I trust to run it, since I can’t be in two places at once. I’d love to follow the same model of having the cat café partner with the local animal shelter. What do you think about all that?”
I was initially surprised that she was asking for my thoughts—it sounded like she had it all figured out—but I liked that she was seeking my opinion. It felt nice to be wanted in that way. “I think it sounds great,” I answered. “I think it’s good you’re thinking long term. Gives you more time to experiment, hire, and focus on this location. And once that feels good, inquiring about storefronts. Doing research in the meantime is great, too. It’ll give you ideas of what to do and what not to do.”
As Lily listened, she had her elbow up on the table, resting the side of her face in her palm. I took the moment to admire her features. How her blue eyes sparkled underneath the dim lighting, the flush in her cheeks from the wine, and the way her berry-colored lips spread into an appreciative smile.
“Thanks, Gabe,” Lily said, her voice soft but in a different way than earlier. She didn’t sound small—she sounded hopeful. And if my words played a small part in that? That was something I was holding on to. She dropped her arm and reached over for the plate of meatballs. “You being nice to meandagreeingwith something I said? Who would have thought?” Her tone was teasing, and her smile turned cheeky.
“Ha ha, very funny,” I deadpanned, this time giving her leg a gentle nudge with mine.
She grinned in return and passed the dish over to me once she’d put a couple of meatballs onto her plate. “I’m messing with you. I’m glad we’re getting to know each other.Reallygetting to know each other.” She looked up at me, her voice gentle. “You’re different than I thought you’d be. During our first meeting, I thought you were arrogant and stand-offish, but you’re…” She paused, shaking her head. “You’re not that at all. You’re thoughtful and attentive. You notice the little things. You’re open to ideas and a good listener. I like that. I know this is a strange situation, but I’m glad you’re letting me in.”
My grip on the plate tightened, as did my other hand that was holding the serving spoon. I was also glad that we were getting to know each other, but I hadn’t expected Lily’s vulnerability, which was another aspect that I admired about her. I found it difficult to accept that she thought those things about me, but…I’d try. I cleared my throat, meeting her eyes for a moment before looking down. “Thank you, Lily. That, uh, that means a lot,” I said genuinely. I wished I said more, gave her more about how much her words meant to me. For the first time in a long time, I felt seen and understood, and there weren’t enough words to convey to her how much that meant.
I was grateful when Lily switched the conversation, telling me more about the town and its various businesses, as well as about her friends and family.
This dinner, like my trip to Golden Falls, was just business. I had to remember that.
“Can I ask you something?” Lily asked as we walked out of Pasta Fresca after dinner.
“Yeah, of course,” I responded genuinely. The words slipped out before I even had a chance to give it a second thought.
But as I waited for her question, I realized she really could ask me anything—and I’d answer. I didn’t know when it happened, but I realized I could be myself in Golden Falls—that I could be myself around Lily.
“You’re not a huge fan of Christmas,” she said slowly, running her tongue along her bottom lip as she pulled on the gloves I’d given her to wear. She also had my hat on, which looked way better on her than me. “How come?”
I handed her the paper bag with our leftovers. It was safe to say we’d ordered too much food, but now she had dinner for tomorrow and the day after that and wouldn’t have to worry about cooking.
Even though she’d insisted on paying, or at least splitting, I ended up paying for the dinner. It had been my idea to order the wine and all the food—it was the least I could do. Plus, I learned a lot from Lily tonight about the town and its residents, including more about her brother and best friends.
“Is it that obvious?” I asked with a dry laugh.
“Yeah, kind of,” she replied softly, gently, giving me the space I needed to think through my words.
Lily started to walk in the direction of her apartment, but I nodded the other way. For us to take the longer way back. Shefollowed without asking another question, still waiting for me to respond to her earlier comment.
“It’s not my favorite time of the year.” That was putting it lightly.
I wasn’t sure how to tell her that for me, this time of year wasn’t filled with the aspects she likely thought about—sledding, family, music, decorations. My parents had never prioritized the holidays, especially not after getting divorced. It wasn’t until I got to high school that I realized that wasn’t normal. That Christmas wasn’t just another day for most families.
“Hey, where did you go?” Lily’s voice brought me back to the present—as did the gentle squeeze she gave my arm.
