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What? Was West supposed to be the dragon? Stupid. When did West become such an expert on love anyway? He wasn’t. This was partly his fault! A sound of frustration escaped her lips. Trying to make each other jealous was sonotCole and Eva. Those kinds of mistakes had only been for West. “I’m not playing games with your brother,” she whispered.
“Too late,” he said. “You lied to him, instead of telling him why you ran off like a scared rat, so… now we do this my way.”
She didn’t like his way. She wanted to smother Cole with kisses and promise she’d never be able to tear herself from his side again.
Eva sat back, crossing her arms. The space heater warmed her legs, making her feel overheated. Watching Kylee with Cole wasn’t helping things. He wasn’t about to get away with giving her the cold shoulder. She stared at Cole until she caught him sneaking a glance at her.
She knew it! He was very aware of her.
She met his gaze evenly, arching her brow at him.
He turned away with a scowl.
Oh no, he didn’t!
Cadence tapped the microphone. Emily set down her guitar next to the gazebo and picked up a basket of flowers to assist her sister-in-law. “Lily,” Cadence said, “for your celebration of life, we’ve brought all sorts of flowers and artwork and whatever other pretty thing we could find to remember you.”
Cadence smoothed the petals of a tiger lily resting on top of the flowers. Had she chosen that as her remembrance of Lily? The flowers that each of them had brought were supposed to be their favorite flowers that best represented Lilyandthemselves. The fierce tiger lily was a great symbol for Cadence, who was both sweet and feisty.
“I brought this flower because it’s us together,” Cadence said, “and… well, we always made a great team. I’m not sure how well I’ll keep these gardens alive without you, Lily, but I need you to know that… you’ve made a difference in my life and everyone else’s lives here by being who you are. I’m better because I knew you.”
Eva stared at the white calla lily gripped tightly in her fingers. The flower happened to be her favorite, but bringing a flower bearing the name of Cole’s momma seemed almost presumptuous, maybe even thoughtless. When Eva had spied the lily at the floral shop, she was immediately drawn to its simple elegance. Her mother had always left a cut of those flowers in a vase in their foyer.
That was before everything had changed at home. Perhaps that was the reason that Eva always wanted lilies for herself. They weren’t only nostalgic—it was like taking a physical reminder of her childhood with her when things used to be simple and blissful.
Eva had tried to fight the urge to pick up the lily at the shop, but in the end, she’d given in to its siren call.
Was that the wrong decision?
She stroked the velvety tender petals. They seemed both strong and angelic—that wasn’t quite Eva, but it was Cole’s momma through and through, and Eva wanted to be like Lily more than anything in the world.
She took a deep breath, wondering how such a thing was even possible.
It wasn’t.
Cadence set the tiger lily in the basket to the side of them and picked up a manila envelope that she’d set aside earlier. “We wanted to make this celebration of life about you, Lily, but… you didn’t want that so much. You wanted to talk about us, instead. You said that you live on through your family and friends, and so Lily, we’ll honor your wishes.”
Cadence ripped open the manila envelope and shook out a bundle of letters, all tied together with pretty pink, blue, and yellow ribbons. Painstakingly charming, looped bows decorated the ends.
“These envelopes contain personal letters from Lily to members of her family,” Cadence said. “She wrote them this past year while she waited for her heart. Lily said she felt that she didn’t have long. She tried to make her time count while she had it. She was getting ready to say … g-goodbye.” Cadence stumbled over the word.
Steadying herself, Lily’s beautiful daughter-in-law slid out a sheet of stiff paper that was also in the manila envelope. “She dictated this to me while we were in the hospital, and if you don’t mind, I’ll read to you what she wanted you all to hear. ‘Everyone says how much I love my vast gardens. They are pretty and have given me so much joy in this life, but it’s my family who I really love. They have my heart and soul.’”
Cadence smiled gently at the sentiment, her eyes going to her new family. Eva didn’t blame her—they were a sweet group. Hudson and Mimi sat on either side of Liv and Mimi’s momma, scooting their chairs forward to console Kris as she dabbed at her eyes with a hanky. The twins’ tender eyes were on their wives. Porter watched Cadence with fondness, but also concern, like he was afraid that his pregnant wife was overexerting herself.
To the side, West’s kids elbowed each other, though they carefully guarded their mompa’s flowers from any harm.
And then there was Cole. Always good and thoughtful Cole, who rubbed his fingers over his forehead before moving to support his chin with his hand. Kylee kept moving in on him, but his eyes met Eva’s, instead. This time they stayed longer before they moved away to Cadence.
His sister-in-law started to name all the people that Lily wanted to thank for their help over the years, starting with her husband and sons and daughters-in-law, then grandchildren. Then she extended the list to best friends and neighbors and even acquaintances.
Eva’s hands tightened on the lily. Her name wasn’t mentioned. Her back began to ache from her sudden attack of nerves. She felt like even more of an imposter.
“There are many more of you,” Cadence read Lily’s reassurances to the group, “and I honestly cannot remember who I have brought up yet or not. My mind isn’t working like it used to, but I know your faces. If you have played a role in my life, then you must believe me—you had a place in it.”
Eva wasn’t so sure that was true. She started to see herself like any sane future mother-in-law might. First Eva had entrapped Lily’s struggling son in an engagement that he didn’t want, and then she’d further entangled him in her daddy’s shady business, and to make things worse, she’d basically cheated on him with another beloved son… kinda.
Eva’s breath caught as she reviewed all the charges against her. No, she didn’t belong here, did she?
