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“Yeah?”
I kissed her and then pulled back slightly. “I can do anything for you.”
It was the truth, and I poured it into the next kiss, everything I was thinking and feeling, my hopes and dreams. I didn’t let the worries and anxiety penetrate. This was us, for better or worse. I wanted to be with her. Fuck my history and my mother. What she’d done didn’t mean I’d be the same. I could be the man Lily needed.
Nineteen
LILY
Jake towed the GTO to his garage this morning. I didn’t need to be there, so I’d gone into work, wondering when he’d have a chance to look at it and give me the estimate for the restoration. No matter what Jake said about helping me, I didn’t want him to do any more favors.
He might have agreed to a relationship last night, but I wasn’t sure it was permanent. He’d get tired of helping me out.
The mailman walked inside to the ring of the bell over the door. “Morning,” he said as he dropped the small stack of envelopes onto my counter.
“Morning, Brian. It’s a beautiful day today, isn’t it?” It was the perfect spring day. Warm, but not hot. Sunny with a few clouds to break it up.
“It is, Miss Lily. Enjoy your day now.” He left with a wave of his hand, and I sorted the mail.
It was mainly advertisements and flyers for local businesses and restaurants, but there was one official-looking envelope with my name written in calligraphy. The return address was my parents’. This had to be the invitation to my sister’s grand opening.
I wasn’t sure why an invitation was necessary. As a family member, I was expected to be there. I wanted to support my sister, but I wasn’t looking forward to my parents bragging about her and my mom insinuating it was what I could accomplish if I just did what they said.
My heart thudded painfully in my chest as I used a letter opener to break the seal of the gold-foil envelope. Nothing but the best for my sister. I pulled out the embossed invitation. It was fancy enough to be a wedding invitation, but instead, it was for the opening of a doctor’s office.
I’d make an appearance, congratulate my sister, and leave as soon as it was polite. Maybe even sooner. I placed it on the corner of my desk, then recycled the other junk mail I’d received.
My phone rang a few hours later when I was deep in the analysis of my website traffic. I’d gotten a few customers who’d signed up for the monthly subscription option. It was encouraging, but I needed more ways to get the word out.
My phone buzzed. Seeing it was my mother, and knowing what it was about, I took a deep breath and answered. If I didn’t, she’d only call back until I did. It was best to get it over with, like ripping off a Band-Aid.
“Mom, how are you?” I asked, keeping my tone cool. I wouldn’t let her know how her support of my sister’s business bothered me.
Now that I was on the phone with her, I wondered how my sister could afford to open the business, even with partners. Were my parents funding it? It figured they’d support her but not me.
“Lily, dear. Did you get the invitation?”
I barely suppressed an eye roll. “I did. Came in the mail today.”
“I trust you’ll be there and dressed appropriately.”
“I’ll be there. Not sure about the second.” I’d never figured out my mom’s dress code for events like this. If she wanted me to wear a fancy dress, I didn’t have one.
“I’ll send over options from my stylist for dresses.”
“Oh, you don’t need to do that.” It was unlikely her stylist would take into consideration my tastes. Only my mom’s.
“You have nothing that will work for this.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Mom,” I said with uncharacteristic snark.
“Where is this attitude coming from?” Mom asked.
“I don’t know.” But I kind of liked it. Was it Jake rubbing off on me? He was serious about his business but was relaxed about most other things. I admired that about him.
“It’s very unladylike.”
I snorted. “I don’t think anyone’s ever mistaken me for a lady.” As a child, I’d loved wearing dresses, but I almost always came home covered in mud. I loved to run barefoot, wading through the creek and exploring the plants I’d find there. I’d bring some home and try to replant them, only to have my mother throw them out after she’d declared them weeds.
