Hometown Valentine. Lissa Manley
a foothold to support her argument. “It’ll be fine. I don’t have any reason to see Blake again. I’ll just putter along in my lane and soon enough I’ll be on my way to LA to win Project Fashion.” And her heart would stay just how she chose.
“So you think out of sight, out of mind?”
“Exactly.”
Molly gave her a look rife with doubt. “Let me know how that works for you.”
Lily shrugged off Molly’s disbelief. “It’ll be fine. I’m busy, or will be when I get a job, and he’s busy, too. Pretty soon he’ll be nothing but a memory in my rearview mirror.”
She was back on track. Yes. She felt better. Strong. Safe. Resolute. Perfect!
Free from worry about her fascination with Blake, she changed the subject. “Hey, do you still want me to help you plan the Valentine’s Day dance?” The singles’ group held a dance every year in honor of the most romantic day of the year. Lily went for the dancing, her second most favorite thing after designing clothes.
“Yes, definitely,” Molly said. “I was thinking of an ’80s theme this year.”
“Oooh, great idea. Nothing like a good hair-band song to get this girl on the floor.”
Molly grinned. “I thought you’d like that.”
An idea occurred to Lily. “I can go through my dad’s album collection for the music.”
“And I’ll have Grant transfer the tunes into digital format.”
“He won’t mind?”
“He’s a techno geek. He’ll love it.” Grant, a former programmer, owned a computer repair/software development company, which he ran from a Main Street storefront right next door to Molly’s store, Bow Wow Boutique, a designer pet store.
“Good point,” Lily said. “I’ll go through the albums soon, and then get them to him in the next week or so.” Valentine’s Day was still a few weeks away.
“I’ll let him know,” Molly said. “We should also make a trip to Party Depot in Pacific City for supplies.” Moonlight Cove lacked any kind of party supply store.
“Just let me know when you want to go,” Lily said.
“Will do.”
They rejoined the group in the family room and Lily relaxed and enjoyed the activities Grant and Molly had planned, as well as the cookies-and-cream cupcakes Grant’s aunt Rose Kincaid had baked for the event. Lily realized how much she’d needed a bit of socializing after the stress of her fruitless job search, and she was glad she’d decided to attend the event.
An hour after her conversation with Molly, Lily said her goodbyes, left and headed home, brainstorming job possibilities as she navigated the rain-slicked streets to the other side of town. She’d heard that a restaurant in the next town up the coast was hiring, and that perhaps the local dentist needed a receptionist while the regular gal went on maternity leave. Two leads to follow up on in the morning. One way or another, she had to find a job as soon as possible.
Just as she pulled into the driveway, her cell phone trilled. She pulled it from her coat pocket and checked the caller ID.
Blake Stonely. Lily’s heart did a little blip. Why was he calling? Her finger hovered over Answer, but she didn’t press it. She needed to gather herself before she talked to him. She didn’t know why, exactly. She was feeling her way here, and right now, she needed to deal with Blake via voice mail rather than by talking directly to him. Call her weak.
Eventually the ringing stopped. After about thirty seconds, a different sound came from her phone signaling she had a voice mail. With a quivery touch she punched the buttons to listen to the message, then held the phone up to her ear.
“Hey, Lily, it’s Blake Stonely.” A pause. “Listen, I hate to impose, but my sitter called and she has a bad case of pneumonia and she’s going to be out indefinitely.” A sigh came through. “Worse yet, Peyton is still running a fever, so I can’t take her to the store tomorrow. I hate to do this, but I was wondering if I could take you up on your offer to help out for a while, until my sitter is back on her feet. I’d pay you, of course.” He cleared his throat. “So, um, call me as soon as you can. Thanks.”
Lily clicked End Call and stared out the front window, her phone clutched in her hand. What was she going to do? Helping Blake wouldn’t exactly be out of sight, out of mind. In fact, coming to his rescue was the exact opposite of what she’d mapped out.
She let out a shaky breath, feeling torn. He was in a bind. She needed the money, and working for him for a bit would ease the job hunting pressure for a while. Would it really be smart to refuse a paying job?
Probably not.
Lily tapped a finger on her knee. Helping Blake was the right thing to do all around. She couldn’t turn him down. She didn’t have the heart to say no when he desperately needed her help, even though doing so felt like a distinct threat to her at the moment.
Bubbles of anxiety churned around inside of her like a rough ocean, setting her nerves on a jagged edge. She’d definitely have to find a way to work for Blake while keeping him at a safe distance.
She’d worked too hard, dreamed of being on Project Fashion for too long, to let anything derail her dreams now.
Lily pulled into Blake’s driveway, her gaze roaming over the cute little 1940s house on Fogcutter Street, just east of downtown. His single-story home featured white paint, dark blue shutters flanking the windows and a wide front porch that was bare at the moment but would be a perfect place for a glider or swing.
The large lot had plenty of grass, lovely southern exposure and a picket fence running across the front yard. An ugly gray one that leaned to one side and had a few slats missing, but a picket fence nonetheless. The yard was a bit overgrown and neglected looking right now; clearly Blake didn’t have much time for gardening.
Little wonder, with everything he had going on.
Even so, it was a perfect house, replete with just the right amount of charm and old-fashioned flavor she loved so much.
Not that she’d ever live here. But the designer in her could see the potential and she could admire from afar.
She parked next to his compact car and sat for a moment, getting her nerves under control. She reiterated that she’d done the right thing by agreeing to babysit Peyton, both for Blake and for herself. She had to quit letting the prospect of working for him get to her. She was determined to contain her attraction and focus on Peyton. She could do this while remaining detached.
Taking a revitalizing breath, she climbed out of her car and hurried to the door, dodging raindrops. Even before she stood in front of the red wooden door, she could hear Peyton crying inside. Oh, boy. Blake had clearly been having a rough time.
She raised her hand to knock, but before she could, the door swung open.
A harried-looking Blake stood there with a screaming Peyton hoisted up over one shoulder. His hair was mussed and he had dark circles under his eyes. His jeans and T-shirt looked as if he’d slept—or perhaps not?—in them. He’d been through the wringer.
But he was still gorgeous. Of course. Maybe she’d been wishing he’d turn unattractive overnight? Not happening. Ever. She had to deal with it.
“Hey,” he said with a definitely weary edge to his voice. “Come on in.”
Lily stepped inside, determined to focus on the practical aspects of the situation. She made quick note of the living room, which was comprised of a tan microfiber love seat and sofa, dark wooden accent furniture and a large big-screen TV set at an angle in one corner. Nice, but bland. Very clean. But perfectly impersonal.