Ryder strode through the door and went straight up to Chrissy, giving her a kiss on the lips that was anything but chaste.
Her gaze connected with Zach’s, and they shared a moment of mutual understanding.She was sure that was how she and Zach had looked last night in the high school auditorium.
How was that only last night?
So much had happened between them in less than twenty-four hours.Their relationship had seemed to go from zero to sixty.It felt like it, but they’d been building to this moment over the last few weeks.
After a few seconds, the couple broke apart, and with his arm slung around his wife, Ryder spoke.“Tilly.Zach.Good of you to bring lunch.”
“Pleasure.”Zach stood and held out his hand, which Ryder took.“How are you?”
“Great.Flowers are growing, even in this cold weather.The cows are all nice and warm in a winter barn.I have a beautiful wife.Life is grand.”
Tilly stared at her brother-in-law, surprised at his open response.
“Life is grand, isn’t it?”Zach murmured.He hadn’t been looking at her sister or her sister’s new husband when he said it.He’d been looking directly at her, and she felt the words in her soul.
*
“I think wewill need about thirty pots to go across the stage,” Tilly said as she lightly touched the petals of one of the poinsettia plants.In addition to sprucing up the house and constructing buildings to accommodate ranching at Bloom Flower Farm, Chrissy and Ryder had built an additional two greenhouses, one of which they were standing in, surrounded by red and white plants.
“Do you have the exact measurements of the stage?”Chrissy asked.“That will help us work out whether thirty will be enough.You don’t want to have it looking too sparse.”
While she didn’t have the exact measurements, Tilly knew the stage wasn’t going to be huge.
“Tulip’s right.Thirty will be plenty,” Zach piped up in her defense, and she wanted to reach up and kiss him.Having his constant support was something she could get used to.
Chrissy watched them, apparently waiting for Tilly to say something about Zach using her given name.She’d avoided addressing it earlier, and she planned to keep avoiding talking about it.Tilly kept a serene look on her face.“Okay, thirty it is.Anything else you need?”
“We could put some roses out if you want them too,” Sunny suggested.
“Sunny!”Tilly rushed over and gave her other sister another hug.“I know how much you love them, but roses aren’t a Christmas flower.The poinsettias will be plenty.”
Sunny shrugged.“Yeah, you’re right.Just thought if we use white ones, it might add a good contrast.”
“It would, but if we wanted a contrast, I’d go for white poinsettias.”
“I can get white ones if you want to go down that route,” Ryder added.
Tilly laughed at his enthusiasm.“Thank you, but no, we’re good.If you want to expand your new poinsettia business, then go for it.”
Chrissy hooked her arm through her husband’s arm.“Slow your roll, cowboy.”
Ryder laughed and pressed a kiss to his wife’s forehead.“Okay.Okay.This live-action Nativity play’s a really good idea, Tilly.I’m glad Chrissy talked me into being involved.”Ryder’s change of subject was abrupt, but Tilly went with it.“Everyone’s so excited.We kind of wish Christmas Eve was tomorrow instead of a few days away.”
Tilly blushed—she couldn’t help it—and quickly bent over to study one of the poinsettias in great, unnecessary, detail.She wasn’t used to receiving praise for an idea she had, because she’d never seen one through from beginning to end.“I do too,” she said quietly without looking up.
Her phone buzzed, and Tilly pulled it out, glad that she didn’t have to say anything else.
Relief swamped her when it was Rainey’s email address on her screen.As much as she wanted to open it, she didn’t want to do so in front of Chrissy in case she gave something away.
Because of her past track record, and the fact the application form said Kathryn Lancaster was going to be the narrator, Tilly wanted to announce Rainey Webster at the last moment so everyone involved in the play would be excited to meet her.
After the lack of communication from Rainey, her response eased some of Tilly’s worries.The email would be confirming her arrival time.It wouldn’t be anything else.Tilly wouldn’t allow it to be, even though her instincts were pinging that it wasn’t good news.
“All good?”Zach murmured in her ear.
“Yep.I’ll read it later.”
