Nate had been working for about twenty minutes, fighting frustration at having to flip back and forth between screens to enter the data into his accounting program, when he heard movement at the door of the library. He glanced up, surprised to see it wasn't Amy as he'd expected, but Lily.
"Hey, Nate." She stepped into the library, a tray balanced somewhat awkwardly on her forearms as her hands gripped the outside edge, pressing it against her torso. "Amy asked me to bring you some lunch. Is this a good time?"
Nate pushed back from the desk and stood. "When it comes to bookwork, I'm always happy for a break." He took the tray from her and set it on the desk. "I'm still trying to decide if I'm happy or not that most of my paperwork survived the fire."
Lily tilted her head, her deep auburn hair sliding like a wave of silk over her shoulder. "Can I help you? I know it's been awhile, but I think I could probably figure it out."
Nate wanted to accept her offer, but he wasn't sure it would be a good idea. "Thanks, but I think it's best if I just stick to it."
Lily took a step back, her hands clenched at her waist. She nodded before turning on her heel and leaving the library.
Why did he feel guilty for turning her down? She was the one who'd walked away. Did she really think they could have a half relationship? Picking up some parts of their past but leaving other parts alone? He didn't think he was strong enough to do that right then. It hurt to think she had gotten to that point. He realized each time he saw her that he hadn't. And there was no way he would ever get there if he allowed himself to work shoulder to shoulder with her.
Rounding the desk, Nate sank back down into the chair. He picked up half the sandwich and bit into it, no longer hungry but knowing he needed some sort of sustenance. Unfortunately, though he finished the sandwich, he just couldn't focus on what was on the screen. His thoughts kept going to Lily and her offer. Really, what could it hurt? Theywere both adults, and God knew he really could use the help.
Not giving himself the opportunity to change his mind, Nate pushed back from the desk and walked from the room. Following the scent of baked goods, he went first to the kitchen where he found Amy and Cami making cookies. There were several racks cooling on the counter. He glanced around, thinking Lily might be with them.
"Smells good," Nate said when they looked in his direction.
"Want some?" Amy set the sheet she held onto the counter. "Nothing like fresh baked oatmeal chocolate chip cookies."
"Thanks. Maybe later. Right now, I need to talk to Lily. Is she around?"
Nate didn't miss the glance exchanged by the two women.
Cami began to move cookies from the rack to a plastic container. "She's upstairs in her room."
"Thank you," Nate said, though he felt the information was given rather grudgingly.
It was almost like they thought he was going to hurt her or something. Did they forget that she was the one who had broken up withhim? He climbed the stairs, determined to keep this professional. Once at her closed door, he rapped lightly.
Shoving his hands into his pockets, he waited for her answer. It took longer than he had thought it would before the door opened. Her hair looked a bit rumpled as if she'd been sleeping.
Lily's eyes widened when she saw him.
He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "I was thinking about your offer. The one about helping with the bookkeeping."
Lily leaned against the edge of the door. "You want me to help you?"
"If the offer still stands."
The way she stared at him, her face expressionless, unnerved Nate. At one time he had been able to read her easily, but as she looked at him with those big green eyes, he had no idea what was going through her mind. "It does." She tilted her head. "Do you need my help now?"
"If it's convenient for you."
"Sure. I'll be down in a couple of minutes."
"Thanks." Nate waited until she'd shut the door again before heading back downstairs. He swung by the kitchen to grab a few cookies.
"Did you get to talk to her?" Cami asked as she placed the cookies on a plate for him.
"Yes. She offered to help me with the bookkeeping for the garage. It's what she used to do...before. I initially turned her down because...well, history and everything, but I really do need help. I'm dealing with so much that if I can get help with that part, it would be great."
"Well, here are some cookies to help ease the process." Cami handed him the plate.
"Ready to get to work?" Lily asked as she walked into the kitchen.
Nate noticed she'd pulled her hair back into a ponytail and now wore a pair of glasses. The glasses took him by surprise because she never used them before. Just one more change that unsettled him. "Yep. No time like the present."
