ChapterNine
“Here, wear this.”Connie appeared at her side, holding the slinkiest dress sheowned.
Lily stared at it, then at her sister, and returned to her sketch without saying a word. She gripped the pencil as if it were a lifepreserver.
Connie leaned over her shoulder to see the sketch she was working on. “That looks amazing. I think this Josh guy is goodforyou.”
With a sigh, Lily closed her sketchbook. “Why are you pulling dresses out of your closet and offering themtome?”
“Because we have a double date tonight,remember?”
Lily tucked her sketchbook neatly into the corner. “It’s not a date. It’s a business dinner. Now, put your slut away. I’ll go shower and getdressed.”
Connie huffed and followed Lily to her bedroom. “It’s not business.It’sfate.”
Lily eyed the three dresses laid out on her bed, then turned to her sister. “What are you babbling about?” She waved her hands in front of her face. “Forget it. I don’t wanttoknow.”
“Oh, come on. You can’t deny it. We’re on this hidden little part of the Florida panhandle where even tourists don’t go, yet a handsome man and his partner show up here. They tracked you down from a drawing they’d found on eBay. Did you even ask how they managed to do that? How did they know it was yours? It had to take some effort to findyouhere.”
Ignoring the dresses on her bed, Lily grabbed a more conservative one from her closet and tossed it over the other three. “He probably had Allen make some calls orsomething.”
“Right, but how did he even know that drawing was yours to begin with? You didn’t sign it, did you? You threw it into the ocean without any information to connect it to you, yet it somehow found its way back. I’m telling you, it’s fate. He’s handsome, smart, sophisticated, kind. He doesn’t give up, even with your nastyattitude.”
“I don’t have anattitude.”
Connie rolled her eyes. “Peeelease. You so have an attitude. That man has been covered in sweat and sand, sunburned, the door slammed in his face, rejected repeatedly, and yet he still returns. I’m telling you he’s interested in more than just that drawing. If not, then why is he still here? Once you said you’d do it, he could’ve returned toNewYork.”
Without answering, Lily walked to the bathroom and shut the door, trying to gather her thoughts. Part of her was tired of being alone, but she didn’t want to risk another bad relationship where she wasn’t happyeither.
“Listen, I know Steve was awful to you. The man manipulated you and turned you into a painting machine until he burned you out. That’s why I agreed to come here with you. To give you a chance to recover, but it’s been almost two years since you’ve sketched or painted anything that’s truly you. A Lily Holt original,” Connie said through thebathroomdoor.
Lily turned on the water, hoping to drown out Connie’s words and her own thoughts of Josh and the possibilities he offered. By the time Lily shampooed her hair, Connie had stopped shouting through the door about true love and fate. Why was she so convinced it was fate? Sure, there was the whole bottle thing, but that was hardly reason enough to consider forever with the man. He was good looking, and he regularly did charity work. Since he was in advertising, he was probably creative. While those things made him a catch, that didn’t necessarily mean he was right for her. Another part of her was thankful he wasn’t an artist. She’d had enough of competing and feelinginferior.
She emerged from the bathroom, dried her hair and put on a little make-up. Then she stood at her bed, eyeing the four dresses. The one she had pulled out of her closet she’d worn to a wedding. It was pretty, but ultraconservative and reminded her of marriage every time she looked at it. The remaining three were either strapless, or had plunging necklines. None were appropriate for a business dinner. She sighed and decided on a strapless dress. It had been so long since she dressed up and went out that fireflies were dancing in herbelly.
Connie popped her head in the door. “Goodchoice.”
Lily collapsed on the edge of the bed. “Why are you doing thistome?”
“Because he’s aniceguy.”
“So was Stephon…in the beginning, anyway. He was considerate and attentive and loving. Somehow he made me feel like I was the only woman in the world he would everlookat.”
“That was his charm. It wasn’t real. Josh is real. And most of all, he’s here.” Two loud knocks at the front door sent the fireflies into a frenzy. Connie chuckled. “Literally here at the cottage. Wasn’t what I meant, but good timing.” She took off for the door, leaving Lily with hernerves.
Lily took two steadying breaths then walked out into the living room where Allen, Josh, and Connie waited. They all stopped chatting and looked at her as she entered and she felt like she was onstage and had forgotten her lines in front of a thousand people. She back-stepped toward the hallway, but Connie whistled andwhooshedin.
“Wow! You look amazing. Nice dress.” She winked and tugged her toward thetwomen.
Josh stood there with his mouth open until Allen nudged him in the side and he cleared his throat. “You look beautiful,” he said in a hoarsewhisper.
She felt her cheeks flush. It had been a long time since a man paid her a compliment. Josh looked amazing in his slacks and navy button-up shirt. His sunburn had softened into a nice tan. “You lookhandsome.”
“I was worried you’d think I was overdressed.” Hewinked.
Connie giggled and opened the front door. “If our reservations are in half an hour, we should getgoing.”
Josh placed his hand on the small of Lily’s back and the warmth of his touch sent tingles up her spine and down her arms. He was handsome, and gentle, and had never said a cross word to her, even when she had treated him sohorribly.
