Betrayed Hearts (23 page)

Lily shared a questioning look with Chloe. “What did you do?”

“Applied online to a dozen of the top salons in New York City.” Maxi's smile could have rivaled the neon lights on Broadway. But Lily's mood plummeted at the possibility of losing both her friends to the big city.

Chloe whooped and rushed over to embrace Maxi. “Maybe we'll both be in New York together. You at the salon and me at the finest dining establishments in the country.”

The two girls laughed and carried on with their outrageous imaginings. Lily tried to get into the spirit with them, but inside her soul cried out. Not only was she losing Nick, but her two best friends would be leaving as well. Why would God give her a taste of happiness, only to rip it away with the cruelty of a dictator?

“What's wrong, Lil?” Maxi watched her with a slight frown.

Lily shrugged and attempted a laugh. “What am I going to do without you guys?”

Maxi shoved her hands on her hips. “You'll come with us. Especially if Mr. Logan doesn't get his act together. You can be my personal assistant, and I'll pay you a fortune.”

Chloe joined the fantasy. “The three of us will share a penthouse apartment overlooking Central Park and be sought after by all the rich bachelors in town.”

There was something infectious about their joy, about the vastness of their dreams. Just being around them made Lily want to believe everything would work out for the best.

Even if her heart had to break in the process.

With a sigh, Lily focused on marking Chloe's paper. After she tallied the results and congratulated Chloe on her excellent score, Maxi offered to drive Chloe home.

On the way out, Maxi threw Lily a sly glance. “Had an interesting chat with Nick today. You might want to give him a call.” She winked and let the door swing shut behind her.

Lily's pulse raced. Had Nick said something to Maxi about her?

She crossed the room to turn off the lights, and a fierce determination rose up inside her, overriding her paralyzing fear. She would not wait one more minute to find out what was going on with Mr. Logan. She grabbed her keys and her purse and locked the door behind her.

For better or worse, she would confront Nick and find out the truth.

 

 

 

 

22

 

Nick packed up his toolbox and tossed it with a bit more force than necessary into the back of his pickup. He'd wanted to talk to Lily before this, but Mrs. Winters had called with an unexpected repair job, and Nick couldn't refuse the elderly woman's request.

He jumped into the cab and started the engine. The clock on the dashboard read nine o'clock. He'd go home, take a quick shower, and head to Lily's. There were a few things they needed to settle between them, and he wasn't going to put it off any longer.

On the way through his front door, he grabbed the mail from the box. The return address on the first envelope slowed him. His exam results. The screen door slammed behind him as he walked into the kitchen, his mouth as dry as the dust he'd just cleaned up.

He laid the envelope on the kitchen table while he reached in the fridge for a bottle of water. After a long swig, he wiped his mouth on the back of his hand and picked up the envelope. The news inside could either make or break his decision about the future.

In one swift movement, he ripped it open and shook out the paper containing his final marks. A relieved sigh escaped him.
Thank you, Lord.
He'd passed all his courses, which meant the degree was his. He'd earned the right to those letters after his name. Surely this was a sign from God that he was on the right track with his career.

A sudden crash from the front of the house drew his attention. Loud footsteps clattered down the hallway. He let out a low groan. One dose of Maxi a day was enough.

Nick poked his head out of the kitchen, startled to see Lily storming toward him. The red of her shirt blazed as fiery as her eyes. Her dark hair streamed out behind her in a mass of unruly curls. Despite the fact that she looked less than pleased to see him, pure pleasure flooded his system.

She marched up and poked a finger in his chest. “I want to know what's going on with you, Nick Logan.”

Instead of answering, he followed his instincts and pulled her against him, claiming her mouth in a sweet kiss. The moment she melted against him, his heart soared. He deepened the kiss, relishing the heady scent of her perfume, until she suddenly stiffened. With a jerk, she ripped out of his arms and pushed him back.

“Don't think a kiss will make everything better, because it won't.”

The hard edge of the table pressed into his thigh, and he shot out a hand to steady himself. The vibration of her anger pulsed between them. “I'm sorry. That's not what I intended.”

She crossed her arms in front of her, cheeks flushed. “I think I deserve an explanation.”

He reached down to rub his leg. “Yes, you do. Can I get you something to drink first?”

“No, thank you.” She scowled at him, her expression thunderous.

He longed to reach out and smooth away the lines creasing her brow but knew his touch would not be welcome yet. His aching thigh attested to that fact. “I was about to come and see you. After I showered, that is.” He looked down at his dirty jeans and shrugged. “So much for good impressions.”

“I don't care about that,” she snapped. “I want to know why you've been avoiding me.”

He pulled out a chair. “Why don't we sit down?”

“I prefer to stand.”

“Then I'll sit.” Bone tired after ten hours of physical labor, he sank onto the chair, moving the paper with his marks discreetly under a magazine.

He raised weary eyes to hers and took a moment to form his thoughts. “I'm sorry I've been so distant lately. I needed time to do some serious thinking, and I couldn't afford any distractions.”

The drip of his kitchen tap matched the beat of her toe tapping against the linoleum. “Thinking about what?”

He couldn't tell her about Ted's ultimatum. Too much pressure on both of them. “About my priorities. About where my life is headed and where you fit in. A few minor things like that.”

A flicker of emotion passed over her face. She moved to lean against the kitchen counter, arms folded in front of her like a shield. “Come to any conclusions?”

Her flippant tone didn't match the nervous gestures he'd come to know—fingering her necklace, licking her lips, the tiny nerve dancing in her jaw.

He pushed up from the table and walked over to place gentle hands on her shoulders. Apprehension appeared in the depths of her brown eyes. A man could happily drown in those depths. He stifled an inward sigh. This wasn't how he'd planned to tell her, but fate had forced his hand.

Her nerves kept his own steady as he looked deep into her eyes. “I came to the conclusion,” he said, “that for better or worse, I am hopelessly in love with you and want you in my life on a permanent basis.”

Both pleasure and fear skittered across her features in equal measure. Then her bottom lip began to quiver. She bit down on it, but the tremors didn't stop. He felt the vibrations all the way down his own arms.

The sight of tears welling in her eyes undid him. He pulled her against his chest and held her tight, relieved when her arms came around him to clutch the back of his shirt. Great sobs racked her slim frame. Nick's gut clenched at the sound. “Don't cry, Lily. Please.”

He murmured soothing words and pressed light kisses to the top of her head. Her hair teased his nose with the scent of ripe strawberries. “I didn't mean to upset you,” he whispered.

She sniffed, swiped a hand over her cheeks, and stepped away from him. A moment of sheer panic hit as he looked into her solemn face. What if she didn't return his feelings?

“You shouldn't love me,” she said at last. “I don't deserve it.”

He brushed a knuckle down her cheek. “One of these days, you're going to believe that you're not a terrible person. That you're actually very lovable, and even if you can't accept it yet, that God loves you, no matter how unworthy you think you are.”

She didn't smile like he'd hoped. “No one except my mother has ever loved me,” she whispered.

Compassion overwhelmed him at the misery in her eyes. “My beautiful Lily.” He reached out to cup her face in his hands. “It may not make up for the past, but I do love you. So much so, you've got me tied up in knots.” In more ways than she knew.

Tears hovered on the brink of her lower lashes. “The problem is…I think I love you, too.”

His heart somersaulted in his chest as joy warred with confusion. “Why is that a problem?”

She shook her head. “Because it won't work. I'm not cut out to be a minister's wife. I'll just ruin your life.”

“No, you won't.” He drew her closer and kissed her again, pouring all his love into the joining of their lips. Before things got out of control, he took a reluctant step back, and brushed a curl off her cheek. “Does this mean I'm forgiven?”

A slight smile hovered on her lips. “For now.”

“So generous of you.”

Her soft laugh filled his soul with joy. Maybe, with God's divine guidance and the hope that Lily's heart would warm toward God again, they could make this relationship work after all.

 

 

 

 

23

 

Seated beside Nick, Maxi, and Sonia Martin in Chloe's high school auditorium, Lily waited for the graduation ceremony to begin. As nervous and proud as a parent, she crossed her knees and jiggled on the uncomfortable folding chair.

Nick reached over to still her fingers tapping a frantic beat on her purse. “Would you stop moving for two seconds? You're making
me
nervous.”

“Sorry.” She entwined her fingers through his, relishing the roughness of his skin, as well as the warmth that radiated from him. He looked so handsome in his dark suit and tie, with his blond locks combed back from his forehead, showcasing the blueness of his eyes.

She still couldn't believe he loved her. In the week since his admission, the panicky feeling had lessened, and now when she thought about his declaration, a glow of happiness warmed her.

Nick Logan, a thoughtful, kind, caring man, loved her.

She'd even told Nick about her conversation with his aunt. He'd been worried, but relieved, that his aunt now knew Lily's true identity and that Lily had promised Sonia not to tell Chloe.

Lily glanced at Nick and smiled, her stomach doing a slow flip at the love shining in his eyes. She wasn't sure how it had come about or how long it would last, but she was in love, and she planned to drink in each precious moment.

Maybe God wasn't out to punish her after all. Maybe He figured it was time she got a break in life. Gratitude filled her at the thought, and she whispered an inner prayer of thanks.

The music started, forcing everyone to their feet as the graduates began their procession. A lump rose in Lily's throat at all the fresh faces in their blue caps and gowns. These kids had their whole futures ahead of them.

Unable to bear her father's hypocritical face pretending to be proud of her, she hadn't even attended her own high school graduation. Instead she'd gone carousing with a group of wild friends and come home in the wee hours of the morning. Firmly, she pushed those dark memories back into storage and watched for Chloe.

Lily caught sight of her sister walking in proud procession with her classmates and snapped precious memories with her cell phone camera. Nick placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, and she reached up to squeeze it, grateful to be able to share this special moment with him.

The ceremony, though tedious in parts, ended quickly. After many hugs and pictures, Nick, Lily, and Maxi accompanied the Martins back to the house, where a small reception awaited. Sonia's friends had come over to put out the sandwiches, punch, and the huge cake Sonia had ordered.

Without the daunting presence of Reverend Baker, Sarah Jane, or Mike Hillier, Lily actually managed to relax and enjoy herself.

Until Chloe called the guests together in the living room for an announcement.

Lily looked at Nick. “Any idea what this is about?”

He shook his head. “None.”

Lily rolled her shoulders to dispel her sudden anxiety and concentrated on Chloe. She looked so pretty in her pink dress and matching shoes—like a fairy princess come to life.

“I want to thank everyone for coming,” Chloe said when they'd gathered, “and for all the cards, gifts, and good wishes. It means a lot to have you all here to share this wonderful occasion with me.”

A murmur of appreciation went through the group.

“I especially want to thank my mother for everything. She's always been there for me, no matter what.”

Beside her, Sonia raised a tissue to her eyes, blushing under the praise.

“And my cousin, Nick, who's been like a big brother to me. Thank you for all your support.”

A film of tears shone in Nick's eyes, and his Adam's apple bobbed. Lily squeezed his hand.

“I also want to give special thanks to my friend, Lily.”

When all heads turned toward her, Lily gulped. Nick tightened his arm around her shoulder.

“Without her, I would never have passed my math course and wouldn't have been able to graduate. I owe my success to her.”

Lily's face burned as everyone clapped and whistled, until Chloe motioned for silence. “Which brings me to my announcement.”

Judging by her beaming face, it couldn't be anything bad. Yet Lily rubbed her neck to ease the cord of tension, coiled and ready to spring.

“Not many people know that I applied to two culinary schools last winter. Yesterday in the mail, I received a full scholarship to the best school in New York City.”

Everyone cheered. Nick hugged Lily hard. Relief swept over her, weakening her knees. This was good news for Chloe. She'd gotten into the school of her dreams.