A Wildflower Summer

by Caroline Flynn

  Besides, not for the first time, Jason was right—there were worse places to be stuck than a pretty little harborside town in a timeless Victorian home with a steady stream of sunshine bursting through the windows, daring her to be anything but grateful.

  Goodness, there he was again, lurking at the sidelines, waiting for a chance to wind up back at the forefront of her mind. Regardless of whether Jason Forrester was right or wrong, a stranger or an old friend, Lily had no need to be thinking about him. At all.

  Yet, she continued to. She wondered about a man who offered up his time, his effort, and his connections to someone without batting an eyelash. It had been a matter of days, not weeks or months, and he had already bestowed upon her a place to stay and a list of babysitters in the area if she needed it. That wasn’t even including the actual car repairs she had originally called him for.

  Nice guys finished last—wasn’t that how the old saying went? It pained her to think that maybe his old-fashioned kindness was just as much his downfall as his strength.

  Not only did she wonder about him, Lily found herself curious as to why his daughter’s mother no longer lived here, why they were no longer together. And just as quickly as the thought skittered into her mind, Lily shut it all down with the shake of her head.

  She should be ashamed of herself. Not only was it none of her business, but she had no business thinking about Jason in any capacity, let alone his romantic life.

  ‘The last load of laundry is in,’ she announced, rounding the corner to see Nancy huddled at the kitchen table with Eden. A stack of creased and wrinkled coloring books was piled between them, and a rainbow of crayons littered the tabletop. ‘And the bedrooms are all made up. What are you two up to?’

  ‘It’s been ages since we’ve had a child stay here,’ Nancy replied excitedly. ‘I’d forgotten all about these books until I saw this little one doodling on the grocery list I’d left out.’ She patted Eden’s hair affectionately.

  Lily’s heart swelled. Every time Nancy referred to the owners of the bed and breakfast, she used a plural form. Jason had done the same thing on Thursday evening when he brought her here for the first time, referring to the place fondly as Edwin and Nancy’s home. Even though Nancy had explained that Edwin had passed away, she and the rest of the town included him as though he were still a part of everything they did and achieved.

  What a love like that must be like.

  ‘Yikes, sorry about the list, Nancy.’ Lily peered over her daughter’s shoulder. ‘What are you drawing, baby?’ The coloring page boasted the black outline of a butterfly, awaiting an artist’s creative touch, but Eden was adding to the picture, filling in the white space with an illustration of her own.

  ‘Cruella.’ Eden glanced up at her, beaming. ‘That’s Jason, and me, and you.’ She pointed each stick figure out. ‘When we drive her.’

  Her. So, Eden was holding on to Jason’s affectionate terminology, then. ‘That’s nice. Good job, Eden.’ It was too late to stop the explanation from reaching Nancy’s ears, and by the time Lily’s gaze snapped up to meet hers, the woman’s cheeks were as rosy as the silk scarf that kept her unruly hair at bay. In an attempt to ward off whatever she might say next, Lily reached around to her back pocket and retrieved the tea towel she had rescued from the dryer. To distract Nancy, she held it up, revealing the torn threads and ragged hem. ‘Looks like a thread got caught or something while this was being washed.’

  ‘Oh, darn.’ Nancy stood, touching the ripped fabric with a bright pink fingernail. ‘Another one bites the dust, it seems. I’ll bet it got caught on the zipper closure of one of those pillow covers. I knew better than to toss those in the wash with such delicate items.’

  Her disappointment was obvious. ‘If you’ve got a sewing machine, or even a needle and thread, I can fix it for you,’ Lily offered.

  ‘You can sew?’ Nancy’s surprise was just as evident.

  ‘It’s one of my favorite things in the world to do,’ Lily confessed.

  Nancy narrowed her eyes as though seeing her guest in a new light. ‘There’s an old machine upstairs, collecting dust in the hallway closet. I couldn’t mend my way out of a paper sack, but if you want to give it go, I won’t stop you, Lily.’

  Beaming at the chance, Lily nodded. ‘Let me see what I can do.’

  ‘That would be lovely, dear. Now,’ Nancy shifted her attention back to Eden, still coloring furiously with a purple crayon. ‘You really should tell me more about these drives you’re going to take in this car.’ Nancy was practically busting at the seams with glee. Each mischievous side eye she sent Lily’s way was even more wolfish than the next.

  Permission was all Eden needed. ‘We’re gonna take Cruella out and drive her … really fast!’ Her gray eyes gleamed, wide and anticipatory. ‘Super duper fast!’

  ‘Okay, speed demon, time for a change of scenery.’ Lily pushed some of the crayons back toward the empty box on the table. ‘Maybe I should go outside with you and help you burn off a little steam. What do you think?’

  Nancy stood. ‘The park isn’t far from here,’ she reasoned. ‘By the looks of the weather forecast, you’d best bask in the sunshine while you can. They’re calling for rain tomorrow.’

  Lily raised an eyebrow at Eden as though deciding the afternoon plans amongst adults. ‘I’m game for the park if you are.’

  The little girl’s arms flew up and she cheered, letting her mother know just how game she was for the idea.

  ‘Crayons and books away first, munchkin, then we’ll hit the park.’ She turned to Nancy. ‘Thanks for the suggestion. I think I’ve got most things caught up right now, but if you need me, I’ll leave my phone number. And I will get to that tea towel when I get back.’ Lily reached for a stray crayon and wrote her cell number on one of the discarded coloring pages, tacking it to the side of the fridge.

  ‘Don’t worry about me, you lovely girl. Just get to the park before it’s too late.’

  Lily was about to comment that she was pretty sure she and Eden could walk fast enough to outrun tomorrow’s rainclouds, but the older woman offered Eden a hasty kiss on the top of her head and disappeared in the flutter of tunics and shawls before she had a chance.

  Lily smiled. In the span of Thursday to Sunday, Nancy Bergeron’s personal brand of eccentricity had become somewhat comforting. Normal, even. It was enough to make Lily wonder what other crazy, outlandish things could become normal if she just gave them a chance and let them in.

  ***

  Walking through the streets of Port Landon was quickly becoming one of Lily’s favorite pastimes. She didn’t think she would ever tire of seeing the meticulously maintained lawns that stretched out before looming brick and restored Victorian homes. She didn’t think she would ever fully get the intoxicating scent of the flower gardens mixed with the harbor that drifted in the air out of her nostrils. The water couldn’t be seen from the bed and breakfast, but there was no denying its presence.

  As she rounded the corner onto Main Street and the playground came into view, there was no denying another presence, either.

  At first, she didn’t recognize him. His clothes and hands were a lot cleaner than when she had seen him at the garage, and the smile he wore was bigger than any she had seen on his face to date. But there was no mistaking Jason Forrester for anyone else. His dark, closely cropped hair and the shadow of beard on his chiseled features were his and his alone. Paired with his striking eyes, he was unmistakable.

  The brightness within him was new, though. Something seemed warmer about him, more radiant. A heartbeat later when a little girl with curly pigtails dove into his arms and he swung her high into the air, Lily knew exactly what—or who, rather—was the reason for the gleam in Jason’s eye.

  Hand in hand, Lily and Eden walked across the lush grass toward the bed of sand where the monkey bars and towering play structure stood.

  ‘Fancy meeting you here,’ she said by way of greeting, followed by a shy wave.

&nbs
p; Genuine shock marred his face. ‘Lily, hey.’ He set the little girl back on her feet, and she peered between Lily and Eden with a muted curiosity. ‘Good to see you.’

  ‘You’re out enjoying the sunshine, too, huh?’

  ‘Carlie and I come here every Sunday afternoon that she’s in town, without fail. It’s second nature for us.’

  And just like that, Lily figured out why Nancy sent her and Eden there. Just get to the park before it’s too late. Her haste had nothing to do with storm clouds. ‘I should have known,’ she groaned.

  ‘Excuse me?’ Taken aback, Jason’s forehead wrinkled.

  ‘Nothing. Just something Nancy said.’ Lily waved a dismissive hand. ‘So, this is little Carlie, I presume?’

  Jason squeezed the girl’s shoulders affectionately. ‘The one and the only. Car, this is Lily, and her daughter, Eden.’

  ‘Hi.’ Carlie’s greeting was directed toward Eden, who stared at her just as inquisitively. She offered Lily only the briefest of glances, and Lily’s breath caught in her throat as she saw Jason’s dark, onyx eyes staring into her, not at her. The resemblance was uncanny. And unnerving. ‘Wanna play in the castle?’ she asked Eden easily.

  Eden, known for her initial shyness, shrugged. But she followed the girl’s gaze and stared at the play structure longingly. Sure enough, there was a castle that sat at the peak of it, and a series of ladders, stairs, and ropes could be used to embark on the journey to the top, depending on the child’s capabilities. ‘I don’t know.’

  Carlie was a tad bit shorter than Eden, but otherwise Lily didn’t think there was much else that would indicate the year’s difference in their age.

  Jason’s daughter obviously assumed she knew the reason for Eden’s hesitation. ‘It’s not scary. It’s fun.’

  A pair of large gray eyes looked up at Lily, seeking wise words of encouragement and reassurance. Lily didn’t get the chance to offer it.

  ‘Come on, I’ll show you,’ Carlie insisted. Her hand looked so small as she held it out for Eden to take that Lily almost teared up at the cuteness of the gesture. ‘It’s not scary.’

  ‘Promise?’ Eden pinned her with a serious stare.

  ‘Pinky promise.’

  As though it was enough to seal the deal and right all the wrongs in the world, a bright smile spread across Eden’s face as she curled her pinky finger with Carlie’s. Together, the two preschoolers scampered off toward the ladders and stairs of the looming castle. Lily wondered if her daughter even remembered she was still standing there.

  ‘I wish a pinky promise was a binding agreement in adulthood the way it is as a child.’ Lily stared after the girls, fighting the innate urge to holler out, ‘Be careful!’ All those steep steps and dangling knots of rope looked downright dangerous when viewed through a mother’s eyes.

  ‘Who says it isn’t?’ Jason argued with a cheeky grin. ‘You’re obviously pinky promising with the wrong crowd.’ He waved her toward a bench closer to the play structure. Lily followed, only because it meant fewer steps to run toward the castle if she needed to.

  ‘Some people drink with the wrong crowd, some people smoke. Me, you’ve deemed a rebellious pinky promiser. I’m not sure whether to be thankful or disappointed.’

  Leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, Jason laughed. ‘Yes, because rebel is exactly the word I would use to describe what I know of you.’ So much sarcasm in one meager sentence.

  ‘Well, maybe you don’t know enough about me, yet.’ The challenge escaped her lips before she thought it through. A beat too late, she realized how her comment might have come across as flirtatious. Lily didn’t flirt, hadn’t in years. She didn’t think of herself as someone who could, or even wanted to. Heck, she didn’t know if that was what she was even doing. ‘So, I take it Nancy knows you and Carlie come here on Sundays.’ A change of subject was needed.

  Amusement curled on Jason’s mouth, but he took mercy on her and let the conversation shift. ‘Everybody does, I think. We’ve got a little routine. Chocolate chip pancakes in the morning, arts and crafts after breakfast, the park in the afternoon, then we stop at Allison’s coffeehouse on our way home for treats before I have to drive her back to her mama’s house.’

  Lily heard the swan dive in his tone as he spoke of having to return his daughter to her mother, as though she were some kind of property they shared between themselves and not a living, breathing, vibrant young girl. She felt his sadness in her own chest just as much as she heard it with her own ears. ‘Arts and crafts, huh?’ It was a feeble attempt at putting the smile back on his face, but she tried, anyway.

  Jason’s fingers steepled as he stared across the grass, watching as the girls laughed with each other. Carlie reached out and helped pull Eden onto the first landing. ‘Always,’ he replied, grinning. ‘Sometimes it’s with markers, sometimes it’s paint and glitter that I can’t get out of my living room rugs for weeks, but Carlie always creates me a new picture to stick on my fridge, replacing the one she made the time before.’ He cast a glance at Lily. ‘You’d think she was Picasso the way I keep every one of them in a plastic case. Maybe they’ll be worth something someday.’ He laughed but it was humorless.

  Lily’s heart crumbled completely. Jason didn’t need an elusive someday to roll around so that those artistic works could be worth something—they were worth something to him now. They were worth everything.

  Suddenly, she felt more than merely sorry for him. She felt like an intruder for showing up and interrupting the only one-on-one time he got with his beloved daughter. She couldn’t imagine what it must be like to know there was a time limit on their time together, that someone was waiting in the wings to take her away for another excruciating two-week period and that the hourglass would once again be tipped and he would be left with nothing else to do but wait.

  ‘I’ll bet they’re beautiful,’ Lily said. ‘Carlie sure is.’

  ‘She is, isn’t she?’ No hesitation, just a stated fact. The corners of Jason’s mouth lifted. ‘Good thing she takes after her mama in that regard. Looks like Eden takes after you in the same fashion.’

  It took a moment for what he had insinuated to sink in, but when she realized Jason had just complimented her, Lily’s cheeks heated.

  Was he putting forth a little flirtatious charm, too?

  Based on his momentary deer in the headlights stare, she figured it was safe to assume he hadn’t meant to say it aloud. Or hadn’t meant it the way it sounded. Whatever the reason, Jason had surprised himself as much as he had surprised her.

  Lily was saved from having to come up with a coherent response when she heard a snuffling sound from behind her. She turned just as a large brown and black dog ambled around the corner of the bench and licked her hand.

  ‘Oh!’

  Jason stood quickly. ‘Jazz, easy girl. Don’t worry, Lily, she won’t hurt you. She doesn’t have it in her.’

  Lily rose to her feet as well, noticing the way the dog’s short tail wagged so fast that her whole body shook. There was so much excitement and adoration in those soulful brown eyes that Lily believed him without knowing a thing about the animal—the dog couldn’t possibly have an aggressive bone in her body. ‘Whose dog—’

  Jason pointed. ‘Where there’s Jazz, the rest of the Beckett clan isn’t far behind.’

  Lily crouched down to give the dog an affectionate scratch behind the ears. Sure enough, a trio was headed their way. A man, a woman, and a young boy.

  ‘Should have known you’d be here before us,’ the man announced to Jason.

  ‘Dad had an emergency at the clinic, but we waited for him,’ the boy chimed in. He resembled the older man considerably, his eyes creasing into the same amused glare as he stared at his father and added, ‘You’re welcome, by the way.’

  Jason snickered. ‘You two better cool it or Carlie’s going to come over here and start making you sing the Get Along Song, like last time.’ His hand didn’t touch Lily’s back, but Jason snaked an arm behind her
as though making sure she was included in their circle. ‘I don’t know if you’ve met these fine folks yet, but Lily, this is the Beckett family. Cohen, here, is the town’s veterinarian. The comical one, there, is Bryce, his son and the town’s resident jokester.’

  The young boy bowed, obviously honored to be bestowed such a poignant title.

  Jason continued to point each of them out, then nodded his head toward the dark-haired woman beside Cohen. ‘And this is Paige. She owns the bakery downtown and will be the newest member of the Beckett family in a few short weeks’ time. Becketts, meet Lily Brentwood.’

  ‘Oh, you’re Lily! Allison mentioned you!’ Paige exclaimed.

  ‘Allison? Wait.’ Her mind was struggling to keep everyone straight. ‘So, are you the cousin that’s getting married, then?’

  ‘That would be me,’ she chuckled. ‘And you would be the godsend who’s helping out at the coffeehouse tomorrow so that Allison doesn’t lose her ever-loving mind. It’s so good to put a face to the name.’ Her sincere excitement was almost jarring, enough that it forced Lily to wonder just exactly what Allison had said about her.

  ‘Trust me, Allison is just as much a godsend to me,’ she countered. ‘Congratulations, by the way. You two must be getting so excited to have the big day coming up.’

  Cohen wrapped an arm around his fiancée and squeezed her against his side. ‘Don’t know about her, but I’m counting down the days.’ Leaning down, he kissed the top of her head.

  Lily had to hold back the sigh she felt bubbling up in her throat. It wasn’t only cute as a button to see a grown man unafraid to admit his feelings for the woman he loved, it was refreshing. Seeing firsthand that that kind of love still existed was like finding another thread of hope to clutch to, another foothold in a rut she had yet to climb out of.

  There was no denying the devotion in Paige’s eyes when she glanced up at Cohen, smiling brightly. ‘It’ll all feel more real once my dress finally shows up from New York.’