“Wren’s a girl!” Jasper said very earnestly.
“Boys can be friends with girls, you know!” Wren shouted over her shoulder.
“Well, in any case,” Monica said, “we’d love to have you over. Tuesday night?”
Was this woman really asking Xander out right here, in a children’s cooking class, in front of everyone? Including his six-year-old niece? Good God.
“I appreciate the invitation,” Xander told her, his voice awkward to Lily’s ears, “but I’m afraid my schedule is crazy the next few months.”
At least he hadn’t said yes. But still!
“Ah, well, if you find yourself with a free night, just look me up. Monica Natowsky.”
He gave her a tight smile and turned his attention to the taco shell that Wren was filling with her bounty.
“I can’t wait to eat this!” Wren said. “Can I take a bite?” she asked Lily.
“Let’s wait till everyone’s tacos are assembled, because that would be extra polite, right?” Lily said.
“Right!” Wren said, looking around.
“Okay! Looks like everyone is ready. Bite!” Lily said.
The crunching was music to her ears. There was a round of mmms and this is so good and a few I love this classes.
And then after cleanup and a quick Q&A, Lily dismissed the class, already missing them as the adorable little students left. Monica and Layla were among the last to leave, wistfully looking at Xander, who was deep in conversation with one of the dads.
“Uncle Xander, can I go play in the playground with Molly?” Wren asked.
“I’ll watch them,” the girl’s dad said.
Xander smiled. “Sure, go ahead. I’ll be there in a few minutes. I’m just going to say thank you to Ms. Hunt.”
Wren wrapped her arms around Lily’s hips, surprising her quite happily, then ran out with her friend, Molly’s dad right behind them.
And now suddenly it was just Lily and Xander.
“I meant it—I had a blast,” he said. “You have a real gift for teaching kids.”
“Thanks. That means a lot to me. I really love working with children of all ages.”
“Did you know you had a tiny fleck of cheese on your cheek?” he asked, stepping closer and reaching out his hand.
“No, actually,” she whispered, her belly tightening. “I did not.”
He dusted off the cheese, his brown eyes on hers, serious, intense. And unless she was delusional, which she might be, there was desire in those depths.
He leaned in.
And dammit, even if he’d discovered a black bean in her hair and was leaning close to flick that off, she was leaning in, too.
But this time, he kissed her. His hands were on her face, drawing her closer, his lips firm and soft and tender and passionate all at the same time.
Oh, my.
Yessssss!
Kissing Xander was everything she’d fantasized about—day and night—since their date in Rust Creek Falls Park.
He opened his eyes and stepped back, looking at her, his expression changing. She still saw that unexpected desire, but something else seemed to be shoving its way in. She had the feeling the kiss had taken him by surprise. That he wasn’t even sure he’d meant to do it.
Nooo! Desire good. Confusion not good.
“That was some kiss,” she whispered, because that was the only voice she had at the moment. “I liked it. A lot.”
Sarah would be proud. So would Lily’s mother. State your intent. Stake your claim. Put yourself out there!
There would be no take-backsies here. Not of that kiss, which she still felt burning her lips.
His smile was warm as he reached out his hand and touched her cheek. The way a man did when he cared about a woman he had just kissed passionately.
Yesss!
“I need to be honest, Lily.”
Oh, cripes, she thought, her heart plummeting. No, don’t be!
“I don’t know what the hell I’m doing,” he said, taking a step back and leaning against the table. “There seems to be something between us, but as I’ve said, I’m not looking for a relationship. I’m not looking to start something.”
Jeez. Did he have to be that honest? Of course she wanted the truth, hard as it was to hear, but couldn’t he leave her a little room to hope?
“I got burned bad right before I left Dallas,” he said, running a hand through his dark hair. “I went to my girlfriend’s condo to surprise her with an engagement ring, to tell her I’d stay in Texas for her instead of moving to Montana with my family. I found her in bed with my best friend—a lifelong buddy I thought was my best friend. I told them both to go to hell. A few days later, I left the state with my family, so that helped, but the burn... That followed me, Lily.”
She reached out a hand to his arm. “I understand.” Her heart ached for him, for how painful that must have been. The shock and betrayal. The loss of two people who’d meant a lot to him. Suddenly, his push-and-pull made sense.
He stared at her for a minute and it seemed like he almost wished she’d been less compassionate. As in maybe he was hoping she’d say: Well, then don’t go around kissing women you don’t intend to start something with, so that he could argue and she could huff away. Giving him the out.
She wouldn’t ever say that. Granted, she had very little experience when it came to romance and love, but she knew how even a minor rejection had hurt. She could only imagine how hurt Xander had been and the number it had done on his head—and heart. He felt something for her, but he didn’t want to go there.
“Well,” he said, taking another step back. “I’d better go check on Wren.”
She wanted him to stay, for them to keep talking—openly and honestly. But she could tell he needed some space, and his niece was waiting for him outside. “Tell her she gets an A-plus for today.”
But not you, because you’re keeping me at arm’s length and you’ve got long arms.
He hurried out, the door closing behind him.
Lily touched her mouth, the feel of his lips still lingering. Now what? He’d kissed her. A real kiss. Then told her he wasn’t interested in more.
Listen when someone tells you something! That would be the wise thing. But her heart was in full control of her right now, and it wanted Xander Crawford.
And Lily Hunt had never been one to not go for what she wanted.
* * *
After dropping Wren off with Sarah and Logan for the rest of the afternoon, Xander headed to the cattle barn. He needed to do some hard labor, some serious mucking, to get his mind unstuck. Right now, his brain was on a loop about how good it had felt to finally kiss Lily, to do what he’d been thinking about for weeks now. But then his head had come to a hard stop as if it had hit the brakes itself. He didn’t know what he thought. Felt. Wanted.
He pulled on plastic gloves and grabbed a rake and headed into the back stalls. A few minutes in, he knew he was right to take on this chore instead of an afternoon off as had been the plan. His mind was already clearing.
Now all he could think about was how young Lily was. Just starting out in life. And he felt so world-weary and cynical. His trust level was nil. And that diamond ring he’d bought back in Dallas? He’d marched right back to the jeweler, needing that black velvet box out of his hands and life immediately, and thankfully, the shop had taken it back, refunding every pricey cent. That had felt good, at least. But if anyone had ever told Xander that one day he’d fall in love and plan a surprise engagement, only to end up returning the ring the next morning, he would have said they were nuts.
He heard footsteps and the humming of a Frank Sinatra song, which meant it was his dad who’d entered the barn.
Xander poked his head out of the stall to find Max Crawford pulling on a pair of black heavy-duty plastic gloves like Xander had on and t
hen grabbing a rake, too.
“Hey, thought you had the day off,” Max said. “I’m on mucking duty today.”
“I know, but I could use some hard labor, so here I am.”
“Fine with me,” Max said. “My least favorite job on the chore chart.” He and his rake went into the next stall, the strains of “Fly Me to the Moon” drifting in the air. “Interesting that you need to muck out stalls after taking Lily’s cooking class. Almost like that woman has you all topsy-turvy.”
He sighed and rested his chin on the top of the rake. “I guess she does. I didn’t move to Montana looking for a relationship, Dad. The opposite, in fact.”
“I know you had a bad breakup in Dallas, Xander. But that shouldn’t hold you back from finding happiness again.”
“You haven’t,” he said, then wished he could take it back.
But he couldn’t; it was out there, hanging over the edges of their side-by-side stalls.
Hell, maybe it was good to finally have this conversation. His dad hadn’t remarried, hadn’t gotten serious with a woman Xander’s entire life.
Because his wife walking out on him, on their family, had been unbearable.
“Sorry,” Xander said, feeling like a heel. “That’s your business and I have no right—”
“Yes, you do,” Max said. “You have every right. If I’m going to push a determined wedding planner on you and your brothers, you have a right to know why I don’t practice what I preach.”
Xander came out of the stall and stood in the doorway of his dad’s. His father was tall and imposing but somehow looked so...vulnerable.
“I just want you boys to be happy. To have what I didn’t. I might have given up on happiness for myself but hell if I’m gonna stand by and watch what that taught you boys. You need love. Partners. Family. That’s what makes the world go round, Xan. Bitterness just makes it come to a screeching halt.”
Xander nodded, and then walked into the stall and embraced his dad, Max stiffening with clear surprise at first, and then hugging him back. “I know. Believe me.”
He headed back into his stall and started mucking away. And for the next couple of hours, he and his dad worked in silence, Xander’s mind clearer but no answers on the horizon.
Chapter Seven
Communication from Xander Crawford following The Kiss:
Sunday night, a text: Thanks again for the fun and informative cooking class today. Wren had a great time.
Response: My pleasure.
Monday morning: I woke up craving lobster rolls for some reason. On the specials menu at MM?
Response: No, sorry.
Monday night: Lobster rolls tomorrow?
Response: No, sorry.
Later Monday night: Jeez, I thought I had an in with the chef.
No response.
Tuesday morning: Just checking in.
Response: Smiley face emoji. Super busy—have a great day!
The old Lily might have raced over to Kalispell Monday morning to buy lobster and all the fixings for lobster rolls. Eager to please. Like a puppy. The old Lily might also have kept the text conversation going on Tuesday by asking open-ended questions.
But a new Lily had taken root inside her—every day, with every satisfied diner at the Maverick Manor, every “great job, Lily” from her boss, every decent grade on her schoolwork, every time she understood a difficult business concept. Add to it these new feelings for a man—the first time she’d truly fallen in love—and Lily felt different in her bones. Like a woman instead of a kid.
On Wednesday afternoon, Lily bit into her cruller at Daisy’s Donuts, Sarah Crawford sipping her iced latte while baby Sophia napped in her stroller at their table by the window. She filled in Sarah on the big kiss and the conversation that followed—not the details of what Xander had shared about his ex, but just the gist that he had a big closed sign over his heart.
Sarah’s eyes lit up. “This kiss says everything!”
“I want to hope so. But he told me he’s not looking to start anything. That actually says everything.”
“He’s a cowboy who’s been kicked in the head by unexpected love,” Sarah said. “He needs time to reclaim his own mind. And when he does, watch out, Lily.”
Lily laughed. “I love your optimism. But I won’t hold my breath.” She bit her lip, thinking about that kiss. Sometimes she could still feel the imprint of his lips. “You know what? I’m not even going to think about it. Xander needs to figure out how he feels, right? I think I should just take a step back. Kind of like I was doing with my responses to his texts.”
Sarah took a bite of her chocolate cider donut. “I have to say that the way you responded to those messages sure kept them coming. I love the ‘Just checking in.’” She laughed. “Poor guy.”
Lily smiled. “I like this newer, wiser me. I’m not sitting around endlessly thinking about him and his deal. I’m focusing on work, school and my future. Which I hope includes him, of course,” she admitted.
“I have faith,” Sarah said with a big nod.
Lily sipped her own iced latte and couldn’t help but notice again how nice Sarah looked—for just coffee out with a friend. Sarah wore pale pink capri pants, a white tank top with a ruffled hem around the V-neck, and adorable multicolored leather sandals that wrapped around her ankles three times. She was the sleep-deprived mother of a baby and yet she wore a little makeup and earrings and she smelled like a hint of perfume—not baby spit-up. She looked this way because she wanted to. It truly had to be that simple.
“I want a makeover,” Lily said.
Sarah’s eyes lit up. “Ooh!”
“I want to look like me—the me I’ve never explored because I was too busy wanting to fit in with my brothers and be accepted by them. I want my outside to match all the changes I’ve made on the inside. I’m going for my dreams.”
“Including the six-foot-two-inch one?” her friend asked.
Lily smiled, then bit her lip. “Crazy thing is, Sarah—he likes me this way. Salsa on my cheek, onion-scented hands, loose jeans, no makeup, no style. He likes me as I am.” The truth of it practically knocked the breath out of her. The way he looked at her—even on that first nondate in the park—was proof. The kiss was proof.
Xander Crawford likes me, she thought, a rush of happiness swelling in her belly. He’s attracted to me.
“Okay, now I’m going to cry,” Sarah said, tearing up. “I know exactly what you mean.”
“But wanting this makeover is for me. About me. I want to find out who I am if I let myself really go for it. So will you help me?”
“Is right now too soon?” Sarah asked with a grin. “I wish I didn’t have my dentist appointment in fifteen minutes or we could take off for Kalispell now and hit the shops and salon.”
“Need me to babysit?” Lily asked.
“Actually, I have a sitter all lined up who should arrive any minute now.”
“Oh, well next time, call me,” Lily said. “I love taking care of Sophia.” She looked at the beautiful sleeping baby, her bow lips quirking.
One day, I want a Sophia of my own, she thought—for the first time. She sucked in a breath as a sense of absolute wonder overtook her. She’d never really thought about getting married or having children; she’d always figured she would, but the notion had always seemed a few years down the road. Several years.
Lily bit her lip again as she wondered if falling in love with Xander Crawford had anything to do with her sudden baby fever.
“How about tomorrow morning for the makeover?” Sarah asked. “Ooh, Lily—you can debut your new look at the dance Saturday night!”
“I wasn’t planning on going,” she said, thinking about the Rust Creek Falls Summer Sunset Dance, held every year in a different location. The whole town always turned up, apparently—well, except her, and no one had e
ver asked her to the dance, not that she couldn’t have gone with a girlfriend. Dances had never been her thing. Starting with semiformals in middle school and working up to the senior prom, which she hadn’t gone to, either.
“I know for a fact Xander will be there,” Sarah said, wriggling her eyebrows. “All the Crawfords are going.”
“Oh, great,” Lily said. “I can watch Xander dance with every single beauty in town. Wonderful way to pass the time.”
“Want to know a secret?” Sarah asked. “But you can’t tell Xander I told you.”
Lily leaned closer. “Scout’s honor.” She held up three fingers.
“Logan confided in me that Xander actually told Viv Dalton to only set him up with women he’d have nothing in common with. Viv reported him to Max, their dad, who was asking for a status report and why Xander wasn’t engaged yet.” Sarah laughed. “That man. Seriously.”
“Nothing in common with?” Lily repeated. “Why bother, then?”
“Want to know Logan’s theory?”
Lily leaned closer again.
“Logan thinks his brother is trying to just get his dad off his back—by dating at all—and only agreeing to dates with women he won’t fall for because he’s already fallen for someone and can’t deal.”
Lily’s eyes widened. “That’s some theory.”
“With a lot of truth to it. Doesn’t that sound about right?”
“I’m hardly used to flattering myself, Sarah. The man kissed me. Once. That doesn’t mean anything.”
“We’ll see,” Sarah said with a devious grin. “So tomorrow—girlie day in Kalispell?”
“I have to be at work at four. Otherwise I’m free.”
Sarah actually clapped with excitement. “Can’t wait.”
Huh. The new new Lily at the Summer Sunset Dance. With Xander in attendance. Could be very interesting.
“There’s my adorable niece,” came a very familiar masculine voice.
“Did I mention my sitter is Xander and that I asked him to meet me here?” Sarah asked with yet another devilish grin as she stood up. “How nice that both of you are in the same place at the same time and will have to communicate in person. You might even ask him to the dance Saturday night,” she whispered.
Rust Creek Falls Cinderella Page 8
