She adjusted an earphone as a new song started. This one was slower, and Lily fell in time to the beat as she jogged down the footpath.
But something ahead snared her attention. Lily’s heart was in her mouth as she looked across the street at her shop. She stopped stock-still and couldn’t catch her breath, which had nothing to do with her morning run.
Her newly and beautifully painted shopfront had been defaced by litres of black paint. It had been thrown over the walls, the front door and even the windows.
For a moment, Lily stood there stunned.
Who would do that? Why would anyone do that?
Lily sucked in a breath as she grabbed her phone and pulled up the number of Violet Falls police station.
***
‘So the police don’t know who did this?’ Violet asked as she stood with her hands on her hips, surveying the black paint splashes all over the shop window.
‘No. Their best guess is that it was a couple of local kids having a lark.’
‘Some lark.’
‘Yeah. Anyway, Johnno said not to worry, he’d deal with it.’
‘Very nice to have your own pack of builders and handymen on call.’
‘Some girls are just blessed,’ Lily said with a smile. ‘I’m telling myself it’s just a hiccup on the path to opening the shop. Apparently my pristine newly painted shop was too much of a temptation to the youth of Violet Falls.’
‘I suppose – although according to what I’ve heard, this is the first time something like this has happened.’
‘Oh, I don’t know – what about all the graffiti on the old railway fence?’
‘Hmmm, maybe, but that’s more pictures and tags. This, on the other hand, looks as if someone has just splashed paint out of a can.’
‘Don’t worry about it. Johnno assures me he’ll have it as good as new in a flash.’ Lily reached over and gave Violet a hug. ‘Come on, forget about this – just wait until you see inside.’
Lily spent the next half an hour showing Violet around the newly renovated shop floor. She put the ugly paint sloshes out of her mind and carried on with her day. It wasn’t that she wouldn’t like the opportunity to give the little shits a serious talking to and get them to front up the money for the clean-up and Johnno’s time. But until they were caught, there was nothing she could do, so why dwell on it.
***
Later that afternoon, Lily was walking down the main street when she heard Flynn call out to her from behind.
‘Hey, Lily – wait up.’
She stopped, turning around to wait for him to catch up.
‘Hi! I didn’t think you were coming into town today.’
‘I’ve only just heard about the graffiti on the shop. Are you all right?’
Lily gave a half-hearted shrug. ‘Yeah, I guess. I reported it to the police and they think it was probably just kids.’
‘Really? That kind of stuff generally doesn’t happen around here. I mean, there’s a bit of graffiti down around the railway, especially the underpass, but nothing like this.’
‘Oh well, maybe they were just bored. Anyway, Johnno said that he’d clean it up, so it’s all good.’
‘Right, Johnno’s going to fix it.’ Flynn’s statement hung in the air longer than it should.
Lily took his hand. ‘Well, don’t you think it makes sense that the contractor I’ve hired to renovate my shop is the same guy I pay to clean up the paint?’
‘Yeah, I guess. I suppose for just a second there I was being a bit of an idiot,’ Flynn answered with a sheepish smile.
‘Yep,’ she said with a grin, as she gave his hand a squeeze. ‘I made my choice, you know that.’
‘And a wise choice it was.’
‘Well, since I’m on a roll, I think I’d better fess up.’
‘About what?’
‘I may have made a mistake.’ Lily placed her hands on his hard chest. She could feel the heat of his taut body beneath her fingers as it seared through his cotton shirt. ‘You know when I suggested that we take things slowly?’
‘Yes.’
‘I kind of think that I was wrong.’ She laid her palm over his heart. ‘Maybe I was a little hasty in that decision. It seems silly to put the brakes on something that doesn’t need them. What do you think?’ She looked up at him nervously.
‘That you’re a very wise woman.’
‘I don’t know about that, Flynn,’ Lily said as a hint of a smile touched her lips, ‘but perhaps I shouldn’t stand this close to you. Otherwise I think the whole town will be gossiping about us.’
‘Like I care. Besides, it’s what this town does best.’ Flynn glanced around and grinned. ‘Maybe we should give them something to gossip about. We’d be providing a social service, really. Look, Mrs Cookson is coming down the street with Mrs Claire. I wonder what they’d say if I kissed you.’
‘Flynn, don’t play around like that,’ Lily warned as she gave him a pointed look.
‘So you’re willing to take a chance and see where it takes us?’
Lily looked up and saw something behind the grin. There was a trace of longing and vulnerability in his dark eyes that made her stop in her tracks.
‘Yes, Flynn, let’s see what happens. Just don’t do anything silly in front of Mrs—’
Flynn gathered her tightly in his arms and kissed her, right there in the middle of the main street.
***
The next morning, a knock sounded on the front door of the shop. Lily frowned – most of the tradies used the back door. She hurried down the stairs and into the front room of the shop then opened the door. Outside, Jill stood with two coffees in her hand.
‘Hi! What are you doing here?’ Lily said as she opened the door.
‘Bringing my old friend a coffee and an apple danish,’ Jill said as she swept past. ‘Shall we eat here? And then I can fantasise about old Mrs Halsford having kittens because we’re leaning on her precious counter.’
‘Yeah, she was pretty tyrannical about that,’ Lily said with a smile and a shake of her head.
Jill put down the drinks before screwing up her face and waving her hand. ‘“Get away from the glass, girl – you’re fogging it up. And keep your grubby little fingers off it”.’
Lily chuckled. It was true the former tenant of the shop had been a dragon of a woman. She’d run the shop as a women’s clothing boutique for many years, which was obvious from her stock – it never seemed to change, just more and more variations of beige. Mrs Halsford was always polite when there was an adult in earshot; not so much if she found you by yourself with sticky hands on the display case.
Lily took a coffee from Jill and leant on the counter. It gave her a shot of perverse pleasure too.
‘So what brings you here?’
‘Well, I could lie and say that as we’re friends I don’t need a reason to visit.’
Lily nodded. ‘That’s true.’
‘Or I could tell the truth and say that I came over to find out why you were kissing Flynn Hartley in the middle of the street yesterday.’
Lily’s mouth dropped open for a second. ‘How did you even—’
‘Bush telegraph, or rather the Violet Falls gossip relay. You know you can’t do anything, especially kiss a sexy man on the main street, without the gossip machine firing up.’
‘I knew this would happen.’ Lily cradled her head in her hands.
‘Oh come on, buck up. You should be proud. I mean, we don’t have much in town – a fair football team, and the cricket and netball teams are okay – but it’s our gossip network that is truly spectacular. Dare I say, almost Olympic level.’
‘Oh, shut up.’
‘Out with it – tell me everything.’
‘What’s to tell? Apparently the whole town already knows that Flynn kissed me in public.’
‘According to the sources, it was far more than an innocent kiss. I do believe the words “carnal” and “sordid” were used,’ Jill said before she erupted into hysterical
laughter.
‘Oh my God! There was nothing sordid or bloody carnal about it. Mrs Cookson should mind her own damn business!’
Jill wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and tried to pull herself together.
‘Don’t worry, it’s just that poor Mrs Cookson probably hasn’t ever been kissed carnally before.’
‘Ew, stop it! I’m getting a picture,’ Lily said with a shudder.
‘Oh come on, it’s funny. Besides, as soon as something more interesting turns up, everyone will stop talking about you and Flynn and your carnal kisses,’ Jill said as she almost broke out into giggles again.
‘I suppose … How long do you think that will take?’
‘Oh, I don’t know. I guess everything will die down in a couple of months,’ Jill managed to get out before she collapsed into fits of laughter again.
‘I hate you so very much,’ Lily said with a grin as she grabbed a danish and bit into its flaky goodness.
Chapter 14
Holly ran into the kitchen holding a large book. ‘Mummy, will you read me this story?’
‘Okay. Which one?’ asked Violet.
Holly grinned. ‘All of them!’
‘Ooh, nice try, kid,’ Lily said with a laugh.
‘How about one?’ Violet said. ‘Which one do you want?’
Holly flicked open the book and pointed to the story. ‘This one, because the princess looks like you. And look,’ she continued as she flipped over another couple of pages. ‘See, the woodsman looks like Mac.’
Violet bit back a laugh. ‘I guess it does. Wow, who knew I was a princess?’
‘Me and Mac – and Aunty Lily, too.’
‘Well, she’s got you there,’ Lily said.
‘Tell you what, I’ll read you the story but first I’ve already promised Aunty Lily to try on the wedding dress, so she can finish it up. So if you give me half an hour, I’ll read you the story before dinner. Do we have a deal?’
Holly nodded her head. ‘Deal. Does that mean I can watch cartoons while you and Aunty Lily fix the dress?’
‘I guess it does.’
‘Yay!’ Holly said, doing a little dance before running off to the television.
‘Okay then, Princess Violet – let’s do this.’
Violet shook her head and chuckled. ‘Since when do fairytales happen?’
Lily grinned. ‘Aw, come on, sis – always so cynical. Hmmm, how about when you marry Mac? I reckon that’s pretty much a fairytale come true.’
‘Point taken – you win.’
‘Thank you. And now, speaking of fairytales, I would really like you to try the dress on now.’
‘There’s nothing I’d like more,’ Violet said with a smile.
Lily stood up before pulling her sister to her feet. ‘Ah, there’s hope for you yet. Come on, and I promise I won’t stick you with any more pins.’
***
Lily sipped her tall glass of iced tea and looked out the front window of the Hummingbird Café.
‘You know, everyone has been talking about you,’ Hailey said with a grin as she looked over the rim of her coffee cup.
‘So I’ve heard,’ Lily said as she threw a pointed look to Jill. ‘All I can say is that they obviously don’t have much going on in their lives,’ Lily murmured. To tell the truth, she was just a bit sick of the whole thing. It had been four days since Flynn had kissed her in the street and since then she’d done her best to ignore the curious looks, secret smiles and, in some cases, hostile glares.
‘Just ignore it,’ Jill said, driving a fork into her salad. ‘It’s nobody’s business but yours … oh, and ours, since we’re your friends.’
‘Mr Hodges says it’s the very first bunch of flowers that Flynn has ever sent a girl. Not counting the ones he sends to Mac’s mum every year on her birthday,’ Hailey added as she studied Lily.
‘I’d say that Mr Hodges should mind his own business and not gossip about his customers,’ Lily said, looking away. ‘Honestly, you’d think people would have better things to do than talk about me.’
‘Wait.’ Jill held up her hand. ‘He sent you flowers?’
‘Um, yes – a big bunch of roses and lilies,’ Lily admitted as a flush of heat bloomed in her cheeks.
‘Kathy from the Eureka pub said that last Saturday night was the first time she’d ever seen Flynn Hartley leave on his own,’ Hailey continued.
‘Oh, I’m sure that’s not true, Hailey,’ Jill said. ‘Flynn has always been a bit of a player, but you make him sound like an alley cat.’
‘It is true, and not only that, Mrs Greenly told Sue Preston that both Flynn and the mayor’s daughter were at the Millstone the other night. Apparently they were sitting at separate tables and barely acknowledged one another.’
Lily frowned. ‘I really don’t need to hear this.’
‘Ah,’ Jill said as she looked up. ‘Rumour has it that Flynn and Charlotte have had a thing going on. It’s not serious because they both date other people, but when they’re not …’
‘They date each other,’ Lily said flatly as she reached for her iced tea. ‘Yes, I heard.’
‘Oh, they weren’t dating. It’s just sex,’ Hailey said with a smile. ‘Or at least that’s what I overheard Charlotte telling Lucy Girvens at the council offices. Really hot sex.’
‘Hailey!’ Jill sat back and hit Hailey’s shoulder. ‘What the hell is the matter with you? Why are you telling Lily something like that for?’
‘I thought she should know. Lily has the right to go into this with her eyes open. What’s the old saying? Forewarned is forearmed, or something like that. Anyway, I’m not trying to upset her – she’s my friend and she has a right to know what’s going on.’ Hailey leant over the table to take Lily’s hand and give it a little squeeze. ‘He went home alone and that’s all that matters.’
‘Yes, I suppose you’re right.’ Lily felt torn in two. On one hand, the idea of Flynn having sex with someone else made her feel … what? Lily sat back in her chair. It made her feel uncomfortable, angry and jealous, and for an instant a tiny part of her wanted to pull Charlotte Somerville’s glorious red hair out by the roots. On the other hand, a part of her was very relieved that Flynn had gone home alone. She shouldn’t let it get to her – she and Flynn were barely at the start of something. Whatever was in Flynn’s past was his business, and Lily wished that Hailey hadn’t brought Charlotte Somerville up at all. Sometimes it’s better to be blissfully ignorant. Flynn had a history and so did she, and the last thing either of them needed right now was to be haunted by the ghosts of exes past.
‘I think we should leave Charlotte out of this. I’m looking towards the future, not the past,’ Lily said.
‘I agree. Even if things don’t work out between you two you will at least have given it a try. Besides, Charlotte’s all right,’ Jill said before popping an olive into her mouth. ‘Sorry, you’re right – changing the subject now.’
‘No, she isn’t – Charlotte Somerville is a bitch!’ Hailey exclaimed. ‘She’s far too full of herself and her family’s position in the town.’
‘That’s a bit harsh, don’t you think?’ Jill asked.
‘Just telling it how it is.’
‘Way to change the subject. You two are like a dog with a bone,’ Lily chuckled as she shook her head. ‘As far as I’m concerned, people can say whatever they want. I just don’t care anymore. The only people that matter to me are my family, my two crazy friends and Flynn. Everyone else can go and take a long walk off a short pier.’
Jill picked up her glass. ‘Very well put, Lily.’
‘Absolutely,’ Hailey smiled as she clinked her coffee cup on Jill’s glass.
Lily grinned and clinked her tall glass against the others. ‘To the people who matter.’
***
‘Can I speak to you for a second?’ Violet asked, knocking on Lily’s workroom door.
Lily sat back in her chair and shot her sister a smile. ‘Uh-oh … what have I done?’
&
nbsp; Violet walked in and moved a pile of fabric from the only other chair in the room before sitting down. ‘You haven’t done anything. I just wanted to make sure that you’re okay – you know, that the shop and dresses are all panning out how you hoped.’
‘Yep, it’s all fine,’ Lily replied, looking closely at her sister. ‘But there’s something else on your mind, isn’t there?’
Violet ran a hand through her dark hair. ‘Yeah, I guess I’m just a bit concerned about you and Flynn. Don’t get me wrong, I really like him. He’s Mac’s best friend and he’s a great guy.’
‘But?’
‘Well, he has a bit of a reputation. I don’t think he’s ever had a long-lasting, serious relationship.’
‘And why is that a problem?’
Violet frowned. ‘Sweetheart, it’s not that I want you to rush into a relationship. I guess I just wanted to talk about the fact that I’ve sometimes wondered if he’s capable of having one at all.’
‘I know that you’re just looking out for me but really, Violet, I’m a big girl.’
‘Yes, of course. I just don’t want to see you hurt, particularly after the last episode.’
‘Believe me, Flynn is nothing like Pietro,’ Lily said as she fiddled with the bit of ruby-coloured silk. ‘We’re just beginning, Violet – nobody’s making any promises at this stage. Who knows, the whole thing could come crashing down around our ears in a couple of months, but then maybe we’ll stick at it for another forty-odd years. I don’t own a crystal ball and we both know there are no guarantees.’
‘You’re right, I should mind my own business.’
‘No, I like having you worry,’ Lily said with a wink. ‘That’s what big sisters are meant to do, right?’
‘Yeah, something like that,’ Violet said as she stood up. ‘I’ll let you get back to your sewing. I’m here if you ever need to talk.’
‘I know – I’m counting on it,’ Lily said before turning back to her sewing machine and putting her foot on the pedal.
Mulling over their conversation as she guided the delicate fabric, Lily decided it was time to put both her indecision and Violet’s concerns to one side. For once she was going to be guided by Jill’s excellent advice and forget about the old fears of being unlucky in love. There was no point making up problems before they even existed – she was determined to dismiss the ‘what ifs’ and live in the moment.
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