Georgia Sweethearts

by Missy Tippens

  “No, it’s more than that. Belinda and her husband, your sign-maker friend...you. You’re all kind and generous, and I think the reason is because you love God and try to do what’s right.”

  Her hand, still on his arm, warmed him through the fabric of his shirt. She blinked her big hazel eyes, the long dark lashes casting a brief shadow on her cheeks. Then those lashes swept upward and her heart shone in her eyes.

  His gaze dropped to her full lips, lips he’d dreamed about. She was sweet and giving and was looking at him as if she wanted this, too. So he lowered his head, ever so slowly and—

  The French doors burst open like the shot of a cannon in the quiet room. Jenna stood staring at them.

  As he took a step away from Lilly, her hand fell from his arm.

  “What are your intentions with my sister?” Jenna asked, a tremble in her voice.

  Lilly stepped forward, almost as if getting between him and her sister, a protective gesture that touched him.

  He stepped beside Lilly. “I—”

  “No,” Lilly said, grabbing hold of his arm. “You’re not going to answer that.”

  Jenna stood apart from them, as if drawing a line in the sand, declaring battle. “I won’t watch you hurt my sister.”

  “There’s no hurting going on, here,” Lilly said. “I was telling him about how I’ve turned back to God, how I’m praying again for the first time in years.” Tears filled her eyes. “Please don’t embarrass me by accusing him of doing something wrong when we were just sharing a...a close moment.”

  Jenna frantically blinked at tears. “He’s a church starter, Lilly. I heard he’s already got the next church waiting for him in South Georgia.”

  “Your sister knows all that,” Daniel said. “And she’s shared how important stability is for her. We understand we’re living two different lives.”

  The words sank like lead in his stomach. Tonight, briefly, he’d thought maybe they had a chance. But Jenna reminded him of the other issues still keeping them apart.

  “Don’t do anything you’ll regret,” Jenna said to her sister. “Because men will walk out on you faster than you can say Jack Robinson.”

  “I’m an adult and will make my own decisions.”

  Jenna’s shoulders slumped. “You two can deny it all you want, but you have feelings for each other. You need to deal with them.”

  Will’s cry sounded over the baby monitor. Jenna reached for the doors. “If you ask me, the best way would be to stay away from each other till Daniel’s gone.” She quietly closed the doors behind her.

  Lilly opened her mouth to speak, then stopped.

  “Your sister is just worried about you. And she’s right, you know.”

  “Her outlook is colored by Ned’s leaving.”

  “She’s right about our feelings.”

  Her eyes fell closed. She huffed out a breath. “I don’t want to get hurt again.”

  They were in an impossible situation. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “Then I guess we follow her advice.”

  Why had he admitted his feelings? Surely ignoring them would be easier than staying away from Lilly. “I’ll do my best.”

  He headed out the door but turned back as she was shutting it behind him. “I want you to feel free to come to church services and take part in ministries. We can handle that.”

  She nodded. “Yeah, okay.” She gazed into his eyes for one brief moment. Then she shut the door.

  He closed himself in his car with his misery and regret.

  Tonight, they’d kicked off a program for troubled teen girls. He’d gotten one step closer to reaching his goals for the church. But he’d lost so much more.

  * * *

  Lilly hurt for a week, her stomach in a tight knot, struggling to make it through everyday activities. She avoided Daniel and struggled in her prayer life. But on the following Sunday morning, she woke with the sun and made a decision.

  No more.

  God loved her and had a plan for her. And even if that plan didn’t include Daniel, she had a reason to move on. She wanted to make a success of her new business. And even more, to work on her growing relationship with God.

  Over the next few weeks, as the cold weather warmed and daffodils pushed up through the ground, she did just that. Her friendship with Belinda grew as The Yarn Barn’s business grew. Thanks to the Hodgeses, their customer base increased significantly. They’d even set up online ordering, and internet orders had exploded. She’d paid their suppliers, the utility bills and had a good chunk of the next quarterly tax payment.

  She’d even picked up her camera again and had been snapping shots of the support group girls whenever she hung out with them. She had an idea for an article and called a friend in Louisville who owned a magazine. The woman had been hounding Lilly for years to come work with her. They planned to meet sometime in July.

  Lilly closed her laptop, the hustle and bustle of people gathering for the church service downstairs pulling her away from checking new online orders. The bells on the front door drew her attention.

  Jenna breezed in with a smile as she lifted Will higher up on her hip. “Sorry I’m late. I thought Will was trying to take his first step, but it turned out he had his hand on the table.”

  “What a big boy!” Lilly said to Will as she clapped her hands and reached out for him. “You’ll be off and running before we know it.”

  “I guess we need to head downstairs.” Jenna sighed, as if the effort were odious.

  She and Jenna had gotten along better since she had been avoiding contact with Daniel. Jenna seemed relieved, though she still refused counseling and hadn’t patched up her relationship with Ned. But she’d at least tried attending the services the past couple Sundays, hoping to find common ground with her husband.

  “I’m ready.” Lilly had attended every service since she’d started praying again and had asked God back into her life. She’d sat in the back during worship with Belinda and Geoff, plus Jenna when she came. Then Lilly would slip out as quickly as possible afterward, before Daniel made it to the door. If he got to the door first, she would exit by way of the inside stairs.

  The system of avoidance had worked well. Or maybe the success was simply because Daniel was practicing avoidance, as well. Whatever the reason, Lilly hadn’t talked to Daniel other than a polite hello for almost a month.

  Jenna handed Will to the nursery worker in the back corner, and this time he went without a hitch. “I can’t believe I keep doing this for my husband.”

  “You need to be doing it for you.” She gave her sister a knowing stare, waiting for the anticipated reaction.

  But this time, Jenna didn’t explode into her usual rant. “You’ve changed, you know,” she said as she seriously studied Lilly. “Inside and out.”

  “I guess prayer does that. God does that.”

  “So you’re really feeling this?”

  “I am.” She smiled at her sister as they headed for their “regular” chairs. “You were probably too young to remember when that church bus would pick us up for Sunday school when we were little, but I do. The people were so good to us. I feel that here, too.”

  Jenna wrinkled her nose as if she didn’t agree.

  “At the first service we attended over at Frank’s, when you ran out crying, I thought maybe you were feeling a pull back to the church, too,” Lilly whispered.

  “No, I was just torn up about Ned leaving.” Something in Jenna’s eyes said otherwise, though. She looked away, as if she wasn’t telling Lilly the whole truth.

  Lilly didn’t push. God would work on Jenna in His own good time.

  “So do you think you might stay on after the year is up?” Jenna asked as nonchalantly as she might ask what Lilly wanted for dinner. “Because I can see us doing t
he shop together for a long time, especially if we can make a decent income.”

  Unease crept into the calm Lilly had worked hard to maintain. “You know I’ve always dreamed of using my degree. I figure my half of the money from the shop will help me build my freelance business. I’ve already set up a July meeting with my friend, who has the magazine in Kentucky. Have been working on a piece about troubled teens.”

  Jenna sighed and waved at the Hodgeses, who’d walked in. “You sacrificed to put me through college. It’s only fair you get your chance for a change. It’s just...well, I’ve gotten used to having you around.”

  Music started, a soft praise song on the keyboard, as they began the service. Daniel’s voice flowed over Lilly like a comforting cloak, but the sound also reminded her of the pain of their last night together. She tried her best to push the thoughts from her mind and to focus.

  But she could barely sit still throughout the worship service. Jenna’s words had made her antsy. She caught herself considering staying in Corinthia with these people. While they sang, Lilly glanced around at once-unfamiliar faces that belonged, now, to friends.

  Frank gave a friendly wink as they finished the last song. He’d fed her and Jenna lunch at the same table in his restaurant the past two weeks. Might he someday ask if she wanted her regular?

  She glanced up as Daniel invited them to bow their heads for the closing prayer. Seeing him always took her breath away, made her wish her situation were different.

  When the prayer was over, she went into her quick-escape maneuver. She beat Daniel outside and let out her pent-up breath. The slight embarrassment at being so juvenile didn’t diminish her sense of relief one bit.

  “Hey, Lilly, wait up,” someone called.

  She turned and found Ricky and Cricket holding hands. Ricky had been faithfully coming to church each week, every time the door was open. Just like Lilly had. It seemed the two of them had followed a similar path in their faith journeys.

  “Hi, you two.”

  Ricky and Cricket’s families had worked together and were allowing Ricky and Cricket to see each other, allowing Ricky to be supportive. But this was the first time Cricket had come out in public with him.

  Ricky swung their joined hands to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “Her parents are allowing us to officially date now.”

  “Yep.” She laughed, her silky blond hair swinging. “No more chaperones.”

  The young couple looked adoringly at each other. The tenderness and affection between them gripped her heart, made her ache for the same.

  No one would be looking at Lilly that way anytime soon.

  Cricket looked so young, Lilly couldn’t believe she’d be having a baby in a couple months. A scarier time than usual for a teenaged mom since they’d worry about the possible effects of the overdose. “So, Cricket, how are the meetings with Belinda going?” Lilly asked.

  “Belinda’s great. She’s really helping me deal with...well, everything.”

  “Yeah, she’s the best.” Someone else Lilly would have to leave behind once she moved away.

  “Quincy misses you. You should come visit him sometime,” Ricky said.

  Tears prickled behind her nose. “I’d love that. I’ll come by soon.”

  Why was everything hitting her so hard today? She needed to get a grip on her emotions.

  But she couldn’t. She fought tears all the way around the building as she headed to her car.

  Everything had been going so well these past few weeks—everything that didn’t have to do with Daniel. But she’d been careless, apparently. Had allowed herself to settle in. To love the community they’d built at the yarn shop. Love her new friends. Love her church.

  Not to mention growing closer than ever to Ann, Belinda, Jenna and Will.

  In just a few months, she’d move away and would only visit for holidays. How would she ever leave them?

  A horn honked out front. Lilly turned and saw Ann getting out of an expensive black sedan.

  “Hello, Lilly!” She waved as she approached in her baby blue pantsuit and pearls that she’d most likely worn to church. She limped along slowly, a cane in one hand. Lilly couldn’t remember ever seeing the cane before. Alarm shot through her. What if something happened to Ann? She’d helped fill the hole Talitha’s death had left in their lives.

  “Hi, Ann. Are you okay?”

  “Can’t complain. But I’d be better if you and your sister and nephew would come for lunch today. I won’t take no for an answer.”

  “Oh, Ann, I’m sorry, but we can’t. Jenna has a meal planned.”

  “I said I won’t take no for an answer. Talitha asked me to watch out for you girls, and I feel like I’ve fallen down on my duty. You must come so I don’t feel guilty.” She smiled, her blue eyes hopeful. Bright red lipstick feathered into creases from years of smiling. Her excited expression made it impossible to refuse.

  Lilly glanced at the car, wondering if they were picking up Daniel, hoping he wouldn’t be at lunch.

  “That’s my son-in-law, Blake, driving me. He’ll be joining us.”

  She hadn’t mentioned Daniel. Maybe he had a meeting or something to do. Her tension unfurled, leaving her relieved...and disappointed.

  Disappointed? Shame on you, Lilly Barnes.

  “I’ll have to talk to Jenna. But even if she can’t come, I will. You’re so nice to invite us.”

  “It’s my pleasure. Y’all come over to the house as soon as you can.”

  Ann hurried back to Blake’s car, moving faster this time. Without using the cane. Maybe the prospect of having some company lifted her spirits.

  Lilly headed home to try to convince Jenna to come along to lunch. It took fifteen minutes of cajoling, but she finally agreed. They showed up at Ann’s half an hour after the invitation.

  When the door swung open, Lilly couldn’t believe her luck.

  * * *

  Determined to make it through one day without doing something to antagonize Jenna or his dad, Daniel had prepared to paste a friendly expression on his face when he answered the door. But as he pushed open the screen door and came within touching distance of Lilly for the first time in weeks, he found he didn’t have to exert any effort at all. One look into her eyes, and his smile formed of its own volition.

  “Hi,” he said, close enough that he could smell her sweet, flowery fragrance.

  Her teeth worried with her lower lip. He tried really hard not to look in the direction of her lips, but with no success. His heart raced as he tried to drag his gaze upward. Could she tell her nearness tortured him?

  The corners of her mouth formed into the tiniest of smiles. “Hi.”

  Jenna cleared her throat. “Don’t mind me. I’ll just head back to the kitchen.”

  He nodded toward her retreating figure “Wow. She left you alone with me?”

  Lilly’s laugh poured over him like warm syrup. “She’s talked to Ned some this week. Is in a pretty good mood—comparatively.” She held out a plastic container. “Thanks for inviting us. I brought some chocolate cake Jenna baked last night.”

  “Thanks.” He took the cake from her but didn’t make a move toward the kitchen. “I—”

  “We—” she said at the same time.

  They laughed, and some of the tension left the room.

  She’d worked so hard to avoid him around the church the past few weeks that he’d feared she was going to give herself whiplash. Of course, he’d pretty much done the same.

  “Look, Lilly, I know this is awkward. But I appreciate you coming. For GranAnn’s sake.”

  “She’s kind to invite us.”

  “Are you doing okay?”

  Her eyes were clear and bright, like someone who was happy, at peace. “I’m doing great. Physically and spiritually.”
>
  He reached out, wanting to hug her, but rubbed her shoulder instead. “I’ve been glad to see you at church. Hear you’ve attended a couple of the girls’ support group meetings.”

  “Lilly,” Jenna called. “Bring the cake.”

  Lilly chuckled, shook her head. “Maybe we should...uh...go on back?” She nodded toward the kitchen area. “You know, before she sends a search party.”

  When he walked into the kitchen, everyone was seated around the table except for Gran, who stirred something on the stove. Blake was stony-faced as usual. Not hostile. Yet not welcoming.

  Daniel gestured to the high chair beside Jenna. “Would you like Will to use this?”

  “Yes, thank you.”

  Her words were polite. Her tone said she still hadn’t forgotten that he’d nearly kissed her sister.

  He held out his arms for Will. “Ready to go, big guy?”

  Will giggled and reached for him.

  “Big guy is his special name that only his dad calls him,” Jenna said, clearly sending Daniel a warning.

  Blake’s eyes widened, surprised, and then they narrowed. Daniel prayed he wouldn’t say anything, that he’d accept Jenna’s dislike for his son and let it go.

  Daniel went to his regular chair beside Jenna, hoping he could somehow mend the rift between them.

  “No, son. Sit over here beside Lilly,” Gran said. “We have one more guest coming. He’ll be late, said to get started.”

  “Who’s coming, Ann?” Blake asked.

  “Ned, Jenna’s husband.” She patted Jenna and joined them at the table.

  All eyes turned toward Jenna. She seemed flustered, but then she recovered, gave a weak smile. “Thank you, Miss Ann.”

  Once Blake blessed the meal, and platters of food were being passed around, he questioned Lilly and Jenna about their family. Their answers were vague, and the conversation didn’t last long.

  While Jenna fed Will, Daniel asked Lilly if the new website was finished, how the signs were working out, how business was going. All the questions he’d wanted to ask for the past month.

  Lilly lit up as she filled him in on all the improvements. “Everything’s going well.”