Georgia Sweethearts

by Missy Tippens

  Couldn’t his dad understand? Daniel didn’t want anyone to need him. Because then he might need her, as well. “Did GranAnn put you up to this?”

  “No. I see the situation with my own eyes.” He shook his head. “Despite what you might think, I want you to be happy, son. I don’t know Lilly well yet, but I see how she cares about you. And I’d hate to see you make a bad decision, especially one that could affect your whole future.”

  “It’s not a decision. Starting churches is something I feel led to do.”

  “Are you sure fear isn’t leading you?” Blake asked before turning and walking out. Leaving Daniel to wonder if maybe his dad could be at least partially right.

  Was he really following God’s will? Or was he acting out of fear of getting too attached?

  No. He couldn’t be that mistaken. He needed to pray for strength. Because he knew what he needed to do. With Lilly’s need for stability, for a permanent home, his plan didn’t—and couldn’t—involve her.

  Chapter Ten

  “And then this really cute guy asked me out.” Zaria passed around her cell phone to show them his photo, trying to look cool, eyes shining with excitement.

  “Right there on the beach?” Cricket squealed.

  “Yep. But would you believe my parents wouldn’t let me go?”

  “Duh,” Evette said. “He was, like, a total stranger, cute or not.”

  The girls had their regular meeting the day before but had shown up for extra work time to try to finish their knitting projects.

  “Nice work, girls,” Lilly said. “Theresa, you’ll be finished before I will. And I started on my scarf weeks before you did.”

  “Um, Lilly...this is my second one.” Theresa and the girls had a good laugh about that fact.

  Lilly pretended to be offended, then burst out laughing herself. “By the way, I sent off those photos I showed you—the ones of y’all—to that magazine.”

  “Ooh, do you think we’ll be famous?” Cricket asked.

  “You’re already famous in my book. Look at this beautiful knitting.”

  She hung out with the girls for a while, though she was acutely aware that Daniel was just across the shop.

  April had settled in, and as the heat outside intensified, she’d decided the shop needed a new, less drafty door so her air-conditioning wouldn’t have to work so hard. Daniel had volunteered to do the job and enlisted the boys to help.

  Lilly left the girls chatting about their recent spring break activities and headed to the front of the store to see how the work was going. They’d gotten the old door off its hinges and were trying to figure out how to hang the new one.

  Daniel stood off to the side, allowing them to work together to accomplish their task. She slipped up beside him, pressing her arm against his. “How’s it going?”

  His intense gaze acknowledged their closeness in a way that made her want to lean in, to nuzzle his neck....

  “Going a little slow,” he said, pulling his attention to the door. “Sorry we’re blocking your entrance.”

  “That’s okay. I’m enjoying the fresh air.” She got a glimpse of the azalea bushes the guys had planted, now exploding with color. Lilly glanced at her watch—nearly time for class to start.

  “No, dude. It goes this way,” Ian said to Dag as he impatiently pushed him aside.

  “Let him do it,” Parker said in defense of the newest member of their group. “He won’t learn if you shove him away.”

  “And you won’t learn if you stand there with your finger up your nose.”

  “You guys need to keep it down over there,” Evette called.

  Parker got in Ian’s face. “I’m tired of you treating me like I’m an idiot.”

  Brave, considering Ian was a half a foot taller and a whole lot tougher. Then again, Parker had two older brothers.

  Lilly glanced at Daniel to see if he would step in.

  Daniel’s muscles tensed. “Cut it out, guys.”

  Movement caught Lilly’s eye.

  No. Why hadn’t she seen the car? Vera climbed the front stairs with her perfectly coiffed hair and perfectly tailored clothes and—

  And with her three perfectly perturbed friends, members of their class, on the steps below her.

  “Excuse me,” Vera snapped. “Could we please get by?”

  Ian stepped to the side and stared at Vera through squinted eyes. Not exactly friendly.

  “Oops, sorry,” Ricky said to the women as he gave Parker a push out of the way. “We’re replacing the door.”

  Parker, whose face was flushed and who apparently still didn’t want to back down from Ian, gave Ricky a two-handed shove that nearly sent him flying off the porch. “Don’t you be a jerk, too.”

  Ricky came flying back at Parker but stopped inches away. “I’m just trying to help the ladies get through the door. You need to chill.”

  Parker huffed out air like a bull about to charge. “I think you probably needed to chill before you got Cricket pregnant.”

  Lilly barely registered the comment before Ricky was on Parker and had him lifted up by the shirt, back pressed against the building.

  Her heart slammed against her ribs as, a split second later, Daniel held them pried apart. “Parker, downstairs, now,” he barked. “Ricky, wait inside.” He nodded to Ian and Dag. “You two, stick around to help me finish this door.”

  As Daniel finished giving orders, the girls arrived to see what had happened. Cricket reached out for Ricky, but he shook his head and strode inside.

  Evette scowled at the women as if it were their fault the guys went off. “Come on everyone, freak show’s over.”

  Daniel ground his teeth together, his own cheeks streaked with color from having to dive into the middle of brawling teenage boys. He turned to Vera and her friends. “Ladies, I’m terribly sorry you had to witness this. The boys will be held accountable. You can be assured it won’t happen again.”

  Time for more damage control. “I think it might be best if we cancel class today.” Lilly quickly ushered them to their car.

  Ann and Flo, who’d arrived sometime during the debacle, joined them.

  “I’m so sorry this happened,” Lilly said. “We have a ministry for these kids, kids who’ve made some bad decisions or have gotten into trouble, kids who merely have an awful home situation. I promise you today’s fight is an anomaly. The boys are kind and usually well behaved.”

  Ann’s brows drew downward with worry. “I’m sure Lilly’s right. But it probably is best that we cancel today.”

  “You won’t be charged,” Lilly added.

  Flo waved off the situation. “We understand that things happen.”

  “It’s frightening to think you’d let those hoodlums continue to come to your place of business,” Vera said, her blond hair quivering as she punctuated each word. “What if the pastor hadn’t been here today?”

  “I honestly think Ricky would have ended the fight if Daniel hadn’t stepped in. He’s a new Christian and is trying hard to be the man God wants him to be,” Lilly explained.

  Something flapping in the distance caught Lilly’s eye. Evette waving from the porch to get their attention.

  “Hey,” Evette yelled. “The dudes are actually pretty decent. Not delinquents or anything. So don’t hold it against Lilly.”

  Daniel appeared on the porch with the other teens and urged them down the stairs into the parking lot.

  Lilly shook her head as the group headed their way, touched they wanted to help.

  Flo happily waved at Evette as if she’d already forgiven them.

  Lilly liked Flo for that ability to let things roll off her back. It was a gift, a trait she’d always admired but, always being the new girl, had never had a chance to develop. She sometimes w
ished she didn’t care what people thought of her—what clothes she wore or how much her hair frizzed.

  Daniel and the kids bravely approached.

  “We came to apologize,” Parker said, his eyes wide, scared. “It was my fault for losing my temper.”

  Vera jammed her key at the door lock, unable to get it in on the first two tries. “Lilly, I have to respectfully request that you ask those boys to leave and not come back during business hours. You have to think of your customers’ comfort and safety.”

  Two of Vera’s three friends nodded their agreement. The third looked too embarrassed to speak up. Whether she was embarrassed over the fight or over Vera’s request made in front of the teenagers, Lilly couldn’t tell.

  “I’m sorry you feel that way,” Lilly said to Vera and company, determined to maintain her own temper. “But, respectfully, I’m going to allow them to stay.”

  Daniel’s eyebrows headed toward his hairline.

  “You see,” she continued, “my church wanted to help these young ladies and gentlemen make a fresh start. Like God is allowing me to make a fresh start in Corinthia.” My church. It felt so good to say that. “But along the way, they’ve become my friends.” She smiled at them, hoping they didn’t feel like projects but like partners. “I care about them. We care about them.”

  “I’d think you’d be worried about your business first and foremost.” Vera’s key finally slid in the lock. “And about the reputation of your church in this town.”

  Lilly sought Daniel like a heat-seeking missile. “Daniel has believed in these kids from the beginning. And I fully support him. I think Corinthia will be better for it.”

  Daniel grinned.

  Vera calmly slid into her car. “Looks like you’ve made your choice of who you want around your shop.”

  Lilly put a hand on Ann’s shoulder, giving it a little squeeze of reassurance. “No, not a choice. I hope you’ll stay in the class. We can all work together and form a strong community.”

  “I’m all for that,” Flo said.

  “Me, too,” said Ann.

  “Me, three!” Evette said, trying to look serious. But Lilly knew it was a smart remark.

  She gave Evette a censuring look. “Girls, time to go finish those scarves if you plan to sell them.”

  Vera mumbled, “Come on, ladies. That yarn store with the noisy coffee shop is looking better by the moment.” She slammed her door. As soon as her friends were settled in the car with her, she revved the engine and then rolled down her window. “I’ll make sure everyone I know finds out how poorly we’ve been treated here.”

  No one said a word as Vera gunned the engine, punctuating her exit with spewing gravel.

  Ian chuckled. “Better go rake the gravel again.”

  “That was awesome,” Evette said. “I’ve never had anyone take up for me that way.”

  Lilly was glad Evette felt affirmed. But she couldn’t be happy at the moment. “That was a disaster is what it was.”

  Jenna, who’d apparently come out behind Daniel and the teens, let Will down but held on to his hand. “Vera and her friends and coworkers make up a big chunk of our business. No offense, kids, but Lilly needs to do whatever she has to do to get them back.” She glared at Daniel.

  The kids didn’t seem to hear her. “Man, that was amazing,” Ian said. “You were like a mother bear.”

  “Yeah,” Cricket said. “We didn’t know you cared about us so much.”

  Theresa threw her arms around Lilly’s neck. “Thank you.”

  As the teens gathered around, fist bumping her and each other, Lilly looked for Daniel.

  He stood a few feet apart from them. The way he looked at her, his eyes shining approval, made her feel...important, cherished, like she mattered.

  That’s what love looks like.

  The fleeting thought arrowed through her mind and lodged in her heart with a twinge of pain.

  Even if the thought were true, he would never act on it.

  * * *

  Daniel drew away from the celebrating kids trying to comfort Lilly by raving about her heroic actions and reassuring her they’d help her rebuild her customer base.

  He walked toward the yarn shop, trying desperately to simply take a deep breath. To think straight. Because all he could think at the moment was that he was falling in love with Lilly Barnes. And he wanted her to always have his back.

  And craziest...scariest...of all, as he’d stood there watching her with the kids, knowing how much her actions had meant to them, he’d realized he wanted her to be the mother of his children. Wanted her to love them, protect them.

  To love him. Support him. And allow him to love her.

  Too much. He’d started to want too much.

  He ran his hand through his hair as he paced back and forth in front of the shop entrance as if checking out the flowering bushes they’d planted for Lilly. The place where, at a loss for words, she’d given him a goofy thumbs-up, like he’d done when he hadn’t known what to say, either.

  So many awkward moments when neither of them had felt secure enough to openly love the other.

  All for good reason. Hadn’t they known from the beginning that they were heading in two different directions, had differing needs?

  “Daniel, is everything okay?” She stood behind him, worry showing in the way her brow came together in a little vee between her eyes.

  He wanted to kiss it away. To reassure her that everything would be okay.

  But would it?

  He had to move on, and soon. He’d already made a commitment to the folks in Valdosta. “Yeah, I’m fine. Proud of how you handled Vera.”

  “You are?” She came and stood beside him, brushed her hand over a nearby azalea bush.

  He stared at the flowers. Couldn’t risk getting lost in those gorgeous eyes, in those lips that had tasted so sweet. He tried to look inconspicuous as he put more space between them. “Yeah, really proud. I’ve just got a lot on my mind right now.”

  Her shoulders sagged. “Oh, good. I was afraid I’d messed up with the kids.”

  “No, you’re great with them. They love you.”

  When her face lit with joy, he felt as if a bus sat on his chest. He prayed that someday someone would come along, someone who would deserve her and put that smile on her face for good. Someone who could settle down and give her a secure home, a family.

  He jammed his hands in his pockets. “Guess we need to get back to work on that door.”

  “Okay. Sure.” Her head tilted as if she wanted to ask more.

  Thankfully, she didn’t push him.

  “Ian, Dag, come try to hang this door,” he called to the kids clustered in the parking lot. “Ricky, Parker, I need to see you in my office.”

  He nodded his goodbye to Lilly and headed around the building toward the basement. As soon as he dealt with their fighting, he’d call the church in Valdosta and give them a definite start date. Then set up a meeting with Belinda, Frank and the other church leaders.

  Time to start the process of moving on. He felt it as surely as he’d felt his calling to come here in the first place.

  Lord, give me strength to do this when every fiber of my being wants to stay here and start a life with this woman.

  Chapter Eleven

  That evening, Lilly couldn’t continue to ignore the tension in the air in Jenna’s kitchen as they ate a carryout pizza. She had to convince her sister she’d made the right choice in defending Daniel and his ministries.

  Once Jenna tucked Will in bed for the night, Lilly asked her if they could sit together at the kitchen table. “Jenna, we need to talk about what happened today.”

  “I already tried to talk. And you blew off my concerns.”

  “Look, I know today was a huge b
low. But I need you to understand why those kids are more important to me than four hateful women who can’t see beyond themselves.”

  “I did some tallying. Those four hateful women represent an even larger network of potential customers. So maybe you should consider their feelings, as well.” She hopped up and carried her plate to the dishwasher.

  “Those kids there today need my support.”

  “And I need you, too. I need you to help make a success of The Yarn Barn. And I want you to stay so we can keep it running.”

  “Why the change of heart about selling?”

  She slammed shut the dishwasher. “Because...” Her shoulders heaved. “...I’m going to need that money to support myself and my son.”

  Tears streamed down Jenna’s cheeks. Lilly went to her and embraced her in a hug. “What happened?”

  “Ned’s giving up. Today, for the first time ever, he mentioned divorce.”

  Lilly felt the words like a knife to her gut. Concern with yarn and knitting and mean women paled in comparison to her sister’s failing marriage. “Sit, tell me what’s been going on.”

  Lilly had been distracted, too enmeshed in her own drama to keep up with her sister. She needed to remedy that. To watch out for her own family.

  As tears poured down Jenna’s face, she told Lilly about her conversation with her husband that day. “And he ended up saying he can’t live in limbo any longer. He’s giving me one more month to agree to counseling. If I don’t, he’s filing for divorce.”

  “You two love each other like crazy. You have to do everything you can to keep the marriage together.”

  “But it’s not that easy.”

  She gripped her sister’s hand and gave it a tight squeeze, willing her strength into her. “Yes, it is. You agree to go to counseling. At this point, that’s all you need to do.” She rubbed her sister’s back. “We Barnes girls are tough...and have done well coping. But it’s time to quit allowing old patterns and fears to ruin your future. It’s time to swallow your pride and do whatever you have to do to keep your family together.”

  “I don’t know if I can deal with all my baggage,” she whispered.