Mr. Walker stared at David for a moment before smiling. “This must be some special woman.”
“You have no idea.”
“I’ll agree, but only if you let us create your tuxedo as well.”
David laughed. “It’s a deal. I was thinking around three o’clock. Will that give you enough time to have things ready?”
“We’ll be ready.” He stood and shook David’s hand. “Thank you for allowing us this opportunity.”
“You’re welcome. We’ll see you tomorrow.” David left with a big smile on his face. He couldn’t wait to see what they designed for her. He left and headed to work to pick up his truck. He wanted to help Lily at the diner, but he needed to make a couple of stops first.
The drive through the city was slow because of rush-hour traffic. He should have left an hour before. He stopped at a florist just outside the city and bought some red roses, then drove to a small cemetery. A frozen white blanket covered the ground, but he could have made it to the headstone with his eyes closed. The flowers stood out brightly against the white surrounding them. David brushed the snow away from Sarah’s headstone and knelt down.
“I can’t believe another month has gone by since you left me. I hope you’re proud of the changes I’ve made in my life. I’ve made them for you, and you’re right. I’m so much happier when I serve.” David wiped his eyes. “I’m sure you’ve noticed that I met someone. I think you’d like her. She’s beautiful, smart, and has a wonderful laugh. And two of the most amazing kids. I just … I don’t know what to do.”
He sat in silence for another few minutes before standing and touching the headstone. No answers had come, but he hadn’t really expected one. He knew she would be happy for him. That’s all she’d ever wanted. The question was, could he allow himself to let go and move on?
It was another hour before he finally got back home. The diner’s parking lot was packed with cars again, and he saw flashes going off in several places. He drove past and parked in his garage before walking around the long way to go in the back door.
Lily was trying to do several things at once, so David stepped in to help out. He kept the mask and hairnet on and made sure to stay away from the window into the dining room.
“I see things haven’t calmed down much,” he whispered as he took a plate from Lily.
“I think it’s worse today.” She threw some more noodles into a pot and handed the spoon to David to stir, then took another two dishes to the window.
David went to the pantry to look through the spices. He pulled out the ones he needed and set them on the counter, and then pulled out another pan. He sautéed the garlic and added onions and a few other spices to the mix.
“What are you doing?” Lily stared at the pan in front of him.
“Making my pasta dish. I know it’s not on the menu, but it makes a lot, and it’s fast.” He set the pan aside and grabbed a pot for the noodles he’d need.
Lily nodded. “Right. We’ll just add that to the specials list.”
“So you don’t have anyone else to help?” David asked. “It’s kind of insane in here.”
“I have two friends who should be here any minute. If you have suggestions on how to calm this down, I’d love to hear it. Not that I don’t love the business. We’re just almost out of ingredients.” Lily pulled some chicken out of the oven and set it on the counter to dish up.
David poured the noodles into the pot and turned the heat down. “I have an idea, if you’re willing to do it.”
“What’s that?” Lily asked.
“Come to a movie with me. We’ll go out the back, but accidentally be seen so they’ll follow us. But that’s only if you want the diner to empty out. You sure you want to lose the business? And more importantly, are you okay with them following us to the movie?”
Lily glanced at the window to the chaos in the dining room and sighed. “As much as I love the business, I need to restock before we can make anything else. Are you okay with that, Ann? I could just announce that we're out of food, but then what would the reporters say?”
“A break from the insanity? That’s a big yes. You two go, and I'll deal with it.” Ann grabbed a few plates and left the kitchen.
David helped Lily put on her coat, and they had Mary and Patrick follow them outside. David walked around the corner and waited until the crowd noticed him. He put his arm around Lily and took Patrick’s hand while Lily held Mary’s hand. They walked to the theater slowly to make sure they had reporters following them.
“Where are we going?” Mary asked.
“To a movie,” Lily said.
David was relieved to find that there was a children’s movie playing as they walked up to buy tickets. The familiar flashes of cameras made him smile. It had worked.
They walked into the movie, and David paid for popcorn, candy, and drinks for the kids, and one big tub of popcorn for him to share with Lily. They found their seats in an almost empty theater and sat down to wait for the movie to start.
Lily helped her kids open their candy and settled back into her seat. David hadn’t seen her so excited.
“When was the last time you saw a movie in the theater?” he whispered.
“Years.” She thought for a moment. “I think Mary was two. She wouldn’t sit still for more than a few seconds at a time.”
David chuckled. “Well, it’s about time you came back. And this time, Mary might sit still.”
Mary looked up from her candy. “What?”
“Never mind.” Lily looked behind them and tensed up. “They all followed us here.”
David glanced over his shoulder to see the seats filled with reporters, then turned back around. “Just relax and pretend they’re not here. This way, your employees can have a small break, and we get to watch a movie together. Win-win situation.”
“You’re right. Thank you. My kids have begged me for months to see this.” Lily took a small handful of popcorn.
“You’re welcome. Although, I have to admit I was just doing it so I could take you on a date.” He winked and turned back to the previews.
The movie started, and David laughed right along with the kids. Sometime during the movie, Lily laid her head on David’s shoulder. He kissed her forehead and enjoyed the closeness. When the movie ended, they stood and found that the theater had emptied out.
“Where’d they all go?” Lily helped Patrick get his coat on.
“They’re most likely outside, waiting for the perfect shot of us leaving the theater.” David took her hand, and they walked out into the cold. “See what I mean?”
Flashes of light blinded them as reporters shoved their microphones into David's face. Reporter after reporter fired questions at them, so David held up his hand to quiet them.
“Thank you for your attention. We would ask that you leave us alone so we can protect the privacy of those around us. If you could please wait until tomorrow’s party to look for news, I’d appreciate it.” He led the family toward the church, and didn’t say anything else until they were inside.
Mary and Patrick walked to the front to talk to the pastor, and David watched the door to make sure no one would come and bother Lily's family.
“Let’s hope that will appease them, but I think we’ll just stick around here for a while. Some might try to come into the church, but I doubt Reverend Smith would let that happen. Now, want to help me out?” David took her hand in his and walked to the front.
“Help with what?” Lily asked.
David smiled at the pastor and kept walking toward the stairs. “I assume you’ve heard the bells lately?”
“Yeah?”
David stopped to take off his coat and put it around Lily’s shoulders. “Well, that’s me.”
“That’s amazing.” She walked up the stairs, and David followed behind her.
“Here’s the best view in the town.” David held his hands out when they stood in the tower. “The best place to see the sunrise and sunset.”
“Wow.” She shiv
ered and turned to look up at the bells. “So you just pull on the ropes?”
“Yes, but there are different melodies we can play. Right here.” He held up the book and turned the pages.
Lily read over his shoulder and stopped at a page. “Can we play this one?”
David froze, but nodded. She’d chosen Amazing Grace, Sarah’s favorite. He set the book down. “Okay, here we go. You pull these and I’ll take care of these two. Ready?”
Lily took hold of the rope and nodded. “Ready.”
They rang the bells, and while the tempo was just slightly off, it brought tears to David’s eyes. When he looked down at Lily, he noticed that she was also choked up. He put his arm around her, and they walked down the stairs together.
Mary and Patrick were sitting near the back of the chapel when David and Lily walked in. They sat down next to the children and listened to the sermon. There weren’t many people in attendance, but the message was moving.
Reverend Smith allowed them to stay after the sermon to make sure the reporters had left. It was late before they were able to leave. David ran with them back to his house and drove them home in his truck.
Lily kissed him good-bye and hurried inside with the kids. David pulled out of the driveway, and his stomach filled with dread when a small car drove away with its headlights off. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed Lily's number.
"Hey, make sure you lock your doors. I just saw a car drive away, and I'm pretty sure it wasn't one of your neighbors." He could hear her sigh on the other end of the line.
"Thank you for the heads up." She paused. "And thank you for a wonderful night."
"Any time. Goodnight."
"Night."
He pulled into his garage checked all the doors to his house, then set the alarm system. He made some hot chocolate and climbed into bed to watch TV.
He avoided the news and turned on an old Christmas movie. The day had been perfect, and he fell asleep hoping Lily felt the same way.
* * *
David finished his run and started the kettle before hopping in the shower. He hadn’t slept for more than a couple of hours the night before, and he could feel the fatigue hanging on. Nightmares had plagued him, but this time it was Lily who had been in the accident with him.
The familiar thunk of the newspaper hitting the door brought David out of his thoughts, and he went to get it. He opened the paper and set it on the table, then grabbed his hot chocolate and toast.
He took a drink and promptly spit it out when he saw Lily’s face plastered across the front of the paper. True, he'd pretty much orchestrated the whole thing, but what they'd reported was hurtful toward Lily. Along with the terrible headlines, there were smaller pictures of her and David at the theater. Thankfully, the kids had been cropped out.
Who is the Mystery Woman?
The article went on to say that Lily had swept in to try to steal David’s heart, and that she had no sympathy for the woman he had lost just months before. It brought up the grisly details of the accident before moving on to Lily and the little information they had about her. There were speculations about her husband and where the children came from, but no one knew.
David rubbed his hand over his face in frustration. Had Lily seen this? He stood and went to get dressed. He didn’t need to put on a suit like he’d planned, since Mr. Walker would be providing a tux as well, but he put on a dress shirt and nice pants so he could look good for Lily. He added a touch of cologne, then brushed his hair. He hoped she didn’t see any of the newspapers. Not until after tonight, at least.
Thoughts of Lily’s past ran through David’s mind, but he pushed them away. He’d find out more when she was willing to talk. It’s not like he’d said much to her about Sarah. He grabbed his coat and left the house, looking back to make sure he hadn’t forgotten anything. The silence was almost overpowering as he shut the door. He needed to have Lily and her kids back over to his house again sometime so he could fill it with laughter.
On the way to the diner, David called Peter. “Hey, I need you to make a call to any press organizations you can find and get them to stop writing articles about Lily. Feed them stories about our latest ads or something else if you need to.”
“So you saw the papers, I take it?” Peter sighed. “There are others already. Some claiming that Lily killed her husband in his sleep, others that she ditched him in a forest somewhere and the police never found the body. You do know what you’re getting into, right?”
“Yes, I do. Sounds like we also need to put a no-press barrier within a hundred feet of the party as well.” David cringed. He knew they wouldn’t like that much. Especially after specifically inviting them.
There was silence for a second. “You can’t protect her forever.”
David clenched his jaw. “I know. But I’m going to do my best. Thank you. I’ll see you later.”
The diner parking lot was empty when David pulled up. He walked inside to find Ann washing tables while Lily sat at a booth with papers in front of her.
“Wow, it’s rather quiet today.” He sat across from Lily. “Where are Mary and Patrick?”
“They’re sledding with friends.” Lily brushed her fingers through her hair. “You weren’t kidding when you said the movie would help things die down here.”
David laughed. “I didn’t think it would die this fast. Sorry about that.”
Lily shrugged. “We had a few show up, but we turned them away. We couldn’t get any deliveries for today, so we wouldn’t have been able to serve them. Besides, the last two days helped us pay several of our bills, so I can’t complain.”
“I have to admit, I’m a little relieved. I was planning to take you into the city after lunch, and that would have been difficult if it was busy here.” David tapped his fingers to the Christmas carol playing over the speakers.
“That should be fine.” Lily set down her pen. “Are you sure this is okay? Having someone else provide my dress just feels … wrong.”
David leaned forward and put his hand on hers. “My client is thrilled to be able to help you out. And he’s providing me with a tux as well, if that makes you feel any better.”
“Yes, it does. Okay, I’ll do it. But …” Lily glanced over at Ann. “You won’t care that I’m just a ‘mystery woman’?”
“You saw the paper?” David’s confidence deflated. Of course she’d get the paper. The diner provided them for the customers to buy. He should have come and grabbed them before she showed up at work.
Lily nodded, but avoided his eyes. “I’m sorry about your wife. I had no idea.”
David cleared his throat. “They got some of it wrong.”
“What do you mean?” Lily asked.
“There was ice, yes.” He paused before continuing. “But I’d been driving fast to get away from some reporters who were following us, and I didn’t stop in time. It’s not a coincidence that all those photos exist. They were right there to take pictures before the police ever arrived. That’s why I left the city. I couldn’t live with the guilt of what had happened, but I also needed to get away from the press. I had to hide where they couldn’t find me, and that worked up until a few days ago.”
Lily stood and moved around the table to hug David as he tried to regain control over his emotions. “Hey, it’s okay. Her death wasn’t your fault. You were trying to protect her.”
David wrapped his arms around Lily and pulled her tight. “I know you’re right, but it’s hard to tell myself that every time I have nightmares of what happened.”
Lily brushed his tears away and cupped his face in her hands. “Look, you can’t be responsible for what others have done. Sarah wouldn’t want you blaming yourself for what happened, and you know it, right?”
“You’re right.” He kissed her softly on the lips. “I’m going to clean up. I’m sorry. This is the last thing I wanted to do this morning.”
Lily brushed away his concern. “You needed to get it out, and I’m glad you di
d.”
David kissed her again before walking into the bathroom. He splashed cold water on his face, then dried it off with a paper towel. After a few more calming breaths, he left the bathroom and went to find Lily. The door to the office was slightly open, and he noticed that she was on the phone. He started to walk away, but caught a few words of the conversation.
“No, it’s not for sale yet. You gave me until the end of next week. No, Monday is not okay. Look, I’ll have payment to you as soon—yes, I understand.”
David walked away and grabbed a broom that sat next to the counter. The floor was clean, but he swept anyway. What had Lily been talking about? The diner had been slow, so maybe it was that. The thought of her losing her house was worrying, but they wouldn’t have called her at work for something like that.
Ann grabbed him by the arm and pulled him away from the office. “If you so much as say one word to Lily about what you just heard, I’ll make you regret it. She’s been too excited about this party to have it blow up just hours before. Got it?”
David glanced between her and the office. “Got it. I didn’t realize it was that bad.”
“It’s that bad.” Ann moved away as Lily came into the dining room.
Lily stopped, staring at Ann. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing. Just making sure he behaves himself tonight.” Ann checked the clock. “Why don’t you two take off? I can handle it here.”
“You sure?” Lily asked.
“Yes. Go.” Ann shot a stern look at David before heading back to the kitchen.
Lily followed her into the kitchen and came back a few minutes later. “If I didn’t know better, I’d almost think Ann wants to get rid of us. Is it going to mess things up if we get there a little earlier?”
David shook his head. “It’s probably better this way. Traffic could be pretty bad with Christmas so close.”
Lily pulled on her jacket and the coat David had let her borrow, then followed him out to the car. “Can we stop by to say good-bye to the kids?”
“Sure. What’s the address?” David opened the door to the Mercedes and let her in before going to the other side.
A Christmas Worth Billions (Countdown to Christmas Book 4) Page 8
