She checked her makeup and walked toward the door just as a group of women came in, laughing loudly.
“Oh, it’s you,” one lady sneered. “I heard about you.”
Lily jerked back. “What do you mean?”
“Please. Anyone can see you're after David's money. Although, I must admit that you clean up nicely.” She laughed and walked past Lily.
“David has been through more than most people should ever have to deal with. He needs someone who will appreciate him, not use him for her own gain.” another girl said, glaring at Lily. "Go back home and let us take care of him."
Lily felt like she’d been punched in the stomach. She rushed out of the bathroom, cringing at the malicious laughter coming from behind her. She'd never had to deal with such ... catty people before in her life. Brushing away a stray tear, she pushed through the crowd, trying to find David. He stood near the center of the room, surrounded by a few women, joking and laughing with them. Lily stopped short. So this is what he did as soon as she left? Was she just another woman to him? She turned and ran out into the hallway, ignoring David’s calls to her. She dropped into a chair and buried her face into her hands.
“Hey, what’s going on? Why are you out here?” David’s voice echoed in the empty hallway. He put his hand on her back, but she jerked away.
“I just want to go home. If you need to stay, that’s fine. I just have to go.” Lily stood and walked toward the door.
David caught up and pulled her back. “What’s going on? You were fine just a minute ago.”
“Two women in the restroom said I was after your money. I knew it was a mistake to come. This isn’t me.” She tried to block out the women’s words, but they kept playing over and over in her head. She pushed her way outside and realized she’d left the wrap at her table. .
“Please let me get your things. I’ll go with you.” David kissed her cheek and ran into the building.
Lily waited for David, hoping no one else would come out. Shame had set in, and she couldn’t believe how she’d acted. Maybe they were right. Maybe she wasn’t good for him.
David left the building just as the limo pulled up. He put the wrap around her shoulders and opened the door for her. She slipped inside and stared out the window as they drove to the parking garage where they’d left the truck that morning.
They climbed out and thanked the driver, then climbed into David’s truck. He blasted the heater to warm them up.
“Now can you tell me what happened?” David asked. He pulled onto the road and headed for home.
Lily explained what happened, and by the time she was done, David’s knuckles were white as they held on to the steering wheel.
“You don’t know who they were?” he asked. “Did you recognize them at all?”
“I don’t think so. It was all a blur.” Lily rubbed her temples to try to get rid of the headache that was coming on.
David took her hand. “Please don’t listen to them. They’re just listening to poison that’s being passed around, and I’m doing what I can to fix it.”
Lily stared at David, stunned. “You knew about those stories?”
“Only a little. Peter warned me about them. I don’t know where the press is getting anything, and believe me, I’m going to find out.”
“Don’t bother. There’s some truth to what they say.” Lily stared out the window. “Not about why I’m with you—I don’t care about the money. I mean about my ex-husband.”
David turned onto the highway toward their town. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”
Lily took a deep breath. “Just after Patrick was born, my ex-husband took up drinking. He wasn’t an angry drunk, but I didn’t want it in my house. I put up with it for a year or two, but one time he came home and started screaming at us. He tried to hit Mary, and I got in the way. I pushed him out of the house, and he fell and hit his head on the cement step. He was fine, but he spent a few days in the hospital. I don’t think he remembers anything about that night except falling. He told anyone who would listen that I tried to kill him. The local sheriff questioned me, but knew us both well enough that he dropped it. My ex was jailed later for some other crime, and died in prison of an overdose from drugs that had been slipped in to him by an old friend.”
When David didn’t say anything, Lily continued. She should have stopped, but the words just kept spilling out. “Mary and Patrick don’t remember him at all and haven’t ever asked about him. When you came into the picture, they started telling me how much they wanted a daddy.” Lily shivered. She was glad to have the story out in the open at last. “So, I don’t know who told the reporters what happened, but they only have part of the story.”
“They’ll dig up just about anything. I’m so sorry—they should never have gone after you. This is my fault,” David grumbled. “I’ll fix this.”
Lily’s anger flared, surprising her. “You don’t have to fix anything. It’s my problem. Don’t take the blame for something that wasn’t you. It happened years ago.”
David sighed. “I wish you would just let me help sometimes without fighting back.”
“I appreciate the help you’ve given me, but I can take care of things myself.” Lily looked out the window and clamped her mouth shut. She should never have said anything. It wasn’t his business anyway, right?
She was thankful when they pulled onto her street, and took deep breaths to calm down. He’d put himself out there big time to get her to the party that night, and she needed to show him some appreciation. Then she could just ignore him after that. She had a diner to close and Christmas to worry about.
David pulled into the drive and moved to open the door for Lily, but by the time he’d gotten around the car, she was out. She smoothed her dress and climbed the steps, then waited for him.
“Thank you for today. It was wonderful.” Lily could tell her voice was stiff and tried to relax. She leaned forward, kissed his cheek, and walked into the house before he had a chance to say anything. It wasn’t until then that she realized the clothes she’d worn that morning were still in his car, but she wasn’t about to face him again. The anger she felt was just as much for herself as it was for him. How had she managed to mess up so completely?
Ann stood up from the rocking chair and made Lily jump. “So? How was it?”
“It was the most amazingly wonderful party until two people attacked me in the bathroom. It went downhill from there.”
"Wait—they attacked you?" Ann backed up.
Lily sighed and dropped onto the couch. "It was nothing. They just said mean things that you'd expect in high school."
Ann shook her head. "Some people never grow up."
“Thanks again for watching Patrick and Mary. I hope they were good for you.”
“They were great. They even helped make dinner tonight. I didn't know what time you'd be back, so I decided to bring them home to bed. Save you the trip to my house.” Ann picked up her purse. “I’d ask for more details, but I have a feeling it’s complicated. See you Monday.”
“I appreciate it. See you then. Bring any boxes you have, please. I’ll need to pack things up to sell them. Which reminds me that I need to get the ad in the paper.” Lily rubbed her eyes. “I’ll do it tomorrow. Tonight, I’m taking a long bath and going to bed.”
Ann opened the door. “Good idea. Night, Lily.”
Lily changed into pajamas and hung up her dress in the closet. She’d have to figure out how to return it. It wasn’t something she planned to wear again, and she just wanted to say good-bye to it all at once.
Chapter 9
David lay in bed and stared at the ceiling. He needed to be at the church in a few minutes, but he couldn’t bring himself to get up. It was too much work. He had spent Sunday trying to find ways to make Lily feel better, but it only seemed to annoy her more. Ann had told him to give Lily some space after church, but it had been hard when he saw her walking home in the snow with her kids. He’d taken a s
tep forward to offer a ride, but she’d hurried away.
When the alarm yelled at him yet again, David stood and headed for the shower. He dressed and grabbed his briefcase. The gifts David had picked out for Lily and her children mocked him from under the tree. Tomorrow was Christmas Eve, and he’d find a way to deliver the gifts, even if she threw them back in his face.
The church was barely visible in the fog that had settled over the valley. David pulled in and ran inside. He waved at Reverend Smith as he walked back to go up and ring the bells. He chose Oh Come All Ye Faithful, and the bells echoed in the thick fog, giving the song an eerie tone. A few people had trickled to listen to the sermon, but David left without looking back. He wanted to grab some hot chocolate before heading into work. Even if she wanted to him to stay away, he wanted to support her diner, and had pulled out extra cash so he could give a big tip.
His heart dropped when he saw the closed sign on the front of the diner. He stopped and climbed out, knowing he was going against what he’d told Ann. Inside was chaotic as Lily and Ann pulled decorations off the wall and boxed up the food.
“What’s going on?” he asked, his voice echoing through the diner.
The women stopped and turned. Lily climbed off the chair and came over to talk. Ann glared from where she stood.
“We didn’t have any choice. We had to sell everything in order to pay the creditors.” Lily wiped her hands on a towel.
“Why didn’t you just let me help? You know I would have paid everything off for you.” David noticed the anger on Lily’s face, but he didn’t care. “You can’t just keep pushing people away like this. Especially when they’re trying to help you.”
Hurt and anger marred Lily’s beautiful features. “It's the only thing I can do to protect my family. I can’t risk them getting hurt.”
David took the last few steps toward Lily and pulled her into an embrace. He kissed her hard, trying to put all of his feelings behind it. The thought of losing her was like a knife to his heart. “You’re about to push away the man who has fallen so desperately in love you that he’d give up everything just to have you. You and your kids mean the world to me. Don’t you realize that?”
He stormed out of the diner and almost stopped when he heard the sobs from behind him. The need to help and protect her was strong, but he ignored it and climbed into his truck. He had one day left at work before Christmas, and he wanted to get ready for next season.
The fog was still thick as he drove, so he had to be careful of other cars. It didn’t lift until he was almost to the city, and he could make out the large buildings in front of him. He pulled into his parking space and waved at the paparazzi as they took pictures. The police would have to be notified once he got inside. The press wasn’t supposed to come anywhere near the building, and that included the parking lot.
Employees smiled and some waved as David walked by, but he just kept walking. He opened the door to his office and shut it behind him, wanting privacy. A few minutes later, Peter knocked and opened the door.
“Word is not to mess with you today. What happened?” Peter sat in the chair on the other side of the desk.
“Lily.” David turned on his computer and typed in his password.
Peter shook his head. “Figures. I thought she’d be perfect for you, man.”
David ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. “She is. She’s just too stubborn to realize it.”
“She does know you’re worth over a billion dollars, right?” Peter asked, surprised.
“I think that’s the problem, actually. Did you need something? I want to get these numbers sent to my accountant and look through the ad campaigns coming up after Christmas.”
Peter set down the newspaper he’d been holding and walked to the door. “Your party was a hit. Your stock flew through the roof, and we’ve had several submissions for advertising roll in since this morning. Oh, and Mr. Walker has called about five times this morning, so I suggest you call him back.”
“Thanks. When’s your flight?” David grabbed the paper and opened it.
“I’ll leave shortly after lunch. Thanks again for the tickets. My wife has done nothing but rave about you since Saturday. I’m almost jealous.” He winked and left the office.
David laughed. Peter’s wife, Rebekah, and Sarah had been best friends. David had been afraid of her reaction when he started dating Lily, but she’d been thrilled to meet her at the party.
The article was full of pictures from the party—submitted by David’s own photographer—and snippets about the gifts that were given out. David smiled at the joy on the faces of his employees. Peter’s reaction had been priceless when he learned he’d be a partner. The photograph captured his stunned expression perfectly.
David put the newspaper in his briefcase to take home and got to work. The accountant would only be in for another hour because of the holiday. Peter and a few other members of his team had already gone through everything, so David just had to glance at the numbers and send it on.
The submissions that came through his email dealt mostly with the Super Bowl, so he sent several on to the agents who worked with sports commercials. He could have let Erin and Debra take them, but he needed them for the more complicated ads. Smithson Jewelers would only work with Erin, and they wanted to get started on Valentine’s Day ads.
When all the upcoming contracts were sent on, he checked on the commercials that would be playing over the next week. New Year’s Eve was also huge, and he was happy with the ads they’d come up with. He shut down his computer and left his office. Most of the building was empty by that time, and he made sure to wave at those who were left as he headed out to his truck.
Reporters sat outside the parking garage, and their flashes started going off as soon as they recognized his truck. As much as he loved it, David knew he’d be getting himself a new one for Christmas. As far as he knew, they hadn’t found his house yet, and he’d like to keep it that way.
After meandering through the streets of New York, he made his way home, checking now and then for anyone following him. The Christmas music on the radio was upbeat and happy, contrasting the mood he was in. It had been easy to push away his feelings while he went through numbers, but the loss of Lily’s smile and the hugs from her children came crashing down. He’d finally started looking forward to Christmas morning, and now it was worse than before he’d met her.
It was nearly dark when David finally made it back to town. He drove past the diner and saw that the lights were still on, and people were working inside. As much as he wanted to stop by and help, he continued to the church. There was nothing waiting for him at home, so he wanted to avoid it as much as possible.
The church organ welcomed him when he opened the large doors to go inside. There wouldn’t be another sermon for a few hours, so David had time to sit and think for a while. He pulled out the Bible and went through some of his favorite verses, but nothing seemed to pull him out of his mood.
“You seem down.” Reverend Smith sat in the pew in front of David. “Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. Surely it’s the time to celebrate.”
David leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. “No, not this year. I had Sarah taken from me, and just when I thought I could move on, Lily walked away as well.”
“Ah. I’m sorry. I could see how much you cared for her. And how much she cared for you.” Reverend Smith stared off into the distance. “I assume you saw that she’s closed the diner?”
“Yes. I offered to help her keep it open, and that just made things worse.” David sighed. “Maybe I’m cursed.”
Reverend Smith chuckled. “Not cursed. You’re just trying to find your way. Sometimes we feel like everything will work out, but that doesn't necessarily mean it will. We have to remember that others have their free will too.”
David nodded. “I’ve noticed that.”
“You’ve done a lot of good in these past few months. I saw the newspaper—your wife would be very
happy with you. Don’t look at the bad when these things happen. Trust that things will get better. Right now, Lily is dealing with a lot of trials. Give her some time, and maybe she’ll realize what she’s lost.”
David rubbed his eyes. “I hope so. Thank you, Reverend.”
The pastor nodded and stood. “Excuse me. I have a few things to go over before tonight’s sermon. Feel free to stay as long as you’d like.”
“Thanks.” David stood and walked around the church, looking at the different scenes depicted in the stained glass. Different events played out in the windows. The Creation, Christ’s birth, His ministry, and so on. A peace settled on him as he walked to the last window.
When it was time to ring the bells, David went up and played Far, Far Away on Judea’s Plains. He left shortly after, and drove through the silent streets. He walked from his garage straight to the kitchen, avoiding the living room with the tree.
Dinner consisted of a peanut butter sandwich and grape juice. He curled up in bed, and wrote out the goals he had for the next year. His computer sat next to him, and he stared at it for a moment before picking it up.
The real estate pages for his town were short, and he was able to find the diner. The price was fairly low, which didn’t surprise him. He sent an inquiry to look through the property, then closed the laptop and turned off the lamp.
* * *
David stared at his phone for several minutes before he finally picked it up and dialed a number he hadn’t called for months.
“Hello?” The familiar voice on the other line almost made David hang up.
“Hi, Mom.” David could hear his mother gasp. He hadn’t called since Sarah had passed away, and he'd avoided taking any of her calls as well. “I was wondering if you were still planning dinner for tonight.”
His mom’s voice shook as she spoke. “You know we never miss. You’re coming?”
A Christmas Worth Billions (Countdown to Christmas Book 4) Page 10
