by Mary Manners
“So the wedding boutique…?”
“It’s dedicated to Megan.” Lila swiped tears from her cheeks. “Every wedding I help to plan will honor my sister’s memory. It’s important to me to do things right, to do right by her. I owe her that much.”
“Morgan will help you, Lila. He’ll see that the project gets done. He made you a promise, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then he’ll keep that promise. It won’t be long now, and you’ll be up and running. Find encouragement in that.” Maddie hugged her. “And hope…so much hope.”
“If Morgan knew…” Maddie shook her head. “He’d never trust me.”
“Don’t count him out. Sometimes things happen in life that we can’t even begin to understand. But God has a plan. He always has a plan. We just have to hold tight to that…and to each other.”
8
“What do you think?” Morgan asked when Lila arrived at the Victorian late the next week.
“It’s really taking shape.” The walls she’d asked him to remove were gone. Instead a support column stood in place, opening the space beautifully. The wiring had been gutted and updated, the walls plastered and repaired. With the application of a fresh coat of paint, they’d be good as new. “I can’t believe the transformation. How did you manage to accomplish so much so quickly?”
“I called in a few favors. You wouldn’t believe how many people are itching for this shop to open. Kyle pitched in some after school, too. It’s given the two of us a chance to bond and I’ve found he’s pretty good with a hammer and nails.”
“Well, that’s a blessing.”
“Yes, it truly is.”
“I suppose you’ve got a lot of business waiting for you back in Nashville. You’re in a hurry to return.” The thought saddened Lila. She missed him already. “I can’t say I blame you. You’ve built a great business there.”
“That’s true. Yet, I’m here. And I’m in no hurry now, Lila. At least not for heading back to Nashville.” He brushed his hand along the thigh of his jeans before reaching for hers. The gentle strength in his touch soothed her disjointed nerves. “Remember when I told you I’m full of surprises?”
“I do.” The flowers he’d given her still bloomed merrily atop the desk. Lila stood in amazement that they’d managed to stay so fresh…so pretty…after nearly ten days. There had to be a touch of enchantment in the water. “What do you have up your sleeve?”
“We’ve been burning the candle at both ends for a solid week now, so I thought a little respite might be in order.”
“You’ve got my interest piqued.”
“Good.” He twined his fingers with hers. “Come with me.”
Morgan led her up the stairs to the second floor landing. Sunlight spilled through the windows, casting a golden warmth along the floorboards. Dust motes pirouetted through the air.
“Oh, my. How lovely.” A cheerful patchwork quilt was spread along the floor. Morgan had placed a fresh bouquet of wildflowers at its center. A large wicker basket sat open to one side. The aroma of robust marinara sauce melded with sweet chocolate.
“I hoped you’d like it.”
“Oh, I do.” She noted the plates and silverware that gave the feel of a festive holiday table. “But what’s all of this about?”
“It was raining outside earlier, so I brought our picnic indoors.” He gave a sweep of one hand and a slow, jaunty bow. “Will you join me for lunch, Lila?”
“I…yes.” Her heart fluttered with the thought. “Just the two of us?”
“I don’t see anyone else.” He winked. “This is my chance, sweetheart, to spend more time with you. To get to know you a little more. I want to know more about you, Lila. Do you feel the same?”
“Yes.” She lowered herself onto the blanket and sat crisscrossed. “I truly do.”
“Good. Perfect.” Morgan joined her. “I was hoping you would say that.”
He removed containers from the basket. Lila’s mouth watered at the feast. Oven-baked ziti, jumbo cheese ravioli, fresh garden salads, and a foil pan filled with garlic knots.
“Oh, my…chocolate cannoli drizzled with caramel. Simply delightful.” Lila sighed appreciatively. “You’ve been to Pappy’s.”
“They serve the best. You said so yourself. And that’s what I want for you, Lila…the best.”
“Well, you certainly nailed it. These dishes are my favorites and that cannoli is to die for. You seem to have a knack for that, Morgan—for discovering things I’m fond of.”
“I can’t take all the credit. Kami offered a suggestion or two…or three. I simply followed her lead.”
“I see. God bless her.”
Morgan heaped a plate with food and handed it to her. “There you go.”
“It looks fantastic.”
“As I said, nothing but the best.” He filled a plate for himself and then poured two glasses of sweet tea garnished with lemon from a plastic pitcher. “Would you like me to say grace?”
Lila nodded. Together, they bowed heads as Morgan’s voice resonated across the room. She sensed his newfound confidence in matters of the heart…in his faith. He was a changed man.
“That was beautiful.” Lila’s vision blurred slightly. Her voice warbled. “You’ve thought of everything. Thank you.”
“I’m a detail man.” He settled in beside her. “I wanted this to be OK.”
“It’s much more than OK, Morgan. It’s perfect.”
“Then we’re off to a good start.” He laughed softly. “Let’s dig in while the food is still warm.”
They took a few bites in companionable silence. Ricotta cheese from the stuffed ravioli melted on Lila’s tongue. She washed it down with a sip of tea. “I’m in heaven.”
“Me, too.” Morgan dipped a garlic knot in marinara. He lifted his gaze to capture hers. “There’s something I want to say to you, Lila, but it sounds crazy, even to me.”
“Why don’t you try me?”
“All right, then…” He set his plate aside and leaned close to tuck a lock of her hair behind one ear. “There’s something special about you that’s grabbed onto my heart and is holding tight.” He pressed a fist to his chest.
“That doesn’t sound crazy to me. I know exactly what you mean.”
“You do?”
“Yes.” She cradled her plate in her lap and placed her hand over his. “I really do.”
“Well, that’s a relief.” He leaned in to press his lips ever so lightly along her forehead. “I really like you, Lila. I’m not sure yet where it’s heading, but I’d like to find out. I…I hope that’s OK with you.”
“It’s better than OK.” She smiled. Every nerve ending tingled where he touched. Her voice trembled. “In fact, it sounds just right.”
“So we can move forward together into this great adventure, wherever it may lead?”
“Yes, we can.” She skimmed a hand through her hair. “I’d like that. A lot.”
“There’s something else.” He took her hand, twined his fingers with hers. “I have a confession to make.”
“Sounds ominous.” Lila’s belly tangled as she sipped her tea and forced a swallow. “Go ahead, I’m listening.”
Morgan leveled a gaze to capture hers.
“I heard you talking to Maddie last Sunday…about your sister.”
“Oh…wow.” Lila’s heart raced. She pulled her hand back from his. “I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t need to say anything. I just want you to understand why I’m trying so hard to get this project finished. Not because I’m in a hurry to return to Nashville, but because I know just how much the bridal boutique means to you.” He took her hand again. “It’s OK. Don’t pull away.”
“How can you still…I don’t understand.” She set her plate aside and stood. “You know about Megan—about my lie—and you still did all of this? For me?”
“Of course I did. Knowing what you’ve been through does something to me, right here.” He splayed a hand
across his chest, over his heart. “I hurt for you, Lila. I’m so sorry about what happened to Megan…about all you’ve been through.”
“How can you still care for me?” Lila asked. “I did such an awful thing.”
“We all have regrets…sorrows.” Morgan stood to face her. He slipped a finger beneath her chin and lifted her gaze to his. “Neither of us is the same person we were a decade ago. Life—the events of life—have a way of molding and refining. I like to think I’m a better person because of them. You certainly are, as well.”
Tears blurred Lila’s vision, yet she could sense Morgan’s need to protect and comfort.
“Refining hurts.” A sob escaped her lips.
“No one ever promised it would be easy. We live and hopefully learn from our hardships and from our mistakes.” He drew her close. She rested her head on his shoulder. His heart beat strong and steady through the fabric of his T-shirt, offering comfort as she gathered her emotions.
“This is all so much,” she murmured.
“I know.” He smoothed a hand gently along the length of her back. “But I’m not done here. I have one more confession.”
She stepped back to look at him. “I don’t know if my heart can take it.”
“I think I’m falling in love with you, Lila.” He brushed his lips over her forehead, the tender skin along her temple. “I know I’m falling in love with you. It’s the craziest thing.”
“If it is, then I’m crazy, too.”
“Do you believe in love at first sight?”
“I didn’t before I met you, but I do now.”
“Does that mean…?”
“Yes. That’s exactly what it means.” She stroked her fingers along the length of his arm, comforted by the knowledge that their thoughts were one and the same. “I’m falling in love with you, too. So much, so fast…and yet so wonderful.”
“I’m not sorry, Lila.” He held her close as her tears settled. “There’s something special about this…about us.”
“I feel it too.”
“I have something to show you. Remember the attic door that you thought was locked up tight?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Well, I found it standing wide open this morning. When I stepped inside, I discovered something you’ll want to see.”
****
“This is amazing, Morgan.” Lila murmured the words as she sifted through the contents of the cedar keepsake box he’d placed in her hands. More than a dozen pieces of jewelry, including a locket, waited there. When she opened the locket, a couple framed in a black and white photo stared back at her. Their high-necked clothing pegged the portrait as turn-of-the-century. “How did you happen to come across it?”
“I was working when I heard a thump, sort of like something upstairs had toppled over. I thought maybe an animal had burrowed into the attic. So I came up here to inspect. I was surprised to find the door open. The key I had made was still in my pocket; I hadn’t yet had the chance to try it.”
“I don’t get how that can possibly be. I was so sure the door was locked the last time we tried to open it. You tried it, too, the first day you arrived here when we took a tour of the site. We had no luck budging it. Neither of us could get the lock to turn.”
“I know.” Morgan scratched his head. “But maybe someone else came up here between then and this morning—Kyle, perhaps—and found a way to open the door.”
“He would have mentioned it, wouldn’t he?”
“Maybe he tried. We’ve been busy…distracted by other things.” Morgan shifted beside her. “I’m happy to report, though, that the realtor was honest with you about the state of the attic. It’s in good shape; little will be necessary in the way of repairs.”
“That’s a relief.”
“I know. Anyway, when I climbed the stairs I found this jewelry box sitting right at the top, just inside the doorway…as if someone placed it there to be found. I practically tripped over it.”
“That’s odd. The realtor told me she’d been up here on several occasions. But she never mentioned this.” Lila fingered a ring, obviously a man’s wedding band, studded with what appeared to be black diamonds. “Don’t you think she would have mentioned it?”
“Yes. So it leaves me baffled.”
“Did you find anything else?”
“There are a few boxes that looked intriguing. I didn’t sift through them. I figured it was your place to do that. But that ring is fitting for a bridal boutique, don’t you think?” Morgan took the locket from Lila. “And this, too. Do you recognize the people here?”
“Not at all.” Lila shook her head. “I’ve never seen them before. Perhaps they were previous owners?”
“I’d like to take a look.”
The voice startled them. Morgan and Lila turned in unison to find Hattie Cutler at the head of the stairs.
“Hattie, we didn’t hear you come in.” Morgan stood and brushed lint from his jeans. “What can we do to help you?”
“I’m here for the three o’clock appointment we set, Lila.”
“Oh my goodness.” Lila glanced at her watch. “I didn’t realize the time. I’m sorry for keeping you waiting.”
“No worries. I’m running a bit late myself. I called to you from below, but you must not have heard me. I’m so sorry to have startled you, dear.” She crossed the room. “May I take a look at your treasure?”
“Of course.” Morgan handed Hattie the locket. “Any ideas?”
“It’s beautifully-engraved with a grapevine design. It must have been quite valuable to the owner.” She turned the locket over in her hand, inspecting from each angle. “Hmm…this clothing looks early 1920s, much like I’ve seen in photos of my grandparents who settled here. I don’t recognize the couple, though—and I assume they are a couple, or hoped to be.” She handed the locket back to Lila. “Have you found anything to explain who might have left it here?”
“Not yet.” Lila grazed a finger along a strand of pearls. “But Morgan said there are more boxes stashed away up there. Perhaps they hold a clue. I’ll get to them, eventually. I’d like to return all of this to its rightful owner, or their heirs.”
“That’s very noble of you, Lila, and I’m not one bit surprised by your thoughtfulness. Honest and sincere…those are qualities both you and Morgan share.” She nodded firmly. “And I’m glad to offer any assistance I can to help you find those owners. I’ll do a little research of my own.”
“That would be wonderful,” Lila gushed. Who was better-equipped to help solve such a puzzle than the matriarch of Clover Cove?
Hattie drew her cellphone from her purse and quickly snapped a handful of pictures. “That ought to do it.”
“You are too kind, Hattie. Thank you.”
“Thank you for seeing me today. I’m excited to plan for my nuptials. June will be here before we know it. Anthony’s chomping at the bit to make me his wife.” She smiled. “I’ve always wondered what it would feel like to be a June bride.”
“Well, you’re about to find out. You and Mr. Moretto make a lovely couple.” Lila closed the lid on the box and set it aside. “Just give me a moment to fetch my pen and notebook, and we’ll get started.”
9
The days flew by. Lila had little time for anything besides the string of appointments that seemed to multiply following Hattie Cutler’s first visit to the boutique nearly three weeks ago. Hattie had spread the word concerning her positive experience with Lila, and now the entire town seemed bent on making its way down the matrimonial aisle—with Lila’s planning expertise, of course.
Morgan had worked overtime to restore the room for her so she’d have a bit of office space while the remaining renovations were completed. Grand Opening Day was slated for next Saturday. Chet Simpson had promised to run an exclusive on the boutique the following week.
Peyton Cutler was a huge help in the preparations for Hattie’s wedding, providing far more than the floral arrangements. She’d helped design the invita
tions and pulled a decoration theme together, with Maddie’s assistance. Even Morgan had done his share by designing and promising to build a trellis—with Gunnar’s help—to place creek-side along Hattie’s property. Vows would be exchanged beneath a veil of long-stemmed roses.
Could life be any more perfect?
Lila sighed and dropped her pencil onto the blotter of her desk. Yes, life would be just peachy except for one detail.
A very big detail.
Morgan…
Thoughts of him stirred Lila’s senses. Rugged yet tender, honorable and sincere. He possessed all of the qualities she had searched for in a life partner. He seemed to feel the same, but she couldn’t be sure since their overloaded schedules left little time for more than cursory outings and rushed discussions. She longed for more…so much more.
“Lila, are you busy in there?” Morgan’s voice accompanied a slight rap on the door.
“I’m here. Come in.”
The door slipped open. He stood just inside, tall and strong, smiling at her. “Looks like you’ve got your hands full.”
She sat surrounded by a pile of file folders and catalogs. “There’s so much to do. I’m going to need to hire some help—the sooner the better.”
“That’s good, right?”
“It’s fantastic. And I just finished talking to Hattie Cutler. She’s been doing a little research on the items in the jewelry box—especially the locket.”
“Oh. Any answers yet?”
“Nothing solid. But we’re going to catch up at the grand opening. I’ll keep you posted.”
“Good. In the meantime, I have a question for you.”
“Yes?”
“Can I take you to dinner? Nothing quick this time. I was thinking more along the lines of something nice and quiet. And unhurried. I have things I want to say to you—things that need to be said—and I don’t want to be rushed.”
