Always a Lady

by Sharon Sala

  “Help you?” Case smiled, as he pulled her into his arms. “You didn’t look like you needed much help. You did real fine, Lily Kate. Real fine.”

  “I did, didn’t I,” Lily said wistfully and stared back over her shoulder at the swiftly settling dust of Todd’s departure. “It wasn’t the most ladylike thing I’ve ever done.” And then she smiled. “But Cole would have been proud.”

  “Not as proud as I was, Lily. Not nearly as proud. Sometimes being a lady isn’t nearly as important as being a woman. Do you know what I mean?”

  Case’s question was serious, but his eyes were still alight with glee.

  Lily took a deep breath, wrapped her arms around him, and released her breath in a sigh.

  “I know what you mean, Case. And, I think that I just passed my test with flying colors.” She grinned. “Yesterday I was but a lady. Today I became a woman.”

  Case laughed. Pulled her up, off her feet and into his arms.

  “You’re a woman all right, Lily Catherine. My woman! Come on. I’ve got to get you inside and cleaned up. We’ve got places to go and people to see. After today, I think you’ve just earned yourself the biggest, gaudiest diamond that I can find.”

  “Oh, no,” she cautioned, and leaned her head beneath his chin as he carried her into the house. “Gaudy isn’t ladylike. Something significant...but tasteful...I think.”

  Case grinned. He was going to love being married to this lady. His L.A. woman.

  Chapter 11

  “Did you get all the leaves out of my hair?”

  Lily’s voice was muffled as she pulled the pink knit shirt over her head.

  “Yes, darlin’,” Case answered, as he dropped his boots.

  “Are there any grass stains on my backside?” she continued, as she unzipped her pants and tried to swivel her head around to check.

  “Yes, darlin’,” he said, as his pants and shirt landed on top of the boots.

  “I hope I didn’t tear anything,” she muttered. “I liked these pants.”

  “I do, too, darlin’. But I like them off better than I like them on.”

  The look in his eyes sent her knees shaking.

  “Can you help me unhook my bra? My left arm is a bit stiff.”

  “Yes, darlin’,” he drawled, “and that’s because it’s the one you were choking him with.”

  Lily blushed and stepped out of her panties.

  Case plastered himself with a look of pure innocence as the last of his clothing fell on top of her own.

  “Want me to scrub your back?”

  She glared, suddenly aware that she was being mocked, and stomped into her bathroom and turned on the shower.

  His arms were quickly around her, his chest at her back, as he turned her around and walked them both into the full force of the spray. His hands splayed out across her breasts, letting the water run between his fingers and down across her swelling nubs as his body betrayed his desires.

  Lily moaned. She leaned her head back against his chest and let the water pepper down upon them.

  “If I live to be a hundred, Lily Catherine, I’ll never love you as much as I did today. You fought for me, and you fought for yourself.”

  “I did, didn’t I,” she muttered.

  “You sure did, baby,” he whispered. “Felt good, didn’t it?”

  “Not nearly as good as what you’re doing now, Case.”

  His body was moving against her hips as his hands slid down across her belly and into her...

  “Oh my God!”

  The cry escaped, but Lily did not.

  Case turned her in his arms and sent her backwards and down.

  Tile at her back. Water on her face. Case inside her body. World upside down.

  * * *

  “There’s something I have to tell you,” Lily whispered, as their world came back into focus. She took the towel Case handed her and buried her face in its fluffy folds, muffling the words as she spoke.

  “What the hell did you say?” Case yanked the towel away from her face and pinned her with blue fire. He couldn’t believe what he thought he’d heard.

  Lily sighed. She’d been afraid he’d take it this way. It was what had made her hesitate to call in the first place.

  “I said: I talked to a doctor the other day. He says my face is healed enough to try some cosmetic surgery.”

  “I don’t want you hurt anymore, Lily Catherine.” Case’s voice was agonizingly soft. “I don’t want you to have to deal with the disappointment if it doesn’t work. You’re beautiful now.”

  “I know you love me as I am. That’s why I can finally do this.”

  “I don’t need this,” he argued.

  “No, I know you don’t.” Her touch was as gentle as her words as she laid her head against his chest. “But I do, Case. I do.”

  Case shuddered, emotions welling as he cradled her within his grasp. The thought of Lily in pain sent him to his knees.

  Lily gasped. She had no idea he would react this way. Her heart twisted at the torment on his face. She threaded her fingers through the wet tangles of his dark hair, and kneaded them on his shoulders.

  “Darling, please get up.”

  But he refused. He closed his eyes. His whisper was so faint she almost didn’t hear his plea.

  “Lily, don’t do this.”

  “Case! I don’t understand? Surely you know I believe in your love? You know that I’ll never leave you!”

  “It isn’t that,” he whispered. “I don’t want you to hurt just to be perfect for me. You’re already perfect in my eyes.”

  “If I didn’t believe that, I could never have made the call.”

  Her voice was quiet, but it was the conviction with which she spoke that caught his attention. He was silent. For long agonizing moments neither spoke. And then Case’s whisper nearly broke her heart.

  “You’ll marry me first. Do you hear me, girl? If you have to do this, you’ll do it for yourself. Not for me!”

  It was a promise she’d gladly keep.

  * * *

  “Do you have the ring? What happened to the ring? Who’s got the flowers? Aren’t we supposed to wear stuff in our buttonholes?”

  J.D. and Dusty’s coordinated chaos went in one ear and out the other as Case quietly tied his tie.

  “You’re gonna be wearing stuff elsewhere if you don’t shut up,” Cole grumbled.

  “Cole!” Morgan Brownfield’s admonishment did nothing to stem the confusion boiling in the back room of the tiny country church. “This is not the time to threaten your brothers,” he muttered, although he felt the same way. The twins were driving everyone nuts.

  Buddy sat calmly on a wooden bench against the wall and played the small, calculator-sized computer game that he’d brought with him from L.A. His suit was wrinkling, his shirt was on but buttoned one button off, and his tie hung limply around his neck, waiting for someone to come along and finish putting him together.

  A tinny, computer version of a crowd roar echoed into the sudden silence of the room and Buddy jumped up from the bench with a look of glee on his face and yelled. “I did it! Hot damn, I killed the dragon! The princess is mine!”

  Morgan rolled his eyes. “Do not curse in church.”

  Buddy looked up in amazement. He hadn’t even realized that’s where they were.

  “Sorry!” he said.

  Case grinned. Hell of a family he was getting.

  “Everybody better be decent because I’m coming in.”

  The threat was not vacant as Debbie Randall pushed her way past Morgan and made a beeline for Buddy who was still enraptured by the fact that he’d just beat the computer.

  “I won the princess,” he crowed.

  “That’s nice, sweetheart,” Debbie muttered, as she yanked him around and began unbuttoning his shirt.

  “Lily said this would happen,” she explained, as she smiled at Case. “She told me to come calm down the twins, put Buddy together and kiss her father.”

  Morga
n leaned down for his kiss and smiled as she planted one swiftly on his cheek.

  “Here,” she said, as she took the computer from Buddy and stuffed it inside his jacket pocket. “Now for the tie.”

  He stood quietly as Debbie made him presentable.

  The twins had started to scatter the box of flowers a woman laid inside the door, when Debbie stopped them with a look.

  “Wait a minute. I’ll do it.”

  They complied without a word.

  Cole watched in stunned silence. He’d never seen anyone quiet so many Brownfields with so few words.

  “What did Lily say to do to me?” he asked gruffly.

  “You don’t want to know,” Debbie drawled, and let her eyes roam across his tuxedo-clad shoulders as her hands could not.

  Cole choked and turned several shades of red.

  Case smiled to himself. He knew he’d been right. Cole was a goner. It was simply a matter of time before he realized it.

  Debbie’s small, curvaceous figure bounced from one man to the other, pinning boutonnieres, straightening ties, passing out combs for last minute hair grooming, until finally she’d done all she could to assure that her friend’s wedding went as planned.

  “Buddy,” she said.

  “Yes, ma’am,” he muttered, suddenly over-whelmed by the fact that his sister was about to get married.

  “Don’t fidget, okay?”

  He nodded. The computer game went off in his pocket and Debbie frowned. He handed it over without a word and watched wistfully as she dropped it into their suitcase.

  “Twins.”

  They almost snapped to attention.

  “You both look perfect. Don’t redo anything.”

  “You got it,” they echoed.

  “Mr. Brownfield, you’re about to get the best son-in-law a man could wish for. I should know. I’ve known Case all my life.”

  Morgan nodded and smiled as Case hugged Debbie in thanks for all she’d done to assure there were no hitches.

  Cole looked nervous. If there’d been anywhere to run he’d have taken it. He didn’t know whether to be glad that Debbie was about to ignore him, or angry that he’d been singled out to be overlooked. He held his breath and then let it out in a slow, quiet whoosh as she walked toward the door. He’d escaped her fit of fixing.

  He thought too soon.

  “Got the ring?” she asked quietly, as she sauntered by him.

  Cole jerked. Surprised by the question. Nervous he could not supply the answer. His hand slid down into his pants pocket. He felt around in short, jerky movements, his heart thumping as he searched for the tiny circle of gold with which he’d been entrusted.

  “Can’t you find it?” Debbie asked innocently.

  Cole turned red...again. She wasn’t talking about the ring, and they both knew it.

  His hand closed on metal. Thank the good Lord!

  “Yes,” he snarled, as he pulled it up and held it in front of her face. “I didn’t lose a thing.”

  Once again, it had been the wrong thing to say.

  “Good. Never know when you might be needing that,” she said cheekily, and left them in a huff of pink ruffles and lace.

  “My dear, sweet Lord,” Cole muttered, and leaned against the wall.

  “Don’t turn your back on that one,” Case grinned.

  * * *

  “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.”

  Lily’s muttered reminder to herself ceased. The image of Case’s eyes came instantly to mind. She’d never known anything bluer than his eyes. However, the thought did not help her predicament. She needed something blue.

  A knock at the door sent her flying for cover. If she knew her man and she did, he wouldn’t be waiting for her to come walking down the aisle. She was surprised he hadn’t already made an attempt to see her.

  “Who is it?” she called.

  “Lily?”

  “Case! Go away! You’re not supposed to see me. It’s bad luck!”

  “Bull.”

  “Case Longren! The very idea. Cursing on our wedding day...and in church!”

  “Are you decent?” he persisted. “Never mind. I’m coming in anyway.”

  “Case...no...wait...I don’t...”

  It was no use. He was in. He was staring. His belligerent expression disappeared. With glistening eyes, Case walked quietly toward Lily.

  “You’re so very, very beautiful, Lily Catherine.”

  Lily sighed. She walked into his arms and nestled her head beneath his chin, suddenly thankful she hadn’t put on her veil. It felt awfully good right where she was. And there was always room for new traditions. This would be theirs. One last embrace before they said their vows.

  Case stepped back, reluctantly releasing his hold on his woman, and ran his fingers gently down the creamy lace covering her arms.

  “My mother’s dress,” Lily said.

  “My father’s Bible,” Case said, and handed her a small, worn, leather-bound book with the name Charles Longren stamped at the bottom in gold.

  Tears shot to the surface and glittered, shining Lily’s eyes to a tropical green.

  “Darling, I don’t know what to say, but I’m honored. It’s perfect to carry.”

  Case shrugged. Lily could see he was moved yet unwilling to admit how deeply.

  “I guess I’d better be going before Debbie comes sauntering through here and finds me.”

  Lily nodded her head and clutched the Bible tightly.

  Case had started out the door when he turned, almost as an afterthought and muttered, “There’s a flower pressed inside the Bible. It’s from their wedding.”

  Lily’s mouth trembled. She could tell this was difficult for him to admit.

  “I’ll be very careful with it,” she said, and clasped it to her breast.

  His last remark hung in the air between them as he walked out of the door. “It’s a bluebonnet. My father was from Texas.”

  Something blue!

  Lily started to shake. Suddenly she was alone. Beyond words at the coincidence that had sent Case to her just when she was searching for something blue, Lily opened the Bible.

  It was brittle and yellowed, faded by the years. Yet it had outlasted the marriage, as well as the man who’d placed it so lovingly between the Words many years ago. The significance of its durability was not lost on her. She closed her eyes and prayed that they would be so fortunate.

  * * *

  Morgan Brownfield swallowed a huge lump in his throat and smiled back at the look of joy Lily was wearing. He allowed her to fuss as she straightened his tie, smoothed his hair across his forehead, and kissed him lightly on the chin.

  “Love you, Daddy,” she said gently.

  “Love you, too, Lily Kate,” he growled.

  The music swelled. The small gathering of family and the assortment of friends turned in unison as father and daughter entered the sanctuary.

  One collective sigh whispered through the audience at the look of radiance on Lily Brownfield’s face. No one saw the scar across her cheek. They were too busy admiring the elegant young woman crowned in a halo of light from the single stained glass above her head.

  Case caught his breath. My Lily!

  He had to be the only man in the world who’d placed an ad for a cook and gotten an angel instead.

  And then she was standing beside him, her hand resting in the trust of his own, as the minister’s voice intoned the truth that was shining from Case Longren’s eyes.

  “Dearly Beloved...”

  Epilogue

  Lily squirmed. The chair by the window of her hospital room was not the most comfortable she’d ever occupied. But she knew it wasn’t the seating accommodations that had her antsy. Today was the day the bandages came off of her face. Today she would be whole. Not some pieced replica of the real thing. Of that she was convinced.

  Case stood against the wall and watched her impatience growing. He was scared to death. He didn’t know what he�
��d do if she wasn’t satisfied with the doctor’s handiwork. A tiny voice kept niggling at the back of his mind, telling him that he might have to start all over with her if this failed. And then sanity would resume, and he knew that nothing would change between them. She was his life. And she’d allowed him to be hers.

  “Lily?” Case watched her thoughts focusing.

  “Hmmm?”

  “We need to think about babies.”

  If he’d announced he was growing long ears and a tail, Lily could not have been more shocked. It wasn’t that she was against the subject. It was just so far off the matter at hand that she was in a quandary.

  “Think...or start?”

  Case’s expression was even more determined.

  “I would like three. How about you?”

  “I would like these bandages off my face first,” Lily answered.

  “Maybe next year, no later than the next. What do you think?” Case asked.

  “I think you’re not listening to me,” Lily whispered.

  She knew exactly what was at the bottom of his conversation. He was afraid she would leave. If her face was healed, he feared she wouldn’t need him. If her face wasn’t, he feared she would bolt.

  “Case. I hear you. Do you hear me?”

  He stalked across the room, gathered her in his arms, and buried his face in the silken swath of her hair.

  “Well now! Are we ready to check the results?”

  The doctor’s question, as well as his presence, startled them. Neither was aware of his entry into the room.

  “No! Yes!” echoed simultaneously with his question.

  Case shrugged. His had been the dissenting vote. It didn’t count. He stepped away and walked to the foot of Lily’s bed as the doctor seated her on the side and began to remove the bandages, layer by layer.

  Case wanted to look, but fear closed his eyes. Panic boiled in his gut and weakened his knees.

  The doctor’s exclamation of delight was obvious. As was the cry of joy from Lily when he handed her the mirror.

  “Oh! Oh my!” Lily whispered and ran a fingertip lightly across the pink but perfect cheek.

  Only the faintest of traces remained and they would disappear within the coming weeks. It was as the doctor had predicted.