“How much drama could a reality show about a catering company generate? Especially if it’s set at a family-friendly holiday market. Sounds about as wholesome as it gets.”
Lily was still frowning.
“Is there something you’re not telling me?”
“Last year, I was supposed to be featured on the show,” Lily said.
“Supposed to be?” Cullen asked. “What happened?”
Lily bit that beautiful bottom lip and looked a little pensive. “Remember how I told you I was supposed to get married?”
He nodded.
“I won a contest called Celebration’s Bride. My fiancé, Josh, and I won an all-expense-paid wedding and reception that was supposed to be aired on the show.”
“What happened?”
“Josh decided he didn’t want to get married after all.”
“I’m sorry.”
She waved away his condolence.
Actually he was sorry for the guy who’d lost out—he was an idiot to let a woman like Lily get away. But then again, Cullen knew all too well that not everyone was built for the traditional married lifestyle. It was too bad that Lily had to be the one to suffer from it. Obviously talking about it upset her.
“Josh and I wanted different things,” she said. “I want marriage and a family of my own. He didn’t. But you don’t need to hear my sob story. That’s not why I brought it up. The producers of Catering to Dallas managed to be lurking when Josh backed out of the wedding. They got it on film and wanted to air the footage. The only reason they didn’t was my friend Sydney. She managed to get them to pull the segment. I just want to make sure that the kids aren’t exposed to any surprises like that. They’ve been through enough in the past few months.
“I truly believe my friends would have the kids’ best interest at heart, but they had no control over what happened to me. I don’t want to take a chance of an overly ambitious producer pulling something that might make the kids uncomfortable.”
He really couldn’t have found a better person to care for the children. Lily truly cared.
His heart twisted as he thought of the humiliation she’d suffered, even if the breakup hadn’t been broadcast on national television. This guy shouldn’t have put her through it.
“I’m sorry that happened to you,” he said. “No one should be treated like that.”
She nodded. “It’s very kind of you to say that.”
His mind flashed back to what he’d said to her when he brought the gas to her the other day. How he hadn’t regretted kissing her and that he wanted to do it again. If he wanted to be as kind as Lily was giving him credit for, he would never mention kissing her again. In fact, he wouldn’t even think about it. She’d said it herself: she wanted a husband and a family. He had no intention of getting married again. Why lead her on a path that was contrary to everything she wanted?
“I know you only want what’s best for the kids. So I’ll trust your judgment on what to do about the holiday market and including them in the filming of Catering to Dallas.”
He wished he could trust his own judgment when it came to her.
* * *
Adorned for the annual holiday market, the building that usually housed the farmers’ market looked like a winter wonderland.
Vendors, as far as the eye could see, were selling everything from gifts to decorations to food and wine. From handmade candy canes and marshmallows to hot chocolate and mulled cider to holiday hors d’oeuvres and catered gourmet meals, to decorating services to all-out party planning.
Colorful lights were strung from corner to corner; glittering snowflakes hung from fishing line attached to the ceiling. In one corner of the large room stood the tallest tree that Lily had ever seen in her life. Underneath it, packages of all shapes and sizes were wrapped in colorful paper and decorated so attractively someone would have to be a complete Scrooge not to be tempted to pick up each one and shake it. In another corner was a big thronelike chair, painted gold and surrounded by a white picket fence swagged with fresh pine garland festooned with pinecones, silver bells and glittering red ornaments. At the entrance to the area, there was a sign that read North Pole This Way. Right next to the sign, a red carpet led to the chair.