“That’s fine.”
“I appreciate the donations to the church.”
“You’re welcome. Well, I better go. See you tomorrow, Rachel and Lily. Pastor Dean.”
Willa left and Lily looked at Pastor Dean.
“I think she thought you would break into a spontaneous sermon the way she took off from here,” Rachel said.
“She always acts like that. I don’t know why. Am I one of those preachers who puts the fear of God into you by being in the room?” he asked with a frown. “None of the other women in the church act like that. They like to make desserts for me, but she has a kitchen full of baked goods and never brings me anything.” If Lily didn’t know better, she would have thought the Pastor was pouting.
“Those women bring you food trying to catch you. They want to impress you with their cooking skills,” Lily told him.
It was no secret that Pastor Dean was the most eligible bachelor in town. Ever since he had taken over the church after her father’s death, the single women in the congregation had been vying for his attention.
“Willa doesn’t need to worry that she’ll give me that impression. She doesn’t give me the time of day if she can help it. I think if there was another Baptist church in town, she would have left ours already,” Pastor Dean said.
Lily could hear the concern in his voice. “I don’t think that’s true at all. She was probably in a rush.”
“Could be,” Pastor Dean said, yet he didn’t sound like he believed his own words.
Rachel and Lily shared a glance. It was unusual to see Pastor Dean unsure of himself. He was loved and respected by the whole congregation. Lily was sure he had over-thought Willa’s reaction to his presence.
“How soon do you think we’ll be able to open the store for the community?” Pastor Dean asked, changing the conversation.
“We were just talking about that,” Lily answered. “We think we need another helper or we need to do an extra night.”
“I don’t want to impose on your time, but I’ve already asked several to help out and been given every excuse they can come up with.”
“I don’t mind. How about Wednesday, Rachel? We could do it after service.”
“I think that will be fine. I have the time.”
“If you’re both sure?” Pastor Dean asked.
“We’re sure,” Lily answered. It would give her a few extra hours away from the club a week.
“I’ll see you both in the morning then,” Pastor Dean excused himself.
Lily and Rachel spent the rest of the day making headway with the large job ahead of them.
They were going through the last bag when Rachel pulled out a sheer nightgown. She stared down at it then broke out laughing. “Do you think it was a mistake or do you suppose they were trying to give Pastor Dean a message?”
Lily blushed, folding clothes on the table next to her. “What should we do with it?” Lily asked.
“Put it out. We’ll have to watch and see who takes it.” Rachel raised it up so Lily could see it better. “Are you sure you don’t want to take it home?”
“I wouldn’t need it. I don’t believe in premarital sex.”
Rachel just stared at her in disbelief. “Good luck with that.”
“What does that mean?” Lily asked, insulted.
Rachel just shook her head. “I’m not going there.”
“I don’t know why you think it’s strange. I don’t see you getting any man past your brothers.”
Rachel grinned conspiratorially. “No one’s tempted me enough to make me want to go against those knuckleheads, but believe me, when I do, I’ll have no problem saying yes.”
Lily looked at her in surprise. Lily had thought as religious as Rachel was that she would share her own view.
“You would?”
“Oh, yes. I’ve been looking forward to losing my v-card. I just can’t find the man worth giving it up.” Rachel grinned. “You should see your face, Lily.”
“I want my first time to be special,” Lily said, looking down at the clothes held tightly in her hands, not sure why she wanted to cry all of a sudden.
“I do, too,” Rachel said, reaching over to touch her hand lightly. “I didn’t say I wouldn’t love him with my whole heart, just that I don’t need a piece of paper saying it’s all right to express my love in a physical way.”
“But I would want my minister’s blessing.”
“I’m sure Pastor Dean would know and give his blessing if he was aware that you cared about him.” Rachel’s hand tightened on hers before letting go. Lily missed the soothing warmth of her touch.
“I want to wait.”
“Then you should. No one is pressuring you, are they?”
Lily thought hard on Shade’s words from last night. He had told her he wanted her, but he hadn’t demanded anything from her sexually. The man was going to need the patience of Job if he thought she would ever marry him and have his children.
“No.”
“There you go then. Don’t worry about something before you have to. Life is stressful enough.”
“You’re right. I won’t. I’m sure that whoever I pick to spend my life with will understand,” Lily said confidently.
“I wouldn’t go that far, but I believe you’ve got to roll with what life gives you,” she said, nodding her head to the window, seeing Shade pull up in front. “Just remember that promise to yourself when that bad boy is tempting you.”
Lily looked out the window. “He’s not the type of man I pictured my life with.”
“Still hung up on getting a cowboy?”
“Yes,” Lily replied, stubbornly determined to find a way to save Beth’s house.
“Well, all I can say is, I hope he can shoot as good as he can ride a horse.”
Chapter 19
Lily got on the motorcycle behind Shade. “I need to get my car from school,” she told him as she put on the helmet.
“I’ve already taken care of it; it’s parked at your house,” Shade told her before starting his bike.
Lily was happy it was already in town. “Can you drop me off to pick it up?”
“Later,” Shade replied, driving off the parking lot as Lily stiffened at his noncommittal response.
Shade drove through town, turning down a side street and then another before pulling up in front of a pretty two-story home.
“What are we doing here?” Lily asked.
“This is where Diamond and Knox live. I’ll wait here while you talk to her.”
Lily was angry at herself for not remembering she needed to talk to Diamond.
Getting jerkily off the bike, she handed him the helmet, but before she could turn away, he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a now-familiar envelope.
“You might need these.”
Lily snatched the envelope from his hand, ignoring his confident grin. His sunglasses hid his eyes, but she was sure t
hey contained amusement that he was making no effort to hide.
She headed up the walkway and rang the doorbell. It took several minutes before she heard someone approaching from the other side of the door.
The disheveled woman who answered was not the cool and calm lawyer she was becoming acquainted with.
“Lily.” Her eyes went to Shade sitting in the driveway. “What can I do for you?”
“I’m sorry to bother you, but I have a legal question to ask, if you’re not too busy.”
“Not at all. Come in.” Diamond opened the door wider for her to enter.
“I’m sorry. I should have made an appointment at your office.”
“I wasn’t doing anything important,” Diamond protested.
“Yes, she was,” Knox said, coming into the room as he buckled his gun belt around his waist.
Lily wanted to die of embarrassment at what she had interrupted.
“I’m sorry. I should have called first.” Lily’s face flamed.
“It’s all right. She can make it up to me later. I need to get back to work anyway.” Knox teased his wife before bending down and kissing her goodbye. Lily looked away as the kiss became passionate before breaking apart.
“Bye, Diamond. Lily, everything okay?” Knox asked.
“Yes, I just need a piece of legal advice.”
“All right. I’ll leave you with Diamond then. Take care.”
“I will,” Lily responded to the huge man who didn’t need the uniform to make him look frightening as heck.
Diamond waited for the door to close behind him before asking, “What’s up?” Lily handed her the envelope. “I have a feeling I’m going to need a cup of coffee for this,” she said, leading Lily into the kitchen.
“Have a seat.”
Lily took a seat at her counter while Diamond poured them both a cup of hot coffee.
Diamond opened the envelope on the counter and read as she sipped her coffee. “What am I looking for?” she asked. “Everything looks straightforward.”
Lily pointed to a section that showed the property. “That’s where Beth and Razer built their house.”
Diamond flipped back through the paperwork. “Fuck,” she said. That pretty much summed up what Lily had been afraid of; she was in trouble.