Hometown Valentine. Lissa Manley

and turned. Lily was heading out the door toward his car. Just the sight of her eased something inside of him, made him feel somehow less alone. Odd, since he barely knew her. He frowned slightly. He must be punchy from lack of sleep.

      He unlocked the car and waited for her.

      “You forgot your coat.” She held it out.

      “Oh, thanks.” He took the coat from her. “Well, tonight was a bust.” He lifted the baby seat into the car.

      “Not entirely.” Lily leaned in and stroked Peyton’s cheek. “I got to see this little lady.”

      “And me,” he joked. Oh, man, where had that come from?

      Lily pulled her chin in, blinking. “Um...yeah, that, too.”

      “Ignore me,” he said, shaking his head in bemusement. “I was just teasing.”

      “I know,” she said, shoving her hands in her pants pockets. “And...it was good to see you.”

      “It was?”

      “Well, sure. You need to get out.”

      Oh, that was what she meant. “Yeah, but I don’t see that happening much for a while. I’ve got my hands pretty full.”

      “I know. Let me know if I can help.”

      He nodded. Hopefully it wouldn’t come to that. He was probably worrying for nothing.

      “Okay, then.” Lily turned to the house.

      Peyton let out a squawk and then started wailing again.

      Lily spun back around. “Try not to worry too much,” she said. “Kids get sick and they get better.”

      “I’ll try,” he said, closing the car door.

      “And in case you didn’t know, The Market Pantry on the far south end of Main Street is open late.”

      “Thank you,” he said.

      She waved and then went up the stairs and disappeared inside.

      Blake got in the car, and then started it. As soon as the engine turned over, Peyton’s crying ramped up. He gripped the steering wheel, feeling overwhelmed, drained and more alone than ever.

      A break. He needed a break. And maybe a fill-in babysitter. Again, Lily came to mind. Was she the answer to his prayers?

      With that question hovering in his mind and exhaustion hovering at the edges of his brain, he pulled out into the street and headed in the direction of The Market Pantry to get Peyton’s medicine.

      It was going to be another sleepless night in a long line of many.

      * * *

      Lily hurried back into the house, and as soon as the door closed behind her, Molly stepped into the living room.

      “You get him all situated?” she asked, her eyebrows lifted slightly.

      “He forgot his coat,” Lily said breezily.

      “You seemed awfully anxious to say another goodbye to him.” Molly smirked. “Grant said you almost ripped the coat out of his hands to take it out yourself.”

      Maybe Lily had been a little grabby, though she’d tried not to be. But she wasn’t admitting it to Molly. Molly would latch on to that tidbit and take it to a place Lily wasn’t going. “There was no ripping involved.”

      “He’s very handsome,” Molly said, coming at Lily from another angle. She was clearly fishing.

      “You think?” Lily asked, looking as if she hadn’t considered Blake’s gorgeousness at all.

      “What? You don’t find him attractive?”

      Lily paused. “I didn’t say that,” Lily said, stopping short of lying.

      “So you do find him attractive!” Molly said triumphantly.

      “No harm in that,” Lily said, rationalizing both to herself and Molly. “Don’t get your hopes up.” Molly had met and married Grant over a year ago, and since she’d found true love, she wanted the same for Lily. Desperately. And while Lily was happy for Molly, happy-ever-after wasn’t on Lily’s radar right now. Winning Project Fashion was.

      “But you did notice him.”

      “I’d have to be dead not to notice him.” Lily was nothing if not pragmatic.

      “Okay. You’ve really noticed him.” Molly cast Lily a brightly inquisitive look. “So...what did you think?”

      Lily sighed. Molly wasn’t going to let up. And truth be told, Lily could use a shoulder. Maybe she should just spill and move on. “Well, I’ve actually been thinking about him a lot since we met.” As in all night long.

      Molly moved in closer. “Really?”

      “Yeah, and I have to say, it has me worried.” Lily nibbled on her bottom lip.

      “You’re not interested in a romance,” Molly said. She and Lily had talked at length about Lily’s goals, and her desire not to be tied down with any kind of commitment so she would be free to go after Project Fashion. “And I get it.” Molly sank down onto the couch. “I didn’t want to fall for Grant, either. But sometimes we don’t have a choice in matters of the heart.”

      “I choose and my heart listens,” Lily replied, lifting her chin. Or, that was the goal, at least. Think it, live it. Right.

      “So why are you worried?” Trust Molly not to pull any punches. “Just move on with your plans and don’t give Blake a second thought.”

      Lily opened her mouth to give Molly a retort, but quickly closed it. Lily stayed silent for a moment, then decided she needed to unload more or she’d go crazy. “Something about him draws me in.”

      “Aha. Now we’re getting somewhere.”

      Yes, maybe they were getting somewhere. Lily warmed to the subject. Maybe hashing it out would bring some clarity to the situation. And help her grow some semblance of a backbone. “Sure, he’s gorgeous.”

      “Very.”

      “But there’s also something else about him. A...vulnerability, maybe, that really calls to me.” Whatever it was, she was having a hard time pinning it down. She gnashed her teeth.

      “Well, he has been through a lot lately.”

      “I know. And he’s got this delightful baby to take care of, and he’s completely clueless about that, and he has this business to run.” Lily shook her head. “I don’t know, I just find myself thinking about him a lot and I don’t want to be distracted by him.”

      “You don’t want any roadblocks.”

      “Right. I’m on the cusp of moving forward with something I’ve waited a long time for. I can’t just set all that aside, you know.” Lily sat down next to Molly. “I’m too close to get sidetracked now.” A thought occurred to Lily. “But...being attracted to someone isn’t the be-all and end-all.” She warmed to her thoughts. “In fact, people are attracted to other people all the time, and it means nothing, goes nowhere, right?”

      Molly looked at Lily sideways. “Um...yes...”

      “So rather than deny the truth, I’m just going to accept it, voice it and that will be that.” Lily straightened her shoulders. “I’m attracted to Blake Stonely and I’m not going to let it bother me. I’m just going to get on with my life, business as usual.” She waited, half expecting a lightning bolt to strike her down from above.

      But nothing happened. She sighed inwardly as relief spread through her.

      “Feel better?” Molly asked.

      “Yes, actually, I do. I’ve acknowledged my attraction to Blake out loud.” Lily