Lily Fields (Garden of Love 1) Read online

  Realizing what she had said, she felt herself blushing but managed to recover well. “Maybe this year he’ll get it right.”

  Devin’s gaze rested on her for a moment, and she felt the world stop. Devin had always been nice to her. He smiled at her politely on a regular basis. But he had never looked at her quite this way before--the way she had wanted him to since she had first seen him.

  “A-Actually I do need to get something for my sister,” he said. She was no expert on reading men, but he did seem a bit flustered. “Would you honestly like to help me out?”

  “Sure,” she said, amazed at how casual and calm her voice sounded, as if running into cute men at the mall and helping them shop was something she did all the time. “What does she like?”

  “Girl stuff.”

  She laughed and walked out of the music store beside him, having no clue what she was doing. Since she didn’t know his sister, she supposed clothing would be the easiest target to set their sights on. “Do you know what size she wears?”

  “Believe it or not, yes.”

  “How old is she?”

  “Twenty four.”

  Lily went to a nearby clothing store and looked in the display windows. How am I going to do this? I have a hard enough time picking out something for my sisters, let alone some girl I’ve never seen.

  “Which one of these outfits looks most like something she’d wear?” she asked in a flash of inspiration. This was the way her younger sister shopped. Rose would spot an outfit in a display window, go into the store, and tell the salesperson that’s what she wanted. She crossed her fingers that Devin would have some clue about his sister’s tastes.

  He pointed to the mannequin wearing a long, straight skirt and a v-neck shirt with an open cardigan sweater over the top. Based on the size he had told her his sister wore, Lily thought he made a good choice. The outfit was something she might select for herself.

  Lily led the way inside and looked for the same clothing on the racks, handing each piece to Devin as she found them. He seemed impressed, and she was having fun, especially when Devin took a look at the price on each article and figured up the total in his head.

  “She would flip if I got this for her,” he said. “Usually I get her a scarf or something.”

  “Come on,” she coaxed him, wondering where her pouty voice came from. “She’ll love it.”

  He smiled and stared at her curiously once again. “If you say so,” he said, giving her a crooked smile.

  I can’t believe I’m doing this. I’m flirting with Devin Taylor, and he appears to be enjoying it!

  He took the items to the cash register. Lily hung back and smirked when the salesgirl asked him if he wanted any hosiery or underclothes to go with his purchase. They had a special on panties today. He declined and made a quick exit as soon as she handed him his receipt.

  “Thanks, Lily,” he said once they were out of the store. “I never would have been able to do that without you. Have you had lunch?”

  “No.”

  “Good,” he said, smiling at her once again. “Let’s go. My treat.”

  They took the escalator to the lower level and headed for the food court. Lily couldn’t believe this was happening. Things like this never happened to her. She finally knew what it felt like to be on a date with the cutest boy in school; even though this wasn’t officially a date and she wasn’t in high school any more. But after two years of swooning and hoping Devin would ask her out sometime, this would do.

  For a few moments after they got their food and found an unoccupied table to eat at, Lily was afraid they wouldn’t have anything to talk about. But Devin got the ball rolling by asking about her new position as Max’s full-time aide. She told him how it had been going and how she enjoyed focusing on one child all day.

  Devin was curious about what special challenges autistic children faced, and she shared what she had observed and learned thus far from working with Max and another boy she had worked with before. But that had been a more severe case of autism. She found working with Max to be easier and more rewarding. Max made progress every day instead of it taking several weeks to see one small breakthrough.

  “How long do you think you’ll be his aide?”

  “I’m not sure. He’s going to need someone for the next few years, but I don’t know if they’ll let me stay with him.”

  “You hope to have him under your wing for a good long while, it sounds like.”

  She nodded. “He’s fascinating to work with, and he is the sweetest boy. Every day he must give me a dozen hugs, and he absolutely beams whenever he does something right.”

  “I may have him in my class next year,” Devin commented. “That would be fun.”

  Lily didn’t know if he meant having Max as a student would be fun or having her in the classroom all day, or both. She didn’t ask. After they were both finished eating, Devin said he needed to be somewhere at two. They parted by the doors outside the food court.

  “Thanks again for helping me get something for my sister,” he said.

  “I hope she likes it. See you tonight at the Christmas party?”

  “I’ll be there,” he said, tossing her a wink. “Watch out for mistletoe, Miss Sullivan.”

  CHAPTER TWO

  Devin turned away with a smile. Watching him take ten or more steps toward the door, Lily finally looked away and headed for an exit at the other end of the building. Rose is going to flip when I tell her about this!

  Her sister was the only soul she had ever mentioned her crush to. Rose always scolded her when she said a guy like Devin would never give her a second glance. Up until now Lily had never taken Rose seriously when she tried to tell her otherwise, but Devin had definitely seemed intrigued by her today.

  She felt certain he had acted different than he usually did at school. Could she dare to entertain the possibility she had piqued his interest enough for him to ask her out? Maybe she would find out tonight at the Christmas party when they had more time to chat.

  Lily spotted a dress in a window she passed near the exit, and she slowed her pace. She had been thinking of buying a new one for Christmas, and this was exactly what she had been looking for. She could wear it to the party tonight.

  Going into the store and taking one in her size to the fitting room, she liked the slimming design and the way the dark green velvet complimented her mossy eyes and coppery hair. Despite the pricey tag hanging from the sleeve, she decided to toss her frugal and sensible ways out the window. Maybe this would turn Devin Taylor’s head a bit more.

  She decided to get a new pair of shoes to go with the dress and by the time she arrived at her apartment, she felt fully immersed in the Christmas spirit. Turning on some music, she put away her purchases and tidied up her apartment while singing familiar carols and other festive songs. At five-thirty she began getting ready for the party, taking a shower to shave her legs and wash her hair. She had turned off her blow-drier when she heard her phone ring. She went into the bedroom to see who was calling.

  “Hi, Lily.”

  “Hey, Josie,” she replied. “How’s it going?”

  “I’m good. How are you?”

  “Oh, I’d say I’m having a fine day,” she replied, feeling anxious to share about her morning encounter. Over the last few years she’d only had a handful of close friends, and many of them had gotten married and slipped out of her life. Lily had always known immediately if a certain person was likely to become a close friend or only a mere acquaintance. Kindred-spirits she called them; Like Anne of Green Gables and her friend Diana Barry. Josie was definitely in that category.

  They had met at church two years ago when Josie had started coming to the same Bible class she attended on Sundays. But their time together was limited outside of church. She worked days, Josie worked nights as a nurse and had a five-year-old son.

  Occasionally Lily went over to Josie’s apartment on Friday or Saturday evening when Josie wasn’t working. She also baby-sat for her
sometimes, and several times in the last few weeks since Josie had started dating a new man in her life.

  “Are you busy?” Josie asked.

  “I’m getting ready for my staff Christmas party.”

  “Oh. Is that tonight?”

  “Yes. Did you need me to watch Tommy?”

  “No,” Josie replied. “Mark is working this weekend. I thought maybe you would like to come over, but if you’re busy, I won’t keep you.”

  “I have a few minutes to spare,” she replied. “It sounds like things are progressing between you and the handsome doctor you swore you’d never go out with,” she teased. “How long have you been seeing each other now, two months?”

  “Six weeks,” Josie replied. “When I first met him I thought he was a charmer who dated every cute nurse he came across, but he’s actually not like that. He’s sweet, and very strong in his faith, something I definitely need in a man. He’s not the kind of guy I first thought he was.”

  “Well, that’s good to hear,” she said. “What does Tommy think of him?”

  “He likes him. They haven’t spent much time together yet, but Mark is good with kids.”

  “I hope things keep going well for the two of you.”

  “Me too,” Josie replied.

  “You’ll never guess what happened to me today.”

  “What?”

  Lily shared with Josie about her encounter with Devin at the mall. “I know he’d never actually ask me out, but it was fun to pretend.”

  “Why wouldn’t he ever ask you out?”

  “If you saw him, you’d know why.”

  “Lily!” Josie scolded. “He might be thinking the same thing about you.”

  “Oh, please. I appreciate the effort, but the day Devin Taylor gives me a second thought is the day the Willamette River runs dry.”

  “Do me a favor,” Josie said, sounding quite serious. “Flirt with him tonight and see what happens.”

  “Me? Flirt? With Devin Taylor? I don’t think so.”

  “Do it, Lily. I dare you. I bet you ten bucks he asks you out.”

  “No way,” she laughed. “You are crazy, Josie Matthews, if you expect me to do that.”

  “I went out with Mark when you dared me to give him one chance. It’s only fair, Lil. Your turn.”

  Lily groaned. “It’s not the same, Josie. Mark had made his feelings about you quite clear. All you had to do was go out with him after he had been wooing you for three months.”

  “You’re right,” Josie said. “It’s not the same. But I made a judgment about Mark, and you’re doing the same thing with Devin. Just because he’s good-looking doesn’t mean that he only goes out with women who look like models. Give him a chance to show you he’s not as shallow as you’re making him out to be.”

  Lily supposed her friend was right. Maybe she was writing off Devin Taylor too easily, never giving herself a chance. He had made that comment about mistletoe, maybe she would try and find him under some. She felt her cheeks blushing at the mere thought.

  Josie let her go, and she finished getting dressed. She had to admit she looked pretty great in her new dress. Maybe she would give Devin a chance to tell her so. Driving into Southeast Portland, she followed the directions to the home where the party was being held this year. Ms. Kelly, the assistant principal, greeted her at the door of her spacious home decked out in Christmas decor. Looking up at the support beams in the foyer, she saw some mistletoe hanging from one of them and she smiled.

  Scanning the large front room for Devin, she didn’t see him and went to join some of her fellow teachers by a table loaded with hors d’oeuvres. “These are really good,” Rita Stewart said, pointing out some cheese balls with toothpicks sticking out of them.

  Lily placed two of the small appetizers on her plate along with some ranch dip and small carrots and chatted with Rita for a few minutes. Rita was the teacher she worked with in Max’s classroom. They didn’t always have time to talk at school, and she enjoyed filling Rita in on the last few days with Max.

  Dumping her empty plate smeared with some remaining dip in the trash can when her conversation with Rita ended, Lily grabbed some punch from the small table in the corner and turned back toward the main room. Devin had still not arrived, and she began to wonder if he would at all. He hadn’t been to the Christmas party last year or the year before that she could recall.

  But he said he’d be here. She had never pegged Devin as the type of guy to say one thing and do another, but when another half-hour passed and she had seen no sign of him, her hopes began to fade. Today meant nothing to him. He probably doesn’t even remember who it was that helped him shop for his sister. Just some girl from work. No one special.

  Lily quietly slipped out the front door twenty minutes later and drove home. She felt too depressed to make meaningless chit-chat and hear the latest school gossip. Meow greeted her at the front door as usual, rubbing his soft fur against her white stockings. She removed her coat and hung it on the white peg behind the door. Going to her room and changing out of her dress, she returned to the living room in her flannel pajamas and plopped onto the couch.

  She didn’t grab a book or turn on the television but laid her head against the armrest and stretched out, staring at the high ceiling. She didn’t know why she had let herself do this again. When will I ever learn? Guys like Devin Taylor are never going to be attracted to me. Why do I always set myself up for disappointment? I have to let go of this obsession.

  Her phone rang, halting her depressed thoughts for the moment. She picked it up after the second ring.

  “Hello?”

  “Oh, I wasn’t expecting you to pick up,” her mother said. “I thought your--”

  “It was. I came home early.”

  “Well, I’ll tell you this live then. I want you to come over to the house for dinner tomorrow.”

  “I can’t, Mom. You know I have to be at youth group on Sunday evenings.”

  “Okay. Monday then.”

  Lily wasn’t in the mood for this. “Mom! Give it up! Whoever he is, he’s not going to be interested.”

  “Lily. I’m not listening to that. Come. It will be fun.”

  “For who?”

  “Come, Lily. I promise you’ll like this one.”

  She didn’t want to fight with her mother and gave in, as usual. I may as well be living at home for all the independence I have. Rising from the couch after her mother let her go, she decided to go to bed early, allowing herself to fall asleep with imaginary thoughts of being on a perfect date with Devin.

  Lily felt better in the morning. Walking the four blocks to Central Emmanuel Church where she had been attending for the last few years, she reminded herself that God had a plan for her. A perfect plan that didn’t depend on whether or not she had a date on Friday night or if Devin Taylor looked her way.

  I know I’m blessed, God. I have a great job, a loving family, good friends. I don’t want to be discontent with my life. It only makes me feel yucky and depressed. Help me not to be that way. Help me to enjoy this day for whatever it holds.

  Entering the large classroom where the younger singles’ class met for morning Bible study, Lily spotted Josie sitting in the rows of chairs, and she went to join her. They chatted for a few minutes before Ted, the group leader, began making some announcements to get started. Josie didn’t ask about last night, and she had no desire to share. She wanted to put yesterday behind her altogether. She was never going to swoon over Devin Taylor again. She had learned her lesson once and for all.

  Following church, Josie asked her if she wanted to come over for lunch. She accepted the invitation and walked with Josie and her five-year-old son, Tommy, to her apartment at RiverPlace along the Willamette River. When Josie eventually remembered the Christmas party and asked how things had gone, she shrugged off her disappointment.

  “He didn’t come, at least not before I left. Maybe he showed up, but I got tired of waiting.”

  “Sorry, Lil.”


  “No biggie,” she said, feeling proud of herself for laying aside her depressed thoughts. “He would probably break my heart anyway. The illusion of Devin Taylor is most likely better than who he really is.”

  “I don’t know if you’ll take any comfort in this, but I admire you, Lily. You always seem content with life. You have a peaceful spirit that rubs off on those around you. Not many single women I know have that, including me.”

  “Thanks, but I think I put up a good front. If you knew how unsettled I feel most the time...”

  “No. I’m more pathetic. Trust me, Lily. Even now that I’m dating someone great and everything’s going fine, I’m constantly thinking, ‘What if he breaks up with me tomorrow? What if I fall in love with Mark, and then he breaks my heart? Can I take the risk?’ Sometimes I feel like I’m a character in a really stupid novel.”

  Lily laughed and followed Josie into her apartment. “Yeah, I think we all are. It’s called the novel of real life where we keep making the same mistakes over and over, forgetting that the Hero has already rescued us and brought us to the palace doors. All we have to do is ring the bell and step into His presence, but instead we’re wandering around the outer courtyard, afraid we’re going to fall into the moat.”

  “Right,” Josie laughed. “Or worse, taking a nose-dive of our own free will.”

  The phone rang. Tommy sprang from where he had sat down to play a video game. “I got it!” he said, picking up the landline. After a brief hello, Tommy appeared to recognize the person on the other end and listened for a moment before replying politely to several questions and then handing it over to his mom. Lily took a seat on the couch while Josie talked.

  Josie only spoke to the caller for about thirty seconds, but Lily had the feeling it was Mark by the way Josie talked quietly and smiled when she hung up.

  “Was he calling to break up with you?” Lily teased her.

  “No,” she replied. “He’s getting off on time today and will be waiting when we get back from church tonight.”