31. Chapter 31
Lydia
S ix months later
At Blossom in Bloom, Laura is making a show-stopping Halloween window display from, mostly, crabapples from Luke’s ranch. She has arranged them to appear as if the branches are growing on a tree somewhere off to the side. The red, rosy fruit hangs down from the top of the window. A variety of gerbera, daisies, dahlias, and chrysanthemums erupt and explode from rustic metal pails. A pitchfork and a witch’s broom complement the Jack o’ Lantern sculpted pumpkins in a bed of Fall leaves.
“This is the best display yet,” I say with heartfelt commendation giving Laura a grateful squeeze. “I’ll take a pic for the website while everything looks dewy fresh. Well done! I’m so lucky to have you.” Laura beams at me, proud to have done a fine job.
Marty pops his head out from the workroom out back. “Is it done? Finally?”
“Great works of art take time,” says Laura clearing the unused flowers, leaves, and stems away from the window.
I step outside with my phone to take a picture when my attention is grabbed by Sheena who is hurrying toward me down the street.
“Lydia!” she exclaims when she is within earshot. “Guess what?”
“What? I can’t guess.” But then I can when Sheena waves her hand in my face, showing off a sparkling solitaire diamond ring. “Ha. Congratulations!” We hug on the sidewalk.
“Thanks.” Sheena holds up her hand and admires the sparkling ring as if she’s seeing it for the very first time. “I’m so excited,” she gushes.
“Come in and tell me all about it,” I say, genuinely interested in my friend’s recent engagement.
“Oh, sorry. I can’t just now. But I’ll stop by later today because I’d love it if you would design our wedding. It’s going to be so beautiful. And perfect.” Sheena lets out a little squeal, then she rushes on, past me, down the street. “I’m meeting Gary’s parents.” She turns and waves. “Wish me luck.”
“You don’t need luck. They’re going to love you.”
“Thanks, Lydia. Muah.”
Sheena hurries on down the street. I watch her from outside my store for a moment, thinking what an idiot I was not seeing that Sheena is absolutely meant to be with Gary.
I did eventually pluck up the courage to admit my misguided matchmaking scheme to Sheena. I chose my moment and made a special apology bouquet that I took over to her house. She invited me in, and we sat together in her brand-new kitchen. It really is very impressive. Gary has done a great job.
Sheena listened to my confession while our coffee went cold. She didn’t say anything for a long time. She just shook her head, occasionally, and looked bewildered.
When I’d finished relating the whole sorry saga, she said, “Gosh, Lydia. This is a real shock. There’s a lot to take in.”
“Yes, I know,” I said, standing up to leave. “I realize that I may have wrecked our friendship, beyond repair. But when you’re ready, and if you can, please call me, okay?”
I let myself out.
A few days later, Sheena came to see me at Blossoms in Bloom. She said that, although there was so much wrong with how I went about things, she couldn’t be mad at me. She said that the whole episode was just too ridiculous and quite clearly doomed to fail from the start.
“You should write it all down and turn it into a book,” she said, laughing and hugging me in the workroom.
I was so relieved and happy to have my friend back, I burst into tears which set Sheena off. We hugged and cried. Then laughed and hugged. Then cried some more.
It turns out that I am not a very competent fairy godmother. And I very nearly blew my own chance of happiness out of the water because of my idiotic ideals and obsessive blinkers. The memory of the calamitous Valentine’s Day date still makes me cringe with embarrassment. But I’m getting over it.
I wave to Sheena as she turns the corner and disappears out of sight. She is so happy, and all lit up. It’s wonderful to see her glow. Being in love will do that to you. It’s the way I feel about Luke. Just thinking about Luke causes a wave of warmth from my toes to my fingertips. Happiness fills me and I feel as if I’ve turned into gooey caramel. I’m all lit up on the inside.
My thoughts turn to the night Luke and I straightened things out between us. It was so wonderful, I can’t help smiling to myself.
I wake up in a strange bed. It takes me a few seconds to reorientate myself and work out where I am. But then a smile spreads across my lips, and I stretch out fully under the bedsheets. I lie there for a while, not wanting to move then, I get up, dress, and go out to find Luke in the stableyard. I guess he’d be up early to check on the newest addition to the Green Acres herd.
Sure enough, Luke leans over the gate and watches as the foal with spindly legs suckles his mother. Treasure makes low contented noises and turns her head to gently lick her baby.
Luke extends his arms to me and pulls me close. He nuzzles my neck. “Good morning. Did you sleep well?”
“Yes. Thank you. The guestroom bed is super comfy.” I wrap my arms around Luke’s strong lean torso. We stand together holding each other, watching the horse and foal for a few minutes.
Then Luke asks, “Are you hungry? I can make pancakes for breakfast.”
“Starving. Yes, to pancakes.” I reach my hands up around Luke’s neck. “And coffee? I’d love a coffee.”
“We have coffee.” Luke cups my face in his hands and kisses my lips before reaching for my fingers. We walk together wrapped in each other’s arms back to the house.
It’s a lovely late spring morning. We enjoy a lavish breakfast on the front porch – blueberry pancakes and a pot of hot strong coffee.
“I’ll drive you back to town after breakfast, if you want,” Luke says pushing his empty plate away. “I have some errands to run, but no rush.”
“Thank you. That would be great.” I cut and eat the last slice of pancake dripping in syrup. “I’m glad we decided to take our time. You know.” I’m suddenly shy as the memory of the previous night’s passion reignites, causing my cheeks to burn. “I’m not going to lie. It was so hard to say goodnight and sleep in the guest room.”
“Oh, man. Me too.” Luke laughs. “It took all my self-control to be a gentleman last night.” Luke sips his coffee. His eyes smile at me over the rim of his cup. “But Lydia. I’d like to go about things the right way.” He puts down his coffee cup. “I want to take you out. Go dancing. If you’d like to, we can go horseback riding soon. There are so many pretty trails I want to show you.”
“Sounds like I need to schedule some time off,” I say leaning toward Luke wanting to kiss him with my syrupy lips.
“We both should, I reckon.” Luke smiles his dazzling smile which begins in his blue eyes, the color of a morning sky when you look straight up. “Lydia,” he breathes. “You are so so beautiful. Now that we’re clear on a few basics, I don’t ever want to let you go.”
We’ve been together ever since, enjoying our time together, getting to know each other, naturally, day by day. We talk about the future and what that might bring. But, no rush, we’re taking things slow.
The End