Hometown Valentine. Lissa Manley

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СКАЧАТЬ blankets, showing Lily she should put Peyton down there. But Lily was no baby care rookie; it was always wise to hold on to a baby for a few minutes to be sure she was actually sound asleep. She held up a finger—Wait...

      Blake gestured in acknowledgment and then went over and plopped into the desk chair, his shoulders sagging. He ran a hand over his head, and suddenly it was obvious why his hair was so messy. She was surprised he had any left. Clearly he’d had a rough go lately.

      She kept swinging Peyton, back and forth in a comforting motion. Pretty soon every muscle in her little body went limp and Lily knew the baby slept soundly enough to be put down. Ever so carefully she bent over, holding her breath, and laid Peyton on her back amid the blankets, pulling one up to cover her, snug and warm. Lily waited, hoping Peyton had worn herself out and would sleep, as much for her own sake as Blake’s.

      Peyton slept on, even as Lily rose and pointed to the door. She went out into the store and Blake followed her, closing the door quietly behind him.

      “You’re amazing,” he said when they were away from the door. “She hasn’t gone down for a decent nap in days.”

      His praise warmed her up inside. “I just have lots of experience with babies.”

      His eyebrows rose. “You have kids?”

      “Goodness, no.” Kids tied a person down, limited their options. “I’m the oldest of four younger siblings and I helped raise them.” As the oldest girl it had fallen upon Lily to supply child care so Mom could work cleaning houses and at the local grocery store to keep the household afloat.

      “Ah, I see,” Blake said. “Well, I appreciate your help. I’ve been at my wit’s end trying to get her to sleep.”

      Curiosity rose in Lily, and she wanted to ask about Peyton’s mom. She opened her mouth to voice her question, but she clamped it shut just as quickly. She didn’t want to pry or bring up a possibly sensitive subject. She barely knew this man.

      “You’re probably wondering about Peyton and me.” He put a green apron on.

      Lily canted her head slightly. “Kind of.” Dying to know, actually.

      “Peyton is my niece.” He filled a sink behind the counter with water, his jaw visibly tight. “My sister was her mother.”

      Was? Lily’s heart sank. This didn’t sound good. She said nothing and simply waited for him to go on.

      “She...um...” He turned the water off and stood with his head down and his eyes closed, clearly composing himself.

      Lily’s eyes burned.

      Finally he went on. “She was killed by a drunk driver a month ago, and I have temporary custody of Peyton.”

      “Oh, no.” She swiped at tears that had sprung up. “I’m so sorry.”

      “Thanks.”

      “What about Peyton’s father?” she asked, then realized she was being nosy.

      “He and Anna weren’t married, but were planning a wedding next summer,” he replied in an even tone. “He was killed in the line of duty in Afghanistan while Anna was pregnant.”

      A knot formed in Lily’s chest. “Oh, no. So she’s an orphan. Poor little thing. Thankfully she has you.”

      “Anna and I were very close, and losing her...well, it’s been really rough.”

      Empathy welled. “I’m sure it has.” Suddenly, his story tweaked a memory. “Did the accident happen out on Old Pass Road?”

      He just nodded ever so slightly, seemingly incapable of speech.

      “I used to work at The Clothes Horse, and Jean, the owner of the store, mentioned that accident.” Jean had suddenly decided to retire and close the store last week. Hence, Lily’s need for a job.

      “Yeah, that was Anna,” he said, his voice husky. “Peyton was only three months old when her mom died.”

      A horrific thought occurred to Lily. “Was the baby in the car?”

      “Thankfully, no. Peyton was with me. Anna was on her way to a doctor’s appointment in Pacific Beach, and was in the wrong place at the wrong time.” He let out a shaky sigh. “She was only supposed to be gone for an hour or two.”

      Lily shook her head. “I’m so sorry. I know how rough it is to lose someone you love.”

      He looked at her, his gaze questioning.

      “My dad died of cancer when I was in high school, and though my grief has muted over time, I still miss him terribly.” Everything had changed that day. Lily’s life most of all. Mom had gone to work, and Lily had become her younger siblings’ primary caretaker. All of her dreams had been deferred then.

      “So the grief gets better?” Blake asked, a twinge of hope in his voice.

      “Yes, it does.” It had taken a while to ease—a long while, actually—but Lily didn’t want to depress him even more.

      “I hope so.” He turned the water back on and squirted some soap in the sink.

      Lily looked around. “So, you’re running the business and taking care of Peyton full-time?”

      “I usually have help with Peyton, but my babysitter called in sick yesterday. Hopefully she’ll be back tomorrow.”

      “You’ve got a lot on your plate.”

      “Yes, I do.” He put some dishes in the sink and turned the water off. “I had no idea what goes into parenting.”

      “It’s a full-time job.” One Lily didn’t want for a long while. She was determined not to follow in her mother’s footsteps. No kids, no man, nothing tying her down right now. Now that her sister Laura was close to graduating from high school, Lily finally had the opportunity to pursue her own dream of winning the TV show Project Fashion and becoming a fashion designer.

      “And I already have one running this place, so I’ve been crazy busy.” Blake gestured around. “I haven’t even had time to do my morning routine.”

      “But the job is taken?” she asked, going back to the reason she was here. She’d saved every penny she’d made working part-time at The Clothes Horse, except for what she’d given Mom for unexpected car repairs, but Lily was still several thousand dollars short if she were to save for the plane fare and rent in LA, where she planned on staying indefinitely. A temporary job until June was a must.

      “Yes, I’m sorry, it is.” Blake headed out toward the tables. “A kid showed up midmorning and I hired him.” He gathered a few empty coffee cups. “He starts tomorrow.”

      Disappointment clogged Lily’s throat. “The early bird gets the worm, right?”

      “Yeah, I guess that’s true.” Blake frowned. “Again, I’m sorry.”

      “Not your fault.” She should have come in yesterday when she’d first seen the sign. But Laura had needed a ride to basketball СКАЧАТЬ