Read Online Lyndsey Cole - Lily Bloom 01 - Begonia Means Beware by Lyndsey Cole - Free Book Online
Authors: Lyndsey Cole
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of the activity.
“Lily. Over here.” She tried to ignore that voice of her last boyfriend. “I thought you gave up guns after you shot me in my leg?” All the boys around him laughed and punched Sam in the arm. “You’d better warn that new boyfriend about your gun history.”
Lily whipped her head around. “Watch it Sam , or next time it won’t be your leg.”
Sam sauntered toward Lily. “Is that a threat, Lily Bloom?”
Lily was silently kicking herself for letting Sam bait her. “Not a threat at all, Sam. Just the truth. Now get out of my way.” Just put one foot in front of the other. You can do this. Keep your head high. Don’t let these creeps see your fear.
Iris pulled Lily away from all the commotion. Smiling, she stared at Sam and whispered in Lily’s ear. “Breathe. Good. Now that’s behind you.”
“I don’t think I can do this.”
“Do what? You’ve done exactly what you needed to do. Show these bullies that they can’t intimidate you. They all know you’re the best shot around. Look at me.” Iris tilted Lily’s face up. “Listen to me. They’re scared of you. Now, we’re going to stare right back at them and walk to the parking lot. Tall and straight. Ready?”
Lily looked deep i nto her mother’s eyes. “Thanks Mom. I’m ready.”
Ryan’s cruiser was parked next to Lily’s minivan. This is awkward .
“Brushing up on your shooting skills?”
“No shooting for me today. Just dealing with some unfinished business.”
“Oh?”
Lily walked to her van door, but before she could open it and escape from Ryan’s prying eyes, he had has hand on her arm.
“You are full of surprises. What unfinished business?”
She kept her back to him. “Nothing important.”
“Maybe I should ask that group of young men about your unfinished business.”
Lily turned suddenly and glared at Ryan. “Go ahead. Talk to any of these people. They won’t tell you anything anyway. They don’t trust you. They’re all friends with your predecessor.” She pulled her arm loose, slid into the van and backed out.
As soon as she was out of view, tears spilled over the rim of her eyes. Why does he always say stuff to make me feel defensive?
Iris’s scooter was already parked in front of the shop when Lily got there. In the no parking spot, Lily noticed and smiled.
Daisy was gathering her things and heading out the door. “I’ve got to stop at my apartment, shower and change.” She was glowing. “Oh. I almost forgot. Your cop stopped by and said you could go back to your house.”
“ My cop? Did you tell him I was at the shooting range?”
Daisy paused at the door. “He asked where you were. Was it supposed to be a secret?”
Lily sighed. “Not really. I thought it was just a coincidence that he showed up but maybe he was looking for me.”
Daisy glanced at Iris. “I get the impression that it didn’t go well.”
“He always makes me feel like I’m doing something wrong. Then I blurt out something stupid.” Lily shook her head. “I don’t feel in control when I’m around him.”
Iris laughed. “Sounds like trouble.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’ll figure it out.”
Iris was heading out the door too. “Are you going to pick up Rosie from my house before you go home?”
“Definitely. I need some company in my house after what happened.”
“Do you want to borrow a gun?”
“No. I’ll take my chances. I’m going to clean up here. See you in a while.”
Lily looked around at all that Daisy had done while she was gone. After everything was in the cooler, she checked her list and realized that all the arrangements were ready for the charity event. It was a little less work than it would have been for the wedding. No bride’s bouquet, corsages or boutonnieres. She closed the cooler door and felt a cool breeze on her face. The shop door slammed and made Lily jump.
“Hello. I’m in the back.” No one answered. She heard footsteps. “Hello?” Sam appeared
“Lily. Over here.” She tried to ignore that voice of her last boyfriend. “I thought you gave up guns after you shot me in my leg?” All the boys around him laughed and punched Sam in the arm. “You’d better warn that new boyfriend about your gun history.”
Lily whipped her head around. “Watch it Sam , or next time it won’t be your leg.”
Sam sauntered toward Lily. “Is that a threat, Lily Bloom?”
Lily was silently kicking herself for letting Sam bait her. “Not a threat at all, Sam. Just the truth. Now get out of my way.” Just put one foot in front of the other. You can do this. Keep your head high. Don’t let these creeps see your fear.
Iris pulled Lily away from all the commotion. Smiling, she stared at Sam and whispered in Lily’s ear. “Breathe. Good. Now that’s behind you.”
“I don’t think I can do this.”
“Do what? You’ve done exactly what you needed to do. Show these bullies that they can’t intimidate you. They all know you’re the best shot around. Look at me.” Iris tilted Lily’s face up. “Listen to me. They’re scared of you. Now, we’re going to stare right back at them and walk to the parking lot. Tall and straight. Ready?”
Lily looked deep i nto her mother’s eyes. “Thanks Mom. I’m ready.”
Ryan’s cruiser was parked next to Lily’s minivan. This is awkward .
“Brushing up on your shooting skills?”
“No shooting for me today. Just dealing with some unfinished business.”
“Oh?”
Lily walked to her van door, but before she could open it and escape from Ryan’s prying eyes, he had has hand on her arm.
“You are full of surprises. What unfinished business?”
She kept her back to him. “Nothing important.”
“Maybe I should ask that group of young men about your unfinished business.”
Lily turned suddenly and glared at Ryan. “Go ahead. Talk to any of these people. They won’t tell you anything anyway. They don’t trust you. They’re all friends with your predecessor.” She pulled her arm loose, slid into the van and backed out.
As soon as she was out of view, tears spilled over the rim of her eyes. Why does he always say stuff to make me feel defensive?
Iris’s scooter was already parked in front of the shop when Lily got there. In the no parking spot, Lily noticed and smiled.
Daisy was gathering her things and heading out the door. “I’ve got to stop at my apartment, shower and change.” She was glowing. “Oh. I almost forgot. Your cop stopped by and said you could go back to your house.”
“ My cop? Did you tell him I was at the shooting range?”
Daisy paused at the door. “He asked where you were. Was it supposed to be a secret?”
Lily sighed. “Not really. I thought it was just a coincidence that he showed up but maybe he was looking for me.”
Daisy glanced at Iris. “I get the impression that it didn’t go well.”
“He always makes me feel like I’m doing something wrong. Then I blurt out something stupid.” Lily shook her head. “I don’t feel in control when I’m around him.”
Iris laughed. “Sounds like trouble.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’ll figure it out.”
Iris was heading out the door too. “Are you going to pick up Rosie from my house before you go home?”
“Definitely. I need some company in my house after what happened.”
“Do you want to borrow a gun?”
“No. I’ll take my chances. I’m going to clean up here. See you in a while.”
Lily looked around at all that Daisy had done while she was gone. After everything was in the cooler, she checked her list and realized that all the arrangements were ready for the charity event. It was a little less work than it would have been for the wedding. No bride’s bouquet, corsages or boutonnieres. She closed the cooler door and felt a cool breeze on her face. The shop door slammed and made Lily jump.
“Hello. I’m in the back.” No one answered. She heard footsteps. “Hello?” Sam appeared
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