Shielding Lily(17)

My dad takes Lily’s hand next and he’s a little calmer about it. “We’ve heard very nice things about you. We’re very happy to meet the lady who’s stolen Ren’s heart.”

Lily blushes a little but otherwise she does great.

“Ren can show you around the store today so you can get a feel for things. Afterwards come to the office and I’ll set you up on the schedule,” my dad says.

“Thank you, Mr. Rick. I appreciate the job.”

“We need the help, so this works out perfectly,” my mom cuts in. She has no idea if we do or not, but it makes me happy that she’s trying to include Lily. “So you’ll be working here for the rest of the school year? What about summertime or fall? Do you have plans for college?”

“Mom,” I say, trying to warn her not to hit Lily with too many questions at once. But Lily surprises me again when she speaks up.

“For the moment, my plan is to go to the county community college, but I have an application in at MU. If I get into Minnesota, I’d like to go there.”

“You haven’t heard back yet?” my dad asks. I assume he’s thinking about me getting my letter months ago.

“My scholarships take time to get approval. There are only so many, and a lot of people go after them.” Lily shrugs like it’s no big deal.

I’d asked her about school before, but I didn’t realize she was still waiting to hear back. “My athletic scholarship came through early. They like to have those in place before the season starts,” I say, trying to put her at ease. “I got lucky with mine. Part of it has a housing allowance since we are so close to campus. I can live at home and commute, or I can get a place on campus and stay close to the team.”

I want to let her know that I’ve got the option to stay at home if she decides to stay local, or I can live on campus if she gets in. I’m already thinking about our future together and how I don’t want us to be apart. As if she understands what I mean, she gives me a shy smile. Her bright blue doe eyes sparkle, and I feel another piece of us click into place.

Turning back to my parents, I see they’re both staring at us with the stupidest grins on their faces. I roll my eyes and pull Lily behind me to the back of the store. When we get there, I take her coat and hang it up.

“Sorry about them. They’ve never done that before.”

“What? Said hello to someone?” she asks, smiling. I hand her an apron and she slips it on.

“Met a girl I brought home. Or, well, to the store. I’ve never introduced them to someone before.”

“Oh.” She pauses. “Never?”

“Nope. I’ve actually never had a girlfriend before. So this is kind of new for me, too.” I put on a matching apron and give her a half-smile. “I’m not sure if it makes me less attractive, but today was my first kiss. It’s kind of all happening at once, I guess.”

I walk over to her and put my finger under her chin to help her close her mouth. She didn’t notice it had popped open at that bit of news. It was a bit comical, but she laughs after I do it.

“You were my first kiss, too,” she says shyly. “I like that. That we were the first.”

“And the last,” I add, placing my lips on hers. The kiss is soft and all too quick, but I can’t take the chance of my parents walking back here. They’re looking for any excuse to talk to Lily, I can feel it. “Let me show you around the place.”

I spend most of the late afternoon giving Lily a tour of the place and showing her what I do when I’m here. She helps me stock shelves, water the plants, and sweep the floors. I show her how to use the scanner, and we do some inventory.

It’s fun working together, and it gives us more time to talk. Lily wants to major in art and teach one day, and I think she would be an amazing teacher. She’s shy, but she’s also patient, and I think she would be incredible. I can see her passion when she talks about it, and I want to figure out a way to make her dreams come true.

“How long do you usually work?” she asks me as we go to the back and take our aprons off.

“We close at six, so sometime before then. Dad normally closes up and I go home to either cook dinner if my mom is on shift, or eat dinner if she’s off.” I smile at her, and she shakes her head.

“Always eating,” she says and hands me her apron.

“Always hungry,” I reply, putting away the aprons and pulling her into my arms for a quick kiss.

I wait up front for her as she goes into the back office with my dad to square away her paperwork. After a few minutes they come out and she tucks an envelope in her pocket.