Hometown Valentine. Lissa Manley

argument. “It’ll be fine. I don’t have any reason to see Blake again. I’ll just putter along in my lane and soon enough I’ll be on my way to LA to win Project Fashion.” And her heart would stay just how she chose.

      “So you think out of sight, out of mind?”

      “Exactly.”

      Molly gave her a look rife with doubt. “Let me know how that works for you.”

      Lily shrugged off Molly’s disbelief. “It’ll be fine. I’m busy, or will be when I get a job, and he’s busy, too. Pretty soon he’ll be nothing but a memory in my rearview mirror.”

      She was back on track. Yes. She felt better. Strong. Safe. Resolute. Perfect!

      Free from worry about her fascination with Blake, she changed the subject. “Hey, do you still want me to help you plan the Valentine’s Day dance?” The singles’ group held a dance every year in honor of the most romantic day of the year. Lily went for the dancing, her second most favorite thing after designing clothes.

      “Yes, definitely,” Molly said. “I was thinking of an ’80s theme this year.”

      “Oooh, great idea. Nothing like a good hair-band song to get this girl on the floor.”

      Molly grinned. “I thought you’d like that.”

      An idea occurred to Lily. “I can go through my dad’s album collection for the music.”

      “And I’ll have Grant transfer the tunes into digital format.”

      “He won’t mind?”

      “He’s a techno geek. He’ll love it.” Grant, a former programmer, owned a computer repair/software development company, which he ran from a Main Street storefront right next door to Molly’s store, Bow Wow Boutique, a designer pet store.

      “Good point,” Lily said. “I’ll go through the albums soon, and then get them to him in the next week or so.” Valentine’s Day was still a few weeks away.

      “I’ll let him know,” Molly said. “We should also make a trip to Party Depot in Pacific City for supplies.” Moonlight Cove lacked any kind of party supply store.

      “Just let me know when you want to go,” Lily said.

      “Will do.”

      They rejoined the group in the family room and Lily relaxed and enjoyed the activities Grant and Molly had planned, as well as the cookies-and-cream cupcakes Grant’s aunt Rose Kincaid had baked for the event. Lily realized how much she’d needed a bit of socializing after the stress of her fruitless job search, and she was glad she’d decided to attend the event.

      An hour after her conversation with Molly, Lily said her goodbyes, left and headed home, brainstorming job possibilities as she navigated the rain-slicked streets to the other side of town. She’d heard that a restaurant in the next town up the coast was hiring, and that perhaps the local dentist needed a receptionist while the regular gal went on maternity leave. Two leads to follow up on in the morning. One way or another, she had to find a job as soon as possible.

      Just as she pulled into the driveway, her cell phone trilled. She pulled it from her coat pocket and checked the caller ID.

      Blake Stonely. Lily’s heart did a little blip. Why was he calling? Her finger hovered over Answer, but she didn’t press it. She needed to gather herself before she talked to him. She didn’t know why, exactly. She was feeling her way here, and right now, she needed to deal with Blake via voice mail rather than by talking directly to him. Call her weak.

      Eventually the ringing stopped. After about thirty seconds, a different sound came from her phone signaling she had a voice mail. With a quivery touch she punched the buttons to listen to the message, then held the phone up to her ear.

      “Hey, Lily, it’s Blake Stonely.” A pause. “Listen, I hate to impose, but my sitter called and she has a bad case of pneumonia and she’s going to be out indefinitely.” A sigh came through. “Worse yet, Peyton is still running a fever, so I can’t take her to the store tomorrow. I hate to do this, but I was wondering if I could take you up on your offer to help out for a while, until my sitter is back on her feet. I’d pay you, of course.” He cleared his throat. “So, um, call me as soon as you can. Thanks.”

      Lily clicked End Call and stared out the front window, her phone clutched in her hand. What was she going to do? Helping Blake wouldn’t exactly be out of sight, out of mind. In fact, coming to his rescue was the exact opposite of what she’d mapped out.

      She let out a shaky breath, feeling torn. He was in a bind. She needed the money, and working for him for a bit would ease the job hunting pressure for a while. Would it really be smart to refuse a paying job?

      Probably not.

      Lily tapped a finger on her knee. Helping Blake was the right thing to do all around. She couldn’t turn him down. She didn’t have the heart to say no when he desperately needed her help, even though doing so felt like a distinct threat to her at the moment.

      Bubbles of anxiety churned around inside of her like a rough ocean, setting her nerves on a jagged edge. She’d definitely have to find a way to work for Blake while keeping him at a safe distance.

      She’d worked too hard, dreamed of being on Project Fashion for too long, to let anything derail her dreams now.