Page 47 of For My Finale
Lilah finally looked up, and something unspoken passed between them. The flickering of the unstable overhead light highlighted Lilah’s face. And Blossom could see hesitation warring with something else, something deeper and more vulnerable. She squeezed Lilah’s hand.
At last, Lilah exhaled and gave a small nod. “Alright.” She gave Blossom a stony look. “But on the down low. No telling half the village.”
“Good luck keeping a secret around here,” Blossom said. “But no one other than Ives will hear this from me.”
“I suppose that’s the best I can hope for,” said Lilah.
“I’m not going to put up posters or anything. No banner outside the cafe.”
A hint of amusement curled at the corners of Lilah’s mouth, and she looked down. Then she frowned, seeing the papers scattered over the table. “What are all these?”
Blossom started to gather the papers up. “Nothing,” she said.
“No, go on, tell me,” said Lilah. “Please?”
Blossom took a deep breath and then spread all the papers out again. The words and numbers started to blur together as she tried to explain her idea to Lilah, who was listening with an uncharacteristic amount of attention.
“A bookshop and cafe,” Blossom said. “Something cozy. People can come in, grab a coffee, find a book. Maybe a little reading nook in the back, somewhere warm and inviting. Horlick’s on the menu.” She hesitated, suddenly feeling self-conscious. “It’s… it’s just an idea.”
But Lilah’s face was shining, all lit up. “That’s a brilliant idea. It’d totally set you apart from the chain place. You could have readings and theme nights, maybe special membership where customers get to preorder books or get special blends of coffees.” She sat up straighter. “You could do seasonal things too, summer poetry readings, mystery nights around Halloween, oh, or you could—”
“No.” Blossom held up her hands, overwhelmed. “Lilah, it’s too big. I can’t do this.”
Lilah frowned, taken aback. “Why not?”
“Because…” Blossom sighed and rubbed her forehead. “Because it’s a huge change. And I’m just… I’m me. I don’t have the money, the time, or the business sense to turn my tiny, struggling cafe into something like this.”
Lilah tilted her head. “But do you want it?”
For a second, the only sound was the lightbulb buzzing overhead. “What?”
“Do you want it?” Lilah repeated, more softly this time. “Because if you do, then you should do it. Like a sheep. Like I wanted to kiss you, so I kissed you. If you want this, then make it happen.”
“Like a sheep,” Blossom echoed. She smiled a little, feeling the warmth of Lilah’s words spread through her. It sounded so simple, put like that. Want something, go for it. But it wasn’t quite that easy, was it? She puffed out a breath, then nodded. “I’ll think about it, alright?”
Lilah smirked. “You do that.” Then she yawned and stretched her arms high over her head. “And if you’re thinking, then I’m going to head back and go to bed.”
“Do you want to stay?” Blossom said, then immediately felt herself go red as she realized the implications of what she was saying. “I meant on the couch. Because of Billy.”
“Or burglars,” Lilah said. “I knew what you meant, I didn’t take you for the kind of girl that jumps into bed with strangers.”
“You’re not a stranger.”
“Not quite,” Lilah said. “And besides, I’ve had enough of couches. My back will never be the same again after living here.”
Blossom chuckled and stood up, walking Lilah to the door. The night air was crisp when she opened it, sending a small shiver down her spine. Lilah paused in the doorway, her gaze flicking between Blossom’s lips and her eyes, something even more intense than usual simmering beneath her normal bravado.
Then she leaned in. The kiss was soft, tender, slower than before. Blossom melted into it, feeling the warmth spread fromher lips to the tips of her fingers. Lilah let out a low growl, barely more than a vibration at the back of her throat, and pulled away just enough to whisper. “I might not be able to get enough of this.”
Blossom’s heart stuttered, but she smiled. “You can have as much as you’d like.”
Lilah made a small noise of approval, then, with a final glance, stepped out into the night and disappeared into the darkness.
As soon as the door closed behind her, Blossom let out a quiet squeal. She pressed her hands to her flushed cheeks and bounced on the balls of her feet, grinning like an absolute fool.
She’d just kissed Lilah Paxton.
And it was amazing.
