“You know that’s not coming off for a while,” Lily said from the doorway, her voice warm with amusement.
“It is a … persistent adversary,” I said, the corner of my mouth twitching. I held up my hand, the glitter catching the light. “I am defeated.”
Lily grinned, breathless. “Mario—oh my God, thank you. You have no idea how much this means.”
Olivia whooped and launched herself at the glitter.
Lily turned back to me, eyes bright. “You just made her entire year. Really. You’re so good with her. Thank you.”
I deflected, as I always did. “I just followed the specs.”
But walking back to my cold, quiet rental, the October air sharp against my skin, I kept looking at my hand. In the glow of the streetlights, the glitter on my nail caught the light like a tiny, stubborn sparkle.
It should have felt like a defeat. A stain on my carefully constructed control.
Instead, it felt like a victory. A small, strange, and glitteryvittoria.
CHAPTER8
Lily
Sunday dinner at my parents’house had always been a command performance, but this week felt different. There was an electric anticipation in the air, a barely contained excitement that made my stomach churn with dread. I could sense it the moment Olivia and I walked through the back door—the way conversations paused mid-sentence, the knowing glances exchanged over casserole dishes, the suspicious number of “coincidental” family members who had decided to drop by.
My mother was practically vibrating with barely contained glee as she bustled around the kitchen, her movements more animated than usual. She kept shooting me looks that were equal parts triumphant and expectant, like she was waiting for me to announce something momentous.
“Lily, darling!” Aunt Carol materialized at my elbow before I’d even hung up my coat, her voice pitched at that particular frequency that meant gossip was about to be deployed. “I saw the most adorable picture of you on Facebook yesterday — you and that handsome man of yours at the farmers market!”
A few heads at the counter nodded; Uncle Mike had chatted about torque with him at dinner, and Ben had introduced him when he’d crashed on the couch for a couple nights, but most people had only offered a passing hello. The photo was the first time a lot of them had reallyseenhim with me.
My blood turned to ice water in my veins. “Oh. That.”
“That?” Carol’s eyes widened with theatrical shock. “Lily Rose Sage, that was the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen! The way he was looking at you... and that tender little moment with the—what was it? Popcorn?”
“Kettle corn,” I corrected automatically, my face burning.
“Even more romantic!” she gushed. “So rustic and charming. Margaret,” she called out, “you simply must show her the comments. People are calling you two the most adorable couple in Autumn Grove!”
My mother appeared as if summoned, her phone already in hand and her smile so wide it looked like it might crack her face. “Oh, honey, you have to see this. June’s post has over sixty likes now, and the comments... well, they’re just lovely.”
She thrust her phone at me, and there it was in all its high-definition glory. The photo was even worse than I remembered—or better, depending on your perspective. June had somehow captured the exact moment Mario’s thumb had brushed the corner of my mouth, my eyes closed in what looked like blissful contentment. The autumn light caught us perfectly, making the whole scene look like something from a romantic movie poster.
The comments were a parade of heart emojis and effusive praise:
Linda M.: Such a beautiful couple! True love at any age!
Pastor Williams: God’s timing is always perfect. Blessings to you both!
Sarah from the vegetable stand: I KNEW IT! The way you two looked at each other yesterday... my heart!
Mrs. Wilkins: Reminds me of my late Harold. Real love when you see it!
And then, the one that made my stomach drop completely:
Mayor Gable: When’s the wedding? Autumn Grove loves a good love story!
“The mayor commented on it,” I said weakly, my voice barely a whisper.
“He’s such a romantic,” my mother sighed happily. “Remember when he officiated the Kim wedding? Made everyone cry with that speech about love being the foundation of community.”
