Page 102 of Lee

This time, instead of hanging out on the blanket, Lee followed her to where she’d seen the wildflowers. She took a couple of shots, then showed them to Lee.

“You see the beauty in the most unexpected places,” Lee said as he looked at the screen on her camera. “Is that a daisy?”

“I’m not sure. It looks a bit like a daisy, but it has pink petals. Do daisies have pink petals?”

Lee shrugged. “Honestly, I have no clue. I don’t know much about flowers, beyond the fact that my mom loves hyacinths.”

“I don’t know much about flowers either,” Rori said.

“So you don’t have a favorite flower?”

Rori lifted the camera to take a few shots from a short distance away. “Not really. I kind of like them all, though I’m partial to the fragrance of lilacs. Especially on a warm day. I used to love walking through my neighborhood and smelling them.”

“Mom and Dad have several lilac bushes out at their house.”

“Do they still live in the place where you grew up?”

“Yep. It’s a bit big for them now, since they had it built when all of us were still at home. But it’s nice that there’s room for when we all come home. Especially at Christmas. Mom likes to have us kids stay there overnight on Christmas Eve, even the ones who live in Serenity.”

“I bet that would be lively,” Rori said, hoping the wistfulness she felt in her heart didn’t reveal itself in her voice.

“Oh, it is, and it will be even more so this next Christmas. Two new grandchildren will certainly liven things up.”

Growing up, she’d been present at holiday celebrations. However, her gifts had never been anywhere near as expensive as her siblings’. And whichever parent she wasn’t with didn’t give her anything.

“It’s hard to even imagine Christmas when it’s so warm,” Rori said, hoping to direct the conversation away from the holiday.

“I know, but snow will be here before you know it. Time flies.”

“It sure does.” Although time really dragged for her sometimes.

“I’d love to celebrate Christmas with you this year.”

So much for the redirection. But also… he thought they’d still be together in five months?

“That would be nice.” This time, her voice wavered just a bit.

“Lots of stuff goes on at Christmas in Serenity,” Lee said. “Christmas in a small town. Our own personal Hallmark movie.”

Rori chuckled. “Get lots of people falling in love here at Christmas time?”

“Apparently. Personally, I don’t think I’m going to be able to wait until Christmas for that to happen.”

The breath in Rori’s lungs stuttered. Was he talking about loving her? Would he want her to tell him she loved him?

She absolutely would say those words if he wanted to hear them. Even right at that moment. Her love for him had been present in her heart for a little while now, which was why she’d agreed to the date.

Rori didn’t know how to respond, so she was almost relieved when the sound of laughter and conversation interrupted the moment.

Turning, she saw a handful of people coming along the path. They each lifted a hand and called out a greeting but kept walking along the path. Lee returned the greeting.

“Do you know them?”

He shook his head. “Just small-town friendliness.”

“I’m still getting used to that,” Rori said as she lifted the camera once again. “It’s nice.”

“It can be,” Lee agreed. “Sometimes it’s annoying. I don’t always want to run into someone I know when I’m buying underwear and deodorant.”

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