Enchanting Lily (12 page)

“The sleeve should break at the wrist,” she said. “One slight crease in the pant, and it breaks just at the top of the shoe.”

“Breaks,” he said. “I like that word. Like a wave breaking, makes me think of surfing.”

“It’s a term I learned in the industry.” Could Florence say as much? When Lily had finished flitting around Rupert, pinning and measuring, they both looked out the front window. Florence’s display had changed yet again. A new mannequin had appeared, this one in motion, legs bent, the woman leaning forward. She wore a knit cap and parka, two ski poles in hand. Florence stood in the window, laying a blanket of fake snow.

“She’s creative, I’ll have to give her that,” Rupert said, taking off the jacket and draping it across the counter next to Lily’s coffee cup.

She forced a smile. “It doesn’t snow on the island too often, does it?”

“Couple of times a year, but it melts after a few days. Most people head up to Mount Baker or some other mountain resort to ski. You ever been?”

“I prefer cross-country,” Lily said, fussing with the price tag on the jacket. “I can have this ready for you in a couple of days. We should do a second fitting, make final adjustments.”

“A second fitting! You are an expert!”

“Oh, I wouldn’t say that, but if you like my work, do me a favor and tell your friends.”

“I most certainly will.”

Just as Rupert came out of the fitting room in his street clothes, the mailman waltzed in, decked out in blue rain gear, and dropped a pile of envelopes on the counter. He tipped his hat and left. On top of the pile was a glossy, oversized postcard bearing the logo of The Newest Thing, a watercolor pink dress on a hanger next to a matching purse, and the announcement:
Now offering New to You Clothing on Consignment.
What on earth?

Rupert must’ve caught her frowning at the postcard. “Recycling bin,” he said.

“Why do you suppose they’re doing that? Suddenly now, Florence is selling clothing on consignment?” Her voice rose to a shrill pitch. Her shop didn’t even have a logo.

“Everybody’s trying to make a living in this economy,” Rupert said gently. “Just ignore it.”

“But I thought The Newest Thing—”

“Listen, I know Florence. I’ve known her all my life. She’s a good businesswoman. She’s always trying new things. Clothing on consignment is probably selling better than her new clothes. And that is a good thing for you.”

Selling better?
What a joke. What could Florence possibly offer? What did she know about vintage clothing? How could she have the nerve to tread on Lily’s territory? But
should Lily even feel territorial? After all, maybe two shops would attract more bargain shoppers than one, right?

Would Lily have to carry new clothing now? She couldn’t imagine such a thing. She and Josh had always talked about remaining true to their vision.

“Don’t worry,” Rupert said, patting her shoulder. “There is room enough in this world for all of us.”

But was there? Lily watched a new sign go up in the window of The Newest Thing, in a font to match the words on the postcard.
Now Selling Clothing on Consignment.

Beneath the postcard on the countertop, she found only bills—telephone, electricity, credit card, and the list went on. After Rupert left, she reached across the counter to pick up the purple suit, and her elbow knocked her coffee cup, spilling liquid all over the jacket, which she had so carefully pinned. How could her day get any worse? It could. Stepping into her shop was a woman she had last seen two years ago, a woman she had known when Josh was alive, a woman she had not expected to see again.

Kitty

As the slight woman steps in across the threshold, the spirits bask in the glow of her beauty. I’m lovelier than anyone, but for a human, she is stunning, her platinum hair twisted up into a fancy do. She must have trouble grooming that getup.

The man who comes in behind her is smitten. He is square, as if made of a series of blocks. He doesn’t know that the woman has secrets, and he has secrets of his own. The smells cling to their clothes, hair follicles, and beneath their fingernails. Their histories stick to the soles of their shoes. The woman smells of sidewalks and department
stores, doctors’ offices and perfume. The man smells of cologne and car exhaust and other women.

As they close the door, a blast of cold air blows in after them. Lily pretends to be busy laying out the wet clothes to dry, but everything about her is aware of these new intruders.

The inky ghost of the old woman slides over to the blocky man. She has mistaken him for her lost lover—the captain of a sunken ship. She touches his hair with her phantom hand, but she’s not really touching him, only imagining that she is. He reaches up to run his fingers through his hair, perhaps sensing her nearby. His sculpting spray has fought a losing battle with the wind.

The inky spirit tries to grab his shoulder, and the man shivers. He closes his black umbrella and leaves it in the bin by the door. Lily can no longer ignore these visitors, so she turns around, strides up with squared shoulders, and puts on a bright smile.

The delicate woman pulls off her white gloves, smiles back with fake sweetness, and unbuttons the collar of her coat. Jewels glint on her neck, and I have an urge to leap.

“Lily, I’m so happy to see you.” The woman reaches out to shake Lily’s hand.

“Drew,” Lily says. I can feel her mind hurtling back in time. “Wow, I didn’t expect to see you. You look great.”

“So do you,” Drew fibs, withdrawing her hand. “You’ve lost weight. I heard you moved up here, out to some island.”

“You found me!” Lily wants them to lose her again.

Drew turns to the man. “Dillon, this is Lily. Remember, I told you about her?”

“Good to meet you.” The man nods, but he has left his attention elsewhere. The inky ghost moves off. I stay hidden beneath a rack of black dresses.

“Dillon’s my husband,” Drew says.

Lily nods, tension in her face. “You got married! Congratulations.”

“Dillon’s a partner with Dillon and Reed, you know, the law firm in downtown Seattle? I met him while I was on a trip up here to visit my cousin, and it was love at first sight.”

“I see.” I can tell Lily has never heard of Dillon & Reed. The word “reed” reminds me of a pond where some ducks were hiding in the reeds. “What brings you all this way?”

“Don’t look so surprised!” Drew says. From here, I see the delicate underside of her nose, her slim legs, her high-heeled, shiny black rain boots. “I came looking for you. It took me a while. You’re pretty far from everything.”

“But it’s easy to get here by ferry,” Lily says.

“You moved all this way without telling anyone.”

“Was I supposed to tell everyone?”

“Well, no, but…I was hoping you would stay in touch.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’ve found you now. Dillon and I are looking for a house to buy on the eastside. We’re renting a condo right now, but it’s expensive. We want to settle down and have a yard, you know, for a family.”

“Sounds lovely.” Lily’s tone says she wants them to leave, but Drew does not understand.

She turns to Dillon again. “Lily was married to Josh Vilmont, the designer I used to work for.”

“Oh. Vilmont! Wow.” Dillon’s brows rise.

Lily swallows, and her body stiffens. “So what are you doing these days? Besides living in Seattle?”

“I’ve got my own company,” Drew says. “I employ three designers. Drew Galt Designs. Maybe you’ve heard of us?”

“I might have,” Lily says, lying. “Good for you.”

“I also have a shop, two thousand square feet, and this is the real reason I came here.” Drew breaks away from Dillon, leaving him like a boat adrift in an unfamiliar sea, and glides over to a glittering evening dress. “My shop is in the Green Lake area. I could use a good store manager, someone to take care of the books and such. You were so good with Josh’s business.”

“Our business.”

“Of course—that’s what I meant. So, what do you say?”

Lily is quiet. The man shoves his hands into his coat pockets, receptacles for his secrets—slips of paper and business cards with cryptic writing scrawled in ink and redolent of perfume and promises.

“You want to hire me,” Lily says, “but I’ve got a shop of my own, as you can see.”

“Of course, a lovely little place.”

“My hands are full.” Lily’s so stiff now, she could be made of stone.

Drew goes back to rescue Dillon, slips her hand into his. “Why don’t you at least consider my offer? You would be managing a bigger place with more foot traffic in a central location—”

“Thanks for the offer, but I’m not sure I want to move again.”

“Maybe you want to stay here for another reason? New boyfriend or fiancé?”

“No, not at all.”

“But you’re having a little fun, aren’t you? I know it was hard to lose Josh. We all loved him. But you must have a need to move on?”

“I am moving on.”

“Have you been seeing anyone? I hear the Internet can produce good matches these days.”

“I’m not much into computers.”

Dillon examines his short cuticles. From this angle, I can see the hairs in his nose.

“Oh my goodness! What’s that thing?” Drew has spotted me, oh no. She lets go of Dillon’s hand, her face pale. “There’s an animal in your shop.”

“It’s a cat,” Lily says.

“You have a cat?” Drew comes over and peers down at me, frowning. Her perfume makes me sneeze. I can’t help it if a little saliva sprays onto her cheek. She steps back and wipes her face.

“She’s a girl,” Lily says, a touch of a smile on her lips. “She’s a good shop cat.”

I stay very still, trying not to sneeze again.

Drew recovers her composure, although a little makeup has smeared on her cheek. “Shop cat, of course. I was just…surprised.”

“You would allow a cat in your shop, wouldn’t you?” Lily says.

Drew pats her hairdo and twitches her stunning, delicate nose. “I’m not much of an animal person, but I know many people are. Extremely unusual eyes. Kind of demonic.”

“They look more angelic to me,” Lily says.

Dillon comes over and looks at me, the foreign smells on him growing stronger as he approaches.

“One green eye and one blue eye,” he says, peering closely at my face. Now is my chance. I jump up and bat at his pocket, my claws latching on, bringing out what I know is in there.

“Kitty, no!” Lily rushes over. “I’m so sorry. I can reimburse you for any damage to your suit.”

“No problem. Don’t worry about it.” Dillon reaches for the slip of paper that I pulled from his pocket, the evidence lying on the floor, but in an instant, Drew picks up the paper and tucks it into her own pocket. Her expression hardens, but she does not look surprised. These indiscretions are not news to her, and yet…

Lily does not understand Drew’s pain, the compromises she has always made, even before she met Dillon. She was in love with Lily’s mate—hopelessly, sadly in love with a man who would never love her back. Her beauty was not enough. It was not enough to keep her absent father around through her childhood, not enough to make her mother love her instead of resenting her birth. Few people have ever looked beyond her surface. She is even envious of me, an animal so easily loved, or so she thinks.

“Well, we should be going,” Drew says quickly. “The
cat is a…nice touch.” She and Dillon are heading for the door.

“Thanks for stopping by,” Lily calls out, following them. They leave in a rush, and the door swings shut.

Lily watches them take off down the sidewalk, her lips turned down. I wish I could tell her what I know, that she shouldn’t envy Drew’s life, that no matter how things look on the outside, they’re rarely the same on the inside.

“Drew Galt Designs, huh?” Lily says in a thoughtful voice. I can tell by the look in her eyes that the encounter has shaken her, changed her—that something new is about to happen.

Lily

After Drew and Dillon left, Lily felt light-headed, her mind racing. She’d thought she could escape the past by leaving San Francisco, but Drew had found her anyway, and unwanted reminders had blown in with her. Once, Lily had caught Drew leaning across the lunch table at the design studio, flirting with Josh. He’d been smiling as if the two of them shared some secret joke. Had he ever actually had an affair with Drew? Or at the very least, had he ever liked Drew the way she had obviously liked him?

Lily had brought up the subject over dinner, and Josh
had bristled. What else did he have to do, he’d said, to show her that he loved her? He already demonstrated his devotion every moment of every day. She had trusted him, believed him. She still did. But Drew’s beauty had planted unwelcome seeds of insecurity, and when she had taken a design job at another firm, Lily had been relieved. But Drew kept popping up at trade shows and dinner parties, and once Lily had caught Drew looking at Josh across the table with a studied kind of hunger. He’d been the one to leave the party early, to tell Lily that he felt uncomfortable.

She had been sure of her marriage, and yet she’d resented having anyone even threaten her happiness one iota. How dare this woman come up here now, to stir up trouble all over again. Why couldn’t she leave Lily to focus on the happiest memories? Did she resent Lily that much? Did she really want Lily to work for her, or did she only want to flaunt her new life?

Either way, Lily felt newly galvanized. By what, exactly, she didn’t know. Anger or resentment—did it really matter? She felt a new sense of purpose.

She picked up the cat and kissed her furry head. How could anyone call her a “thing” or merely an “animal”? An insult to this cat was an insult to Lily’s shop. In a short time, this little fluffy creature had become integral to Lily’s business. Many people had come in looking for the cat,
drawn by her mystical qualities, or perhaps by her unusual eyes. Perhaps they sought comfort, commiseration, or hope in an unpredictable world.

Lily had sought the same when she arrived
on the island, and by buying the cottage on a whim, she had actually been making a calculated decision. She had always wanted to change her life, to leave the city. Had Josh’s death merely freed her to follow her dream? Had it been a plan they had shared, or had the dream belonged to her alone?