LILY’S LIFE LESSON #24
When life gets tough, keep on pedaling.
Trace and Lily sat in the back row of Ben’s classroom waiting for his turn to present his science project. Trace’s cell phone vibrated in his pocket. When he took it out and saw the number on the screen, he leaned over to whisper in Lily’s ear. “Be right back.”
She nodded without looking at him. Instead, she gave Ben a thumbs-up for the hundredth time because he kept turning around to make sure she was still there.
Trace stepped into the hallway for privacy and answered the call. “Megan.” He kept his voice flat.
“Trace.” There was already a tremor in her tone. “Just so you know, I didn’t know anything about Ronald Parker until after he’d already visited the island the first time, and I didn’t know my agent was going to send him back to the island again.” She hesitated. “I’m looking for another agent.”
Hopefully, a more ethical one, if there was such a thing in Hollywood.
Trace responded with silence.
“I . . . I got the recording you sent,” she said. “I’m not going any further with the custody suit.”
“Good.” He went quiet and waited. Just waited.
She caved within seconds. “You didn’t have to have your girlfriend call the autistic foundation. I was planning to step down as their spokesperson after I heard what Ben had to say.”
Since Megan was so hell-bent to use Ben to get her face on television, Trace had decided to show her what her son really thought of her. Trace had recorded Ben with the ducks that day, talking about how his mother didn’t like him, thought he was weird, and how he’d compared his situation to the ducks, just like he had after Megan’s field trip–mommy drama. An Oscar-worthy motion picture couldn’t have been a bigger tearjerker, but it was time for Megan to see herself through Ben’s eyes.
“I didn’t have anyone call the autistic foundation,” he said. “But I should’ve called them myself.”
“Well, someone did.” Her voice cracked. “They knew all about my last visit.”
“Ben’s teacher and twenty kids were present. Kids do go home and tell their parents things, especially when there’s drama,” Trace said. “Any one of them could have made the call. You wanted to be on television, and now you’ve put a target on your own back.”
“Well, they let me go before I could quit.” She sniffed. “I suppose that makes you happy.”
“None of this makes me happy, Megan.” He crossed an arm over his chest.
“I . . . I’m sorry. I just wanted to catch a break for once in my career. I’m not getting any younger.” She sniffed. “I’m never going to be good with Ben. Not like you, Trace.”
“You don’t have to be like me,” Trace said. “But you do at least have to make an effort with him. If you can’t do that, then leave him alone completely because he doesn’t deserve the heartache.”
“Do you think Ben will ever forgive me?”
“He’s a great kid. I’m sure he will, but he’s already caught on to a lot. You’re going to have to do much better if you want him to want you in his life.”
After he allowed Megan more time for blubbering than she deserved, he ended the call. Only time would tell if she could change, but Trace wasn’t going to hold his breath. He had too much to look forward to with his new life with Lily. And so did Ben.
Lily was getting restless waiting for Trace to finish up his phone call in the hallway. Miss Etheridge introduced each of the kids who were presenting their science projects. Trace slipped back into the seat next to her just in time. It was the last week of school before summer break, and the class of second graders was jittery with excitement.
“Lily!” Everyone in the room heard Ben’s loud whisper.
You’ve got this, Lily mouthed at him and gave the thumbs-up again.
Trace slid an arm around the back of her chair, and his fingers gently caressed her shoulder. “Thank you,” he said low enough so only she could hear. “This project won Ben a lot of favor with the other kids.” The tenderness in his eyes said how much that meant to him as a father of a child who didn’t always fit in. “It wouldn’t have been possible without you and your tricycle,” he teased.
She elbowed him. “Careful. I have a new driver’s license.” Trace had brought her to the Cape the day before to get an in-state license. She needed to be mobile with the crazy busy summer ahead and the resort kicking off a record season in a few days. “If you think I was daring on a bike or trike, wait until you see me behind the wheel of a four-wheel-drive Jeep. No telling what type of animals I might bring to the resort now that we have a new pet-friendly policy.”
His expression blanked. “I think I’m scared.”
The rest of the Remingtons filtered in, squeezing Lily’s shoulder as they walked by, and sat on the far end of the row to take the last empty seats. They hadn’t blinked when she and Trace had walked into the resort several days before and he’d announced that she was staying and would eventually become an official member of the family.
After Lawrence made several lengthy telephone calls to animal-rights groups, environmentalist groups, and a Portland news station, the press had turned her into an overnight hero, robbing the haters back in NOLA of their juicy story. Her future father-in-law explained to everyone who’d taken his calls how Lily hadn’t let her tumultuous circumstances hold her back. Instead, she chose to start over, and in the process, she’d rescued a brood of baby ducklings that wouldn’t have survived on their own.
Donations were already pouring in to several bird sanctuaries up and down the West Coast, and they’d even invited Ben to bring the ducks there when he was ready.
But the thing that brought tears to Lily’s eyes and joy to her heart was her father. He’d called Lily, and they’d had the best conversation she could remember since she was a kid. Then he’d called Trace and thanked him for taking care of his baby girl.
“Next we have Ben Remington,” Miss Etheridge said. “And he’s brought an extra-special treat for us.”
Lily couldn’t contain her excitement any longer, and she clapped.
Several of the ladies turned around to glare at her. Probably PTA moms. Charley had warned her that PTA moms could be even more vicious than hockey moms. Now that Lily was going to be one of Ben’s parents, she’d have to volunteer and show them a thing or two about overseeing an event and running an organization. If that didn’t put them in their places, then maybe pepper spray would work because their glares were terrifying.
Ben set up his poster on the chalkboard, then went to the large covered pet crate in the corner that Lily and Trace had delivered to the classroom while the kids were at recess. Ben had learned that covering a birdcage quieted the ducks down. Besides a few low squawks and quacks, this brood had done pretty well. He pulled the blanket off to reveal the ducks, and they tuned up.
The kids cheered and chattered.
When Miss Etheridge finally got everyone quieted down, she said, “Okay, Ben. Continue.”
“This is Daisy, Sir Walter Raleigh”—he pointed to each and held up a different color Velcro foot band for each name—“Roxy, Oscar, Squeaks, Bandit, Oreo, Scooter, and Belle.” Ben named every duck except one. Then he pointed to the one with a slightly smaller wing. “And this one’s Waddles. He’s different, like me.”
He launched into an explanation of their growth, their food, and his plan to let them go back into the wild from the cove behind the resort. “If Waddles can’t fly off with his family, then we’ll take care of him, and he can be part of our family, and the other ducks can fly back and visit him.” Ben’s little body thrummed with excitement. “Just like Lily is going to be part of our family from now on. And her mom and dad can come visit anytime they want.”
Lily got choked up that Ben had thought of her parents, and she covered Trace’s hand with hers.
She and Trace hadn’t explained the whole prison thing to Ben just yet, but soon they’d tell him why her father couldn’t visit the island. Lily’s mom was a different story, though. Lily had told her everything and introduced her to Trace and Ben through a live video call. As soon as the summer season was over, Trace and Lily promised to fly out and pick her mom up for a visit.
Trace stroked her shoulder and gave her a sexy wink.
When Ben was done, he passed out chocolate eggs to everyone, and Miss Etheridge let the class come forward to get a closer look at the ducks.
While they chattered and aahed over the ducks, Trace pulled his phone from his pocket and sent a text.
Lily’s phone dinged, and she chuckled. Without looking at Trace, she retrieved her phone from her purse on the floor.
Did I mention how much I love you?
Lily’s thumbs flew over the screen.
Several times, but I never get tired of hearing it.
“Good.” He leaned over and whispered in her ear. “Because I plan to tell you every morning.” He lowered his voice even more. “And show you every night.”
A shiver lanced through her. She lifted both brows at him as a warning. “We’re at Ben’s school,” she whispered.
He chuckled. “By the way, I just got good news. Megan dropped the custody suit.”
Lily gasped and slid a hand to his thigh to grip it.
He waggled his brows at her. “We’re at Ben’s school,” he mocked her. Then he sobered. “Megan’s field trip drama at the resort got back to the autistic charity, and they dropped her as their spokesperson. Know anyone who might’ve called them?”
Lily shrugged. “Wasn’t me.” She hitched her chin over a shoulder at Charley. “I’ve been told the Remingtons stick together, though.”
He laughed. “I’ve got a surprise.” His fingers worked the keyboard of his phone as he sent her another text.
A picture of a cargo plane popped onto her screen. On the side of it the words TAKE FLIGHT DELIVERY SERVICE were painted, and ten yellow ducklings trailed behind the big letters.
“I had it custom painted. It’ll be ready tomorrow,” he said. “Just in time for the kickoff weekend.”
Perfect.
“Oh,” she said thoughtfully. “I almost forgot.” She tapped the screen of her cell. “I have a little surprise for you too, but you better wait until we’re alone to look at it. Now that I can drive, I did a little shopping.” Jezebel’s, Angel Fire Falls’s only lingerie boutique, was Lily’s new favorite place to shop. The old affinity for Saks her mom had drilled into her while growing up could suck it.
His cell dinged, and he tensed like it was killing him not to look. Finally, he cupped his hands around the screen and opened the text.
Slowly, he slid his phone into his pocket, took her hand, and pulled her to her feet.
The look of pure love mixed with a lot of lust must’ve shown on their faces, because Elliott leaned over and whispered, “Dude” as they left. Trace didn’t stop. He tugged her out of the classroom and all the way to his Jeep.
And then he was kissing her right there in the parking lot of the elementary school, but she couldn’t bring herself to stop him because his touch was pure heaven, and there was nothing else she’d rather do at that moment than have his lips on hers.
He was her future. Her family.
A man she admired.
The one who’d shown her a forever kind of love the day she’d left her problem-filled life behind and pedaled right into his heart.
Lily added one more lesson to her list, and it was the most important one of all. When life gets tough, keep on pedaling.