It was after ten by the time Lily dropped off her last delivery, but she was pretty sure the new Schnucks stayed open until midnight.

The parking lot was nearly empty and she parked close to the entrance, slung her purse over one shoulder, and chose a small shopping cart. She hoped they carried that thick-cut maple bacon she liked. According to her dad, bacon was the way to a man’s heart. If that was true, she intended to buy a huge slab of the stuff.

Checking her list, she started at the far end of the store and picked up fresh tortillas for breakfast burritos, along with an extra dozen eggs. As she meandered through the store, she was surprised to realize how many of her supplies she could be buying right here in Langhorne now that the grocery chain had moved in on the edge of town. She’d already promised Gage she would quit placing daily orders, but she wasn’t about to risk at least a weekly visit from her favorite delivery man.

She stopped to check items off her list before wheeling her cart to the produce department. She was thumping a honeydew to see if it was ripe, when she heard a familiar voice behind her.

“Lily?”

She turned to see Gage standing there in jeans, a wrinkled T-shirt, and flip-flops. His hair stuck up on top like he’d been raking his hands through it. Or he’d just gotten out of bed. He looked cute as all get out.

Her eyes went to his shopping cart. “Oh, how sweet…who’s the lucky one?” She pointed to the pink and yellow Easter basket propped in the top basket of his shopping cart, along with a bag of green plastic grass and one of chocolate eggs wrapped in colorful foil. He’d never mentioned having nieces or nephews. Or a kid. The thought made her heart stop.

Gage jumped in front of the cart and made himself big. “You weren’t supposed to see that.”

She shot him a questioning look. Why did an Easter basket have to be a secret?

“I hope you like pink. You seem like a girly girl…”

“It’s for me?” Be still my beating heart. The man was buying her an Easter basket?

“It was supposed to be a surprise.” He pouted.

She jumped in front of her cart in a goofy imitation of him. “Well, then don’t look in here either.”

He stretched, trying to peak over her shoulder. “Our breakfast?”

“It will be. Once I cook it.”

“My mouth is already watering.” He gave an overly heavy sigh. “Well, since you’ve already spoiled the surprise, maybe you can help me. I was trying to think what kind of flowers to get. For your Easter basket.”

“Flowers too? You don’t have to do that, Gage.”

“What if I want to? It wouldn’t really be Easter without some spring flowers, would it?”

“Then…by all means!” She couldn’t keep from smiling.

“So what kind? What’s your favorite?”

“That’s easy. You don’t know?”

“Um…should I?” He looked utterly confused.

She grinned. “You should. After all, you’ve known me for a whole week now.”

“And yet, it seems so much longer.” The cheesy grin he shot her deserved a smack.

But she resisted the temptation and only said, “Think about it.”

He put his index finger to his temple and squinted. Two seconds later, he looked at her and shook his head. “No clue. Roses? Daisies?”

Laughing, she steered him toward the floral department where a huge display of Easter lilies, tiger lilies, Stargazers, and lilies of the valley were arranged. “See anything here that makes you think of me?”

He frowned, then a light came on—dim at first, but finally he smacked his forehead, looking sheepish. “I never claimed to be the brightest bulb in the box.” His pointed a finger at her. “See what I did there? Bulb?” He laughed, as if he just got his own joke.

She rolled her eyes. “But seriously, Gage. You do not need to get flowers. I love the basket and the other…stuff I didn’t see.” She gave an exaggerated wink. “But I do like lilies. For obvious reasons.”

“Okay then, lilies it is. Lilies for Lily. Now, don’t look.” He motioned for her to turn the other way.

Laughing, she quickly tossed a honeydew and a cantaloupe into her cart and headed toward the checkout. “See you bright and early,” she called over her shoulder.

She was in line when she remembered she’d never picked up the bacon. She left her cart at the checkout stand and hurried back to the meat case. When she got back in line, Gage was in the lane next to hers. They eyed each other and exchanged smirks, but didn’t speak.

When she got out to the parking lot, she spotted him standing beside his car, which was parked a couple hundred feet from the door. He held the large shopping bag in one hand, and cradled her lily in the other. He’d chosen well—a gorgeous pink Stargazer.

“What’s wrong?” She hollered across the lot. “Lock your keys in the car?”

He turned with a sour expression on his face. “Worse than that. Flat tire.” He kicked it.

“Oh! Seriously? That stinks.”

“Tell me about it.” He heaved a sigh and opened the back passenger-side door and shoved the flowers and grocery bag in the back seat.

Lily quickly loaded her own groceries into her car before wheeling her cart to the return rack nearest his car. She came around to inspect the tire. “Wow. That’s really flat. I wouldn’t drive on that. You have a spare?”

“Sure.” He rummaged in his wallet and pulled out a plastic card. “I’ve also got Triple A.”

“You’re calling them? For a flat tire?”

“That’s why I pay them the big bucks.”

“You could have it changed and be back home by the time they get here. They’d probably have to come all the way from Cape.”

He shifted his feet. “If I tried to change it, I’d just have to call them anyway to fix whatever I did wrong. I have many talents, but being mechanical is not one of them. Hence the Triple A card.” He held it up again and reached for his phone.

She shook her head. “I’ll change it. It’ll take ten minutes.”

“Ten minutes?” He looked skeptical.

“Maybe fifteen. Here, hold this.” She shoved her purse at him.

* * *

How he had come to be standing in a Schnucks parking lot holding Lily O’Neal’s purse, he had no clue. But here he stood. And there she was, kneeling beside his car wielding a lug wrench like she’d been born with one in her hand. Sabine wouldn’t have been caught dead holding a lug wrench. Might break a nail…or mess up her perfect hair.

But Lily had popped the trunk, rolled out the spare tire, jacked up the car, and removed the flat tire while he stood there looking like a nut that fell out of an idiot tree and hit every branch on the way down. All while holding a purse. He couldn’t be certain in the dim light of the parking lot, but he was pretty sure it was a pink purse. He would be turning in his man card tomorrow. “So, what…you work as a mechanic on the side or something?”

She looked up at him over one shoulder. “Did you not take driver’s ed?”

“Of course I did. Ten years ago. You expect me to remember that stuff now?”

She tightened the last lug nut, brushed off her hands, and rose to face him with a sheepish smile. “True confession: My dad wouldn’t leave for Haiti until I proved to him that I could change a tire. According to him, that’s like the one life skill you must know for human survival. That, and how to fry bacon.”

“Now that one I get.”

“You’re going to like breakfast then.”

“Here—” He thrust her purse at her.

She laughed and slung the bag over one shoulder.

He checked the time on his phone. “Speaking of breakfast, I’m supposed to pick you up in about five hours.

“Yes, and I still have to make breakfast.”

“We’re going through Cape. We could just grab an Egg McMuffin or something?”

She made a cross with her index fingers and aimed it at him as if he were a vampire. “Egg McMuffin? Those are not words you say to a girl who runs a bakery.”

He cringed. “Oops. Sorry. But we don’t want to miss the sunrise.”

“I could make coffees for the road, and then we could come back to my place for breakfast.” Her expression said she was afraid she was being too forward. “That would actually be easier than trying to pack everything anyway.”

It was a pretty brilliant idea. Except for one thing. “Um… I like that idea, but I don’t suppose you could put the—” He pawed at the asphalt with the edge of his flip-flop. “Put Fudge in another room?”

“Fudge? Fudge, the cat?”

He nodded.

She leaned back and studied him. “Are you afraid of cats?”

“Not afraid.” She must think he was a total weenie. “Just…deathly allergic.” Okay, he was a total weenie.

Her eyes widened. “You’re allergic to cats? Why didn’t you say something?”

“It didn’t seem quite as important as keeping you from bleeding to death at the time.”

“So…that’s why your eyes were puffy, and you were sneezing and—”

“Yeah…and wheezing and coughing and fainting…” He puffed out one cheek with his tongue. “Okay, the fainting might have been because of all the blood. But Fudge can take credit for the rest of it. I would have been okay if I just hadn’t picked him up, but once the dander gets on me, I’m a goner…”

“Oh, Gage! I’m so sorry.” She gave a little snort, then looked horrified. “It’s not funny. It’s just that—”

“Yeah, it’s kind of funny.”

“I can’t thank you enough for taking me to the ER and waiting there and…everything.”

“Hey, no biggie.”

“If I just put Fudge in the basement while we eat, will that be enough?”

“It should be. It’s never bothered me to be in your house before. Of course, I’ve only been in the kitchen…where Fudge never goes.” He winked.

She affected a scowl. “Okay, he may spend a little more time in there than I first led you to believe. And you’ve never had an allergic reaction there before, right? So maybe you’ll be okay?”

“I guess we’ll find out. Meanwhile, we’d both better get home and get at least a few hours of sleep.”

“Good point. Don’t drive too fast on that tire.”

He gave her a half salute. “Thanks for changing it.”

“No problem. Thanks for holding my purse.” Without another word, she turned and hurried toward her car.

But he was pretty sure she was snickering all the way.