Her Heart's Desire (Sunflower Series Book 1) (20 page)

How had the discussion turned on him? Megan
seemed to quickly forget she’d been in a car accident.

“Let’s go check out the car.” He didn’t
intend to discuss his relationship with Amelia until it was clearly
defined in his own mind. He started for the door. “Grab your purse
or whatever you need, and let’s go. After we do this, I need to get
home, that is, if you’re sure you’re okay.”

Megan grabbed a small purse and tugged on his
hands. Once outside, she raced down the stone steps. Her youthful
exuberance baffled him. Tears one minute. Smiles the next.

“Come on. Let me explain the facts of life to
you.”

Lucas bristled. “I hardly think so, little
sister.”

“Which way’s your ride?”

Lucas pointed across the lawn to the far
parking lot.

“Don’t try to pull on me what Craig Britton
pulls on Lia. By the way, why is it the two you are the
only
ones who still use her full name?”

“Wait, what do you mean about Craig? And what
does she want to be called?”

“Lia. Don’t you ever listen? As for Craig,
he’s a controlling tyrant.”

“He means well.” Now he was defending Craig
to his little sister? He might very well behave like Craig with
Megan. He wanted only the best for his little sister.

“Forget about Craig. Focus on Lia. Who does
she want?” Megan thumped his chest. “She wants you! Can I help you
pick out her ring? When do you think you might get married? Can I
be in the wedding party? Where will you live after you’re
married?”

“Slow down. Things are not that simple or
moving that fast.”

“Why not?”

“Why not, indeed,” he muttered.

When they reached the truck, Lucas held the
door for his sister. He went around to the driver’s side and
climbed in.

“You didn’t answer the questions. All you
need to do is ask her to marry you. She says, yes, and you live
happily ever after. On her farm. Simple.”

“Megan, stop.” Lucas started the engine.

“But—”

“Amelia could lose the farm.” He tapped the
address for the tow yard into the GPS. “Craig wants to sell,” he
explained. “He’s found a buyer. Craig’s plan all along has been to
move Amelia back to the city to paint. She had a studio there.”

“Had?”

“Guess you didn’t see the news about the
burning building in KC yesterday?”

“Lia’s studio is gone? What about her
paintings and stuff?”

“We’re not sure yet. The fire marshal won’t
let anyone in.”

Megan slumped in the seat like a deflated
balloon. The news popped her momentary bubble of enthusiasm.

“You could get married and live in our house.
It’s not nearly as nice as Lia’s, but it’s better than nothing.

He patted his sister’s shoulder. “That’s a
generous offer, but no.”

“Why not?” Megan demanded, sitting squarely
in the seat. Her determination had rematerialized.

“Because the house will be yours when you
graduate from college.”

“Lucas, the house belongs to both of us.”

“Yes, and we see where that arrangement is
getting Craig and Amelia, so I have decided, the house will be
yours. You will always have a home. You will never face the worry
Amelia is dealing with now.”

“You sound like Craig.” Megan pouted. “What
if you and Lia got married and lived in the house until I
graduated? If I go to graduate school, I’ll be away for another
five to six years.”

Her eagerness to fix his problem touched his
heart. “A nice offer, sis. But bringing a wife home to my sister’s
home...just not manly. I want to give my bride a home of her
own.”

Megan crossed her arms. “Well then, Lucas,
you’d better find a way to keep Lia on her farm.”

“Yep,” he agreed. A new plan began to form,
but would Craig agree? Even if he did, could Lucas pull it off?

Chapter 15

Since returning from Kansas City several days
ago, she’d painted like a fiend, surviving on catnaps and
nourishment from Helen’s daily delivery. The spunky woman came
laden with food and a lecture, yet she hadn’t demanded to read
Lia’s palm again. Helen’s harangues were worth the pain in exchange
for chicken potpie, fork-tender roast beef, and barbecue. Helen
tried to entice her into admitting she now had a man in her life,
which Lia wouldn’t confirm or deny. She had zipped her lips and
shook her head under the heat of Helen’s scrutiny.

“Amelia, hurry!” Craig hollered.

“I’ll be down in a minute.” She turned off
the light in her bedroom and trudged down the hall to the
stairs.

‘The truth is in your eyes,’ were Helen’s
final words yesterday.

Would Harvest be shocked to learn which man
claimed her heart? Was Helen spreading news, gossiping around
town?

She smiled remembering Lucas’s visit. Dessert
in bed.

Lia picked specks of paint from around her
nails while taking stock of her efforts. Three paintings. Only
three. Even after working around the clock—halogen work lights
producing a daylight effect in the middle of the night, lighting
the night so brightly coyotes ran in the opposite direction. Anyone
taking pictures from space surely spotted the farm.

At the top of the stairs, Lia paused to gaze
at the undulating green hills beyond the window. Even overwork and
exhaustion didn’t negate her delight of the view. The lingering
rays of sunlight cast shadows across the yard.

“How can anyone not love this?”

She and Karl would catch the sunset from the
windows of the restaurant. No other place in the world lifted her
spirits and plugged her into creativity like the Kansas
countryside.

She’d been painting since returning from
Kansas City, but inspiration didn’t appear with a flip of a switch.
She couldn’t just duplicate the stolen work. Art had to flow from
her heart to her hand, then to paint on canvas. However, the
remarkable thing about being in love—it provided new inspirations.
That morning before dawn when she examined the three paintings in
progress with a critical eye, she spied a newly honed depth in her
artistic voice. She credited Lucas with the change, which made her
date tonight rather awkward. But she wasn’t prepared to share her
good news about Lucas with the world even though it brought joy to
her heart...made her so happy she could float away like a feather
on the breezes of the Kansas plains.

She and Lucas hadn’t yet gotten around to
the talk
—life kept yanking their collars, pulling them in
different directions. Canceling on Karl at the last minute would be
rude. Besides, there was nothing wrong with getting to know the man
who made Zoë’s heart skitter like water popping in a sizzling pan.
She smiled at the thought of her friend’s heart all tied up in
knots. The always
love ’em and leave ’em
woman had come to a
screeching halt.

Descending the stairs, Lia sighed. So far,
the police had no new clues about the thieves. But the show must go
on.

With less than a week before the exhibit, her
hopes of recovering the paintings chipped away each day. The art
world could be a risky business. As Heidi Klum, host of
Project
Runway
, always said, “One day you’re in—the next, you’re out.”
Lia’s three new paintings might salvage the show, along with her
reputation.

She feared letting down Jan and the show’s
success slipping away just like the stolen painting. Yet, she had
to admit, as bad as life had abused her, the incident had gifted
her with a previously unseen benefit—Lucas. If not for the stolen
paintings, he might not have known he’d stolen her heart. He
wouldn’t have come to her rescue in one of her darkest moments. Her
heartbeat quickened at that thought. A flush raced from her chest
to her cheeks and lifted her mouth into a grin. Love had
invincibility pumping through her veins. She believed it when Lucas
had said, “Everything will work out perfectly.” She’d stake the
farm on it.

“You look nice,” Craig said when she crossed
into the living room.

“Why, thank you.” She wobbled on the carpet
in black heels. She’d decided on a black pencil skirt hoping for
sophistication rather than the country look. The pearls her father
had given her for her sixteenth birthday gleamed against her soft,
dove gray, silk blouse.

“Happy Birthday, Amelia.” Craig sprang from
the couch and ran to the dining room table. He returned toting a
medium-sized package wrapped in shiny paper with a lacy bow the
size of a large zinnia blossom. “Since you don’t want to celebrate
your birthday with me, here’s your present.”

“Oh, Craig,” Lia said softly. “It’s not that
I don’t want to celebrate with you. It’s just that I need to do
something different after twenty-nine years.”

“Mom and Dad would be really proud,” Craig
told her. He shrugged. “I had wanted to celebrate with you, like we
always used to.”

Lia hugged his neck. “We’ll have cake when I
get home. I think it’s sweet that you’re going to hang out with
Lucas and Megan tonight. I’m expecting them to be here for the cake
cutting.”

“Open your present,” Craig said, his voice
low and serious.

Lia paused. Whatever it was, she wanted to
share it with her family—Craig, Megan, and most importantly,
Lucas.

“Would you mind if I waited until I get home?
Karl said the reservation is for seven. I imagine I’ll be home by
ten at the very latest.” Sentimentality pulled at her heart. She
would be a reluctant date. After celebrating every single birthday
of her life with her brother, except last year, the tradition was
hard to break

“Hey, it’s your birthday. Whatever you want.”
Craig leaned in and kissed her cheek. The simple action dissolved
her remaining tension over the tired argument about the farm.
Surely, Craig would help her keep it. He did have her best interest
at heart. Lucas had reminded her of that.

The doorbell rang, interrupting their moment.
Jack barked and bounded down the stairs. Craig jogged to the door.
“Let me intimidate the prospective suitor. Wait here.” He grinned
wickedly, reminding her of the Wolf in
Little Red Riding
Hood
. He hadn’t broached the subject of selling the farm again,
even though the year was up tomorrow. She wanted to believe he
wasn’t just waiting for the right opportunity to strike. For the
reprieve, she was thankful. It was the birthday present she truly
wanted. After tomorrow, they could argue about what came next for
the farm.

“Lia ready?” Karl asked.

“Enter,” Craig said, stepping aside.

Lia crossed to the foyer. “Hello, Karl. I’m
looking forward to the evening.”

Karl looked her over. For a moment, she
thought he might whistle. She didn’t miss the appreciation in his
wide grin.

“For you,” he said, offering a bouquet of
pale pink flowers and greenery.

“So, Karl, what are your plans for the
evening with my little sister? We haven’t gotten to know you very
well. And since my father’s gone, it’s my duty to stand in for
him.”

Lia took the flowers. “Thank you. These are
lovely.” She turned and shoved the bouquet at Craig. “Put these in
water in mother’s crystal vase and set them on the dining room
table.” Turning back to Karl, she tugged on his hand, leading him
back out the front door. “Bye, brother dearest. See you later
tonight.”

Once in the car, Lia turned to Karl. “I’m
sorry about that. He’s a little overprotective sometimes. In the
future, just ignore him.”

“He’s kind of hard to ignore,” Karl chuckled.
“Your brother is a well-respected man around these parts. His word
carries a lot of weight. I wouldn’t want to be on the wrong side of
him...or Lucas.”

Did she detect a hint of concern in his
voice? Was it over Craig or Lucas?

“Tell me, how are you liking Harvest? A big
change from where you’re from.”

She listened while he talked and tried to
keep her mind from wandering to Lucas and memories of him in her
bed. When she returned home tonight, after the cake cutting and
tasting, she planned to walk with Lucas in the moonlight down to
the creek and show him the spot on the tree where she’d carved
their initials all those years ago. Back when she was young and had
her first boy crush...on him. Dessert could be sampled
anywhere.

“If you don’t mind, I need to stop by the
Sunflower Café before we go to dinner,” Lia told Karl as town
appeared. The ride to Atchison took them through downtown Harvest.
Most of the stores were dark and locked up for the night. Brick and
stone buildings, with a few old wooden ones, gave the town a quaint
antique feel. Shops with large picture windows showed off colorful
displays. Only one business still had lights on, and she instructed
Karl to park in front.

“I have to pick something up from Helen.
It’ll take just a minute.” Lia scooted from the car.

Chimes tinkled when she pushed the door open.
“Helen?”

“Back here.”

Lia’s heels clicked against the aged,
polished wooden floor. The empty café exuded serenity with the
lights turned low. Lia made her way toward a well-lit kitchen.
Helen appeared from behind the old saloon swinging doors separating
the dining and cooking spaces. Backlit by the bright kitchen light,
Helen appeared to glow. Lia blinked. The woman had great psychic
abilities, but was she actually an angel?

“Happy Birthday, Amelia.” Helen tilted the
cake she held in her hands.

“Oh. Helen! It’s beautiful. But you know, no
one calls me that anymore.”

“Your mother called you that. Your father
called you that. Your brother still calls you that. I’ve known you
since the day you were born. I’m sure if we did that genealogy
thing, we’d at least be kissing cousins. And since your parents are
gone, I’ve claimed you and Craig as family.”

“Well...” Lia’s mouth began to water as the
aroma of chocolate hit her nose. “I don’t care what you call me if
this cake tastes as good as it looks and smells. It’s not the
German chocolate I ordered, but I’m so glad you didn’t listen to
me.”