Read Lily in Bloom Online

Authors: Tammy Andresen

Lily in Bloom

 

LILY IN BLOOM

 

 

T
AMMY
A
NDRESEN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Booktrope Editions

Seattle, WA 2015

 

 

COPYRIGHT
2012
, 2015 TAMMY ANDRESEN

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.

 

Attribution
— You must attribute the work in the manner specified by the author or licensor (but not in any way that suggests that they endorse you or your use of the work).

Noncommercial
— You may not use this work for commercial purposes.

No Derivative Works
— You may not alter, transform, or build upon this work.

 

Inquiries about additional permissions

should be directed to:
[email protected]

 

 

Cover Design by Shari Ryan

Edited by Maggie Dallen

 

 

Previously published as
Lily in Bloom by TJ Burton

Charlestowne Publishing 2012

 

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to similarly named places or to persons living or deceased is unintentional.

 

PRINT ISBN 978-1-5137-0018-2

EPUB ISBN 978-1-5137-0049-6

 

Contents
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

First and foremost I have to thank my family. I have disappeared behind my laptop and they love me anyway.

In addition, I’d like to thank Booktrope for taking a chance on me, as well as my book team members for all of their hard work and encouragement along the way. Erika, Stephanie, and Andie—you ladies rock!

Finally, a huge thanks to Shari Ryan, my friend, mentor, and an amazing author. You have put me back on the path.  I don’t know how to thank you but I know I am going to keep trying.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This book is dedicated to my mother, without whom I would not be who I am today, and to my daughters, whose futures I eagerly await.

 

 

CHAPTER 1
April 1854

“THIS COLOR WOULD LOOK
lovely on you, darling. It is the perfect shade of blue for your eyes.” The dressmaker gushed over a bolt of lovely fabric as she held it up under Lillian Carter’s chin.

Lily smiled weakly and looked over at her brother, James. She knew they couldn’t afford custom dresses and that is why she hadn’t wanted to come to the dress shop at all, but her brother had insisted. He wanted her to have new clothes for the upcoming spring season in Boston.

“That’s perfect. We’ll take it,” James said with a stubborn set to his jaw.

“You look like you just swallowed sour milk,” Lily said to her brother with a laugh. James scowled more deeply and gave his sister a hard look. Undeterred, she stopped laughing but continued to smile. “We don’t need to buy dresses, James. I am sure I can make do with what I have. I can always rework them to be more in fashion.”

“Absolutely not. With Tom’s wedding taking place this season you’ll need clothes for all the events we’ll be attending. It will be the perfect opportunity for you to be introduced to prospective suitors.” James’ face remained set.

Lily’s smile slipped from her face but she said nothing, and James did not notice because his wife had emerged from the dressing room. Elise stood before them in a beautiful pink evening gown. She pirouetted and then stepped in front of the mirror.

“What do you think?” Elise asked with a smile. Her dark hair and eyes were set off perfectly by the fabric, which came off the shoulder and hugged her supple curves.

“You look beautiful,” Lily said, with a smile, to her sister-in-law.

James moved closer to inspect his wife and the two shared a look that made Lily turn away with a slight blush on her face. Her brother and Elise had fallen madly in love six years ago and had been married for the past five. They seemed just as passionate about each other now as they had then. Lily hoped for the opportunity to find that kind of love for herself someday but her time was running out.

“Miss Carter, why don’t you step into the dressing room, I have some dresses made up in that blue silk.” The dressmaker discreetly led Lily out of sight of the couple.

As Lily emerged from the dressing room a few minutes later, in a fitted gown with a low neckline currently in fashion, she was glad that James had taken her to buy new dresses. Her current wardrobe had been purchased four years ago when she was fifteen and was far too girlish for a woman almost twenty.

“Lily, it is positively gorgeous! My god, when did you become so stunning!” Elise gushed as she saw the figure Lily posed in the mirror.

Lily looked at her reflection and was taken aback by what she saw. The women in the shop had piled her honey colored hair on top of her head and let a few tendrils fall around her face. The natural curls complimented her high cheek bones and full lips. The color of the dress accentuated the shade of her eyes and made their exotic slant even more noticeable. The dress hugged her curves and made her waist appear non-existent compared to her hips and bosom. She felt like she was seeing herself for the first time.

James positively scowled and turned to his wife. “I have changed my mind. We’re not buying these for Lily. Men will be crawling over themselves…”

“Too late.” Elise cut him off. “This gorgeous creature is about to be unleashed on Boston society. God help them all!”

 

Their purchasing done, the Carters left the dress shop to return to their Commonwealth Avenue home. James stepped away to retrieve their carriage while Elise and Lily waited.

Lily took a deep breath of the fresh spring air and looked around. The dressmaker had a dress that fit her almost perfectly and had allowed her to wear it out of the shop. It felt wonderful to be in new clothing. A nearby dogwood was beginning to bloom. By the beginning of May large flowers would cover the tree. It would be fabulous to see greenery again after a long cold winter in Maine. It was amazing to be in Boston with all the promise a new season held. Could it possibly hold romance for her? Lily was so caught up that she did not notice the two boys or the ball that were heading straight for her.

“Toby, look out!” A deep voice pulled her out of her reverie but not in time. A boy of four or five came barreling into her, causing her to lose her balance. As she tried to right herself, she took a step back. Unfortunately, Elise had set down the hat boxes there and she tripped, tumbling to the ground. She felt her head bang an iron fence behind her and pain shot through her body. She saw stars but somehow maintained consciousness.

“Toby! What did I tell you about running when you’re not looking.” She heard a sharp male voice.

“I was looking. I was looking at the ball,” the little boy responded. If her head hadn't been swimming, she would have laughed.

“Are you all right?” A deep voice pierced through her haze but it took Lily a moment to realize that the question had been directed at her. As she forced her eyes to focus she saw Elise bent down above her. Next to her was the boy who had run into her a moment before. He looked very frightened. She tried to speak but somehow couldn’t form the words.

“It’s all right. Don’t try to talk, just rest for a second.” Lily turned to the baritone voice that was coming from her right. Her breath stopped in her throat. Above her was the most gorgeous man she had ever seen, Eric Sampson. She had met Eric four years earlier during her first official season in Boston.

He had been, and still was, the most handsome man she had ever laid eyes on. When they were introduced, Lily had blushed and stuttered through their introduction. It had been exhilarating an embarrassing all in the same moment.

Strong hands reached down and slid under her back, bringing Lily sharply back to the present. Shivers raced up and down her spine that had nothing to do with her fall. One look into the dark pools of his eyes made her tingle all over. He had dark wavy hair, a straight nose and strong jaw. His lips were full and seemed to curve in the smallest of smiles. Eric’s broad shoulders and muscular body made him look as though he spent his time at sea rather than behind a desk.  His muscles rippled underneath her. Desire crackled through Lily like lightening, but she closed her eyes to gain control and block out his face. Eric Sampson had been and still was married.

His wife, Caitlin, was everything that Lily was not. Tall with dark red hair, Caitlin had a commanding physical presence.  To a shy girl of fifteen Eric’s wife had seemed to know everyone. Caitlin subtly flirted with the men and conspired with the women.  That season had been Lily’s first lessons in love and heartbreak.

Eric gently lifted her into the sitting position. Lily swallowed hard and forced the butterflies in her stomach down. How could she still react this way after four years? She looked at the only man she had ever desired in her life. He seemed older or harder. She wasn’t sure what it was but he looked different.  He was no less attractive, but not the rake she had met. As she was about to speak, Toby jumped in.

“I'm real sorry I ran into you like that,” he said, looking down at the ground.

Lily glanced at Eric’s son. He was the spitting image of his father at five years old. Large, dark eyes sparkled from under unruly waves of dark hair. His nose was more upturned than his father’s, the only hint of his mother. He was sure to break hearts. Lily’s melted instantly. She could not stand to see this little boy look so sad over an accident.

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