Page 73 of Aiden & Lily

She considered that. He made a good point.

“So,” he said, “are you going to do it? Take the plunge?”

“Yeah. I think I am.”

He let out a whoop so loud that she startled, and both horses tossed their heads in protest. Aiden hunched his shoulders and gave them an apologetic look, making Lily laugh.

“I think you’re going to love it,” he said.

“Yeah. Me too.”

She nudged her horse closer to his and reached out her hand. Aiden took it and gave it a gentle squeeze.

“And when I get my license,” she said, “we’ll both be healers.”

“I suppose we will.”

He lifted her knuckles to his lips and kissed the back of her hand. Warmth rushed up her arm and settled in her chest.

“I love you, Aiden.”

His eyes widened.

It was the third time she had told him without hearing the words in return. He’d admitted he was falling for her, but he still hadn’t said those exact words. Somehow, she didn’t need him to say them before he was ready.

“It’s okay if you can’t say it yet,” she said. “I understand.” Heat rose in her cheeks, but she kept going. “I just don’t want you to question how I feel. Not even for a second.”

Aiden looked at her as though there were a dozen things he wanted to say and couldn’t quite manage any of them.

Lily gave his hand another squeeze.

She wasn’t in a rush. Aiden had spent a long time believing he was easier to leave than to love. Maybe one day he would be able to meet her halfway.

When that day came, she would be ready.

Lily steppedinside the house after kissing Aiden goodbye on the front porch. Her father had seen him coming and going from the house, but they had yet to be formally introduced. She wasn’t quite ready for that, especially since she still didn’t know whether Mathew had said anything about her choice of boyfriend.

She entered the kitchen, and as if she’d conjured him by thinking about him, her father stood at the stove. He lifted a pot from the burner and set it on an oven mitt on the counter.

“You still seeing that boy?”

Lily snickered. “That boy is a nurse at the hospital. And yes, we’re still seeing each other.”

“Is it getting serious?”

There was no hiding her smile, even if she’d wanted to. “Yeah. I suppose you could say that.”

She crossed the room, pulled a cup from the cupboard, and filled it with water. After taking a long drink, she leaned her hip against the counter.

“Don’t worry, Daddy. He’s not a Meyers, so you don’t have to prepare for any more strange family gatherings.”

Her father rolled his eyes. “I don’t think your sister would let me stand in the way of any of you dating those boys. But thanks for the confirmation.”

He stood in thought for a moment before meeting her gaze. “He a good man?”

“Yeah, Daddy. He is.”

“And he makes you happy?”