Seasons of Sugarcreek 03. Autumn's Promise Read Free

keeping secrets.
    It had become easier to drift away from Cassidy and the rest of her friends than continue to lie. Which was why Cassidy hadn’t known that Lilly had become pregnant, planned to give the baby up for adoption, miscarried, and was now floundering in her life.
    No, all Cassidy knew was that Lilly Allen had moved less than three hours away and never looked back.
    But still…Lilly couldn’t believe one of her friends from Strongsville had come to Sugarcreek. After staring at her in shock, she ran over and hugged her tight.
    Thankfully, Cassidy’s arms wrapped around her, too. “Finally! I thought we were going to just stand here like frenemies for ages.”
    “I’m sorry. I’m just having a hard time adjusting to the fact that you’re standing across from me in Sugarcreek, of all places. What are you doing here?”
    “I missed you,” she said simply. “When you never wrote me back, I decided to come and see for myself why.” Still holding Lilly’s arms, Cassidy looked her over.
    “Hmm. So far, you look pretty good.”
    “Not as good as you.” Just as Lilly remembered, Cassidy was the picture of preppy perfection. Her brown hair was neatly combed and secured in a head-band. Her light brown eyes were skillfully outlined and highlighted with subtle makeup. And her casual button-down and tailored jeans looked like something out of a J. Crew catalog. “How come you aren’t in school?”
    “Today’s a holiday. Labor Day, you know.” Cassidy looked at her curiously. “Don’t you have the day off, too? Where are you going to college?”
    “I decided to wait a while to go.”
    “What? But all you ever used to talk about was becoming an English professor.”
    “That dream came and went,” she lied. Realizing that they were standing awkwardly near the door, she said, “Hey, want to sit down?”
    “Sure. Any place?”
    “Any place you want.” As soon as Cassidy took a chair, Lilly moved to the coffee bar. “Would you like something to drink?”
    “I just wanted to see you. Lilly, what’s wrong with you? You’re acting so nervous.”
    “Nothing. I’m just not used to having guests here,” she replied, thinking that the lies were coming easier and easier. “My boss is pretty strict.”
    “Maybe we should do this later. When do you get off?”
    “Not for eight hours.”
    “Oh. I can’t stay that long. Can’t you take some time off now?”
    “Not really.”
    “Oh.”
    The tension rising between them was becoming incredibly uncomfortable. “You should have called.”
    “Your number’s unlisted and you’re never online. Besides, I have a feeling you probably wouldn’t have even called me back.”
    Lilly winced, though she knew that it was a fair assessment. She had been avoiding her friends. “How did you even know I was here?”
    “Megan’s little sister is still friends with Ty. He told her you were working here. She told me.”
    Megan had been part of their circle of friends. And was yet another person she’d pushed away. Still not sure what to do with herself, Lilly said, “Let me go get us something to eat.” She scurried back into the kitchen before Cassidy could say anything.
    Gretta’s hands stilled when Lilly flew into the kitchen. “Who is that girl?”
    “A friend of mine from Cleveland.”
    “Oh, wonderbaar !”
    “Yes, it is.” Without hardly looking, Lilly pulled open the door to the walk-in fridge and chose the closest pie. A dutch apple. She sliced two pieces and set them on plates.
    “I’m going to sit for a minute with her, then I’ll be back.”
    “Take your time. We’re gut until others get here.” Cassidy grinned when Lilly set down the plates. “Yum. What kind of restaurant is this?”
    “Amish.”
    “Ah.” Instead of launching into the usual questions about the Amish, Cassidy played with her pie, cutting off a small portion and pushing it to one side. “You know…Alec still misses you.”
    Alec. Even hearing his name sometimes caused