Colters' Lady (Colters' Legacy #2)(79)

Lily’s tension eased and she smiled, unaware of the way her entire face lit up and she glowed. But Ryan saw. He knew how incredibly talented the young woman was. He also knew that she’d endured a lot of hurt in her young life. She reminded him so much of Holly when she’d first come to him and his brothers. A wounded bird in need of a place to heal so she could spread her wings again.

He hoped like hell that his sons would prove to be exactly what Lily needed. He knew for certain that she was precisely what they needed.

Adam returned a moment later with both Holly and Callie hot on his heels. Ryan also wondered if Lily wouldn’t be key in soothing some of the hurt he saw in his own daughter’s eyes. Lily…she was special, and he’d known from the day he met her that she was going to make a huge difference in his family.

She was already entrenched in so many ways. Holly loved her, and Lily had won Callie’s heart the day she’d given her the beautiful drawing of Callie’s Meadow.

“Lily!” Holly exclaimed.

Holly was more obvious than Adam and he himself had been. She wrapped her arms around Lily and hugged her fiercely, rocking her back and forth just like she was a child in need of comfort.

“Oh honey, I’ve been so worried about you. What a terrible time you’ve had. But you’re home now. You have a family who loves you.”

Lily gave Holly a watery smile that tugged at Ryan’s heart. He looked over at Adam, and Adam nodded his head in the direction of the door.

Ryan stood and on his way by, he gave Lily a hug of his own. She’d always seemed a little more uneasy around him than the others, but then he’d always been told he wasn’t an easy guy to relax around. But he wanted Lily to feel loved and welcomed. Part of their family.

She seemed surprised by the gesture and then she hugged him back, briefly resting her head against his chest.

“I’m glad you’re here,” he said simply.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

He pulled away. “We’ll leave you ladies to it. Adam and I will be out in the barn if you need us.”

As soon as the men had left, Holly all but dragged Lily to the couch and sat her down between her and Callie.

“How are you, really?”

“I’m good,” Lily said. “I came by because…” She sighed. “It’s complicated. I need your help.”

“Name it,” Callie said. “Whatever it is, we’ll help you in any way we can.”

Lily reached over to squeeze the other girl’s hand. “I’m so grateful to have you as a friend.”

Callie smiled. “The feeling is entirely mutual. Now tell us. What do you need?”

“I need you to go to Denver with me,” she blurted.

Holly’s eyes widened in surprise.

“There are two things I want…need…to do. The first one might sound silly.”

As she spoke, she drew out the paper she’d put in her pocket and carefully unfolded it. The two other women leaned over to look.

“It’s beautiful,” Callie murmured. “It’s them isn’t it? Seth, Michael and Dillon.”

“How did you know?” Lily asked in awe.

Callie smiled and pointed first to the circular band, threaded with four colors. A vibrant blue, green, brown and burnt orange. “This is the four of you. Unity. Never ending. This symbol is for Michael, the healer,” she said, pointing to the intricate caduceus that Lily had drawn into the band. Then she pointed to the shield that was equidistant from the other two symbols embedded in the colorful band. “And this is Seth, the protector.”

Holly pointed to the sword, the last symbol in the band. “This must be Dillon, the fighter.”

“Fierce,” Lily murmured. “He’s fierce and loyal.”

“And then there’s you,” Callie said quietly as she traced the lines of the delicate lily coiling from the midst of the circle, blooming, the petals just unfurling.

Lily smiled. “Do you think it’s stupid?”

“I think it’s awesome,” Callie said. “Absolutely amazing. What are you going to do with it?”

“I want to get a tattoo.”

Holly’s mouth dropped open, and Callie’s lips split into a broad grin. “Oh my God, that’s perfect! Absolutely perfect! Where? You have to tell me where.”

Lily brushed her fingers over her hip. “Here. I want it to be private, but I want it to be something they see. And know that it’s us. I’m a little scared and I have no idea where to go. That’s why I was hoping you would go with me. Dillon said you went with him when he got his ink done in Denver.”

Callie clapped her hands in delight. “I know the perfect place. The guy there is an amazing artist. I might even get a tat myself while we’re there. I would have done it when Dillon got his, but he got all snarly with me about it.”

“As he should have,” Holly said.

Callie rolled her eyes.

“You don’t approve?” Lily asked Holly. The last thing she wanted was to drag her future mother-in-law to a tattoo parlor if the idea horrified her.

“Oh it’s not that. Callie was a lot younger then and had no business getting a tattoo. What she does when she’s older is her business. And I’m going with you two. It sounds like a lot of fun.”