Wild Stars Seeking Midnight Suns by J. California Cooper

spoke to Lily Bea in a certain way. “Lily, dear, I have been thinking about affairs of the heart.” She smiled a little, giving him her entire attention. He continued, “What do you think of love? Do you ever think of it, love?”
    She thought a moment, in silence, then answered, “Everyone thinks of love, sometime.”
    “I’m not asking everyone, Lily, I am asking you what
you
think of love.”
    “Well, Weldon, I think it must be one of the most wonderful things in this world. It’s the only thing that makes anything beautiful. Worth having. I also think it is very hard to find, to have. People seem to have such a problem with it, at least the people I have known.”
    “Have you ever loved anyone, Lily? I mean, I know you were married, once. Did you love him?” He lowered his head, still looking at her, and asked again, “Have you ever been in love?”
    “I have . . . good feelings about . . . some people. I have good feelings about you. All your kindness, and the things you have done for me. You might say . . . I love you . . . in a way.”
    His heart expanded buoyantly in his chest, and he reached his hand across the table toward her as he said, “Do you mean that, Lily? Could you, do you, love me . . . a little?”
    She became nervous, thinking, “What is he asking? What does he want?” She laughed gently and slapped his hand lightly. “Who could help but love you? Of course I love you. You are my friend; my best friend. I have no other.”
    He looked at his empty hand a moment, then started to withdraw it, but left it lying there, waiting. “I want you to love me . . . more than a friend.” He took a deep breath. “Because, you see, I am in love with you. More than a friend. I love you.”
    She did not take his hand, yet. But she continued gently smiling at him. In a very soft voice, she asked, “What could we do with love, Weldon? You are married. You have a life. I have a different life. Even if we love each other, what would, what could, we do?” They sat in silence for several moments. He withdrew his open palm from the table, placing it out of sight in his lap.
    Her nervousness tightened her throat. She reached her hand across the table as she said, “Oh, Weldon, you have done so much for me; my life is different, my world is different, everything I know is different. No one could help loving someone who has done all you have done for me. But you will not lose; the shop is doing great, making money. I sell a lot of things. But, I will sign it back over to you; I will not take advantage of your kindness, your thoughtfulness. I know you felt sorry for me, so you gave me a chance, an opportunity. I had hoped I could pay you back, in some way, so you would know . . .”
    He flinched at the words
pay you back
. He stood up to leave, as he thought, “This is not what I wanted. If I can never have her love . . . I’m a foolish old man to have wanted so much from her. I’ll just leave her alone, as long as she remains somewhere close to me.”
    He said aloud, “Lily, you are the business. It is your business. I wasn’t trying to . . . buy you. We are both making money in our business. You owe me nothing. It has been my pleasure to even have you near enough to talk to. My life was like being alone in a desert . . . having to talk to myself. You have changed my life also.”
    She was silent as she watched him get ready to leave. She hadn’t treated him as a guest for a long time. He knew where his coat and hat were; he had put them wherever they were. He was not a guest, he was really at home, in her mind. A little love bubbled up in her mind, or was it pity? There was no reason to pity him. Love? Gratitude? Lily sighed, and rose to see him out.
    He stopped her. “Don’t get up. I’ll see myself out. And, my dear friend, I’ll probably see you tomorrow!” Then he was gone.
    Lily Bea didn’t see him again for almost two weeks. She left several messages with his secretary, Mrs. Gaines, for him