The Keeneston Roses Read Online Free
course it is. They don’t matter. All that matters is that you’re wearing my ring. You’re my girl, Lily. My rose who I want to watch bloom in my hands.”
“But, Rex . . .”
“But Rex nothing. It’s just you and me, doll. We’re the only ones who matter. Let me prove it to you. If I can’t, then you can give my ring back.” Frank was so sincere Lily wanted to believe him. She had to believe him or her dream would vanish into the night.
“Two weeks.”
Frank smiled. “These will be the best two weeks of your life. I guarantee it.”
CHAPTER THREE
Two weeks turned into three months. After the first month, Lily stopped thinking about giving back Frank’s class ring. They were made for each other. He was the perfect gentleman. He had stopped hanging out with Rex and had dinner at her house with her family every Thursday night.
He took her out on dates each Friday and Saturday night. They went for ice cream, to sock hops and football games, and even to drive-in movies where they necked in the privacy of the back seat of his car. She was so madly in love and couldn’t wait to tell him. It was part of her Christmas present plan.
These past couple months had been so dreamy that Lily let her hopes rise. She’d been wearing his class ring, and everyone knew they were the new it couple of Keeneston High. When they cruised down Main Street at night, Frank only had eyes for her. She wondered if the Christmas gift he kept on mentioning was a different kind of ring.
“Lily, did you hear me?” Daisy asked with annoyance.
“Hmm?”
“I asked if Frank was going to New York for Christmas next week?”
“Oh, yes. He leaves on Tuesday. We’re going to exchange gifts a couple days before, though.”
“Mom wants to know if he’s going to join us for the Keeneston Christmas celebration on Saturday.”
“We are going to the town celebration, but then we may leave early to exchange gifts.”
Daisy looked down at the scarf Lily held in her hands. She’d spent the last month knitting the cashmere scarf and hat for him. “I’m sure he’s going to love it. Well, I’m going to bed. I’ll see you tomorrow for the first official day of Christmas vacation. We need to pick out what to wear to the party.”
Lily watched her sister give one last wistful look at the scarf and then close the door. While Lily was basking in the good fortune of love, Daisy and Violet were not. Violet had plenty of men after her, but they seemed more interested in how she was stacked than in her as a person. And Daisy was too mature for the boys in Keeneston. All the mature ones had gone off to college. Lily hoped that Daisy would run into some of them while they were home for Christmas. Not that many men went to college, but the ones who did were the guys that would be interested in Daisy.
There was a soft knock on the door. Violet quietly opened it and stepped into the room. She looked nervously around as she closed the door. “Lil, I need your help.”
“Of course, Vi. Did something happen?”
“Not yet, but I need a ride into Lexington,” Violet said in a hushed whisper as she set the Keeneston Journal on the bed. “Look.”
Lily set down the scarf and picked up the paper. New Chef at Lexington Club Shines , Lily read. “You want to go to dinner at some fancy restaurant?”
“No, look. The chef is from Lexington but went to culinary school in France. I have to talk to him and see if he’ll write a letter of recommendation for me. I need to find a way to contact this school about a scholarship. Of course, I first need to find out if they even accept women.”
“I don’t have a car . . .”
“No, but Frank does,” Lily cut in. “Can you talk him into giving me a ride to Lexington?”
“I don’t see why not. When do you want to go?”
Violet bit her lip nervously. “Right now?”
“Vi, it’s ten o’clock at night.”
“I know. But we don’t have school tomorrow, and the restaurant will just be
“But, Rex . . .”
“But Rex nothing. It’s just you and me, doll. We’re the only ones who matter. Let me prove it to you. If I can’t, then you can give my ring back.” Frank was so sincere Lily wanted to believe him. She had to believe him or her dream would vanish into the night.
“Two weeks.”
Frank smiled. “These will be the best two weeks of your life. I guarantee it.”
CHAPTER THREE
Two weeks turned into three months. After the first month, Lily stopped thinking about giving back Frank’s class ring. They were made for each other. He was the perfect gentleman. He had stopped hanging out with Rex and had dinner at her house with her family every Thursday night.
He took her out on dates each Friday and Saturday night. They went for ice cream, to sock hops and football games, and even to drive-in movies where they necked in the privacy of the back seat of his car. She was so madly in love and couldn’t wait to tell him. It was part of her Christmas present plan.
These past couple months had been so dreamy that Lily let her hopes rise. She’d been wearing his class ring, and everyone knew they were the new it couple of Keeneston High. When they cruised down Main Street at night, Frank only had eyes for her. She wondered if the Christmas gift he kept on mentioning was a different kind of ring.
“Lily, did you hear me?” Daisy asked with annoyance.
“Hmm?”
“I asked if Frank was going to New York for Christmas next week?”
“Oh, yes. He leaves on Tuesday. We’re going to exchange gifts a couple days before, though.”
“Mom wants to know if he’s going to join us for the Keeneston Christmas celebration on Saturday.”
“We are going to the town celebration, but then we may leave early to exchange gifts.”
Daisy looked down at the scarf Lily held in her hands. She’d spent the last month knitting the cashmere scarf and hat for him. “I’m sure he’s going to love it. Well, I’m going to bed. I’ll see you tomorrow for the first official day of Christmas vacation. We need to pick out what to wear to the party.”
Lily watched her sister give one last wistful look at the scarf and then close the door. While Lily was basking in the good fortune of love, Daisy and Violet were not. Violet had plenty of men after her, but they seemed more interested in how she was stacked than in her as a person. And Daisy was too mature for the boys in Keeneston. All the mature ones had gone off to college. Lily hoped that Daisy would run into some of them while they were home for Christmas. Not that many men went to college, but the ones who did were the guys that would be interested in Daisy.
There was a soft knock on the door. Violet quietly opened it and stepped into the room. She looked nervously around as she closed the door. “Lil, I need your help.”
“Of course, Vi. Did something happen?”
“Not yet, but I need a ride into Lexington,” Violet said in a hushed whisper as she set the Keeneston Journal on the bed. “Look.”
Lily set down the scarf and picked up the paper. New Chef at Lexington Club Shines , Lily read. “You want to go to dinner at some fancy restaurant?”
“No, look. The chef is from Lexington but went to culinary school in France. I have to talk to him and see if he’ll write a letter of recommendation for me. I need to find a way to contact this school about a scholarship. Of course, I first need to find out if they even accept women.”
“I don’t have a car . . .”
“No, but Frank does,” Lily cut in. “Can you talk him into giving me a ride to Lexington?”
“I don’t see why not. When do you want to go?”
Violet bit her lip nervously. “Right now?”
“Vi, it’s ten o’clock at night.”
“I know. But we don’t have school tomorrow, and the restaurant will just be