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I led Holly through the woods on the path that had recently been lined with twinkling lights. The path gave way to a clearing by the pond, where lights had been strung around the perimeter. There was a nest of blankets and pillows with a basket of food and even champagne on ice.
“We’re supposed to watch a movie?” Holly nodded toward a projector and the screen.
“Marley didn’t explain any of the details. She just told me where to go and said that we would have privacy for the entire evening.”
I didn’t have a lot of time to convince Holly to talk to me. This was the longest stretch we’d spent together since we were eighteen. I worried she’d bolt at any minute. My only saving grace was that we were too far to walk to the main house, and we’d taken a carriage here.
“Are you hungry?” I was grateful we hadn’t won the hot tub date. We weren’t ready for that level of intimacy.
The best I could hope for was that she’d sit down, eat some food, and give me a few minutes of her time before she asked me to take her back.
“Sure.” Holly sat on one of the large pillows, arranging a blanket over her lap.
I opened the basket to find fried chicken, cole slaw, and still-warm mashed potatoes. There was even an apple pie. The label read Daphne’s Pies, and I wondered if it was the woman Cole had bid on.
“This is amazing. Marley went all out,” Holly said.
“Ever since she reconnected with Heath, she’s been on a mission for all my brothers to find their happily ever afters.”
Holly’s lips twitched. “They have, though, right? Everyone but you.”
“I’ve been in love before.”
She winced, and I quickly added, “I’m sorry. It wasn’t my intention to make you feel bad.” I put a bit of everything on a plate, then handed it to Holly.
I held a slight advantage on this date. I knew Holly better than anyone. She might have changed over the years, but I believed she was the same person at her core. That I could ease my way back into her life and remind her of all the ways we were good together. But that would be getting ahead of myself.
Over the years, I’d experienced success in my career but not in my personal life. It was time to make a change. If my family was right, I needed to talk to Holly before either of us could move on.
I balanced the plate on my lap. “You asked why I bid on you.”
She bit into a chicken wing.
“I’d like to move on with my life, and I can’t do that with so many unresolved issues between us.”
Her shoulders stiffened. “I was clear about my feelings.”
“You shut me out. You wouldn’t let me be there for you.”
Her hands dropped to her plate. “I couldn’t—”
“I read a lot about the things you might be going through back then. I just wished you’d let me in. But tonight’s not about making you feel guilty.” My stomach knotted. I wasn’t sure what I was hoping to accomplish, but rehashing our past was only going to make things worse.
I took a big bite of my chicken. “This reminds me of Friday nights when Dad would bring home a bucket of chicken just like this. We’d fight over the best pieces, and it would be gone in a few minutes. Dad would complain about how much we ate, and Mom would smile.”
Holly smiled. “That’s a good memory. I was present for quite a few Friday night dinners.”
It seemed like good reminders of our history would be welcomed.
“This tastes good. I wasn’t able to eat much today,” Holly admitted.
My brow furrowed. “Why couldn’t you eat?”
Holly shook her head, a wry smile on her lips. “I was worried no one would bid on me. That I’d be standing up there alone.”
I gave her a look, remembering the frustration that had built in my chest when I saw how many men were interested in her. “That wasn’t an issue.”
“It’s because you were so determined to win me. You created a sense of urgency, driving up the bids.”
