Page 186 of Key West Homecoming

The ring was simple and beautiful. More than that, Kaitlyn looked happy in a way Emma recognized immediately.

A few weeks ago, Emma might have thought happiness was supposed to look more complicated than this.

Now she knew better.

Somewhere in the middle of the celebration, Emma looked toward the register and found Tess standing there alone. She held a dish towel in both hands and watched her niece across a room full of people.

Emma finally understood.

Tess had known since Sunday.

She had carried the secret for four days without telling anyone, and the effort had apparently cost Margarita Max’s three racks of glasses.

Emma smiled.

Leah appeared beside her with the bottle.

“You knew too.”

“I knew enough.”

“And you let me sit here asking questions.”

“I told you there was nothing to tell.”

“That wasn’t exactly true.”

“It was true until she walked through the door.”

Emma shook her head. “You people are exhausting.”

“And yet you keep coming back.”

Emma smiled. “I do.”

The celebration went on for nearly two hours.

Kaitlyn and Will left around ten-fifteen. Will kept one hand at the small of her back as they made their way through the room. Half the bar shouted after them, and Kaitlyn turned in the doorway to yell something back that disappeared beneath Joey’s music.

Tess picked up the tray she had left on the counter.

“Twenty-five,” she said. “I was twenty-five once.”

“You were terrible at it,” Leah said.

“I was magnificent at it.”

“You were terrible at it, and I have photographs.”

Emma laughed and turned toward the end of the bar.

Jake was there with a beer he hadn’t touched.

She hadn’t seen him come in.

“How long have you been standing there?”

“Since Connie went for the bottle.”