Page 107 of A Whim and a Prayer

“Oh, you bet!” Kelli grinned.

Teddy’s face bleached white, and Will laughed and shook his head.

“Wait a minute.” Laney’s eyes grew round as she stared at Winnie. “Will Aunt Charity and Uncle Mitch even be home? I thought I heard her tell Mama at Christmas that she couldn’t make the New Year’s Eve get-together at Aunt Lizzie’s.”

Winnie waved that off. “No, they won’t be home because The Herald always throws a big New Year’s bash every year that Daddy has to go to. But it doesn’t matter because Mama loves to plan a party whether she’s there or not. Besides, if she and Daddy are going out, I’ll bet they’ll take Julia to Aunt Lizzie’s to spend the night with her cousins, so we’ll have the house all to ourselves. Plus, I bet we could get Hope and Bren, Henry and Amy, and Gabe and Alex to chaperone since Mama will fix a big spread as always.”

Abby giggled. “Henry, Gabe, and Bren as chaperones—not a role I would have given to any of them if not for their better halves.”

Winnie clapped her hands together. “Okay, everyone—sounds like a plan, so I’ll talk to Mama and keep you guys posted, okay? Everybody in?” She scanned the table, halting when she saw the somber look on Beck’s face. Her brows tipped up in concern. “Campbell? You’re in, right?”

Beck cuffed the back of his head as he sucked air through clenched teeth. “I’d … really like to come, Winnie, but”—his Adam’s apple betrayed him with a hard bob—“I’m afraid I already have plans.”

Groans filtered around the table as Winnie blinked once, then twice. “Plans? What plans?”

Absently rubbing his temple, he glanced around the table in apology before refocusing on Winnie, his chest cramping at the look of shock on her face. “A group from The Herald are having a party and well …”—he reached to give her arm a gentle squeeze—“Cari Lee asked me to go.”

Chapter Seventy-Three

“Oh.” That was the only word that made it past Winnie’s lips, her body too numb to say anything else as she slowly sank into her chair.

“Come on, Beck—can’t you cancel?” Abby said, articulating the words Winnie wanted to say, but couldn’t. “It won’t be the same without you.”

“Sorry, Abs, but Cari Lee asked me a while ago, even before we were dating.” He clenched the back of his neck once more. “That’s how we started, actually. Found her crying in the stairwell because her boyfriend broke up with her, leaving her high and dry for a fancy dinner party her department was planning for New Year’s Eve.” His gaze was soft with apology as it locked on Winnie’s. “So I told her I’d take her if I were free and well, since I am”—he gave an awkward shrug—“I confirmed after Christmas, and I can’t let her down now.”

No, he couldn’t. Winnie swallowed the lump of emotion clogging her throat. Because Beckett Campbell was nothing if not loyal to a fault, and never, ever broke his word—two of the things she loved most about him.

Or did.

Oh, she wanted to get mad—and had done so plenty of times because it was certainly more her M.O. than Beck’s—but remembering all the years he’d been loyal and faithful to her, she knew she couldn’t. Because something inside of her had changed.

Ever since she’d made peace with her mother, she’d made peace with God, finally cracking open that dusty, old Bible Aunt Faith had given her for her confirmation at the age of eleven. And in it she’d learned the true definition of love—which Beck had demonstrated to her as long as she’d known him.

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy … does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked … bears all things, hopes all things, endures all things ... Love never fails …

Against her will, tears stung beneath her lids, but she fought them off. Because this time, she had no desire to use them to manipulate or exploit the one man she truly loved outside of her family. No, the time had come to repay her best friend with the same love he’d always given her.

“Uh-oh, Beck,” Will said with a chuckle, “don’t look now, but that blanket’s getting soggy again …”

“No!” With a swipe of her eyes, Winnie spun around in Will’s direction. “Beck may be a wet blanket at times, true, but more often than not, he’s a warm one who’s loyal to a fault.” She turned to lance Beck with a pointed look, her smile taking a slide to the left. “The fault being he ditched his best friends for a newcomer, but don’t worry, Campbell—we’ll forgive you this time.”

He reached to give her waist a quick hug, his whisper warm in her ear. “Thanks, Dennehy, I appreciate your understanding.”

She cocked a brow as the band began to play “I'm Beginning to See the Light.” “This time, Campbell, but only if you make up for it with a dance since this is one of my favorites. Which, since I have to share you with another woman, might just be the new theme song for our friendship.”

He rose and extended his hand with a grin. “I thought you were so tired, you could sleep standing up?”

She bounced up with a smirk, allowing him to take her hand. “I am, but I have to catch up on my sleep sometime, and now’s as good a time as any.”

“Hey, Beck—I thought that was you.”

Winnie felt Beck’s hand stiffen along with hers as both of them turned to see a very attractive woman nervously clutching a purse while she eyed them holding hands.

“Oh, I’m sorry—I just wanted to say hi ...” Her voice trailed off as a pretty blush braised her cheeks, the woman obviously embarrassed for the intrusion.

The chatter at the table instantly died.

“Cari Lee.” Beck’s voice came out hoarse as he quickly dropped Winnie’s hand to draw Cari Lee forward. “Um … everyone, this is Cari Lee Barton, a good friend of mine from work.”