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“They did but never married. After the war, he went back to Georgia, and because my grandmother was getting old and sick, and my mother was still only a young teen and didn’t really have anyone to look after her, Phoebe decided her place was here in Coyote Canyon with her family.”
“And that was it? They were doomed, she and the doctor?” Brant said. “Why couldn’thehave come here?”
“He was divorced and had an ex-wife and two children in Georgia. Phoebe hoped to join him eventually, once my mother got a little older. But Phoebe couldn’t quite pull loose from what she felt was her responsibility as a sister and an aunt, and he eventually met someone else. Phoebe wrote in her journal that choosing Coyote Canyon over going to be with him was one of the hardest decisions she ever made. She couldn’t regret it because she truly felt my mother needed her. But I read the rest of her journals this past month, and she mourned that doctor—Jim Fritz—for the rest of her life and never met anyone else she loved nearly as much.”
“Wow,” he said. “That’s a sad story.”
“It is. And I didn’t want that to beourstory. I figured I could try to build another business, but there’s only one of you. We might be looking at the chance of a lifetime.”
“You’re everything I’ve ever wanted,” he told her frankly. “But what about Paul and the diner? Did he agree to buy you out?”
“No. He won’t even make me an offer. He’s too pissed off that I’m leaving the area and that we won’t be opening another location together. But over the past month, I trained our best employee to help him with the baking, so he’ll be able to get by without me. And I’ll take him to court, if necessary, if he won’t pay me a fair price for everything I’ve contributed to the business in terms of money, ideas, time—even my recipes. I won’t let him or anything else stop me from being with you.”
“I can’t tell you how happy I am to hear it,” Brant said. “No matter what happens, whether he buys you out or not, I’ll help you start another diner right here in Coyote Canyon. I promise. And we’ll do all we can to make it a success.”
“You already work hard enough. I’ll do it on my own. And even if it doesn’t succeed, at least I’ll have you.”
He touched the compass tattoo on her forearm—as if he was remembering what she’d told him about how it represented her internal compass that had led her away from Coyote Canyon—and she felt compelled to explain. “I followed my heart when I left this place,” she said. “And now I’ve followed it back home.”
Kurt startled Talulah by interrupting them when they were kissing. “Damn, that’s a good cake!” he said.
Brant whipped around to confront him. “You’reeatingmy proposal cake?”
“Didn’t think you’d mind.” He gestured at Talulah. “You’ve got what you want.”
“That’s true,” Brant said, immediately backing off. “I guess nothing could really make me mad right now.”
Talulah drew a deep breath. “So...what do you say?” she asked Brant, drawing his attention back to her. “I’m offering you everything I’ve got.Willyou marry me?”
A wry grin twisted his lips. “Will you show up for the wedding?”
“I will if you will,” she said, and they all started to laugh.
It was only the third time in Brant’s life that he’d worn a tuxedo. He’d rented one for junior prom, and he’d gone to the same dance as a senior. Now he was in a simple black tux without tails for his own wedding.
“Don’t be nervous,” Charlie muttered. “She’s coming.”
Brant couldn’t help being nervous. They were standing in Talulah’s parents’ church—Charlie’s family’s church, too—and Talulah was ten minutes late for the ceremony. Normally, ten minutes wouldn’t be a big deal, not at a wedding. There were always last-minute details that slowed things down. Ten minutes was merely a hiccup, a heartbeat. He’d been to one ceremony that’d started thirty minutes late. But the memory of being in the same place fourteen years ago, while they waited just like this and Talulah didn’t show up, loomed large in Brant’s mind.
Like they had before, her mother and brother-in-law sat in the front pew, only this time Debbie’s children were with them. According to Talulah, her mom had absolutely refused to miss the wedding, so her dad had agreed to return from Africa. They were staying in town for Christmas, which was only a week away, before going back to finish their mission in Sierra Leone. Carolyn had been more assertive than usual, which had surprised Talulah, so Brant didn’t want Carolyn to be disappointed—or embarrassed again.
Brant’s parents sat on the other side of the aisle. A professional photographer snapped pictures as Brant struggled with the temptation to loosen his bow tie. A videographer smiled encouragingly, trying to gethimto smile every time Brant’s anxious glance sought the doors at the back where Talulah was supposed to enter, and flowers adorned the aisle at every pew.
Brant told himself it was the overpowering scent of so many white roses and not the fear that he and Talulah had stupidly set themselves up for an epic failure that was making his stomach roil.
“Yeah. She’ll be here,” he confirmed to Charlie. He’d responded belatedly, but he had to saysomething. Why he’d asked Charlie to be his best man, he had no idea. Any one of his brothers would’ve happily taken that role. But how would he have chosen between them? And it’d seemed petty not to let bygones be bygones with Charlie, who’d paid him a visit more than two months ago to apologize and ask if they could reclaim their friendship.
Brant had apologized, too, for falling in love with the woman Charlie had always wanted, and healing the rift had somehow entailed asking Charlie to be his best man, since Brant had once been Charlie’s. That it was the same bride was...weird—ironic even—so having Charlie next to him in this moment only made Brant more uncomfortable. Their friendship wasn’t quite the same as before, and realistically, Brant knew it probably never would be—although, once Charlie fell in love with someone else and got married, maybe any underlying jealousy and resentment would disappear. Brant supposed that was the hope that’d led him to include Charlie in the wedding. He’d done it for the sake of the past and the future.
Talulahwouldshow up, he told himself. He was just experiencing déjà vu, standing at the same altar with mostly the same people in the same church waiting for the same bride. He and Talulah should’ve eloped. He’d suggested it. But Talulah had said she was only going to say “I do” once, and she wanted to do it right. For Phoebe. For her parents. For everyone in Coyote Canyon who’d ever doubted her.
Brant knew he’d forgive her even if she stood him up. They’d been happy together, living in Phoebe’s house, which they planned to buy, for almost three months. During that time, Talulah had proved how much she loved him. But he sincerely regretted letting her talk him into a big wedding. There’d been no need for it...
From the corner of his eye, he saw Debbie’s smile grow strained. As Talulah’s maid of honor, she was searching for any sign of her sister and father starting down the aisle. She kept turning to murmur to Jane, Ellen and Averil, Talulah’s bridesmaids, all of whom were beginning to look as concerned as she did—except Averil. Even though it was Paul who’d thrown the rock, Brant couldn’t quite trust that she sincerely had Talulah’s best interests at heart. He could tell by the way she looked at him that she was hoping he’d change his mind. Still, he hadn’t argued with Talulah when she’d said she wanted to include Averil as one of her bridesmaids. She felt the same as he did with Charlie—was simply hoping this might lead them back to real friendship at some point.
At last, Talulah’s father appeared. After a moment of relief, however, Brant’s heart sank. Talulah wasn’t with him.
What was going on? Brant knew from the rehearsal that this wasn’t how the wedding was supposed to go.
