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She wasn’t done. “My mother-in-law wants us to move down the street and become one big, happy family. I love her, but that isn’t happening. That’s why I turned into a basket case in the dairy case. Thank you for being so kind tonight.”
With that, Willow Eldridge unbuckled her seat belt, exited the truck, and all but ran to the cabin door.
“Okay, then,” Noah said aloud. No wonder she’d been bawling in the grocery store. He would have skipped the dairy and gone straight to the beer-and-wine aisle.
He waited, ensuring she made it inside before shifting into gear and heading out. His mind was spinning. He’d known that something had hurt her, but having heard the details? Wow. Willow Eldridge might well be as battered up as he.
He was halfway back to the highway when his phonerang. Willow. “Thank you for tonight. You don’t know how much I needed the rescue,” she said when he answered.
“This wasn’t a rescue,” Noah said flatly, fiercely resisting that idea. He’d given her a helping hand—that was all.
“I guess you’d have an opinion on that as a firefighter.”
“Former firefighter,” he corrected.
“We’ll have to agree to disagree on the rescue part. I hope you’ll allow me to say thanks.”
He hesitated, then said, “That’s not necessary. You already thanked me.”
“Words aren’t enough. Let me do more.”
His heart wentka-thunk.
“I’m talking a fabulous meal. An open bar. Company and conversation if you want it. Solitude if you’d prefer. Noah, please be my plus-one at my brother’s wedding on Saturday?”
He drew in a deep breath. It’d be a mistake. He didn’t want to socialize. He wasn’t fit for it.
There was bound to be dancing. A dance with Willow? Holding her close. Sharing her heat.Yeah, right. On your bum leg?All he’d be able to manage was a sway.
However, theywereserving rib eyes. He exhaled in a rush and asked, “What time shall I pick you up?”
“You look beautiful, Mom,” Lucas Prentice said to Genevieve as he offered her his arm to escort her up the aisle of St. Vincent’s Church.
“Thank you,” Genevieve replied. “I must say, you look outstanding yourself all decked out in black tie.”
Lucas fiddled with the bow tie at his neck. “I’m trying notto complain since I know this is what Tess wants. Jake would have been happy with us all wearing jeans and T-shirts.”
“At least you’re getting to wear your boots.”
“True.” Lucas leaned down and kissed his mother’s cheek. “So, shall we do this, mother of the groom?”
“Absolutely.”
Her second son escorted her up the aisle to Pachelbel’s Canon. She sat in the front row next to her sister, who took hold of her hand and squeezed it. Helen had regaled her with tales of her travels over a long lunch earlier in the week, and Genevieve had suffered a severe case of FOMO about missing Tahiti and Bora-Bora. But Genevieve was a good sister. She’d listen to Helen’s stories and hear how much fun she’d had. Without Genevieve.
At the altar, the men took their places. Lucas stood beside Jake. Gazing at her sons, Genevieve could feel her heart give a little hitch. She leaned toward Helen and spoke softly. “Isn’t it wonderful to watch Lucas standing up as Jake’s best man? A year ago, they weren’t speaking and avoided each other like the plague. Today, their grandfather’s estate issues are settled, and the boys are back to being brothers. I’d begun to lose hope the healing would ever happen.”
“It’s a happy day,” Helen replied.
And it was. Brooke and then Willow marched down the aisle and took their places as attendants to the bride, followed by the flower girl and ringer bearer, Emma and Drew. Genevieve got a little misty-eyed as she viewed her children and grandchildren standing at the altar. She couldn’t help but be sad that David wasn’t here to share this beautiful family event.
At the signal from the organist, Genevieve rose to her feet. Her heart filled with joy to see the love shining in Jake’s eyes as he watched his bride walk down the aisle to join him.
The church was packed. Tess, who had no blood family, had family nonetheless. She’d been bubbling for days over how many of her friends had accepted their invitations. Genevieve couldn’t understand why the young woman was so surprised. Everyone who knew Tess loved her.
Her heart full, Genevieve’s gaze drifted away from the happy couple and touched on Willow. Her daughter shone in her role as an event planner. Everybody around town was talking about it. Willow’d had everything organized and running smoothly as the guests began to arrive. With Maggie and Tom in town, Genevieve had even been relieved of babysitting duty. That had been both a joy and a regret.
She wouldn’t have missed a minute of these past three months with her grands. And yet, what she would have given to go with Helen on her trip. How to fulfill these two parts of herself ?Three parts, she amended as her gaze returned to the bride and groom. She focused on Jake’s face. He looked so much like his father. So handsome. So full of life and love as he spoke his vows to the woman he loved.David, you would be so proud.
