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Lucy’s eyes twinkled. “Don’t mind if I do.”
Patti relieved them of their drinks, then Rick took Lucy’s hand. She followed him onto the floor and into his arms.
“Seems like Deputy McDreamy has finally met his match,” Patti said.
Rick’s hand settled into the small of Lucy’s back. She was a few inches shorter than him even in her heels. With their dark hair and coordinated clothing, they seemed like the perfect couple.
“Good grief, they look good together,” Patti said. “Their clothes even match.”
“Girl, you read my mind.”
***
From the darkened corner of the room, Avery watched Katie and Cooper sway to a Billy Currington ballad. Cooper gazed down at his new bride as if she were the only woman in the room. Something about seeing the two of them together made Avery feel so alone.
Ridiculous.She pushed the thought away. She was surrounded by people.
But she couldn’t deny that the alone feeling had been constant since a certain contractor had left town.You are no more alone than you had been before Wes arrived.Maybe she’d been a little lonely, but she had her family and friends.
She surveyed the half-empty cups and dessert plates littering the table. Maybe she wouldn’t feel so alone if she hadn’t put herself in a dark, empty corner. But she was peopled out. Unfit for company. She grabbed a napkin and tore off a corner, then another.
She was just tired and stressed. This had been a big week for her. On Tuesday she’d had blood drawn for the Huntington’s disease test. She’d hunched in the lab’s vinyl chair, rubber band pinching her arm, and watched as her blood filled the vial. Maybe she’d broken out into a sweat, maybe her heart threatened to jump outside her body, and maybe her eye twitched to the point of distraction. But she’d done it. And it felt good, finding the courage to do what she’d put off her whole adult life. She wasn’t hiding from the future anymore but facing it.
And in part she had Wes to thank for that. He’d inspired her. He’d emerged from a difficult childhood and found the courage to be better than the example he’d had. And losing his best friend had been difficult, but he looked to the future with hope.
She could do the same, regardless of the results, which would come in two to three weeks. They were going to be long ones. But then she would know for certain. Then she could face her future—whatever it was—head-on.
She was watching her fingers shred the napkin when a shadow fell over her table. She lifted her gaze, following the muscular male frame all the way up to the handsome, smiling face.
“Come dance with me.” Ever since Rick had danced with Lucy earlier, he hadn’t been able to wipe that dopey grin off his face.
“Where’s Lucy? I didn’t think you were ever going to let her go.”
He ducked his head. “She had a heel malfunction, and she stepped away for a minute. Come on, I need to do some recon on your new hire.”
Avery took his hand. “Oh, that’s all I’m good for now, huh?”
“Hey...” He shrugged all cocky, seeming much more like his old self. “You had your chance, Robinson.”
***
Where was she? Wes stood in front of Avery’s apartment door. He’d knocked half a dozen times even though the lights were off. The carriage house windows were also dark, and of course the clinic was closed up tight too. Where was everyone tonight?
He hadn’t wanted his first connection with her to be over the phone, but it seemed like he’d have no choice.Think, Garrett.Where could she be?
It was a Saturday night, past dinnertime. He refused to believe she was on a date. Maybe she’d gone out with the girls. Or maybe she was at her folk’s place. It was only nine thirty. He got into his rental and headed that way. The last-minute flight hadn’t been cheap, but once he’d realized what a mistake he’d made, he had to act. He couldn’t believe he’d been such an idiot. He loved her so much. And love like this didn’t come along every day.
Lillian had been so sweet last night. Before he’d hardly admitted his feelings for Avery, she flipped open her laptop and started searching for flights. It seemed like days ago as thehours passed in slow motion. And now that he’d finally reached Riverbend, Avery was nowhere to be found.
When he came to the Robinson’s property, he turned into the drive and pulled closer to the house. Not a single light was on—even the porch was dark. It seemed the whole family was missing in—
The whole family...the wedding.
He fumbled with his phone and checked the date. September third. Cooper and Katie’s wedding night. Of course.
The ceremony would be over, and the reception would be in full swing by now. He’d overheard enough to know it was being held at a barn venue near town—how many such places could there be around here? He googled the information and came up with the place, only a seven-minute drive.
Once he set the map, he backed the car from the drive and pulled out onto the street. He needed to think about what he would say. He couldn’t leave that to chance as he’d done in the past. What was it Lillian said to her kids?Use your words.
