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“Guiltyis a better word,” Molly elaborated. “As a medical professional, I assumed I should’ve been able to do something to have prevented Jeff’s death. I allowed that guilt and pain to ruin our marriage.”
Lesley knew Jordan had been as much at fault as Molly in the breakup of their marriage. Unable to deal with his own grief, he’d buried himself in his work. When they’d become involved, Lesley was well aware that Jeff was the reason Jordan had refused to consider a family. Because she knew how much he’d suffered when he and Molly had lost their son to SIDS, she’d agreed.
“That night in Manuka, I conceived Bethany,” Molly admitted sheepishly.
“Thank heaven you did,” Lesley said with a light laugh, “otherwise both our lives would have been drastically different.” Lesley and Jordan might possibly have married and that would have been a tragic mistake.
“Jordan and I owe a tremendous debt of thanks to Zane.”
Zane. He hadn’t told her, hadn’t so much as whispered a word about his past. He’d been a hired gun. A hired killer.
He hadn’t trusted her enough to tell her the truth, and because she was so caught up in preparing for the wedding—the one he insisted take place by the end of the month—she hadn’t thought to ask.
His past had seemed irrelevant. She knew he’d traveled extensively, and that the injuries he’d sustained had been the result of some military campaign. She’d assumed—she’d believed—he was retired military. She’d never probed into his life before moving to Sleepy Valley and he’d never volunteered. If he’d held back the truth in this matter, it made her wonder what else he was hiding from her.
“How did Jordan know about Zane?” Lesley asked once her head was clear.
“They’re old army buddies.”
So she was right about that at least. Zane had been in the military at some point.
“Are you ready for lunch?” Molly asked enthusiastically.
“Sure.” It was difficult for Lesley to conceal her feelings. She felt as if she’d been hit below the belt, but she did a good job of keeping up a front while they headed for the restaurant. She needed to talk to Zane, confront him with what she’d learned. But she wouldn’t be able to do it before the wedding. Zane was out of town. A business trip, he’d explained.
For the first time since accepting his proposal, she nourished doubts. He’d left town with little more than a message on her cell phone. The trip was unavoidable and he’d be back the night before the wedding.
The wedding. It was going to be a small private affair with only their immediate family members, and a handful of close friends.
Until that moment, Lesley’s biggest uncertainty for the outside wedding had been the weather.
She didn’t feel she had any choice. She was calling off the whole thing. It would be impossible to enter into this commitment until there was complete and total honesty between them.
When they arrived at the restaurant, Lesley was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn’t realize the room was filled with friends and business associates.
“Surprise.” The cry went up like a stage curtain and shocked her. Stunned, she looked to Molly for an explanation.
“It’s a wedding shower,” her friend explained and hugged her close.
A bridal shower for a woman about to cancel the wedding.
* * *
Carl had made an excuse every day for two long, torturous weeks to see Candy. He’d taken her to dinner almost every night. He’d sat through more movies in that period than he’d seen in the past ten years. They’d gone on a picnic. He’d taken her horseback riding. One afternoon, she’d even convinced him to go sailing, and Carl hated the water.
It shocked him to what lengths he’d been willing to stretch for this woman.
He’d bought her gifts, too. Why, he’d bought out the chocolate display at Buckwald’s. Candy’s house was wall-to-wall flowers, and for good measure he’d thrown in a case of wine, a bottle of perfume and some bubble bath.
The bubble bath had come close to ruining him. He groaned aloud every time he thought about Candy bathing, her scrumptious body drenched in nothing but tiny bubbles.
After each and every outing, Carl had come away feeling like he’d slammed his head against a brick wall. The most she’d allowed him was a few token kisses.
Just enough to keep him hooked. Just enough to tantalize him into imagining more. Even now he couldn’t believe he’d allowed her to string him along for the amount of time she had.
As of this moment, Carl was through making a first-class fool of himself. As far as he was concerned, he’d proved himself in spades. If Candy thought he would put up with any more of this lolly-gagging around, then he had a thing or two to tell her.
When he called to suggest they get together that evening, Carl had made it sound as though nothing had changed. Candy had agreed easily enough, but then, she’d done that almost from the first.
