Now, it actually felt like they were in the same space. They were all uncertain, unhappy, not sure what to say or do. But it was happening. This reluctant reunion was going to take place, and they were all going to have to deal with the repercussions. He crossed the room and pulled out an empty chair at their table and sat down.
Both of his parents gave him surprised and worried looks.
"Justin," his mom said. "I'm glad you didn't run when you saw us."
"I'm done with that."
"Good," his father said. "We need to talk."
"So, talk," he said harshly. Lizzie was right. This was on them. If they wanted forgiveness, if they wanted him in their lives, that it was on them to try to make that happen.
"We're sorry that we didn't tell you we were coming," his mother said.
"Fine, but that's not what we need to talk about, is it?"
"No," his dad replied. "We need to talk about Sean. You blame us for his death."
"I do. I did," he amended.
At that correction, his mom's face brightened. "You don’t anymore?"
"Let's just say I think there's plenty of blame to go around. And some of that blame is on Sean."
His father's jaw dropped. "I can't believe you'd admit that. Sean was your hero."
"Sean was also my brother. But he had faults and weaknesses, and I probably knew that better than anyone. I should have made sure that you knew as well."
"You were a kid. You weren't to blame, Justin," his father said.
"I saw how much Sean was partying. I could have told you more. I could have asked you to come home."
"You did ask us," his mom said. "More than once. And we knew that Sean was out of control when he got that DUI. We tried to get him help, but it wasn't enough. He was too old for us to control. He was too far into his substance abuse. We let you both down. We know that, Justin. Believe me, we know that."
"You never said that before."
"We were in shock and pain, and we got defensive when you blamed us, when your grandparents blamed us," she said. "Then we tried to shift that blame to everyone else, which didn't help. There was so much anger in the family. And then things got worse, because we lost you, too."
"Lost me?" he echoed, picking out those two particular words. "How could you lose someone you never had?"
"Justin—" his dad began. "We can't change what happened."
"Let him talk," his mom said. "Say whatever you need to say."
"Why did you have kids?" he asked. "Why did you have me? Sean was already in the picture when you two got together. Why have another child when you wanted to travel and work on health missions around the world?" He hadn't thought he'd ask the questions that had plagued him for so long, but they came out before he could stop them.
"We didn't know when we had you that we would get so involved overseas," his dad said. "And we were in love. We wanted a baby to be a part of that love."
"We always wanted you, Justin," his mom put in. "You weren't a mistake or an accident. We chose to have you."
"And you chose to leave me—a lot. By the time I was nine, you were gone for at least a third of the year, and then it was half the year. I spent more time with the nanny and with Sean than I did with either of you."
"We couldn't take you with us. It was too dangerous. But we thought we'd provided a good home for you. Gloria was a wonderful nanny. You loved her. And you and Sean were so tight. You had each other."
"Gloria was great, but she wasn't my mother, and she left, too. Then there were just random people taking care of us. Sean was more of a parent to me than anyone else. Even after he died, you only stayed home for six months before you left again."
"You weren't even talking to us," his mom said. "And you were living with your grandparents. You were happy there."
"Because they gave me a family, which is something you two couldn't give me." He paused. "Why did you stay here after I left last night? You don't usually stick around when things get tense."
His mom gave him a helpless smile. "Your friend, Lizzie, said some pointed things to us, and they were hard to hear, but she was right. She said we needed to show you that we cared enough to fight, and we do. Maybe it's too late. I hope it's not. But we want a chance to know you now. We can't go back, but maybe we can go forward."
"I wanted you to care enough to know me for most of my life, but it doesn’t really matter to me anymore. I don't need you."
"Maybe we need you now."
"Why should I care what you need?" he asked harshly.
"You shouldn't. I just want you to understand that we're coming from a place of love. We made a lot of mistakes, Justin," she said. "We let our careers consume us."
"Just as you're doing," his father pointed out.
"That might be true, but I don't have a family."
"That's a high cost to pay for success in your job," his dad said. "Don't make the same mistakes we made, Justin. Put the people you love first."
He wanted to say he didn't love anyone, but then Lizzie's pretty face filled his head. He shoved her image aside. He was no longer angry with her about the blindside, but he was still leaving tomorrow. He still had a career to get back to. They'd had one incredible night. Maybe that was all they were ever meant to have.
He shoved back his chair and stood up. "I'll see you at the ceremony. Beyond that, we'll have to see how it goes." He'd like to believe things could change with his parents, but he'd been burned by that thought before, far too many times.
"It's almost time," Lizzie told Marie as she looked over her shoulder at their reflection in the mirror. After a day of pampering, massage, nails, and hair, she'd helped Marie get dressed in a white silk dress. In twenty minutes, they'd make their way down to the garden for the ceremony. "You look beautiful. Just like a bride should," she added.
"It's funny that I feel as nervous and excited as I did fifty-seven years ago. I was twenty years old when I walked down the aisle. I had no idea what my life would be like, but I couldn't wait to start it. Ben was twenty-two and in graduate school, getting a teaching degree. We had hardly any money. After our marriage, we lived in a tiny one-bedroom apartment that barely fit a double bed and a small sofa. The kitchen only fit one person and the countertop was barely big enough to hold a toaster."
She smiled at the look of wonder in Marie's eyes. "But you were in love, so it didn't matter."
"Exactly. We were in love from the first moment we met. We got engaged after six months and married two months later. It was a whirlwind of passion. We had Grant right before our first anniversary. We were so young. We made a lot of mistakes, and we've had our share of disagreements, but we always found a way to work through them."
"You were lucky."
"Not lucky, just determined. Deep down, no matter how angry we were about something, we both knew we weren't going to walk away. We were going to fight to stay together. That's what love is. That's what marriage is."
"Well, you two make it look easy."
"Never easy, but always worth it." Marie paused. "I want Justin to have that kind of love, but he doesn't like to open his heart. I was surprised and impressed that he told you about Sean, that he let you in that way. You two got close. I had a feeling you would like each other."
"That's why you set us up on the boat."
"I hope you don't hate me for that or for putting you in an awkward position with my secret."
"I don't hate you, Marie. I understand everything that you did. But I shouldn't have promised to keep your secret, not when I knew Justin would be hurt. I was actually going to talk to you about it last night, but then his parents showed up."
"I was going to tell him, too. Ben had just convinced me to come clean when Grant texted that they'd decided to come early."
"Well, it's done now."
"And I am hopeful that we may have turned an important corner," Marie said. "That's probably because of you."
"I don't think so."
"You told Grant and Kath
erine that they needed to fight for Justin, and that's why they stayed, why they all talked this morning."
"You're giving me too much credit, but I'm glad that they spoke." She'd been wondering all day what had happened, but she hadn't had a chance to ask Marie until now. Marie and Katherine had spent most of the day together, and she'd only popped in every now and then to let them know what was next. She hadn't really wanted to talk to Katherine at all, although she'd noticed Justin's mother giving her more than a few speculative looks.
Marie stood up. "I think I'm ready."
She smiled. "Good. Because we need to get you married to the man of your dreams—for the second time."
"There's nothing as wonderful as going through life with your best friend, your soul mate. I hope you find what I found, Lizzie, even if it's not with Justin. Although, I haven't given up hope there."
"You should give up hope. It's not going to happen."
"He'll get past his anger, if he hasn't already."
"It's not just that. We want different things."
"Not if you want each other."
She smiled. "You have love on the brain right now."
"Weddings tend to do that," Marie said, smiling back at her.
"Let's go. Your handsome groom is waiting."
Chapter Twenty-One
They made their way into the garden where Lizzie had set up chairs for the two-dozen guests, all of which were filled. Justin's parents were seated in the front row. Justin sat on the aisle opposite his parents. They weren't together, but they were close. It was a start. She hoped they would one day find a way to forgive each other. She thought it would be good for all of them.
The violinist she had hired for the ceremony began to play, and Marie walked down the aisle to join Ben under an arch of beautiful white flowers, in front of a female minister. Everyone from the inn had come down for the ceremony. Noah and Alice were sitting together, holding hands, their reunion still going strong. Some of her friends were here as well.
Hannah and Keira both gave her small nods, as she looked in their direction. Chloe and Adam were seated in the row behind them, and she was struck again by how close they seemed to be. She hadn't had time to catch up with Chloe in the past few days. She wondered what had happened with the text she'd seen on Kevin's phone, or if Chloe had heard about Kevin spending so much time in the bar late at night.
Chloe looked pretty relaxed today. So did her brother. But she had the feeling they were both playing with fire. She hoped no one got burned.
But there she went again, getting way too involved in everyone's business. She really needed to just pay attention to herself.
Drawing her gaze away from the crowd, she listened to the minister talk about the love Marie and Ben shared. She was a personal friend of the couple and had flown up from Los Angeles for the ceremony, so she was able to share amusing and beautiful stories about Marie and Ben that made the ceremony feel intimate and fun.
At the end, Marie and Ben sealed their promises with a kiss that almost made Lizzie blush. Clearly, they were not only best friends, but they were also passionate lovers. Fifty-seven years and counting. She felt a rush of envy and a painful ache as her gaze came to rest on Justin.
He turned his head and caught her eye and for a long minute they just looked at each other.
Then the crowd clapped as the minister pronounced Marie and Ben husband and wife—again—and they made their way down the aisle.
She moved to the nearby bar and grabbed the tray of champagne glasses. Victor helped her pass them out to the guests.
Once everyone had a glass, Justin asked for their attention.
"I'd like to make a toast," he said, looking at his grandparents. "The way you live your lives and the way you love each other has always been an inspiration to me. Your energy for life, your constant smiles, your endless support, and your generosity are unmatched. You are the best role models anyone could have, and I hope you will live every day feeling the same kind of happiness that you've shown each and every one of us. I wouldn't be the man I am without you. Thanks Grandma, Grandpa. Here's to another fifty-seven years!"
Lizzie's eyes filled with tears at Justin's words, and she slipped away, needing a minute to compose herself. Despite her best efforts to protect her heart, she'd fallen in love with Justin. And now he was going to break her heart. She was going to lose him, just as she'd feared.
As she entered the inn, she ran into Paula Wickmayer in the dining room.
"I'm sorry; I'm early. I didn't realize you were having a wedding here," Paula said. "I was just excited that you agreed to speak to me tonight. But I'll come back in an hour, when we said we were going to talk."
"It's fine. You're here now. We should do this. Let's go into my office." Before they could take a step, Keira called her name.
"Lizzie, are you—" Keira stopped talking, surprise filling her gaze. "Paula, I didn't know you were coming here."
"Lizzie and I are going to discuss my proposal."
Keira's surprised gaze sought hers. "Oh, okay. You're doing that now? There's a wedding reception going on."
"I've done all I needed to do for that," Lizzie said. "Go enjoy yourself, Keira. We'll talk later."
"Sure, of course."
Lizzie turned her back on Keira and led Paula into the office. She wasn't quite sure where the conversation would go. There was a good chance she wasn't just going to lose her heart today, but also her business. It was time to stop living in a dream world and face reality.
Justin smiled as his grandparents posed for yet another photo. They'd taken pictures with just about everyone in the crowd, including several with himself and with his parents. It was probably the first family photo they'd taken in twenty years. There was still awkward tension between them, but they had managed to get into the same shot. Maybe there was hope for more. And he was beginning to think he might want more.
His grandmother broke away from the group and joined him. "I want to thank you again for staying, Justin. It meant a lot to me. And the toast you made was beautiful."
"I meant every word."
"I love you so much, honey." Her eyes got teary.
"Hey, no crying."
"I always cry at weddings."
"Not at your own."
She shrugged. "I cried the first time with happiness, and this time I feel it even more deeply, because I know how precious love is. I want you to feel this, Justin. I hope you'll find a way to open your heart."
"The ice around my heart might be cracking just a little," he admitted.
"I'm so glad. I knew Whisper Lake would work its magic on you. Or was it Lizzie who did that?"
He smiled at the gleam in her eyes. "It might have been both. I've definitely changed since I got here."
"Change is good. It keeps life interesting." She let out a sigh. "I just love this inn. It feels like home."
"That's what Lizzie wants every guest to feel."
"Is that how you feel?"
"I know you're trying to get me to say something, Grandma."
She grinned. "Then say it already."
"I can't."
Her humor faded. "Well, I'm sorry to hear that."
"Not until—" he began, stopping abruptly when Keira knocked into him.
"Sorry, Justin," she said quickly. "I wasn't watching where I was going."
"It's fine. Are you all right?" She had an odd look on her face.
"I'm all right, but I don't know about Lizzie."
"What does that mean? Where is she?" he asked, suddenly realizing she was nowhere to be seen.
"She's in her office. She's having a meeting with my friend from Falcon Properties."
"What? Are you serious?"
"I think she's going to sell the inn, Justin."
"She can't do that," he said.
"She can't," his grandmother echoed. "She loves this place. Why would she sell it?"
He knew why. "Because she's struggling."
"This is my fault,"
Keira said. "I never should have introduced them."
"It's not your fault, it's mine," he said, remembering all the hard truths he'd shouted at Lizzie the night before. He'd taken his anger out on her, and she hadn't deserved that. "I made her doubt herself."
"Why would you do that?" Keira demanded.
"I'm going to stop this," he said, ignoring her question. "Lizzie is not going to lose her inn."
"Make sure she doesn't," his grandmother said, urging him on.
He rushed across the patio and jogged through the inn. He didn't even bother to knock on Lizzie's office door. He just threw it open and stormed in. "You can't sell," he said, as Lizzie jumped to her feet. "Not to her. Not to Falcon Properties. I won't let you."
"It's not your call," Lizzie said.
"I didn't mean what I said last night. You're not drowning; you're just treading water, but you're not going under. You're too strong for that. You're smarter than you think. And you're creative. You make everyone who stays here feel like they're part of your family, and that is an incredible gift."
"Justin—"
"No, don't argue. I was wrong when I said you couldn't do this. You can, and you have to. This is your dream, babe. Don't give up on it. Tell her no." He looked at Paula. "I'm sorry. It's a good offer, a fair one, but this inn is Lizzie's heart and her soul."
"I know," Paula said. "But—"
"There's no buts," he interrupted. "She's not selling. If she needs money, I'll give it to her. But I'm not letting her give up this inn. She has worked too hard."
"Justin," Lizzie said again. "Paula already knows that."
"What?"
"I just told her I couldn't sell the inn."
"You did?"
"She did," Paula confirmed. "But I told her if she ever changes her mind, or if she ever wants to work for Falcon, we'd be more than happy to have her. Now, I'm going to let you two finish whatever this is…" She looked at Lizzie. "Thanks for hearing me out."
Can't Fight The Moonlight (Whisper Lake Book 3) Page 23
