Divided Hearts

by Susan R. Hughes

  “I’m sure you’re right,” Faye said, though she had no such certainty. She was so tired of people telling her that she’d fall in love with someone else. There was no one else she wanted.

  * * *

  Once the lamb was in the oven and the vegetables were steaming, Laurel and Todd came inside to help set the table before the guests arrived.

  “You go and rest for a bit,” Mary ordered, when Faye offered to help. “The guests will be here soon, and there’s nothing more to be done at the moment.”

  “All right,” Faye agreed. Too warm from being near the hot oven and stove, she glanced over at the open patio door, the curtains stirring in the breeze, and decided to step outside.

  The yard looked neat, the grass having been mowed short and the hedges recently trimmed. The hydrangeas were in full bloom, adding splashes of vibrant colour to the verdant setting.

  She spotted Simon by the arbutus tree, gazing out toward the bay, his hands resting in his pockets. In profile, his expression looked soberly reflective, his brows drawn low, as the gentle ocean breeze lifted his dark-blond hair off his shoulders.

  Hearing her footfalls on the patio, he turned, his mouth curving upward as his eyes found hers. Faye stood motionless as their gazes locked in wordless greeting, sudden goose bumps pricking her arms.

  “So this is it,” he said at last. “My last night as a bachelor.”

  “It seems so.” In her head Faye couldn’t help adding the detail that it would be his last night alone in his bed; tomorrow night Jenna would join him, and every night thereafter. Jenna would be the one to enjoy his deep, languid kisses, and his tender, electrifying caresses in the dark… Stop thinking about that, Faye! A sour feeling settled in the pit of her stomach, as tears prickled at the corners of her eyes. She fought to push the thoughts aside. “Are you nervous?” she asked.

  Simon drew a deep breath, releasing it slowly. “I don’t know. I can’t quite believe it. Tomorrow I’ll have a family.”

  Faye offered a nod and a slight smile, pressing her lips together so he would not see them trembling. His words echoed Jenna’s sentiments; she and Simon had both chosen to come together as a family. Faye could hardly blame them, but her own misery was nearly unbearable.

  “You were right, you know,” Simon added, taking a step closer to her. “About me. How I want to have my family together so I can have control over all the pieces of my life. But … is it so wrong of me to want that, Faye?” He held her gaze, the pale afternoon light softening the vivid blue of his eyes.

  She shook her head. She understood that he was determined not to do to Hannah what his father had done to him and Laurel, and she could hardly blame him for that. “No, it’s not wrong. You’re a good man, Simon. Jenna’s a lucky girl. Hannah, too.” Sinking her teeth into her lower lip, she tucked an errant lock of hair behind her ear. “And you might not have been so wrong about me. I have to let go of them.”

  “I had no right to say that to you, after everything you’ve done for them.”

  “I know you were trying to be helpful, not to hurt me.” Faye twisted her hands together anxiously; the last time she was alone with Simon, they shared a toe-tingling kiss from which she’d needed a tremendous amount of resolve to extract herself, and his pull on her feminine senses had not diminished one bit.

  Hearing a sudden swell of voices inside, she glanced back at the house, recognizing a vivacious laugh that rose over the chatter. “I think your bride is here.”

  Simon took another cautious step closer. “Will you be all right?”

  When she turned back to look at him, his eyes remained fixed on her face, the tenderness in them both startling her and stirring her heart. Taking a step back, she exhaled a sharp breath, her pulse throbbing in her ears. She could tell him she wasn’t all right at all—that her love for him gripped her soul with anguishing tenacity, and that she wanted nothing more than to fold herself into his arms and keep him with her, only for herself. But it was too late for that, and the words would only hurt them both.

  “Of course,” she said instead, widening her smile. “Come on, let’s go inside.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Gripping her mother’s arm, Jenna stepped carefully across the sand, her chin lifted in determination. Although the irregular surface was difficult for her to negotiate on legs that were still unsteady, she’d insisted on sticking to their plan to wed on the beach, without the aid of her crutches.

  Standing by the minister, Todd on his right side, Simon watched his bride approach. Faye waited on the opposite side, holding Sienna’s hand, while Mary looked on from her appointed spot facing her son, little Hannah in her arms.

  Jenna released Carole’s arm as she took her place beside her groom, looking up at him almost bashfully from under her lashes as she turned to face him.

  “Perfect,” Reverend Hempsall smiled approvingly at the wedding party arranged neatly around him. “Things should go swimmingly tomorrow. Try not to be nervous. There will be a lot more people here, but they all love you and will be here to support you. So try to relax and enjoy the moment.”

  “As long as I don’t lose my footing and fall flat on my face in the sand,” Jenna muttered with a cheeky grin, eliciting a ripple of laughter among the attendants.

  “Then we shall brush you off and keep going,” the minister replied good-naturedly. “Not to worry, I’m sure you will take your groom’s breath away no matter the manner of your entrance.”

  Faye couldn’t help but cast a quick glance at Simon, seeing his mouth twitch into a tight smile at the minister’s remark. His expression was largely inscrutable, his features rigid.

  In contrast, Jenna looked remarkably relaxed, her hands clasped in front of her as the minister ran quickly through the main points of the ceremony.

  “And at this point you’ll say your vows,” Faye heard Reverend Hempsall say, and realized her thoughts had been drifting.

  While the bride and groom went over their vows, Hannah became restless in Mary’s arms and began gabbling loudly, pointing out boats sailing past in the bay. As Simon glanced over at his daughter, his expression softened, a warmer smile touching his lips. She was the reason he was here, and it was as though her presence eased any lingering doubts he might have about his decision to marry Jenna.

  Then he turned his head and the sun touched his face, making his eyes glow like sapphires. As he caught Faye’s eye, his expression shifted again, his gaze intent and vibrant as the rolling sea behind him. Her pulse quickened at once, making her heart trip and then throb heavily.

  Her face growing warm, Faye shifted her gaze, letting it settle on the distant boats that had so enthralled Hannah.

  “All we have left now is the kiss,” Reverend Hempsall told the bride and groom, drawing Simon’s attention abruptly back to the task at hand—just as the minister added with a sly wink, “but save that for tomorrow.”

  Back at the house, Jenna pulled Faye aside as the others began taking their places at the dinner table.

  “I have a new dress, my grandmother’s antique silver earrings, a blue garter,” Jenna said, counting out the points on her fingers. “I need something borrowed. Have you got that locket with you?”

  Faye blinked in surprise. “You want to borrow it?”

  “If you don’t mind. It goes with the earrings, and it’ll look perfect with the neckline of my dress.” Jenna’s grin widened. “And I’ll have a picture of my two favourite girls right next to my heart when I get married.”

  Faye’s heart lurched; she had slipped the locket into her purse that morning, though she wasn’t sure why, since she hadn’t planned on wearing it. Feeling a sudden surge of possessiveness for the locket, she briefly considered telling Jenna she didn’t have it; now that Jenna was going to have Simon for herself, did she need to take this one thing Faye had left of the brief time that he was hers?

  “Sure, of course you can wear it,” Faye said instead, realizing the irrationality of her reluctance. After all
, if she was going to let go, she might as well start with this one small thing.

  “I’m curious, though,” Jenna said. “You said you got it from the Easter bunny. What did you mean by that?”

  “It was an Easter present.” There seemed no alternative but to tell the truth. “From Simon.”

  Jenna looked at her sharply, her brow furrowed. “Why didn’t you just say that?”

  “I don’t know. I wasn’t sure what you’d think. But it was just a thank-you gift,” Faye added quickly, “for bringing Hannah to visit.”

  Jenna lifted her shoulders, her look of unease softening, though her smile had faded. “He’s a thoughtful guy.” She glanced at her groom, who was speaking with his sister by the dinner table, paying no attention to the bride and her maid of honour chatting in the opposite corner of the room.

  “You can keep it if you want to,” Faye added, eager to dispel any suspicion that Simon’s gift meant anything more to Faye than a simple thank-you gift, though it pained her to think of parting with it.

  “Thanks,” Jenna said, her expression brightening a bit, “but I can’t do that. It’s something borrowed. It’d be bad luck.”

  * * *

  Faye and Jenna returned from the hair salon to find Simon’s understated living room transformed into a paradise of white lilies, filling the house with their fresh, sweet scent. Garlands woven with flowers had been wound up the staircase banister and laid across the fireplace; candles were set on every surface, ready to set the house aglow as evening fell.

  Laurel smiled at the two women as they came in, giving a “thumbs-up” to their hair-dos before returning to her task of positioning floral arrangements by the French doors leading out to the patio. The chairs and tables had been set up outside for the reception, the tablecloth edges lifting only slightly in the breeze.

  “Simon isn’t around, is he?” Jenna asked fretfully, glancing around. “He can’t see me yet.”

  “Not to worry, Todd took him somewhere for lunch,” Faye assured her.

  Hearing her mother’s voice, Hannah appeared from the bedroom where she’d been playing, and scurried over to wrap her arms around Jenna’s legs. “Up, Mama!”

  Settling herself on the sofa, Jenna lifted her daughter onto her lap. “Be careful, baby,” she said, prying folds of her veil out of the little girl’s fist. Jenna’s dark locks rested on her shoulders in broad ringlets, drawn up at the sides and fastened at the top of her head to her flowing ivory veil—a striking juxtaposition to the jean shorts and sneakers she wore below. Hannah stared at her mother with wide eyes, enchanted by the exotic headdress.

  Faye’s hair was similarly gathered at the crown of her head, a cluster of violets pinned to the comb that held her golden tresses in place.

  “Everything seems to be going on schedule,” Jenna remarked, glancing around. Her face glowed, both with excitement and anxiety, and perhaps a touch of embarrassment that all of this fuss was being made in her honour.

  “Yes, and the weather is just about perfect, too,” Faye said, glancing out at the patio bathed in warm sunlight.

  Setting Hannah on the floor, Jenna reached into her purse. “You’d better hold onto this.” She pressed a white-gold ring into Faye’s palm. “Keep it safe until the ceremony. You know how I lose things.”

  “No worries.” Faye lifted her hand to examine the broad, plain band resting in it. The metal was warm and smooth, the loop of gold feeling much heavier than its actual weight, as she envisioned Jenna fitting it onto Simon’s finger—a symbol of their eternal union. Jenna’s ring would be similar, but more slender, designed to nest next to her engagement ring.

  Carole rushed out of the kitchen. “There you are,” she said, grasping Jenna’s hand. “Quick, come and sit down, have your lunch.”

  “Ugh, I don’t think I could eat anything. My stomach is in knots.” Grimacing, Jenna clutched her abdomen in demonstration. She had looked remarkably relaxed yesterday, all through the rehearsal and dinner, but since waking up this morning had been growing steadily more nervous.

  “At least have some soup,” Faye urged, closing her hand around the ring. “We can’t have you passing out in the middle of your vows.”

  “I suppose that wouldn’t do. It’d be so eighteenth century,” Jenna added with a bright laugh as she rose to her feet.

  “Faye, have you eaten?” Carole inquired.

  “Yes, I had a sandwich earlier.” She had eaten only a few bites, which was all she could manage, with butterflies circling vigorously in her own stomach.

  “I’m sure I can find a can of soup in the cupboard somewhere.” Carole hurried back to the kitchen to search.

  “Thanks, Faye,” Jenna said, pulling her into a spontaneous embrace. “I’m going to miss you so much. I can’t believe how everything has changed in the last few months, ever since my accident.”

  “Are you happy?” Faye asked as they drew apart. She glanced down at the silver locket already fastened around Jenna’s neck.

  “Sure I am.” Jenna said lightly, her gaze drifting away. “It’s normal to be nervous just before you tie the knot, isn’t it? I actually am sort of hungry.”

  As Jenna followed her mother into the kitchen, Faye spotted her father in the open doorway, dapper in his gray suit and tie. He glanced around uneasily at the unfamiliar surroundings, a smile lighting his face when he saw Faye.

  “I figured this must be the place. I hope I’m not too early,” he said, approaching her.

  “No, of course not. We’re just going a little mad here with preparations.”

  He glanced around at the profusion of flowers and candles. “This is a lovely setting. A perfect day for it, too.”

  “Sure is.”

  Her father paused to observe her with concern. Faye could tell what he was thinking. When she told him about Simon and Jenna’s engagement, she had meant to report the news stoically, but had ended up in tears despite her best efforts, pouring out her heartache to his sympathetic ear. He was the only person with whom she’d felt free to share her true feelings.

  “I’m fine, Dad,” she said, forestalling any inquiries into her wellbeing. This was Jenna’s day, and Faye’s own fractured emotions would have to remain tucked away until it was over.

  Carole strode out of the kitchen again, waving her arm. “Faye, have you got the—oh, excuse me,” she said, noticing Faye’s father there. “Hello, Tom. It’s been a long time. I’m glad you could come.”

  He greeted her gallantly with a deep nod of his head. “Nice to see you, Carole. You look wonderful.”

  Carole glanced down at her magenta chiffon gown, fitted snugly to her trim figure. The edges of her mouth curled coyly upward. “Thanks. So do you.”

  Tom returned her smile, holding his shoulders square as they appraised one another.

  “Did you need something, Carole?” Faye asked, glancing between her father and Jenna’s mother with bemused curiosity.

  “Did I? Oh, I don’t remember what it was.” Carole tugged anxiously on the string of pearls gracing her neck. Her gaze flitted away, fastening onto something distant over Faye’s shoulder. “I see the musicians have arrived. I’d better show them where to set up. Excuse me.”

  As she hurried past to greet the three men hauling stringed instruments through the front door, Tom’s gaze followed her unabashedly. “I don’t remember her looking so … well, I mean, she’s hardly aged at all since I last saw her,” he remarked, absently shifting the knot of his tie, his cheeks uncharacteristically rosy.

  “I have to get dressed, Dad,” Faye said, reluctant to leave the scene just as things were getting interesting. “Make yourself at home.”

  * * *

  Faye emerged from the guest room wearing her lavender taffeta gown, a classic, unadorned style with slender straps and a full skirt. Gliding across the carpet, she delighted in the swish of smooth fabric around her legs; she hadn’t worn a dress this elegant since her prom, and as she caught a glimpse of her reflection in a hallway mirr
or she acquired a sudden, girlish appreciation for Sienna’s preoccupation with dressing like a princess.

  Out in the back yard, guests were already milling around, waiting to make their way to the beach for the ceremony. Reverend Hempsall, resplendent in his vestments, was chatting with Laurel and Todd just outside the door.

  Faye felt a hand on her elbow and turned to meet Mary’s wide, alarmed gaze. “Where is Jenna? She’s supposed to be dressed by now.”

  Faye glanced around. “I don’t know where she went. She was having lunch last I saw her.”

  “Please find her, Faye,” Mary said, her voice tinged with annoyance. “I’m afraid the whole schedule is going to be thrown off.”

  “I need to get Hannah dressed,” Faye told her.

  “I’ll take care of that. You go find the bride.”

  “Okay, I’ll look around.”

  Faye did a quick tour of the ground floor of the house, not finding Jenna anywhere. She took a peek outside, although surely Jenna wouldn’t have allowed the guests to see her before her entrance. Faye didn’t think Jenna would have gone up to the loft, either; climbing stairs was still hard work for her. But then again, maybe she had needed a few minutes alone, and could find no other place in the house that was unoccupied.

  Sprinting up the stairs, Faye found Simon’s office empty. “Jenna?” she called out, heading around the corner toward the black grand piano.

  She turned, stopping suddenly when she came upon Simon standing by the picture window, looking magnificent in his black suit and ivory brocade vest. Faye had never seen a more handsome groom; she felt her breath leave her lungs in a rush.

  “I don’t suppose you’ve seen Jenna,” she said, her nerves jumping. “Better not have. Bad luck, you know.”