by Terri DuLong
Chloe shook her head from side to side. “I’m not sure,” she said softly. “I did see you both leaving that hotel in Jacksonville late one afternoon. I had heard rumors that you were seeing Beau, and when I saw you I knew it was true. You were both laughing, holding hands, and ... I was ... jealous. My marriage to Parker had always been difficult and it was only getting worse. It’s no excuse ... I know that, Gracie. I know that... .”
“Your marriage was difficult? From what I observed you had a wealthy and handsome husband, two sons, a gorgeous home, you were well connected in the community—it seems to me that you got precisely what you’d always wanted.”
Chloe nodded. “Right. A case of be careful what you wish for,” she said, getting up to refill our wineglasses.
She returned to the sofa and took a slow sip of wine. “Things aren’t always as they seem. I’ve come to believe that events occur in our lives that end up changing us—not always for the better.”
I recalled how I’d always felt Chloe had changed during her college years and waited for her to explain, but she remained silent and I saw an expression of anguish cross her face.
“Wanna talk about it?” I asked.
She shook her head. “No, but I do want you to know how sincerely sorry I am for calling Beau’s wife. No matter what was going on in my life, it was no excuse to ruin yours. I know you can probably never forgive me for what I did, but I want you to know how sorry I am. I also need you to know ... that I’ve always admired you, Grace.” She paused for a moment as if considering whether to continue. “You have strength—the strength I always lacked. I hope you won’t be angry ... but Aunt Maude recently told me about your miscarriage. Learning about that, and that it happened during the time I called Beau’s wife, made me feel even worse. Your life hasn’t been that easy either. I know that now, but I also know you’re the kind of woman that goes forward, rather than wallowing in her past like I’ve done for so many years. I’m proud of you, Gracie. I really am.”
She reached across the sofa to take my hand in hers.
“And Grace, I’m also sorry for telling Beau last year that you were on Cedar Key. I think in my warped mind I thought maybe what I’d destroyed years ago might be repaired. I honestly didn’t know you were getting involved with Lucas.”
I believed her. “Actually,” I told her, “you probably did me a huge favor by telling Beau where I was.”
A look of surprise crossed my sister’s face. “Really?”
“Yeah, really. I’ve had my demons, too, Chloe, and despite what you might think, I haven’t always been strong enough to face them. When Beau and I got together and talked, it provided closure for me. Without closure we get stuck. I think you’ve given me too much credit. Relocating to Cedar Key might seem like a bold move on my part, but I was also running away to avoid dealing with my pain and guilt. Finding a place to retreat can be a good thing because it enables us to be somewhere safe where we can heal, but if we’re not willing to be honest, it can also be a sanctuary that prevents us from facing the truth.”
Chloe nodded slowly and squeezed my hand. “Hmm, I see what you’re saying. You’re pretty smart. For a younger sister.”
I smiled. “Must run in the family. In the past seven months, you’ve become pretty smart yourself. You’re certainly not the same sister that showed up at Aunt Maude’s last October.”
“Oh, I still have a lot to deal with and improve on.”
“Exactly,” I said, getting up to refill our glasses. “We’re all a work in progress. Chloe ... I accept your apology ... and I do forgive you.”
She jumped up to pull me into an embrace. “You do? That’s more than I hoped for. I just wanted you to know I never meant to betray you. Well ... at the time, maybe I did. You were right. I was so miserable in my own life, I guess I just wanted to lash out. But I was so wrong and lost a damn good sister in the process.”
I knew that all of the hurt and anger that Chloe had caused me was diminishing. I knew this because now what I had was understanding, and with understanding comes love.
“You didn’t lose me,” I told her. “We’re family. For good or bad. Nothing can change that.”
“Thank you, Gracie.” My sister pulled out of our embrace to wipe her eyes.
I felt the moisture in my own eyes and jumped up to grab the wine bottle. “Well, sis, I think we killed this one. Should we call room service for dinner?”
“Brilliant idea.”
I had to admit that later that evening, wearing our pajamas, curled up on each end of the sofa, a cup of herbal tea in our hands, it did feel like Chloe and I were having a pajama party.
“Can I ask you something?” I said.
“Sure.”
“Did you love Parker when you married him?”
Chloe adjusted the pillow at her back. “At the time, I thought I did. Now I’m not so sure. Maybe I did, in the way one loves when we’re young and inexperienced.” She took a sip of tea. “I think Parker may have been a retreat of sorts for me. In the beginning he was very attentive and charming. His parents welcomed me into the family. Said I was the daughter they never had. I felt accepted—and I’m not sure I’d ever felt that before. So I worked hard to be the model wife and mother, and over time, I think Parker took advantage of my role. He became demanding and critical—and the ultimate slap in the face was when he left me for somebody not much older than our sons.”
“Are the boys in touch with him?”
“From what I can gather, not very much. But then, I seldom hear from them either.”
“How’s it going with Cameron?” I asked.
Chloe shrugged. “Okay, I guess. He’s a very nice man, but ...”
“But?”
“When I married Parker, I felt like I needed to be protected. You know, taken care of. I’ve grown beyond that now because I’ve proved that I have no problem taking care of myself. I could be wrong, but I get the feeling that Cameron needs a woman to ... take care of. That woman isn’t me.”
“Hmm, I see what you’re saying.”
“It’s different with you and Lucas. I see that. You support each other, but you’re equals. And besides, it’s also easy to see ... Lucas is that one great love of your life. I haven’t met mine yet.”
I smiled as I realized that I missed Lucas and I’d be happy to see him when I returned to the island.
“It’s good that you’re aware of this, Chloe. I think when a woman is willing to settle, she makes poor choices. Sounds to me like you’re in a pretty good place. Take it slow with Cameron and see where it goes.”
My sister laughed. “Well, I might end up being alone in my old age, but you know what? That’s just fine with me. Because I think for the first time in my life, I’m truly happy. I’ve invested in some real estate, I’m a partner in a yarn shop ... and I’m building a relationship with my sister and possibly a male companion. Yup, life is pretty damn good.”
“I’ll second that. There’s something else I wanted to ask you. Any chance you’d like to be my other matron of honor? Suellen has already accepted, and I’d really like you to be part of my wedding.”
Without hesitating, she said, “Oh, Gracie! I’d love that. Oh, but wait a sec, I’m not going to have to wear one of those glitzy Pepto Bismol pink gowns, am I?”
I let out a chuckle as a visual of that crossed my mind. “Ah, no. I can safely say I wouldn’t subject you to that. As a matter of fact, I want you and Suellen to choose something you’d like and to give me some feedback on my gown. So the three of us can come into Gainesville next week. We’ll go out for lunch and do some shopping.”
“Sounds like a plan to me,” Chloe said, raising her hand for a high five.
42
By the end of the week, Aunt’s Maude’s words proved to be correct—she was right as rain. Her energy had returned, the look of fatigue had disappeared, and I was very grateful to have my aunt back in good health.
On the day Chloe and I brought her home, well-wishers
dropped by bringing casseroles, crock pot meals, homemade bread, and desserts. Another nice thing that I’d found to be true about a small town—everybody pitched in with kindness.
Before heading to the bookshop I stopped in to check on my aunt and found her comfortably seated on the sofa, her knitting in her lap and Lafitte curled up beside her.
“I’d say that’s one happy cat,” I said, scratching his head. “How’re you doing this morning?”
“Feeling quite lazy just sitting here knitting. When’s our next knitting retreat?”
“In about a month, and there’s a huge difference between taking it easy and being lazy. So stop complaining and be a good patient.”
My aunt laughed.
“Chloe called me last night,” she said. “Seems Eli called her and they had a nice, long chat.”
“Really? I’m sure she was happy about that. So what’s going on with my nephew?”
“I’ll let her give you all the details. She said she’d be dropping by the bookstore this morning.”
“Okay.” I leaned over to place a kiss on my aunt’s cheek. “I’m heading down there now to open. Lucas is in Gainesville doing errands. Now, remember, if you need anything you call me, and I expect you to stay put and relax, right?”
“You’re a tough caregiver, but yes ... I’ll behave.”
Suellen and Chloe were waiting on the sidewalk when I arrived a few minutes before ten to open.
“Sorry, I would have been here a little sooner, but I popped in to check on Aunt Maude.”
“How’s she doing?” Suellen asked as we entered the bookshop.
“Raring to go. Trying to get her to relax and rest is an impossible feat.”
Suellen laughed as she headed into the coffee café. “Want your usual double latte?”
“That would be great,” I told her, and looked at Chloe. “Would you like one?”
She was gazing at a display of books on the front table and looked up. “What? Coffee? Yeah, thanks.”
“Make that two,” I hollered over to Suellen before asking my sister if she was okay. “Aunt Maude said Eli called you last night. How’s he doing?”
Chloe plunked onto the sofa and let out a deep sigh. “Well ... it appears my son is married.”
“What?” No wonder my sister was looking down in the dumps this morning. “Did you know anything about this? God, who’s the girl? You weren’t invited to the wedding?” I might not have any children, but I was sure news like this had to be a disappointment to any parent.
She shook her head. “Thanks,” she told Suellen, reaching for the coffee cup.
“I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but I heard you say your son got married?” Suellen said, passing me my latte.
“Yes, and apparently there was no wedding per se. They were married last week at city hall in Manhattan. Eli said that under the circumstances they felt it was easier to do it that way. A traditional wedding would have meant inviting his father ... and new wife. So I guess I ought to be grateful that I was able to avoid that.”
“Oh, I agree with you there. That would not have been pleasant. But how about the girl and her family? I’ve heard it’s every mother’s dream to plan her daughter’s wedding someday. And what’s her name? Do you know anything about her?” I felt the questions tumbling out of me.
“Her name is Treva Sanderson—well, now it’s Radcliffe.”
“What an unusual first name,” Suellen said.
Chloe nodded. “And Eli explained it’s pronounced tree-vah. He said it’s Welsh and her mother was from Wales. She passed away when Treva was in her early teens. Her father works for the State Department in Washington and remarried a few years ago, but it seems Treva isn’t close to her stepmother. So passing on a family wedding eliminated some problems there as well.”
“Yeah, I guess that makes sense,” I said. “Do they work together?”
“No, Treva’s a senior at Columbia University and graduates at the end of the month from the nursing program. They were introduced a couple of years ago by mutual friends.”
“Oh, so at least they’ve known each other for a while,” Suellen said.
“Yeah, I knew he’d been dating a girl, but since I don’t hear from him that much, I wasn’t sure how serious it was.”
The chimes tinkled on the coffee café door. Suellen leaned over to give Chloe a hug. “Well, congratulations, mother of the groom. Time for me to get to work.”
Chloe forced a smile and mumbled, “Thanks.”
“Guess you’re not too happy about this, huh?” I said when we were alone.
“Well, it was pretty surprising news. It isn’t that I’m not happy for Eli... . I guess I just feel disappointed. You know, it would have been nice to witness my son’s marriage ceremony.”
“That’s certainly understandable, and making it more difficult is that you haven’t even met your new daughter-in-law yet.”
The sadness on my sister’s face vanished and was replaced with a smile. “Oh, I wanted to talk to you about that. I told him that you were getting married in October ... and he wanted to know if he and Treva might be invited.”
“Oh, gosh, of course. That would be great, Chloe. I’d love to see my nephew again and meet his new wife. Absolutely. I’ll be sure to mail off an invitation to them. Lucas and I are going into Gainesville next week to the printer.”
The smile on her face increased. “I have to admit, I’m really looking forward to seeing Eli too. I haven’t seen him in about a year, just before Parker and I separated. We’d gone to New York for a few days to catch a play on Broadway. Eli had just taken his new position at the accounting firm, so he was only able to get together with us once for dinner. Maybe now that he’s married, he’ll be in touch with me more.”
“I think that happens a lot,” I told her. “Especially with sons. Sometimes they drift away a bit during college and while getting their life organized, but once they settle down to begin their own family they find their way back home again.”
Chloe nodded. “I hope you’re right.”
“So you think your sister’s okay about not being present for her son’s wedding?” Lucas asked later that evening.
I shifted my position on the sofa, snuggling into his arm. “Well, I’m sure she’s not thrilled that she wasn’t there. But I have to say, for somebody who used to be a control freak I think she handled it very well. So yeah, I think she’s fine, and besides, she’s really excited about them coming to our wedding.”
“I’m sure you’ll enjoy that too. With all the news about your nephew, I forgot to tell you that Jean-Paul called me today. His wife passed away yesterday.”
I sat up straighter. “Oh, Lucas, I’m so sorry. Will you be going over for the funeral?”
“Yes, it’s quite sad. They’re having a very small service, so I won’t be going. Jean-Paul said since she’s been sick for the past few years, it truly was a blessing. I feel it also gave him time to prepare.”
I nodded. “Our wedding is still five months away. I wonder if he’d consider coming over to be your best man.”
“I think he might,” Lucas said. “I’ll wait about a month and then call to ask him.”
“I really hope that works out. I know how much it would mean to you to have him here.”
“Did you finish making out the list for invitations?”
“I did. It’s over there on the desk.”
Lucas got up to get the paper. “Are you getting good cards lately?” he asked, holding up my deck of tarot that had been lying next to the list.
I smiled. “Actually, I haven’t done my cards in quite a while. Maybe your grandmother was right. We should just live life and take the days as they come—both good and bad.”
Lucas returned to the sofa and pulled me into his arms, placing his lips on mine. I felt my desire climbing as his hands slid over my body.
“As long as I spend all of my days with you, I’ll take the good and the bad,” he whispered in my ear.
As he was about to resume the kiss, we were interrupted with a bark from Annie, which caused Duncan to jump up from where he’d been sleeping on the carpet.
I laughed. “This is a very inopportune moment, girl. Where’s your sense of romance?”
Lucas joined my laughter. “I’m afraid when duty calls, romance disappears. Come on, why don’t we walk the dogs now?”
I let out a groan. “Aww, do we have to?”
Lucas stood and grabbed my hand as that killer smile crossed his face. “Oui, mademoiselle, we have to. But when we return, we will continue where we left off.”
I stood up and put my arms around his neck. “You promise?”
“I promise,” he said, touching my lips with his.
43
“You’ve got to be kidding!” I said, doubled over with laughter as Suellen held up the most hideous wedding gown I’d ever seen. Rows of ruffles, frill, beads, and lace reminded me of a dressmaker’s nightmare. Would a bride actually wear something like this?
“A tad too gaudy for your taste?” Suellen asked, trying to stifle her laughter.
“You think?” Chloe said, shaking her head. “Any bride who would wear that would deserve getting left at the altar.”
Once we got our laughter under control, I said, “Okay,” injecting some seriousness into my tone. “We’ve pretty much been to every damn place in Gainesville. I can’t find anything I like. What am I going to do?”
“Well,” Suellen said, “you still have four months. I guess we could exhaust the entire state of Florida.”
“Very funny,” I told her, although I wasn’t finding my situation humorous. “Do you think I’m being too picky?”
When I got no response, I looked over to the faces of my best friend and sister, who both had noncommittal expressions.
“Well?” I demanded.
Chloe cleared her throat. “Well ... I wouldn’t say you’re being too picky. I mean, you have to love the gown you decide on, but ... honestly, Gracie, some of them were really stunning. But like I said ...”
