by Susan Hatler
She made me think of my mom and her bad luck with husbands. I wondered what she’d have to say if she were here, listening to Katie. Did my mom expect perfection from a marriage?
“People aren’t perfect, but marriage can be amazing.” She gave a firm nod. “I mean, Ken made my blood boil sometimes. He invested our savings in his brother’s new company without talking with me about it first, and the company went under. We lost the savings we’d worked so hard for. And there was the time he flooded the basement while working on the water heater, which I had begged him not to do because he didn’t know enough about it. What a mess—we lost old photo albums and everything.”
I gasped, placing my palms to my cheeks. “Oh, no!”
“Oh, yes.” She nodded. “He was a stubborn man. Insisted he knew what was right. But nobody’s perfect. Everybody makes mistakes. Honestly? I trusted that he always thought he was doing the right thing, which counts for a lot. I certainly trusted him to respect me and remain faithful. Everything else is just a matter of patience and compromise, and a healthy dose of perspective. I’m sure I made him crazy sometimes, too.”
My throat tightened. Had I made Jason crazy? I mean, hello? Wall around my heart? I’d definitely been called closed off more than once. Had I hurt him in some way, without knowing it? My head started to spin. I grabbed onto a nearby round table for support.
Her eyes flew open wide. “Did I say something to upset you?”
A hot tear slipped down my cheek and I wiped it away. “No, but I’m glad I haven’t done my makeup yet,” I said, an embarrassed laugh escaping my mouth. “What you just shared means a lot to me. I’m going through a tough situation right now. I care a lot about this guy and want to believe he’s a good man. He did so much for me in a very short time. And we had this amazing connection. But he also lied to me, which I’m having a hard time getting over.”
She patted my arm. “Was his heart in the right place?”
“I-I’m not sure.” I winced, remembering how I walked away, even when he begged me to hear him out. “To be honest, I didn’t give him a chance to explain.”
“And are you unhappy right now?”
“Miserable,” I admitted. “He’ll be here today. I’ve been dreading seeing him.”
She took my hands. “May I give you some advice?”
I nodded. “Please.”
“Give him a chance to explain himself. When we jump to conclusions, there’s often something we’ve missed. Remember that nobody’s perfect. Love and trust are what counts. Believe me, Avery, it’s easier to choose to let things go and be happy than it is to hold a grudge close to your heart. Grudges can be very heavy things to keep. Happiness is so much better.”
I wanted to be happy. I wanted it so very much. But was it possible?
“Avery!” Mary Ann called, from across the terrace. “Time to hit the beauty salon.”
“Be right there.” I held a finger up to ask Mary Ann to wait a minute and then I turned to Katie, whose gaze was on me. Her advice circled my brain and it felt like the exact advice I needed. “Katie, I’m grateful for all you’ve shared and you’ve given me a lot to think about. But, what made you tell me all of this?”
A glint appeared in her eye and her shoulder raised. “The look in your eye earlier gave me the feeling that . . .”
I blinked. “What?”
“It’s going to sound strange. But this has happened before at weddings where I get this feeling about someone. With you, I felt as if a dark cloud were following you and that sharing my experience might help you in some way.”
Chills vibrated down my spine. “You’re like a wedding whisperer,” I blurted.
“I’m a florist,” she said, nodding to one of her workers who called to her. “A florist who believes that weddings aren’t just for the bride and groom. There’s lots of love to go around during weddings. Believe me, I know.” She winked at me and then hurried across the tiled floor toward her employee, the click-click-click of her heels fading the further she got from me.
Later that afternoon, I sat in the salon chair getting beautified and thought about Katie’s advice that I hear Jason out and give him the chance to explain. Yes, he had lied about his job and his connection to the Founding Friendships building. But he’d also discovered the tunnels with me. He’d helped me investigate them and had instructed me to go to the historical society, which was the best advice imaginable since their lawyer had put a stop to the sale of the building once the historical value of the land on which it sat came into question. Knocking the building down might damage the underlying tunnels, for one thing.
And because they’d brought the press into it and word had gotten out about how desperately the organization needed funds to thrive, donations had been pouring in for over a week. Bill went from a shoestring budget to debating what to improve next.
Jason made it happen. Jason and me.
So many lives were better because of him, including mine and the fact that I had a home of my own again thanks to his encouragement. When I looked at it this way, I realized I was a total nutcase for pushing him away and refusing to listen to him. I wished he’d told me about his company, but, even more, I wished I’d listened to him.
He was a good man and deep down I’d known that the entire time. Maybe I’d just been scared or hurt or too stupid to see what was right in front of me. Katie would give anything to be with her husband again. So, who was I to waste a chance at love?
Oh, wow. Was what I felt for Jason love? My tummy did a flip in answer. Yes, I so totally was in love with Jason. My heart rate picked up and instead of wanting to avoid Jason, it suddenly felt very urgent that I see him as soon as possible.
I needed to find Jason and do whatever it took to make amends. The wall around my heart was long gone and that was due to him and his kindness. I only hoped my waterproof mascara held up to its name, because this was going to be a very emotional evening.
Chapter Eighteen
“And so, by the power vested in me by the state of California, I now pronounce you husband and wife,” the officiant said, turning to Nate. “You may now kiss your bride.”
Melinda beamed as Nate took her face in his hands and kissed her in a way that left everyone with a goofy smile on their face, including me. When Melinda and Nate turned to their guests, applause and cheers erupted, while I laughed and cried without any regard for my mascara.
Mary Ann handed Melinda’s beautiful wedding bouquet back to her. Melinda smiled at Mary Ann and then at me, before taking Nate’s arm and walking down the aisle with him. The guests standing closest to the runner picked up handfuls of rose petals and showered them down on the happy couple.
Mary Ann took the arm of Nate’s best man, Rick, and then I took Jason’s arm—a very awkward moment since he’d refused to make eye contact with me before the ceremony or during—and we followed the bride and groom behind a small curtain.
The six of us in the wedding party waited behind the curtain, while attendants ushered the guests to the round dinner tables on the other half of the terrace, so the canopy area would be empty and we could take the wedding party photos.
I glanced over at Jason, who looked amazing in his suit and tie. His dark hair was combed back neatly, and his blue eyes avoided my gaze at all costs. I wanted to talk to him, but hadn’t had the opportunity yet. It didn’t help that he refused to look my way at all. His jaw tensed as Rick said something to him, but then Nate said something that broke the tension because the three men chuckled. The chuckle didn’t quite reach Jason’s eyes, though.
Melinda hugged Mary Ann and me several more times, before she moved into her husband’s arms, where he pulled her close against him. They looked so happy and I knew they’d have a wonderful honeymoon in Paris.
The photographer called us over for pictures, which didn’t take all that long. After the wedding party photos, the photographer took pictures with the bride and groom with Nate’s parents, who were divorced, but faking nice smiles f
or the camera. Then Melinda and Nate took some photos with her mom, and her mom’s husband Bernie—yes, of Bernie’s Bakery.
Since Melinda’s father passed away, Bernie had become like a second dad to her and he’d even walked her down the aisle to give her away, with some kind words about how proud her dad would’ve been. Her mom seemed happy with Bernie, her second husband. Love works in mysterious ways—if only it would get Jason to look at me.
As if on cue, Jason said something to Nate and then the three guys headed to the bar. Sigh. So much for a moment to talk with him. Instead, Melinda, Mary Ann, and I exchanged more hugs and tears.
“You’re such a beautiful bride,” I gushed for about the thousandth time. Melinda’s tea-length satin princess scoop-neck dress was simple and classy. She’d pulled her blonde hair up in a messy knot, with a few loose curls falling on either side of her face. She looked beautiful, but it was the way she radiated joy that made her breathtaking.
“Thanks, Avery.” Melinda squeezed my hand and then leaned close to my ear so only I would be able to hear her. “Jason told me he messed things up between the two of you.”
My mouth went dry. “He did?”
She nodded. “I don’t know what went down and it’s none of my business. But I just want you to know that in all the years I’ve known him, I’ve never seen my cousin look so miserable. Whatever happened, I know he’s sorry.”
I opened my mouth—
“Let’s go mingle.” Nate grinned, sliding an arm around his wife’s waist. He looked like a man who thought he was the luckiest man alive, which was just what she deserved.
I waved to Melinda, who glided off in her white dress. Rick returned and he, Mary Ann and I lingered, my nerves jangling. I took a retreating step, figuring nobody would miss me if I hung back for a minute. I needed to get myself together before I went over there and faced Jason, who stood near the bar with a beer in hand.
He looked good enough to eat, but that was no surprise. It had been a struggle to keep from staring at him throughout the ceremony. If only I’d felt his eyes on me just once. I turned toward the canopy, staring at the flowers so elegantly provided by Katie Ellis. I probably had expected perfection from Jason after a lifetime of being disappointed by my stepdads.
But I didn’t feel that way anymore. Now, I just wanted to apologize and tell him how much I’ve missed him. He’d told Melinda that our falling out had been his fault and she thought he seemed sorry. So, why was he avoiding me? Out of anger? Disappointment? Regret?
“Hey, Avery,” came a familiar male voice.
I spun around in the middle of my nervous pacing to find Jason standing there, at the end of the aisle runner. “H-Hi, Jason,” I said, butterflies fluttering in my belly.
How was it possible that he made me feel even more like a lovesick schoolgirl than the last time I saw him? Maybe it was the suit. No, it was just him.
“You look beautiful,” he said, his blue eyes boring into mine.
“You look really nice,” I observed, which was about the lamest thing I could’ve come up with. I reminded myself to keep breathing, even though I wanted to kick myself. I laughed bitterly, looking down at the floor, before meeting his gaze. “I’m surprised you can say anything nice about me after the way I acted.”
His brows came together. “After the way you acted? I deserved that.”
I bit my lip. “I was too hard on you.”
“And I was dishonest with you.” He took a step toward me, hands in his pockets, and for the first time since we met he looked unsure of himself. “You have no idea how much I wanted to tell you. When you said you were involved with the organization and you took me there, and I met the people and saw what was behind an address on a piece of paper . . .”
“Jason, you—”
“I should’ve told you. I wanted to tell you.” He looked up at the sky where twilight was taking over, and then heaved a heavy sigh. “It’s a lot different when you see who your deal is affecting. I was already pretty disillusioned with the job, as you know, but I never felt so low in my entire life as I did when I discovered what that redevelopment would do to the people living at Founding Friendships.” His gaze met mine and held. “And then there was you.”
I shivered. “Me?”
“Yes, you. I don’t investigate abandoned underground tunnels with just anybody, Avery. Or brave flooded kitchens. Or risk getting arrested for trespassing.” He grinned, making his adorable dimple appear. “Not to mention sabotaging my company’s plans. But you get the idea.”
“I think I do.”
“Plus, the time I spent researching the land the building sat on until I found those articles I sent to you.”
My jaw dropped open. “You? You’re the one who sent them to me?”
“Consider me a friend of Founding Friendships,” he recited, quoting the note included with the clippings. “Who did you think it was?”
“I had no idea . . .” I sputtered, something suddenly flashing in my mind. The small leather-bound notebook with the cream-colored paper that Jason had pulled from his pocket to write my phone number down after he’d asked me out the first time (and I’d turned him down). The cream-colored paper with the newspaper clippings attached. The cream-colored paper Jason had left under my windshield wiper, saying I owed him a date. I smacked my forehead with my palm. “I feel so stupid.”
He set his beer down. “Why?”
“Because, duh, of course. It makes total sense. You knew how stressed out I was about losing the building, and you had just met the people who lived there. Why didn’t you tell me that when I was flipping out?”
“I should’ve told you.” He raked a hand through his hair, his jaw tensing, before he shook his head. “I felt conflicted because of my job, but I wanted to help.” He stepped toward me, his gaze intent on mine. “Since the moment I first saw you, I haven’t stopped thinking about you. But you had these walls up. I was scared that if I told you about my part in the contract then you wouldn’t get to know me. I figured the less you thought I was tied to the building sale, the better. That’s completely selfish, I get it.”
“It’s not . . . completely selfish.” I stared back into those blue eyes and could tell how ripped apart he felt about keeping that from me. But he’d done so much more than that, which he wasn’t giving himself credit for. “Finding those articles and sending them to me? That was such an incredible thing to do, especially when it went against your employer.”
He shrugged. “It was the right thing to do.”
“We owe you everything for that. You saved the residence building and you didn’t get any credit in the newspaper article, either.”
“The residents can stay in their homes. That’s all I care about.”
“Really?” I asked, completely touched.
“Actually, no.” He shook his head and reached for my hand. “I care about you, Avery. So much that every day without you makes me crazy. I miss you.”
My heart rate sped up. “I miss you, too.”
“You do?” His eyes widened and then filled momentarily, before he let out a long breath and cupped my face in his hands. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. So very sorry.”
“I know, Jason.”
“I was afraid of losing you when we were finally moving into something really good. You shut me out so abruptly when we first met, and once you told me of your mom’s bad history with relationships, I sort of put it together that you didn’t want to get hurt. I can’t blame you for that. Nobody does. I was scared you would shut me out again, this time for good. But I was planning to tell you once we took the news of the tunnels to the historical society and things started to turn around. That was my plan, I swear.”
“I believe you. I was hurt that you kept that secret from me, but now I’m glad you did.”
His eyes bulged. “You are?”
I nodded as his hands dropped to my shoulders. “Besides the whole working-for-the-enemy thing, you were never anything but honest with me.
Helpful and supportive. You went out of your way to save that building.” I watched his blue eyes deepen, revealing all he felt for me like an open book. “You’ve been the one person I could count on. I couldn’t have done any of what I did without you.”
“I never wanted to hurt you.” When he pulled me close to him, my palms found his chest, and I melted into him.
“I know that,” I said, my finger brushing that sweet dimple. “And I’m sorry I didn’t give you a chance to explain. I should have. I could’ve avoided missing you all this time.”
His mouth pulled up at one corner. “You really missed me?”
“Well, sure. It’s not every day a girl gets to ride around in a Ferrari and get free help with renovating her apartment.”
He bit his lip to hide a smile. “Oh, right. I forgot. I’m just free help.”
“That’s right. We’ve already discussed this, remember?”
He folded me into his arms and something inside me clicked into place. This was right. This was as it should be. Being in his arms and knowing I had him on my side filled the hole I’d had all week long, and all my life. I could face any challenge so long as I had him.
“You know what happened with the tunnels, I guess,” I murmured, looking up at him.
“Sure. It couldn’t have gone better.”
Something occurred to me then, and I didn’t know why it never hit me before. I was too busy being angry and hurt to see what was right in front of me. “It was you, wasn’t it? You called the lawyer who contacted the historical society.”
He dropped his forehead to mine. “From the car before I even reached my hotel.”
“Why did you do it? I mean, after all those terrible things I said!”
He chuckled. “For one thing, that call wasn’t just about you. It was about Bill and the people who lived there. And just because we had a fight, thanks to my dishonesty, that didn’t change how committed I was to undoing the wrong JCL was involved in.”
