“You refused to come back for Mandy?”
She straightened, forced the grief of that night so far down she’d never be able to push it free again. “I loved that little girl with everything I had, Sebastian. She was the only good thing I’d ever done in my life. Other than loving you.”
“Then why—”
“Because if I’d taken her she would have become another me. I couldn’t bear that, Sebastian.” She took a deep breath and pressed on. “I didn’t want her to wake up afraid every day she was going to be a disappointment. I was afraid the bitterness that was already growing inside of me would turn me into my mother. Worse, I didn’t want my child growing up in a house with her.”
“Brooke.” How he said her name, the whispered understanding, brushed like a balm against her heart. “You could have told me. Years ago. We’d have found a way through it. Why didn’t you come back to Butterfly Harbor sooner?”
“I was going to. So many times I wanted to, but then, I’d worry about how you and Mandy would feel about my coming back. You’d be mad, angry, upset and you’d have a right to feel all those things. The more time that went by, the easier it was to think you were both okay without me. Then things shifted. For one, my father got sick. He’d changed over the years. Even before he got sick. He was sorry for what had happened, how he treated you, how he treated the town and the bank. He was,” she insisted at Sebastian’s skeptical look. “He regretted going along with my mother’s threats, not watching his grandchild grow up. When he was diagnosed, he thought his illness was punishment.” She pressed her lips together until they went numb. “By the time he was gone, I’d convinced myself Mandy was practically grown—that she didn’t need me. I blocked both of you out, until I woke up in that hospital. And all I could think was how much I missed my daughter.” Now she touched his cheek. “So, I returned. Now we’re here. And now, you know the truth. Please don’t be angry.” She could bear anything but his anger.
“Angry?” Sebastian caught her hand and drew her into his arms. “The only thing I’m angry about is that years have been wasted. All the time I’ve spent without you. If you’d told me—”
“If I’d told you, Mandy wouldn’t be who she is. And she’s spectacular because of you. If I’d told you, you wouldn’t be who you are. I wouldn’t be who I am now.” She pressed her mouth against his. “I’ve never stopped loving you, Sebastian. Never once in all these years. It just took me a long time to find enough courage to come back for you.”
“I see it.” He nodded. “You protected me. Protected Mandy. How can I not love you for that?”
She grinned. “How indeed.”
He kissed her. A slow, warm, heart-melting kiss that removed the chill from her body. “This whole idea? Was it yours or Mandy’s?”
“It was Mandy’s originally. To strand us out here for dinner. I tweaked it a little.”
“Hmm.” He brushed his mouth across hers. “You’re not planning on leaving Butterfly Harbor again?”
“Again? No. Not ever. It’s my home. It always has been.”
“Excellent. Then how about you and I return the favor and turn the tables on Mandy?”
She grinned. “What did you have in mind?”
“As soon as we’re back on the mainland.” He kissed her again. “You and I are going to do what we should have done fifteen years ago. We’re going to get married.”
* * *
SEBASTIAN STOOD AT the railing looking at the cove as the sun rose behind him. He hadn’t been out to this place since Brooke had left Butterfly Harbor. The memories had been too intense; his hurt too new and bitter. But now? He took a deep breath of predawn air. Now was so different.
He’d held an emotionally exhausted Brooke while she’d slept, his restless mind unable to settle as he thought long and hard during the night. When he’d slipped out of the cabin, he’d known the life he’d led before he stepped foot on this boat was over. A new one was about to begin.
The life he’d wanted with Brooke from when he’d first laid eyes on her.
He heard the roar of a motor in the distance. The same roar that had accompanied Frankie late yesterday afternoon. He stayed where he was as Monty tied the speedboat to the aft side, hopped on board and circled around to join him.
“I’m wearing trunks again in case you decide to pitch me in.” Even with the taunt, Monty stayed a good arm’s reach away. “You two work things out?”
“Didn’t really give us much of a choice, did you?”
Monty’s grin widened. “Yes, you worked things out. Your kid’s going to be insufferable after this. She planned your abduction down to the last millisecond.”
“She okay?”
“She’s fine. She spent the night with Ezzie and the Cocoon Club. She claimed she wanted less drama than her parents were currently providing.”
Sebastian laughed. “I’m still going to ground her. After the wedding.”
“Wedding, huh? That’s fast work.”
“We’ve waited long enough. You up for helping me pull off a surprise?”
“For who? Brooke?”
“Mandy.” Sebastian leaned his arms on the railing and took a long last look at the cove. “I’m thinking her mom and I are going to give her one heck of a birthday present.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
IT DIDN’T TAKE a village just to raise a child, Brooke thought as she slipped on the pearl earring. It also took a village to throw a last-minute surprise birthday wedding.
“Just one more...there.” Calliope Jones-Costas stepped back and tapped a finger against one of the tiny metal monarch butterflies she’d woven through Brooke’s curled hair. “What do you think?” She took Brooke’s shoulders and turned her toward the vanity mirror. She bent down to look in the mirror with her. “Perfect.”
She was perfect. The dress was vintage...by way of the town’s thrift-and-antiques store. It was simple, white and had just enough lace to offset the delicate buttons trailing down the center. The sandals she planned to wear were on loan from Frankie; flat and simple, they’d be comfortable for the entire day—a day she planned to enjoy every minute of.
“Thank you, Calliope. Thanks to all of you.” Brooke stood up and faced the room full of women she now called her friends. BethAnn had volunteered her house as their base as the frenzied wedding plans went into effect.
Holly, who had left the diner in Ursula’s and Twyla’s capable hands. Abby Corwin, who at once looked radiant, relaxed and very pregnant as she stood by the lace-draped window. Gale had stopped in after delivering a cake to Calliope’s farm, where the wedding-birthday party would take place. Paige and Charlie, along with Leah, Kendall, Phoebe and Lori, were flitting about the living room putting finishing touches on party favors and the dainty miniature rose bouquets Brooke and her maid of honor, Frankie, would carry.
Frankie. Brooke frowned, scanning the room. “Where’d Frankie get to?”
“Right here!” Frankie strolled in, wearing an exquisite emerald-green spring dress that Brooke had no doubt Roman would love. Roman had called in a favor with the fire chief in nearby Durante so the entire BHFD could be on hand to attend the wedding. “Sorry. I had to run home to get something.” She handed Brooke a long, thin jewelry box. “For that whole borrowed-and-blue yada-yada stuff.”
Brooke accepted the box. When she cracked it open she found a strand of tiny pearls. “Frankie, it’s beautiful.”
“It was my grandmother’s. I found it in Dad’s things after he...well, after.” Frankie managed a quick, sad smile. “I figure it’s been in hiding long enough.” She lifted the pearls out of the box and draped the strand around Brooke’s neck. “I’m gonna need it back come April, though.”
“Who knew Frankie could be so sentimental,” Holly laughed as she wiped a tear away. “Oh, hang on, Zoe. Don’t go crying on me, too.”
“I’ve got her.” P
aige scooped Zoe from her carrier and lifted Holly’s daughter into her arms. “There you go, sweetheart. See? All good now.” She popped a pacifier into Zoe’s mouth, swayed back and forth. “I’m going to need some practice with one of these, anyway. Right, Charlie?”
“Right!” Charlie jumped up and down on the spot. “We’re gonna have a baby! Finally! I thought it would never happen.”
The room exploded with laughter and congratulations as the group added yet another occasion to celebrate. Brooke’s heart swelled. She was surrounded by friends, she was marrying the man she’d always loved, her daughter had no idea just how special her fifteenth birthday was going to be and...she was home.
Brooke closed her eyes and let out a breath. She was finally, finally home.
“Excuse me.” BethAnn knocked on the door frame. Brooke opened her eyes. Her godmother looked beautiful in a tailored lavender suit, a miniature mother of the bride corsage, courtesy of flower maven Lori, pinned to her lapel.
“BethAnn, you’re right on time.” Lori hurried forward to draw her in. “Paige just announced she and Fletcher—”
“And me!” Charlie cried.
“And Charlie,” Lori laughed as Charlie tugged on Lori’s hand. “They’re having a baby.”
“That’s wonderful news.” BethAnn’s smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. Her uncertain gaze found Brooke’s. “There’s someone here who would like to speak with you.”
“Oh?” Even as she wondered who, she knew. “BethAnn, you didn’t—”
“I promise, I didn’t.” BethAnn shook her head as she pushed the door open the rest of the way.
The tall, slim, perfectly coiffed woman entered. She wore an immaculate wrinkle-free gray silk blouse and slacks, the needle-sharp points of her shoes clicking on the hardwood floor.
Brooke’s fingers brushed against the pearls around her neck. “Mother.”
Candice Ardell scanned the room. “Brooke. I would like to have a private word with you.”
Charlie moved in, placing herself between Brooke and Candice. She reached up and took hold of Brooke’s hand and squeezed. In that instant, Brooke fell in love with the little girl, who had inched up her chin and stared hard at a woman who had intimidated Brooke for most of her life.
“Who’s that, Mama?” Phoebe asked. Kendall bent down and picked the girl up, whispered something in her ear.
“Francesca.” Candice’s eyes flickered when she caught sight of Brooke’s best friend. “Nice to see you again.”
“If you say—Yes.” She stumbled forward when Holly elbowed her. “Nice to see you again, too, Mrs. A.”
Brooke covered her mouth to hide the grin. She was so happy to have Frankie back in her life.
“Brooke? May we speak?”
“That depends on what you plan to say.” Brooke straightened her shoulders. “If you’re hoping to stop me marrying Sebastian, you’ll be wasting your breath.”
Candice’s eyes flickered and for the first time in ages, Brooke thought she saw doubt, and regret, in their depths. “Please, Brooke.”
“All right.” When was the last time her mother had asked her for anything? “How about everyone heads on over to Calliope’s? BethAnn and I will catch up with you in a few minutes.” The nerves in her stomach nearly stopped her in her tracks. She walked behind her friends, waited for BethAnn to leave. “I’ll be out shortly.”
“I’ll be in the kitchen.” BethAnn touched her hand, and Brooke felt a mother’s love.
“All right, Mother.” Brooke closed the door and faced Candice. “Let’s have it. Tell me what a mistake I’m making. Threaten to throw Sebastian in prison. Whatever it is you’ve been storing up, just let it loose. I have a wedding to get to.”
Candice’s fingers clutched her bag. She glanced around the room, looking, if Brooke didn’t know better, uncertain. “Sit down, Brooke. There’s something I need to tell you.”
“I told you there’s nothing you can say, so—”
“I gave up a child.”
The silence roared in Brooke’s ears. “You what?” she finally asked.
“Please. Sit.” Candice chose the stool Brooke had occupied earlier.
“Mother—”
Candice held up a hand and Brooke did as she was asked. She sat on the edge of the nearby couch.
“I was eighteen.” Candice looked up at the ceiling, blinked quickly. “The father was, well, he wasn’t what my parents thought was suitable. He was a mechanic at the gas station where my father took our car. I planned to marry him, anyway, to have the baby and live happily ever after. He died before that happened. A car accident.” She winced as Brooke saw the color drain from her face.
“Mother.” Brooke could barely breathe.
“My parents took me back, of course. What else could they do? But they refused to take the baby. Things were different then. They shouldn’t have been, but what did I know given my rather sheltered existence? I had the baby, alone, in the hospital.” Candice took a long breath. “I told them not to tell me whether it was a boy or a girl. I didn’t want to know. Couldn’t bear to know. I thought if I never saw the child, if I never held him or her, I could pretend the whole thing had never happened, even though I can still hear that baby crying as the nurse carried the child out of the room.”
Brooke didn’t even try to stop the tears from falling. She set down her bouquet, walked to her mother and sat on the floor in front of her. Rested a hand on her mom’s knee.
“Your father could never understand why I clung to you so hard.” Candice drew a finger beneath her eye to wipe away a tear. “Why I couldn’t bear to let you out of my sight.”
“You never told him?”
“No.” Candice looked down at Brooke’s hand as if trying to understand what she was seeing. “I couldn’t, because I knew what he would do. He’d move heaven and earth to find the child, and no matter how much I still loved that baby, I couldn’t bring that much pain to another mother.”
Brooke was stunned. “But you did it to me.”
“I thought I was doing what was best. What was right. You always had so much potential, Brooke. You were such a light in everyone’s life—”
“But, Mother, how could you make me choose between you and my child like that?” It didn’t make any sense. Not when she knew her mother had been faced with the same choice.
“I survived it,” Candice whispered. “I assumed you would, too.”
“I didn’t survive anything,” Brooke snapped. “I have grieved every single day since I left this town. I have cried every night because I couldn’t hold my baby girl. Couldn’t be with the boy, the man I loved, because you thought you knew better.”
She nodded. “I know. I’m...sorry. I couldn’t bear to lose another child. And I almost did in that accident. I sat by your bed, day after day, wondering if this was me being held accountable for the pain I’d inflicted. When the doctors told me you were going to be all right, I was so grateful I hadn’t lost you. Except I already had. That night I took you away from Sebastian.” She gripped Brooke’s hand. “I was wrong. About everything, Brooke. I see that now. BethAnn sent me photographs of Mandy, and Sebastian. The three of you together since you’ve been back.”
Brooke started.
“Don’t be upset with BethAnn. What I saw broke what was left of my heart. The love I had for that child’s father, what I had for that baby, I could see it in your eyes. I didn’t let myself see how hurt you were before. I couldn’t. But I can’t deny it any longer. I’m glad you’re finally marrying Sebastian, Brooke. I couldn’t deny that now even if I wanted to.”
Brooke couldn’t find her way through the tangle of emotions, apart from a revelation just below the surface. “There was a time not so long ago I’d have done anything to earn your approval.” But now that she had it? It didn’t change a thing. “I don’t need it any longer, Mothe
r. What’s more? I don’t want it.” Brooke got to her feet, her legs trembling as she retrieved her bouquet. “I appreciate you came all this way. And that you’ve finally told me why you’ve never been able to love me the way I’ve loved Mandy from the moment I knew she existed. But I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to forgive you for it.”
Candice nodded, once again, looking beyond Brooke, her chin wobbling ever so slightly. “I understand. Go on, Brooke. Go to your Sebastian. And Mandy.”
Brooke left, softly closing the door behind her.
“Brooke?” BethAnn stepped out of the kitchen. “Everything all right?”
“It will be,” Brooke told her. “I need to touch up my makeup in the car.”
“I’ll get my bag,” BethAnn said. “What about Candice?”
Brooke shifted, her hand shaking around her bouquet. As she thought about her answer, she heard the sounds of her mother’s muffled sobs. They reminded Brooke of herself not that long ago.
She’d been in such pain she barely knew how to function outside of it. She’d come back to Butterfly Harbor to ask for the one thing she knew was impossible; not just forgiveness, but for a new start, and to be allowed to share in her daughter’s life. And she’d been given more than she ever could have dreamed of.
Her mother had done the same, coming here today, telling her the truth of her own life. A life Brooke could recognize all too well.
What right did she have to deny the forgiveness that had been shown to her?
Setting aside the anger, pushing the last of her grief away, she returned to the bedroom. “Mother.”
Candice dabbed at her eyes, rose to her feet. “Yes?”
Brooke held out her hand. “Would you like to come to my wedding?”
* * *
SEBASTIAN FOUND HIMSELF pacing again, only this time it was in the stone cottage at Calliope and Xander Costas’s Duskywing Farm. Mandy was being kept occupied and distracted by Eleni, and Xander’s sister Alethea on the food truck Alethea operated around town, while the secret-wedding, supposed-birthday decorations went up. Xander, architect that he was, was running the show, ordering Monty, Sheriff Luke Saxon, Matt Knight and Roman Salazar around like a construction crew. Sebastian wasn’t even being allowed to see the final setting until Monty gave the all-clear—his stipulation as best man.
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