by Olivia Miles
“I’m sorry I didn’t get here in time to see you in your gown, Candy,” Gabby said. A last-minute sympathy order had kept her at the shop longer than she’d planned. “But I guess it won’t be long now before I see you walk down the aisle in it.”
“Oh, enough about me.” Candy leaned in closer. “Who was that handsome man that was in your shop last week?”
Gabby knew this was coming, and she’d prepared for it, only now, she wondered if Candy would see through the lack of conviction in her protest.
“What handsome man?” Britt asked, coming out of the dressing room. She was in a carnation-pink chiffon dress that flowed from the waist and stopped just below the knee. It was simple and elegant and captured Brooke’s design style, which had been honed when she worked for a major designer in New York.
Gabby was just a little surprised that Candy hadn’t managed to convince Brooke to go for something a little more…noticeable.
“Ah, this fits perfectly,” Brooke said now, looking much more relaxed as she emerged from the back room, without her lookbook. She pinched at the fabric near Britt’s waist and had her turn in front of the three-way mirror. “Lovely, isn’t it, Candy?”
Her tone left no room for argument. Gabby pressed her lips closed to ward off a smile. She didn’t dare meet her cousin’s eye. The other three girls seemed to be hiding in their dressing rooms, letting Britt, as the eldest, deal with Candy’s final opinion.
Final was a very vague word in Candy’s vocabulary.
“It’s very pretty. I do remember loving the big, ruffled collar—”
“We discussed that, though, Candy, remember?” Brooke gave her a polite smile, but Gabby was able to detect the tension in her jaw. “You don’t want anyone to outshine the bride!”
This seemed to perk Candy up and she nodded eagerly. “No, we wouldn’t want that.” She let out a sigh and then gave a quick nod of consent. “It’s perfect.”
“Good, now that that’s settled, who is this handsome man Candy is referring to?” Britt raised an eyebrow in question as her sisters emerged from the dressing room in identical gowns looking both relieved and eager to be part of the conversation as it was unfolding.
Brooke snapped a look of curiosity in Gabby’s direction before turning her attention to Cora, who was directed to stand in front of the mirror while Brooke pinned her hem.
“Doug Monroe is back in town,” Gabby explained to the girls, even though Maddie was fully aware, and Candy had probably told Amelia all about him in the kitchen of the café. “He’s an old friend,” she insisted to Candy, even though she wasn’t exactly sure that was true. Friends didn’t try to kiss each other, and that’s exactly what she had felt Doug was about to do on Saturday night.
A part of her was still disappointed that he hadn’t, until she reminded herself of where he stood on all the points she valued most.
On the opposing side. Like always.
“He is quite handsome,” Candy gave her a pointed look. “And single.”
“Unmarried,” Gabby corrected. It was hardly the same thing as single, not that she felt like explaining this to Candy or giving her further cause to read into things.
“Why was he in the shop?” Maddie asked, her eyes gleaming with interest.
“Friendly visit.” Immediately sensing that this had only piqued everyone’s interest, including Brooke, who had stopped pinning for a moment, Gabby added, “And I do sell flowers, as you remember.” Not that he had purchased any. No, his visit was just that. Friendly. Maybe even personal. “We’re friends. That’s all it is.”
Candy wasn’t buying it any more than the others. “You say the same thing about Jackson but I see the way you two banter.” She crossed one leg over the other and said airily, “Just in case you have a change of heart, I’ve left a little wiggle room in the seating chart.”
She still hadn’t told Candy that she was bringing Doug, and now that grand plan was starting to feel like a bad idea, and not just because Candy would read way too far into it. Sure, it might help her to drop the idea that Gabby and Jackson were a perfect match, but it might make her start thinking about planning Gabby’s wedding next, and sadly, that wasn’t going to happen, and not just because she was yet to catch a bridal bouquet, only create them.
After all, Doug didn’t believe he could find love, didn’t believe in trying to make it last for the long term. Wasn’t willing to put his heart on the line again.
And she knew better than to try to change people or expect to transform him. If she’d had that attitude, she would have tried to transform Jackson years ago.
Except… She brushed that thought aside but it kept nagging at her. Except that Jackson had never gotten to her the way that Doug had, or did. With Jackson, she was distanced, objective, and with Doug, it was all emotion, and she never did get to a rational place when it came to him.
All the more reason to try to do that now.
“Well, if you’re going to insist that you’re just friends, then maybe I should tell you…”
Gabby stared at her future aunt in dread. She should have known Candy wouldn’t let this topic rest. “Tell me what, Candy? What did you do?”
Her cousins took that as their cue to scamper back into the dressing rooms. Gabby flashed a pleading look at Brooke, but she was too busy smothering a laugh and muttered some excuse before dashing into the back room. No doubt they’d all be eavesdropping from a safe distance.
“Well, when you insisted on coming to the wedding alone, I made a few calls.”
Oh, brother. “A few calls? Oh, Candy, tell me you didn’t call Jackson!”
“No, no, I see what you mean about that young man. I do think there is hope for him, but I agree, not with you.”
“Gee, thanks.” Gabby almost laughed.
“I was just calling the people who hadn’t yet responded to the invitation,” Candy started to explain quickly, “and I got to chatting with one of my old summer friends. They have a house over on the island, you see. She was a bit older than me, but we kept in touch over the years, not as much as I would have liked, but then, she did the married with kids thing, and I… Well, in many ways, I was like you, Gabby. Waiting for the right man.”
Gabby didn’t know whether to feel touched or fearful, considering that Candy was hardly in the prime of her youth and her Uncle Dennis had four adult daughters from his first marriage. But here was Candy, the happiest bride she’d ever met, even if she was also the pickiest. It was the day she had been waiting for all her life, and it was finally almost here.
And nothing that Candy could say now would make Gabby ruin it for her.
“And then I remembered that she had a son who was just a touch older than you. Turns out he is a doctor!”
Gabby threw herself back in her chair. “A doctor with a pregnant wife on bed rest with kids?”
Candy looked stricken. “No! A doctor with a private practice in Pine Falls. I’ll admit that I haven’t seen a photo despite some internet research, but his mother was always a beauty.”
Gabby groaned. “Candy…”
Candy held up a hand. “Now, you might not even like him. I didn’t screen him as much as I would have liked…”
Gabby heard giggling from somewhere in the dressing rooms.
Candy, however, didn’t seem to notice. She sipped her tea and, after a dramatic pause, glanced at Gabby. “I did seat him at the singles table rather than with his parents. I can change it, of course. Though I really can’t even imagine changing anything at the final hour like this…”
Gabby stared at Candy in disbelief, managing to keep from bursting out laughing, and for a moment she was happy that Brooke had left her to fend for herself. Surely Brooke wouldn’t have been able to keep quiet after this afternoon.
“Actually, Candy, I might bring Doug after all.” There, it was out.
Candy’s eyes went round, and she didn’t even try to hide her smile. “So something is going on between the two of you. Of course, it will
be no trouble to fit him in!” Suddenly, her expression folded and she brought her fist to her mouth. “Oh, but then, there’s Billy to consider…”
Or not. The last thing Gabby needed was to spend the duration of Candy’s wedding being set up on a blind date. It would mean awkward, forced interaction, and all under Candy’s watchful gaze.
“Maybe he’ll be a good match for one of the Clark girls,” Gabby offered.
“Or maybe he’ll be a good match for you.” Candy shrugged. “Having two men vying for your affection is certainly a fine position to be in, don’t you think?”
Gabby could only shake her head. What difference did it make if a random single man was seated at her table? Once this might have excited her, made her worry about her hair and her dress and even her table manners. But now she’d learned not to pin so much hope on these events.
It was so much easier to be herself and enjoy the event. And lately, she’d been able to do just that…thanks to Doug.
Doug decided that meeting up with his brother was better than sitting home. Besides, he was out of frozen dinners, and he suspected that if he called one of the local pizza places again, they’d recite his order without him having to give it, and that was just too embarrassing to think about right now. And one of the downsides of coming back to this town.
The upsides were numerous, though. And sliding onto a stool at a high top at Harrison’s Pub that night across from his brother was proof of that.
“You didn’t want to go to the Carriage House?” Justin glanced around the room. “No girls here.”
“Exactly,” Doug said over his menu. Harrison’s was the kind of place you came for a beer and a burger, to catch the game, and maybe shoot a game of pool. He was at no risk of running into Gabby Conway here, though not for the reasons he might have once thought. Back in the day, he’d have assumed a pretty girl like Gabby would have turned her nose at a place like this. Now, he could almost picture her throwing a few darts, getting into the spirit of competition.
The thought must have made him smile because Justin was looking at him strangely from across the table.
“You think you’re going to find a wife hiding out in a place like this?”
Doug snorted into his beer. “Why does my entire family think I need a wife?”
“You were open to the idea of marriage once before,” Justin pointed out. “I assumed you were ready to settle down.”
“Settling down means finding the right person,” Doug said firmly. “Besides, I don’t see you dating anyone seriously.”
Justin shrugged. “We’re not talking about me. And you know Mom will move on to me once she’s through with you.”
Now Doug laughed. “In that case, I’ll take my sweet time. You owe me one.”
“Well, she’s certainly happy you’re home. She told me that was her best birthday gift, having you there.”
“Better than my gift card?” Doug set the menu to the side and looked over his shoulder to where Ryan Harrison was taking drink orders at the bar.
“Gift card?” Justin tutted.
“What? I thought she’d like that, to treat herself…”
“Oh, Doug. For my older brother, you have a lot to learn about women. They like the personal touch.”
Doug raised his eyebrows. A few months ago, he might have thought that this was where things went off-track with Lisa—they’d been so in sync when it came to how they planned each day that he hadn’t stopped to make sweeping gestures, something he later regretted. Now, though, he knew that there was more to it than that. He just wished he could be sure it wouldn’t happen again.
“You’re frowning.” Justin cursed under his breath. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to insult your gift. I’m sure Mom loved it, especially with all the weddings she’s been invited to lately. Gave her an excuse to get her hair and nails done.”
“No, it was something else.” Doug shook away the cobwebs, relieved when Ryan came over to take their orders.
“The place is looking good,” Justin told him, handing over his menu.
Ryan shrugged, but he looked pleased. “If you’d asked me a year ago what I’d be doing right now, I can tell you that I never would have said I’d be back in Blue Harbor running my late father’s bar, but I’ve never been happier.”
“What made you decide to come back to town?” Doug asked. He recalled from their school days that Ryan had planned to pursue a degree in business or accounting—something like that.
“Honestly? Bad breakup.” Ryan shook his head.
Justin raised an eyebrow at Doug, who did his best to ignore it. “Seeing anyone now?”
Ryan clicked the top of his pen and shook her head. “Nah. The only women I seem to see much of these days are my mother and my sister-in-law. And Brooke’s sister, too.”
Doug suspected that he wasn’t referring to the youngest of the Conway sisters. He knew that Brooke and Gabby were close, and even though Ryan hadn’t inferred that anything was happening between the two of them, he felt a strange flare of jealousy.
Justin gave him a teasing look over the table when Ryan moved on to the next table. “Sound familiar? Only sounds to me like he’s open to finding love again.” Justin, like his mother, didn’t seem to want to let this drop.
“Good for him.” Doug swigged his beer. Just so long as it wasn’t with Gabby Conway.
Chapter Twelve
Gabby finished tucking the last stem into her arrangement and stepped back to admire it. It was a happy mix of flowers in shades of pink, white, orange, purple, and yellow. It was just about right, but only just. She tapped a finger against her mouth; something was missing, now to decide what exactly it was…
With a grin, she picked up a few more stems of snapdragons and carefully placed them between the other flowers. There. Now it was perfect.
And late! She glanced at the clock in panic as she hurried to untie her apron strings. She was always prone to losing time when she was arranging. It was her happiest task of the day, selecting each flower, thinking of how it would pair with the others, trying to keep the designs interesting. But the most fulfilling part of the job was the delivery. Her mother wasn’t helping today, and that meant that Gabby was on her own, and she’d promised to get this out right after the shop closed. Technically the shop had closed fifteen minutes ago; she just hadn’t stopped to turn the sign on the door.
Now, she cleaned her workspace, prepped the flowers for tomorrow, and flicked the lights before turning the sign and locking the door with one hand while carefully holding the arrangement with another.
She hurried along Main Street, dodging tourists who had made an early start on the weekend and seasonal visitors who came when school let out each summer and stayed through until the end of August. She kept her pace steady, weaving between a man on a bicycle and a child holding an ice cream cone, but she slowed her pace when she saw Doug Monroe stepping out of his office on the corner, with a woman.
Holding the arrangement a little higher to hide her face, she quietly neared, trying to gather a snippet of their conversation as she peeked through the petals. The woman was pretty, not much older than herself, and Doug walked her to the curb, where she unlocked her car. He said something that made her laugh, and she waved him goodbye before climbing into the sedan and quickly pulling away.
Doug pushed his hands into his pockets and watched her go and then, before Gabby had a chance to turn around and run the other way, he turned and looked right at her.
Or at least, right at the giant arrangement.
He narrowed his eyes in suspicion, barely fighting off a grin as he tipped his head from side to side, trying to determine if that was her, even though she was fairly sure this much was obvious.
“Gabby?”
She pulled the arrangement down too quickly, nearly whipping her face with an iris.
“Oh, hey, Doug. I didn’t see you there!” She gave an internal eye roll; that was hardly smooth, or convincing, judging by the lift of his eyebrow.<
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“You finished for the day?”
She nodded and adjusted the vase in her hands. “Last delivery.”
“Here, let me help you,” he said, lifting the arrangement from her hands before she could refuse.
Her hands felt lighter already as she righted the handbag straps on her shoulder. “Thanks. It’s just a few blocks over.”
“Lead the way.” He fell into step beside her, and Gabby used the opportunity to double-check the exact address on the order form.
“So,” she said when she’d tucked the order sheet back into her bag. “You’re done for the day too?”
He gave her a look that told her he saw through her lame effort for polite conversation. “Just walked my last client out.”
“Oh, a client!” She swallowed back the excitement in her voice. Really, who cared if she had just seen Doug with an attractive woman? “I’m surprised,” she added, covering her emotion.
“Surprised?”
“Well, she looked…so happy, I guess.” Shoot. Now he’d know for sure that she’d noticed him earlier.
He raised a knowing eyebrow. “You assume that everyone who seeks my services is miserable.”
She gave a little wince. “I suppose so.”
“Believe it or not, sometimes it’s better to be alone than in a bad relationship.”
Gabby considered this. “I guess you’re right.” She jutted her chin to the white house on the corner. It was one of the smaller inns in town, a little more rundown than the larger ones on Main Street. “This is my stop.”
She went to reach for the arrangement, but Doug simply pushed open the picket fence gate bearing a welcome sign and said, “After you.”
“Ah, you want to see how it’s done, do you?”
“I suppose I’m equally curious about your career,” he said.
She decided to feel flattered by that and took the stairs to the front porch and tried the door. Inside the small reception area, it was dark but cozy, and a woman with shoulder-length blond hair greeted them in surprise. Gabby vaguely knew her; she’d been a few years below her sister Jenna in school and this inn had been passed down from her parents.