Donna sat out on the point with Evelyn that evening, sipping some chamomile tea. She and Evelyn had gotten closer in the last few months. Probably the closest they’d been since they were young girls. And she was grateful for that. When Evelyn was married to Darren, she hadn’t seen her sister very often. And Darren had disapproved of her. It was obvious. He thought running the general store was silly. And he never wanted Evelyn to participate in any family get-togethers, so she gradually quit coming to most of them.
Evelyn set her teacup on the table between them and slipped off her shoes.“So, how is the wedding dress coming along? Livy told me you went to see Ruby over on Belle Island and she’s doing the alterations.”
“She is. I think it’s going to work out perfectly. She said she’ll have it finished next week.”
“I’m so glad that worked out. And I have most things arranged for the wedding. The food. Servers. And the girls are going to help me decorate on the big day. It’s all going to be so lovely. Oh, and I found these lanterns, and we’re going to have them all around the edges of the pavilion.”
She smiled at her sister, in awe of her event planning abilities.“I sure did well in the sister department. You plan weddings. You’re a fabulous chef.”
“I didn’t do so bad in the sister department either. You took me in when Darren threw me out of the house. Gave me a job at the cafe. And then you gave me part ownership in it.”
“Because you’re a big part of why the cafe is so successful.”She leaned back in her chair and gazed up at the stars tossed above them.“So…I almost hate to ask. Have you told Mother about Blake?”
Evelyn let out a long sigh.“No, I haven’t. I need to. It’s just…I don’t want to hear her opinion. Though I do need to tell her before she finds out some other way. And I don’t want her to find out in front of Heather in case she goes into one of her…well, you know how she is.”
A laugh escaped her lips.“Yes, I do know how she is. And she probably will have choice words about it. I’m sorry. But you’re right that it’s better if she first learns about it without Heather being around. Heather is having a hard enough time as it is.”
“I’ll tell her after the festival. My mind and time are busy with festival plans and wedding plans. I must tell her before the wedding, though.”
“That is if she even comes.”Donna shook her head. She still hadn’t heard one word from her mother. She’d considered calling her, but what was she going to say? It was way too late to move her wedding now, and her mother had made it clear that it aggravated her that Donna hadn’t bent to her wishes. Things were always so difficult with her mother. It made her even more thankful for the close relationship she had with Olivia.
Evelyn picked up her tea again and took a sip.“She’ll come. Mom is always a lot of talk. Likes things her way. But she wouldn’t miss her own daughter’s wedding.”
Donna wasn’t so sure but liked her sister’s unwavering support.“I guess we’ll find out, huh?”
“I guess we will. But whatever happens, you’re going to have a beautiful wedding and we’re all going to have a wonderful time.”
And Donna believed that. She really did. She couldn’t wait for her wedding day.
Chapter 23
Afew days later, Jesse headed over to The Destiny, trying to stay busy to keep his mind off fuming about Blake going to meet with Heather. He didn’t blame the boy. Who wouldn’t want to get to know their birth mother? But he still hadn’t gotten his anger at Heather under control. He couldn’t believe that she would have made such a monumental decision without talking to him. Blake was his son, too. He should have had a say. And there was no way he would have given the baby up for adoption.
He stopped in his tracks, pausing under a trio of palm trees, and frowned. Would he have considered giving the child up?
No, of course not.
Though…they’d been so young. And he’d been so overwhelmed with life then. College, two jobs. It had been a blur of studying and working and little sleep. He’d lived in a real dump. A studio apartment that he could barely afford in an area on the edge of town that a parent wouldn’t really want to raise a child in if they had any choice.
He raked his hands through his hair.
All this because of that one night so many years ago…
As much as he tried to forget that night, he still remembered it so clearly. Heather had shown up on his doorstep, furious and…so hurt and vulnerable.
Rage had flowed through him at the sight of the clear handprint her father’s slap had left on her cheek and the red marks on her shoulders where he grabbed her. Jesse had pulled her inside and wrapped his arms around her, feeling her shaking. When she finally calmed down…just a little bit…she told him what happened.
She’d gone to see her parents after visiting with Livy and her newborn. Her father raged about Livy being unmarried and having a child, called her a tramp. And Heather defended Livy, standing up to her father. A practice that anyone rarely engaged in. In return, her father had lashed out and slapped her. Her mother tried to interfere, but he turned on her, too. So Heather fled the house.
And she’d come to see him. The one person she could trust. At least until that night was over…
He remembered she’d placed her hand over her cheek as she told him the details. There were no tears because Heather didn’t cry. But he could see how devastated she was behind her wall of anger. He could still feel the protective feelings that had swelled through him.
She’d paced the floor as she told him what happened and he let her, knowing that was what she needed right then. He’d always known what she needed, even when she didn’t. She finally plopped down on the couch next to him and he wrapped her in his arms again, comforting her.
And then…
One thing had led to another…
