Don’t let your family down, Faith.
Don’t let me down.
Kelsey would be the first to admit she’d had doubts about Faith showing up from the beginning, but despite what Will thought, Kelsey wanted to be proven wrong. She never thought it would happen—wasn’t quite sure how or when it happened—but it had. This wasn’t the wedding of Faith’s dreams or Starr’s for that matter; it was the wedding of Kelsey’s dreams. Somewhere between planning Faith’s wedding and hiding from the press, Kelsey had planned her own.
And she wasn’t going to let Faith screw it up. Forget about having cold feet, second thoughts, or jitters. It was too late for that.
Kelsey wanted to see Faith walk down the staircase wearing the dream wedding dress and the lovely vintage headpiece. She wanted to hear Faith recite the wedding vows she’d written and say, “I do.” She wanted to know Faith and Trent would find eternal love and happiness in each other’s arms.
Nothing less than happily ever after would do for the couple, even if Kelsey had never believed, never wanted to believe it, until now.
“Here she comes.” Relief was thick in Will’s voice and sent a wave of it washing over Kelsey.
“Thank you,” she muttered.
As Will hurried to the front door, Kelsey followed him. She glanced at her watch. Fifteen minutes to spare. That had to be a good sign.
The door swung open. Clad in a purple cape and matching hat, Faith entered with a flourish. She greeted Will with a hug and turned to Kelsey. “You’re looking lovely. The mountain air agrees with you.”
Kelsey smiled. “Thanks.”
Faith removed her cape and hat and hung them on the coat tree. She brushed her fingers through her long, wavy locks of hair that made women everywhere envious. No hair extensions for Faith Starr. “Where are Mom and Dad?”
“In the living room.” Will looked out the front door. “Are Trent and his brother at the inn?”
Faith took Will’s hand. “Let’s go to the living room.”
He exchanged a confused look with Kelsey. All she could do was shrug. Something was going on, but Faith didn’t seem overly concerned or upset. She might be an award-winning actor, but no one was that good at remaining calm when it came to their own lives. Maybe Trent was running late.
“Hello, everyone.” Faith made her way to Starr and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “You look wonderful, Mom.”
“Where’s Trent?” Starr asked.
“He’s…” Faith wet her full lips; lips one studio executive suggested she insure with Lloyd’s of London for seven figures. “He’s not coming.”
Kelsey never expected the groom to be a no-show. Her heart plummeted to her feet. She sank into the nearest chair she could find as a mix of emotions churned inside her. Anger, sadness, frustration, confusion. She’d always known this was a strong possibility, but she’d hoped, really hoped.
Starr’s mouth gaped open. “Not c-c-coming?”
Wrinkles of concern lined Bill’s forehead. “The wedding’s tomorrow.”
Faith took a deep breath. “There isn’t going to be a wedding.”
Kelsey glanced at Will, who stared speechlessly at her. For the first time in a long time, saying “I told you so” would give her zero pleasure. Tears welled in her eyes.
“What happened?” Starr asked.
“W-we…” Faith’s voice faltered.
“You made it.” Hope entered the living room, a dish towel in her hands. She dabbed the towel at a wet spot on the front of her heather-gray jumper. The arms and shoulders of her white turtleneck were smudged with chocolate. “Where’s Trent?”
The tears glistening in Faith’s eyes ran down her cheeks like the spring thaw of the Sierra snowpack.
Hope ran to her sister’s side. “What did I say?”
Will wrapped his arms around Faith. “There isn’t going to be a wedding.”
Hope started to cry, as did Starr. Kelsey watched the exchange of support, hugs, and tears with amazement. Yes, she was the outsider and didn’t mean to be unfeeling, but wasn’t anyone else interested in knowing why the wedding had been called off?
