Vision misting, Brad picked up the bouquet beside him, slid from behind the wheel, and pocketed his keys.
And as he slowly crossed the lawn ... as memories of the tragedy from three years ago played again through his mind ... a tsunami of guilt and grief and loneliness crashed over him, leaving him feeling as lost as he had on a backcountry hiking trip during his college days after his compass went missing.
It also left him with the disquieting question that had been surfacing with increasing regularity in recent months.
Where did he go from here?
FIVE
AT THE SUMMONS FROM HER DOORBELL,Cara smiled, set her oven mitts on the counter, and headed down the hall.
Her siblings were punctual, as usual.
When she opened the door, Jack held up a plastic-wrap-covered plate. “We come bearing gifts.”
Cara reached for the offering. “You made Mom’s mint squares! I’m drooling already.”
“I promised to bring dessert, and what can top these? But they can’t compete with Bri’s gift. From Paris, no less.” He shifted toward their sister. “Let me tell you, your new husband set a high standard for honeymoons. And my fiancée noticed.”
“You’ll come up with a location Lindsey will like. Just think romantic—if you have it in you.” Bri smirked and shoulder-butted him.
He put on his innocent face. “Would Branson qualify?”
Bri rolled her eyes. “Branson and the City of Lights aren’t even in the same galaxy. But speaking of Paris...” She lifted her hand and dangled a gift bag. “I did pick up a little present for my favorite sister while Marc and I were strolling down the Champs-Élysées.”
“A gift from Paris will be the highlight of my day—aside from a visit with my favorite siblings, of course. Come in, both of you.” Cara pulled the door wide. “Let me put the dessert in the kitchen before I dig into that bag.”
They followed her to the back of her condo and made themselves at home. As usual.
While Jack slid onto a stool at the small island, Bri propped a hip against the counter and folded her arms. “I wanted to bring you macarons from Ladurée, which were to die for, but Marc convinced me they were too fragile to survive the trip home.”
Cara took the bag, pulled the tissue from the top, and removed a flat box of dark chocolate truffles from La Maison du Chocolat.
“I think I’m in heaven.” Cara hugged the box to her chest.
“Those happen to be from one of the premier chocolate shops in Paris. And I can vouch for the quality. Marc and I sampled them while we were in the store. One word: bliss.”
“Gee, it’s kind of hard for my mint squares to compete with those.” Jack arched his eyebrows at Bri.
“No, it’s not. I’m tucking these away for future consumption.” Cara set the box off to the side of the counter. “Your mint squares will take center stage after we eat.”
“You mean I don’t get to try one of those?” He motioned toward the box.
“No, you do not. Those are for Cara.” Bri walked over to the island and helped herself to a handful of peanuts from the small bowl. “You could always take Lindsey to Paris foryourhoneymoon and buy your own.”
“Let’s not get carried away.” He took a few peanuts too. “Speaking of food—what’s on the menu today?”
Cara plucked a nut from the bowl and popped it in her mouth. “Per your request, mushroom omelets and my cheesy potato casserole. I have salad too.”
“Works for me.” Jack gave her a thumbs-up. “Okay, Bri, we’ve been waiting with bated breath to hear all the details of your over-the-top honeymoon. Lay them on us.”
“I don’t intend to shareallthe details, but I’ll tell you about some of the incredible sights we saw.”
As Cara put the omelets together and they all sat down to enjoy their brunch, Bri kept them entertained with stories about Paris and the forays she and Marc had taken into the surrounding countryside. She didn’t wind down until the meal was almost over.
“It sounds magical.” Cara rested her elbow on the table and propped her chin in her palm.
“The perfect word.”
