How could he ever be worthy of a normal future when his actions had cost two of his SEAL team members their lives?
Chapter Five
Lucy, you look radiant,” Stella gushed, admiring her sister, who stood before her in a stunning ivory gown with a tulle skirt and dazzling rhinestones gracing the bodice. Set against her sister’s tawny-colored skin, the dress was spectacular. And achingly romantic. Stella sighed as Lucy preened in front of the full-length mirror.
“Do you love it?” Lucy asked, her eyes filled with such joy it made Stella want to weep. Lucy deserved the world, and it was so wonderful to see her getting it. She flashed back to when they were kids playing wedding and dressing up in their mother’s lacy nightgowns. Back then they’d each had their own fantasies about what it would mean to be a bride. Only now for Lucy, it would soon be a reality.
Stella reached out and touched the gown’s fabric. “It’s perfect. You knocked it out of the park.”
Stella tried not to think of her own wedding dress, which had never made it down the aisle, but the vintage silk gown flashed before her eyes. It still hung in her closet as a memory of what might have been. Although she’d tried on several occasions to donate the dress to Goodwill, she hadn’t been able to go through with it.
Their mother, Leslie, dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. “I can’t even come up with a word to describe how you look. Dante is going to be blown away when he sees you gliding down the aisle.”
“It’s even prettier than I remember from last time,” Lucy said, twirling around for her audience. Stella, along with her mother and little sister, Tess, had gathered at Rosie’s Bridal Shop in order to weigh in at Lucy’s last fitting before the wedding. Between the four of them there wasn’t a dry eye in the gown shop.
“You look like a princess,” Tess added, gazing up at her sister with an expression resembling worship. At ten years old, Tess was enthralled by the idea of her big sister getting married to a movie star. Not to mention the fact that she was thrilled to be in the wedding party as a junior bridesmaid. Stella’s heart ached a little bit at the realization that Tess was growing up so fast. She’d always been an adult masquerading in a child’s body, but as of late she was maturing by leaps and bounds. Next month they would be celebrating her eleventh birthday. It didn’t seem possible that she was so grown.
Lucy leaned down and pressed a kiss on Tess’s cheek. “Thanks, Tess. A princess bride. That’s one of my favorite books.”
“You Marshall girls sure make my wedding dresses shine,” Rosie said, her voice shimmering with pride. She gasped and turned her gaze to Stella, a sheepish expression on her face. “Me and my big mouth. I’m sorry, honey. I didn’t mean to bring up a sensitive subject.”
“No worries,” Stella said as heat suffused her cheeks. She’d been waiting for an awkward moment like this one ever since their arrival. Two years ago Stella had stood in this very bridal shop and modeled her own wedding gown for her mother, sisters, and Carolina. Rosie had fawned all over Stella, telling her she was the most stunning bride-to-be she’d ever seen. But for her fiancé calling off the wedding, Stella would be married right now. She might even have a little one on the way. Most days Stella could stuff the memories down into a little black hole, but standing in Rosie’s shop brought it all back again in vivid detail. Lucy sent Stella a sympathetic look. Stella winked at her sister, letting her know she was fine. She didn’t want Lucy to spend a single moment worrying about her feelings when the focus should be on her upcoming wedding. This was her special day.
“Let me help you out of the dress,” Rosie said to Lucy. Rosie’s voice sounded way more subdued than usual. Stella had the feeling she was still kicking herself for her slip of the tongue. “We don’t want a single sequin to come undone when you change back into your clothes.”
After Lucy and Rosie went into the dressing room, Tess filled the air with chatter about summer vacation and her plans to become a famous Olympian swimmer. Stella felt grateful for the way her little sister was able to effortlessly ease the tension. A late-in-life baby for her parents, Tess was truly the heartbeat of the Marshall family.
Lucy returned a few minutes later without Rosie. “I need to head back to the library,” she said, casting a glance at her watch. “I hate to dash off, but I have some new programs to set up for guest lecturers. I’m really thankful for all the support.” Lucy reached out and squeezed Stella’s hand. “I know it hasn’t been easy for you seeing me in the wedding gown and helping me with my planning, but I truly appreciate it, Stella. You’re the best.”
“I always want the world for you, Lucy. And that’s never going to change.” Tears misted in her eyes as she hugged her sister. Helping Lucy was second nature to Stella. The two of them had always been joined at the hip. She couldn’t ask for a better or more loyal best friend. With only a year separating them, they had walked through life side by side and shared an unbreakable bond. Seeing her walk off into the sunset with Dante gave Stella a glimmer of hope that it was possible to find love, even though the thought of trusting someone again terrified her. Every time she imagined getting close to a man, Rafe’s betrayal came back into sharp focus.
“You two are getting mushy,” Tess complained. She rolled her eyes and folded her arms across her chest.
“If this isn’t the time to get mushy, then I don’t know what is,” Leslie said, tugging at her daughter’s pigtail. “Happiness is something to rejoice about.”
“I’ve got my swim practice, Mama,” Tess said, pulling at her mother’s hand. “We need to get going before I’m late.”
Leslie reached for her cane and stood up. Although her movements were slightly jerky, Stella appreciated the fact that her mother’s multiple sclerosis had improved in the past few months. At the moment, she was able to drive and work part-time hours. They were all aware that the situation could regress, so it was all the more poignant to see her doing so well.
“Let’s do Mexican takeout this week at my house,” Lucy suggested. “We can watch that new showLove Connection.” Lucy’s house was located right across the street from their childhood home, where her parents and Tess still lived. It was a cozy situation for all involved, although Stella still loved living by Blackberry Beach with the ocean a stone’s throw from her house and the sea air filling her nostrils. She hadn’t known it at the time she’d purchased the cottage, but being by the sea had served as a refuge from the storms of life.
“Sounds good,” Stella said, reaching out to hug her sister. “I’ll see you guys later. Rosie asked me to stick around so we can finalize the bridesmaid dress order.” After another chorus of goodbyes, Stella found herself standing alone in the salon surrounded by dozens of bridal gowns.
So. Many. Wedding dresses.In all shapes, sizes, designs, and shades. Sweetheart necklines. Mermaid style. A-line. Strapless. Sheath. It felt like her worst nightmare brought to life. Was this some sort of sign? A visual reminder that she was miles away from being settled in her life?
Being at the bridal shop had truly been taking one for the team.Team Lucy and Dante.But, if she was being completely honest, she couldn’t wait to get as far away from this shop as humanly possible. What in the world was taking Rosie so long? Maybe she should just leave and come back another time.
Finally, Stella thought, as footsteps echoed in the hall. A few seconds later when Rosie reentered the salon she wasn’t alone.
“Sorry to keep you waiting, Stella. You remember my nephew, Tucker?” Rosie was looking back and forth between Stella and Tucker with a rapturous smile stamped on her face.
Stella nodded and fixed a smile on her face. In a million years Stella could never forget Tucker Riordan. “Of course I do. Nice to see you again, Tucker.” Ugh. It really wasn’t, but Stella was nothing if not polite. Her mama had raised her right.
Tall and blond, Tucker was a decent-looking guy, but his personality needed an overhaul. He was pushy and needy, as well as being a bit of a narcissist. Tucker’s sudden arrival was obviously a setup by Rosie. Clearly, at some point she had given Tucker a call and invited him down to her place of business to see Stella.Surprise!
Without any warning, Tucker leaned in and hugged her. The smell of strong cologne rose to her nostrils. Stella froze up at the overly intimate gesture and stepped away. Six months ago she’d gone on a coffee date with Tucker after Rosie had relentlessly hounded her to meet him. It had been a complete disaster as far as Stella was concerned. Tucker had mapped out their entire future together, even going so far as to call her his new girlfriend. After an hour of torture, Stella had slunk out of the café claiming a migraine. She’d been ducking Tucker’s calls ever since.
“You’re a hard person to track down, Stella Marshall.” Tucker grinned and wagged his finger at her. “I’ve been wanting to see you again since our last date. Where have you been hiding?”
