“Yes. He RSVP’d, and it’s too late to uninvite him now.”
“Why in the world would you invite Dan? You’ve met him like, what? Twice? And one of those times was right after the fire. I don’t understand.”
“I’m selfish, Adam. You know this. I thought if you and he were in the same room again, he could convince you to come back to California and resume your career. And then I’d have my cousin back in my life again.”
I’m scowling, watching her mouth move fast as her words take hold. Sweet Roxy. My cousin, who has always been more like a sister to me. I love her, and seeing her now, I feel the weight of having let her down through my absence. I can’t be mad at her for this. In fact, I’m touched by her concern.
I reach for her, but she jerks back, flinching as if she expects anger. The distance stings.
“Come here.” I pull her into my arms and breathe in her coconut shampoo, the faint scent grounding me.
Her voice is tiny and fragile against my ear. “You’re not mad?”
“No. I’m not mad. You’re the one who should be mad. I’m so sorry, Roxy.”
She relaxes in my arms. “No more apologies.”
“Okay.”
We sit there hugging, the sound of the ocean at low tide filtering in through the window seams.
A strange mix of joy and loss fills my chest. I get to celebrate Roxy and Justin’s love tomorrow yet I can’t help mourning the part of me left behind. A wedding and a funeral. Hope tangled with final endings.
This should be interesting.
Chapter Eighteen
Keri
Thank goodness I tucked extra tissues into my clutch for the wedding ceremony.
The officiant signals for the guests to rise as the music swells. The giant doors of the massive country club ballroom open to reveal Roxy and Adam. Adam leans in, whispering something that makes Roxy throw her head back and laugh. I glance at Justin standing at the end of the aisle. His hands shake as he clutches a white handkerchief, tears streaming as he waits for his beautiful bride.
Adam is drop-dead gorgeous in his borrowed tux that fits him like a glove. His hair is pulled back from his face and tied in a ponytail at the nape of his neck, revealing his smooth, chiseled jawline. Roxy looks like she belongs on the cover of a bridal magazine, her mermaid gown accentuating her curves. Herdark hair is twisted into a classic chignon, gorgeous dangling diamonds hanging from her lobes. The earrings were a wedding gift from Justin, delivered to the bridal suite thirty minutes before the wedding. Thank goodness Adam was there to capture her joy, his camera clicking away.
Adam winks at me as he passes. I palm my heart and swoon. He hands Roxy off to Justin, the two men shaking hands. Quietly, he joins me and picks up his camera. His hands tremble when he links his fingers through mine.
“Good job,” I whisper.
“Thanks.”
He kisses my temple before we sit back and enjoy Roxy and Justin’s ceremony. She’s playful and romantic. Justin is emotional and serious. But somehow it works. They belong together, and I’m prayerful they’ll have a long and prosperous marriage.
We all stand in a rush of excitement and jubilation as they are officially announced as husband and wife. We clap our hands among shouts and whistles from the crowd. The wedding party follows the newlyweds out of the ballroom while the rest of us are ushered into an adjacent room for cocktails and appetizers while the ceremony room is transformed into the reception space.
Adam and I hold hands, waiting for our turn at the bar. He greets a few folks with quick nods but stays close. I know he’s uneasywith his agent, Dan Combs, somewhere in the crowd. Secretly, I hope the man couldn’t make it.
“Champagne?” Adam asks me.
“Yes, please.”
“Two champagnes,” he says to the bartender, holding up two fingers in a peace sign.
After letting go of my hand, Adam passes a crystal flute of bubbly to me. I look up at him and smile. “To true love.”
“True love,” he repeats.
We clink our glasses. I’m about to sip when Mrs. Dirk interrupts.
