“That’s Mrs. Alexander to you.”
Sophie cleared her throat and addressed her grandmother. “Have you had a chance to meet Edward Drury yet—Grant’s grandfather?”
“Is he the one at the bar, taking down the whiskey shots?”
Sophie winced. Not already. “I should introduce the two of you later. He’s really nice, and Grant thinks the two of you might hit it off.”
“His cornbread’s not baked in the middle if he thinks I need a man in my life at this point.” She found Aiden over the rim of her glasses. “Don’t you have a plane to jump out of or something?”
“Granny . . .” Sophie took the woman’s elbow. “Why don’t you help me round everyone up? We’re running behind schedule.”
As Sophie strolled back inside the restaurant, she felt Aiden’s eyes on her back. Her face flushed with heat. Her legs felt like wobbly stilts. She thought she’d been prepared for this.
She would survive this weekend. She just had to get through dinner and the rehearsal tonight, then the wedding and reception tomorrow. Two days. Then she could count on him to leave—because leaving was what Aiden Maddox did best.
* * *
Aiden watched Sophie’s retreat, his gaze lingering on her tall, slender form. She still had that regal look about her—square shoulders, elegant ballerina neck, grace in motion. Her sleek and shiny brown hair wasn’t waist-length anymore, though it flowed well past her shoulders. It would no doubt still feel soft as butter if he ran his fingers through it. Not that she’d give him the chance.
He looked away. Okay, so he was still attracted to her. Not a surprise, really. But he hadn’t expected her to be standoffish. Not that he thought they’d be best of friends or anything, but he expected to have congenial, perhaps even wistful, conversations. He sure hadn’t realized her hard feelings had survived all these years.
Not that he didn’t have some remorse about leaving—he couldn’t regret a business that had become so successful. But he had grieved the loss of their relationship.
Within moments of Sophie’s departure, the party began trickling outside. A celebratory vibe stirred in the air as they took their seats. Sophie was too far away for conversation. He couldn’t even see her from here—but that had probably been the plan.
Once everyone was seated Mr. Foster welcomed them, then offered a poignant blessing. Afterward they tucked into their salads while Aiden made conversation with the bridesmaid and groomsman seated across from him. All the while thoughts of Sophie lingered in the back of his mind.
Soon the waitstaff swooped away empty salad plates, replacing them with entrées. He barely noticed the savory smell of his steak as Sophie’s laughter carried to his ears. He’d always loved her laugh, unrestrained and melodic. Infectious. He looked her way, wondering what had provoked it, but Grant still blocked his view.
Aiden stabbed a piece of steak. What had gotten into him tonight? Ever since his eyes fastened on hers across the restaurant, an ache clawed in his chest. He’d thought about her a lot over the years, of course. She was his first love. He sometimes missed the quiet conversations on her porch swing, missed her generous heart and dedication to whatever she set her mind to. And he missed teasing her about all of it. He’d never known anyone so darn dependable, much less a teenager. But then, she’d had to be those things.
As if on cue her dad stepped out onto the deck. Although Craig Lawson’s impeccable suit and neatly combed auburn hair indicated he cared about his daughter’s big event, his late arrival suggested otherwise.
“Daddy, you’re here.” Beaming, Jenna stood and embraced her father.
Beside Aiden, Seth stiffened, scowling at his dad before taking a drink. What was this? Had there been a fallout between father and son?
Sophie gave her dad a hug and invited him to take a seat beside her. But her posture was stiff, her smile tight. Had something happened in the aftermath of Rose’s death? Sometimes great loss brought a family closer together, and other times it tore them apart.
Grant must know what had gone awry with the Lawsons. But when he’d started dating Jenna a year and a half ago, Aiden had given him strict orders to keep all news of Sophie and her family to himself. He’d loved her so much. He didn’t want to keep looking back and missing her. Best to just keep moving forward—or so he told himself.
“It seems like the weather’s supposed to hold out through tomorrow,” one of the groomsmen said.
Aiden was glad for the distraction. “They’re calling for sunny skies on your big day, Grant.”
“It’s not supposed to start raining until Sunday.”
“That’ll give everyone plenty of time to get back home,” Seth said.
A tropical storm was headed this way. It had caused some stress over the past week as they watched it develop in the Caribbean waters and swing northward.
Except for Aiden and one of Grant’s college buddies, everyone had driven from Raleigh and would return after the reception Saturday night. Aiden had a late flight back to Charleston.
Empty plates were removed one at a time as conversation carried on at the table. The sun sank quietly in the sky, the twinkle lights glimmering off the harbor.
Mr. Foster rose, holding his glass aloft. “I’d like to toast my son and his soon-to-be wife.” He went on to say kind things about the happy couple, throwing in a couple jokes along the way. Then with watery eyes he wound things down. “Grant, I know you’ll treat your bride with all the love and kindness she deserves. Jenna . . . Welcome to the family, sweetheart.”
“Hear, hear!”
As the group quieted once again, Jenna’s dad stood and cleared his throat. “I don’t know if I can even talk after that.”
The group chuckled, but Seth stiffened beside him again. Aiden didn’t think he was imagining the mounting tension in the room.
“Hard to believe my baby girl’s about to tie the knot.” Craig turned to address the bride-to-be. “Jenna, you bring joy to everyone who knows you. And it seems you’ve found a young man who makes you happy. I wish you many years of joy together.”
“Hear, hear!”
Amidst the din Seth raised his glass. “To dear old Dad . . . May these two lovebirds end up a lot better off than—”
Sophie shot to her feet. “To Jenna and Grant . . . the happy couple we’re celebrating tonight. Um, I know the words of King Solomon sum up the way my sister feels. ‘I found him whom my soul loveth.’ I’m so happy for you both. To a long and happy union.”
There was another round of clinking glasses as servers set out slices of cheesecake, and the group went back to their respective conversations.
Aiden cast a glance down the table. How many crises would Sophie end up averting before this weekend was over?
chapter two
Might as well get this over with.
Sophie kissed Pippa’s furry brown head and set her down in the master bedroom of the Fosters’ beach cottage. While the rescue Yorkie was nothing but a sweetheart for Sophie, she was distrustful of strangers, something Sophie assumed was left over from her early days. Jenna had begged for the dog for her eighteenth birthday, but the responsibilities of dog ownership had soon fallen upon Sophie. Jenna hadn’t seemed to mind when Pippa chose Sophie as her master.