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Charles holds Adam on his hip and pushes his pram towards us, all while apologising.
“So sorry, but Casterley is booked solid, unless you can wait until the end of next week?”
Casterley must be another wedding venue. That isn’t what holds my attention. This bride-to-be walking into Finn’s open arms does, and I’m not sure we’re all meant to hear what she adds as they embrace, but sound carries in this valley, and yeah, I’m the big softy who can’t help melting the minute she murmurs, “But I couldn’t wait, could I? Had to fly out to propose. You saying yes was the best day of my life. Us gettingmarried tomorrow will be even better. We can’t leave it over a week.”
Finn nods, and turns to tell us, “Our families need to fly home.”
Her eyes shining make me think what she says next is a lie. “I’ll be happy even if we don’t have a party. Or flowers.” She touches her hair. “Or the full hair and makeup package. I only wish I hadn’t tried on my veil for the practice run-through.”
I’m still being watched by dark eyes, or maybe I’m the one doing all the staring because I get to see a smile light them as soon as she says, “I lost it in the woods.”
I don’t know why that stranger winking at me again makes me stutter like Rowan does whenever he catches me in a damp towel after showering. Like him, I struggle to get my words out.
“I-I found it.”
I pull that veil from my pocket and get honest.
“But it wasn’t me who untangled it from the brambles for you. It was him.” I nod towards a man with much more nimble fingers than my thick ones, and his smile makes it all the way to his mouth.
“We made a good team…” He hesitates before adding, “Hayden?”
I haven’t been part of a team in forever. I still nod and accept the handshake he offers, unable to feel his grip while my hand tingles, and he must notice that tremor. A slight frown flickers. “Lewis Raeburn,” he tells me. “Rae to my friends.”
Here is something else I haven’t been in forever—the last time I got to feel a hero was after getting scouted. Today, I get a second shot with Lewis Raeburn watching.
“Listen, Finn? Willow?”
They face me.
“You wanted a sea view for your wedding party?”
They nod.
“And you’ll need accommodation for you and all of your guests?”
They nod again, and here I go, trying to make a save.
“No promises, but I might know a place with both where you could hold your celebration.”
So what if I missed my first shot.
I do have friends who own a wedding venue.
3
RAE
If my sister were here to boss me around, she’d hustle me away from this three-act drama that I nosily can’t stop watching.
“Rude, Rae,” Mia would say. “Stop minding other people’s business before they mind it for you.”
That was the first rule of flying under the radar where we grew up. Staring at people spelled trouble—attracted attention—and not the good kind, like from that big guy by the chapel who keeps flashing glances my way.
“Stop staring,” she’d warn me. “You’ll only get distracted, or worse.”
Mia would be right about that outcome, which is why I’m here for a second shot at drawing a happy ending.For her.And I might get to do it, if I can complete the illustrations for a children’s book that an agent says is almost but not quite finished. Only here’s the thing about me—I’m the world’s best at starting projects.
Completing them?
