Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

Ryan drove through the pouring rain, his wipers swishing back and forth across the windshield faster than a jigsaw blade. Not a single street lamp illuminated the sidewalks around the marina. Nary a traffic light blinked along Officiant Circle. With only his headlights to guide him, he crept along, despite a nearly overwhelming need to put as much distance as possible between himself and the woman who'd betrayed him.

How could she? More than anyone, Evelyn knew how much holding Brianna and Daniel's ceremony at Harbor View meant to him. How much it meant to his future. Yet she hadn't even hesitated when Curtis suggested they move the wedding.

As he drove past the Captain's Cottage, lights glowed from all the windows. Powered, no doubt, by the mansion's very own backup generator. His grip on the steering wheel tightened. When he got right down to it, this was all his fault. He should've taken Norman's advice, should've had the electrician install a generator even if he'd had to max out his credit card.

Doing so would've saved him a world of hurt.

Because hurt was all he felt right now. His stomach twisted into knots every time he thought of Evelyn's betrayal. Ice ran through his veins when he considered what it might mean to him financially. Worst of all, his heart had splintered into a million pieces when he'd realized she didn't love him like he loved her. Because she couldn't, not and stab him in the back like she'd done.

The rain had slowed by the time he reached a parking area above Heart's Landing. Pulling into the empty lot, he shut the wipers off and peered through the windshield. The fast-moving storm had travelled well offshore. Lightning arced on the distant horizon, so far away, the rumble of thunder had faded completely. He exited into a light drizzle, pulled his collar higher on his neck, and climbed onto the bike path.

A five-minute walk took him to the rock wall overlooking the cove. Propping his arms on the wet rocks, he stared down at the rough sea. The tide was in. Water surged against the cliffs that sheltered the spot where Captain Thaddeus had once anchored the Mary S . His thoughts churned along with the waves.

He had no choice. He had to accept that Evelyn had never changed. By turning her back on him when he'd needed her support the most, she'd proven she was still the self-centered, demanding diva he'd known in high school. Going along with Curtis's idea to move the wedding to the Captain's Cottage made it abundantly clear she'd go to any lengths to come out on top.

No, wait. That wasn't right.

A particularly rough wave struck the rocks below with enough force to send up a spray that doused him in salt water.

Evelyn cared for those around her. Rumor had it she'd bought I Do Cakes' entire stock of salted caramel cupcakes earlier this week as a surprise gift for her staff, her way of thanking them for all they'd done. And that wasn't all. She cared for the people around her. She'd come home from New York without a moment's hesitation after her uncle had taken sick. More recently, she'd called in the cavalry when Brianna had a meltdown the day she'd chosen her wedding dress. He and Evelyn had both heard the news about the bride's aunt, but Evelyn had been the one who'd insisted they rush to the young woman's side. When he doubted himself, she encouraged him. He might never have healed the breach with his parents without her support.

Those weren't the actions of a selfish, egotistical diva. They were the actions of someone who put others first. Someone who sacrificed her own hopes and dreams for the good of Heart's Landing.

His shoulders slumped. He blinked salt spray out of his eyes and forced himself to start over, take a fresh look at things.

When Brianna and Daniel had chosen Harbor View over the Captain's Cottage, Evelyn had been hurt and surprised. Who wouldn't be? But she'd been quick to do what was best for Heart's Landing. As a result, she'd worked side by side with him into the wee hours and all day today in order to get Harbor View in tip-top shape for its first-ever wedding.

Going along with Curtis's plan to move the ceremony to the Captain's Cottage was more of the same. All of Heart's Landing would've suffered if they'd canceled or postponed Brianna and Daniel's wedding. Evelyn must have seen the move as the best option for Mildred Morrey, for Bev and Vi Gorman, for Greg Thomas and a hundred more who'd invested so much in Wedding-in-a-Week. She had to have known the change of venues might destroy any chance they had of happiness together. But she'd agreed to do it … for the good of Heart's Landing.

Only a strong, savvy, completely unselfish person could see all that was at stake and make the decision she'd made. And how had he responded? He'd blamed her. Had accused her of using the circumstances to her own benefit. His stomach twisted.

He'd been such a fool.

Just a few days ago, he'd told Evelyn his shoulders were broad enough to carry the load if Brianna and Daniel chose the Captain's Cottage. He'd meant it at the time. But when push came to shove, he'd failed. Now, he needed to prove there was more to him than the petty side he'd shown at Harbor View.

But he wouldn't lie to himself. He'd ruined things between him and Evelyn. He'd seen her tears. He knew he'd hurt her. He'd thrown away the one thing that mattered most—her love.

Could he win her back?

He shook his head. He might be the best restoration specialist in the state, but he couldn't undo this damage. The words he'd spoken in the heat of the moment had burned like acid. He might never earn or deserve Evelyn's forgiveness. That wouldn't stop him from spending the rest of his life trying to atone. He'd start right now. For the sake of Heart's Landing, he'd help salvage Brianna and Daniel's wedding … wherever it took place. He hurried to his pickup.

Minutes later, he turned off one darkened street onto the equally dark side street that led to the marina. He hit the brakes. The truck rolled to a stop. His hands on the steering wheel, he stared at the spot where he'd expected to see the dim outline of the old Boat Works. Instead, light glowed from the windows of Harbor View. Unable to believe his eyes, he rubbed them and stared again. The one bright spot in the darkened night shone like a beacon. How was that possible? He put the engine in gear and rolled forward. His heart, which he'd been sure was broken beyond repair, beat slowly.

Only a few vehicles sat in Harbor View's parking lot. Flickering lights from a dozen lanterns illuminated a path that led straight to the main door. He pulled into an empty spot and headed for the entrance. His rain-soaked jeans made swishing noises with every step. He drew a ragged breath, grabbed the doorknob, and stepped inside .

In the lobby, a cluster of lanterns surrounded the Farley skiff, which overflowed with wedding favors. Flameless candles shed light on the guest book that stood open on a small podium outside the barn doors. From there, his gaze followed a white carpet lined with floral arrangements and lanterns. The runner led to the wedding arch. There, flickering tapers stood in tall candelabra. With the soft glow of lantern and candlelight reflecting off the tall glass windows, the effect was stunning and far more romantic than he'd ever dreamed possible.

He gulped. What? Who?

In an instant, he knew. Evelyn. It had to be. She was the only person who'd dare stand up to Curtis or Regina. The only one who could've saved Brianna and Daniel's wedding. Apparently, she'd done exactly that while he'd been off throwing a pity party for one.

Noise in the lobby wrenched his gaze from the scene. Muted laughter and masculine voices drifted from the groom's dressing area. A soft cough came from somewhere close. Movement drew his eyes to a table where postcards had been arranged like a seating chart. Wearing a purplish dress, Alicia sat at the table. Otherwise, there was no one in sight.

Water dripping from his clothes onto the welcome mat, he eyed Alicia. "Evelyn did all this?" he asked simply.

"Sure did. She put out a call for lanterns and electric candles. Dozens of people responded. It was like a fire brigade there for a while—Daniel's young friends meeting the cars and bringing the items inside, everyone else placing them all over the building. You should've been here."

That last bit punched him in the gut. "You're right. I should've been."

Accusation filled the wedding planner's dark eyes. "You hurt her." The harsh whisper echoed through the nearly empty lobby. "You need to fix things."

Ryan gulped. If Alicia only knew how much he wanted to do exactly that. He gave his head a mournful shake. He had to face facts. He didn't deserve a second chance. "She'll never forgive me."

"You won't know until you try."

"Right again." He glanced toward the bride's dressing area. "Is she in there?"

Alicia's head tilted in the opposite direction. "Last I saw, she was headed for the kitchen." When he moved toward the barn doors, the older woman's voice softened. "Um, Ryan, you might want to clean yourself up a bit first. "

"I'm batting a thousand tonight, aren't I." He ran a hand over the T-shirt that rain had plastered to his chest. His shoes squished soggily on the carpet. "If you see her before I do, tell her I'm looking for her, okay?"

"I will. But you don't have a lot of time. Guests will start to arrive any minute."

He nodded, reversed direction, and hurried down the back hall to his office. Earlier, he'd hung his wedding attire on a hook behind the door. In his private bath, he traded soggy clothes for a navy suit and a crisp white shirt. Ryan glanced in the mirror and quirked one eye at his reflection. Satisfied that he looked as presentable as possible for a man who had broken the heart of the woman he loved, he went to search for her.

He had a lot of explaining to do.

And after that? After that, he'd dedicate the rest of his life to redeeming himself in the eyes of the woman he'd loved and lost.

Evelyn slipped into the kitchen. She'd been hoping to find a quiet space where she could regroup, but the kitchen was not it. The final prep for the meal service was underway, and the crew was operating at full tilt. Pots rattled. Knives flashed. Cooks and assistants talked constantly. Requests for more carrots, added salt, directions to stir this or taste that created a low buzz liberally peppered with, "Yes, Chef." Janet must've spotted her, for the busy chef appeared at her elbow.

"You look like you're at the end of your rope."

She managed a tremulous smile. Thanks to the generosity and quick response of the citizens of Heart's Landing, preparations in the ballroom were complete. Daniel and his groomsmen were tidying themselves up after dashing into the pouring rain to meet what had to have been a hundred vehicles bearing the finest of Heart's Landing, who'd loaded every lantern and electric candle they could find into cars and trucks and delivered them to Harbor View. Alicia had stationed herself in the lobby. She'd direct arriving guests and family—friends of the bride to the left, of the groom to the right. Jenny was helping Brianna while Curtis shot photos of the bride in her gown.

Which had finally given Evelyn a moment all to herself. But the second she'd let her guard down, tears had threatened.

"Come with me." The whispered order carried no farther than her ears .

A hand at her elbow propelled her through the kitchen and out the back door. Here, the roofline had been extended to protect a small porch from the elements. She sucked in a breath of air that smelled of freshly washed earth, salt spray, and the crisp smell that lingered after a lightning strike.

"Stay here as long as you need. I'll fend off any wolves who come looking for you."

Evelyn gave the chef a grateful smile. "Not wolves so much as eager puppies. So many questions." She'd answered more of them in the past hour than she had in the last year.

"Where do you want this lantern?"

"Do you want candles on every table?"

"Where are the extra batteries?"

"Where do you keep the mops?"

"The umbrellas?"

"Thanks, I—"

"Been there. Done that. Take a breath. Recharge."

If only it were that simple. Tonight, she'd saved a wedding. In the process, she'd lost the only man she'd ever loved.

The first had opened a world of new possibilities. All week, the sense that change was on the horizon had built within her. With Ryan's help and encouragement, she'd discovered she had a bigger purpose than keeping the books and tracking the supplies at the Captain's Cottage. Thanks to him, she'd learned how it felt to be actively involved in giving brides their perfect day. She wanted more of that.

She'd hoped that, somehow, she and Ryan would be partners in that effort. But after seeing the disappointment and pain in his eyes when he'd looked at her earlier, she knew that would never happen.

Which hurt more than she'd ever thought possible, because she'd fallen in love with the tall, blond carpenter. He made her heart sing in a way no starring role in any play ever had. He filled her with hope and dreams of a better day, a future filled with happiness and love. Only she'd destroyed any hope of that ever happening when she'd chosen to put the Captain's Cottage first. She pressed one hand over the missing pieces of her heart.

For one long moment, while Curtis had ranted about moving the wedding to the Captain's Cottage, she'd wavered. She'd only agreed with the man for a second. It'd been long enough to ruin everything. She'd broken Ryan's trust by once again letting her mouth get ahead of her head. She'd come to her senses mere seconds later, but by then it was too late. Ryan was already gone. For the past two hours, she'd done her best to rectify her mistake. Not that it mattered. He'd never look at her the same again. The words she'd spoken in haste had seen to that.

How was she going to live without him?

She couldn't, not in Heart's Landing. Not where they'd constantly see each other on the streets, or attend the same weddings, or sit next to one another at town hall meetings. Losing Ryan left her with no choice. She'd have to leave. She'd have to move to a different city, a different town, where she'd never see him again. Where she wouldn't have to watch him meet someone new or fall in love with a woman who wasn't her. And she'd need to do it soon, while her heart was still so broken over losing the one man she ever loved that she'd hardly notice she'd left behind her home, her town, her friends, and family.

The door leading to the kitchen creaked open. Chef Hubbard stuck her head out. "There's someone here to see you."

"I—I'm not ready to see anyone just yet." She blotted her eyes.

"I tried to explain that, but he's quite insistent. I can't hold him off any longer."

"Evelyn, we need to talk." Ryan's head appeared over Janet's shoulder .

At the words known for introducing the big breakup scene in every romance novel she'd ever read, she took a ragged breath. He was right. They probably should talk and get it over with. Once they got everything out in the open, they could move on with their lives, start to heal. As if . She stifled a laugh. Recovering from this breakup was never going to happen. "It's okay, Janet. Let him by." She braced herself.

Ryan barely waited for the chef to step aside before he shouldered his way through the door. She swallowed hard. She'd always thought he looked good in jeans and a T-shirt. Dressed in a suit with his hair slicked back, he was practically irresistible. But resist she must. Though every fiber of her being fought against it, she motioned for him to keep his distance.

Much to her sorrow, he did as she asked.

"I thought you'd moved Brianna and Daniel's wedding to the Captain's Cottage." He spoke in clipped tones, his voice strained. "Didn't Curtis insist on it? Or did I hear wrong?"

"I …" Afraid anything she said would only make things worse—if that was even possible—she simply nodded. "That was the plan."

"What happened? When I left, you were all set to follow Curtis's lead."

There it was, the hard part. Yes, she'd rallied the town to come to Ryan's aid, but that hadn't been her first thought. Her temples throbbed while she searched for the words that would end things between them.

"I'm not proud of that," she said at last. "For a minute there, I was only thinking of myself. Of what it'd mean for me if we held the wedding at the Captain's Cottage. But then I realized it wasn't what Brianna and Daniel wanted. They've had their hearts set on a waterfront wedding from the moment they stepped foot in Harbor View." She stopped. "By the time my brain caught up with my mouth, I'd already said I'd go along with Curtis's plan. I know that hurt you. I know you can never forgive me, but I want you to know I didn't mean it. I'm sorry." A tear rolled down her cheek. She brushed it away.

In the shadows, she saw Ryan shrug. His voice softened. "I won't lie to you. That did hurt, but you weren't the only one who made mistakes tonight. We both did. I should never have left the way I did. I rushed back to help, to beg you to forgive me—"

She stared at him, her eyes widening. "You were going to help move the wedding to the Captain's Cottage?" She wished she'd known.

He nodded. "Curtis was right. With no power, no electricity, moving was the only option. But then you did all this." He gestured toward the kitchen and the ballroom beyond.

She twisted her fingers together. "I had a lot of help. I could never have done it all on my own. Practically everyone in Heart's Landing pitched in."

"It takes a village."

"Yeah, a village."

"There's one more thing." Ryan stepped closer. "I said some things I didn't mean. Words I'll regret to my dying day. I want you to know how sorry I am. I know I don't deserve it, but I'm asking you to forgive me."

She batted the air with one hand. "You don't owe me an apology. More than practically anyone, I know what it feels like to say something and a minute later wish you hadn't."

"Hear me out, okay?" He closed the gap between them. "It's just that, well, when you went along with Curtis's plan, I was so concerned about losing Harbor View that I didn't see I was losing the one thing that meant the most. The one thing I couldn't afford to lose."

Her breath stuttered. Was he about to say what she thought he might? She crossed her fingers and slipped her hand behind her back. Tilting her face up to his, she whispered, "What was that? "

"You."

This was sounding less and less like the breakup and more like the beginning of something she hardly dared to believe. She threw caution to the wind. "I don't want to lose you, either."

He reached for her free hand. "I love you, Evelyn. You've always had a special place all your own in my heart."

Air slipped slowly over her lips. She managed to draw in enough to repeat his declaration back to him. "I love you, Ryan. It's always been you. From the time we raced through the halls of the Captain's Cottage and slid down the banister, there's only been you."

His eyes met hers then, and she gazed into their deep blue pools. In them, she saw the depth of his love and knew he loved her as much as she loved him. They closed the short distance between them. Ryan's hands around her waist felt like coming home. His lips on hers tasted sweeter than the richest chocolate, spicier than the hottest peppers. She drank in the scent that was his alone and knew she'd never tire of it.

They sprang apart when the back door to the kitchen opened. Chef Hubbard stuck her head out. "Oh!" she exclaimed, her eyes darting between them. "You two? "

"Yes, but hush. We're not telling anyone until after Brianna and Daniel's wedding." Evelyn grinned while Ryan slipped one arm around her waist.

Janet studied first Ryan and then her. "Good luck with that. The way you're both glowing, everyone in town will figure it out before the bride walks down the aisle."

"You're probably right about that." Evelyn laughed through happy tears.

"Speaking of which, it's about that time." Janet pointed to her watch.

"We'll be right there, Chef," Ryan assured her. He waited until the door shut before he turned to Evelyn. "I don't want this moment to end. I wish we could stay here forever."

"Me, too." She glanced at the water. Light from the windows danced on the ripples. Harbor View had never looked so lovely. "This really is the perfect place for a wedding."

She sighed, content at last.

The string quartet played Handel's Air while Evelyn started down the carpeted aisle to take her place beside the floral arch. She scanned the rows of chairs on either side. Friends and neighbors in their Sunday best filled every seat. She'd heard their murmurs of approval, had watched doubtful expressions change to ones of delight as the first guests arrived. She'd known then that all of Ryan's hard work, all his efforts, had been worthwhile. Harbor View was a hit. She'd be surprised if he didn't find a dozen messages from prospective brides on his answering machine Monday morning.

There'd been a time, not so long ago, when that thought had filled her with trepidation, but no longer. Heart's Landing staked its reputation on providing the perfect wedding for every bride. Not every one of them dreamed of getting married at the Captain's Cottage. Some wanted a waterfront wedding. Ryan had been right about that. As he'd been right about so many things. Their love for one another among them.

Up front, Jenny smiled out at the crowd. Opposite her, gold buttons gleaming against the blues of their dress uniforms, Daniel and his attendants stood at attention. The groom stared over Evelyn's shoulder, waiting for his first glimpse of his bride. As Evelyn hit her mark and turned, the musicians reached the end of their piece. An expectant hush fell over the crowd. The bass player struck a note, and the violinists played the opening bars of the Wedding March . Chairs creaked and clothing swished as two hundred guests surged to their feet, their eyes focused on the back of the room.

Ryan slid the barn doors wide, and there she stood. Radiant in a white gown made of matted Makoto silk, her hair a mass of ringlets anchored by a wispy veil, her mother's pearls around her neck, Brianna beamed. One hand rested lightly on Alicia's arm. The other held a cascade of burgundy dahlias and purple irises. White bows on the shoes she'd chosen at A Glass Slipper peeked out from beneath her hem.

Evelyn wiped a sudden dampness from her eyes. Who would've thought she and Ryan would fall in love while they'd helped create a perfect wedding for this Wedding-in-a-Week couple? Would they have a perfect wedding of their own one day? Watching Brianna walk down the aisle, she could hardly wait to see what the future held in store.