“I’D LIKE TO BEGIN BY thanking you all for being here today,” Carl said, standing proudly with Sally and Colin at the entrance of the newly finished gazebo.
Eli longed to grab Shelby’s hand, thread her fingers through his, but had decided that it would be better to speak with Micah’s father about his feelings for Shelby after the dedication service.
“As you all know, Sally, Colin and I all lost a beloved member of our family nearly nine months ago, our oldest son, Micah. Micah was born and raised in Willow Haven, was christened in Our Lady of the Willows Catholic church, attended school here, played football for the Bobcats and, after college, went on to serve proudly for the United States Army. We love him, we miss him, and wish to honor his memory today by dedicating this beautiful gazebo—” he gestured widely with his hand “—to him, and to all the other veterans our fair town has produced and will continue to encourage.”
A round of applause rang out and Carl waited patiently for it to subside.
“I’d like to personally thank each of you who gave your time and your talents for this endeavor, especially my son, Colin,” he said, wrapping an arm around the boy. “And to a man who isn’t my son by blood, but of the heart, Eli Weston.”
A lump swelled in Eli’s throat and he nodded his thanks at Carl.
“While Sally and I were never blessed with a daughter, we found one in Willow Haven’s own Shelby Monroe. Though she and Micah decided to honor each other truthfully by ending their engagement, to us she was a part of our family and always would be. She designed this lovely structure for our son and for that, we are eternally thankful.”
Eli felt her tremble next to him, watched her swipe a tear away from the corner of her eye.
“So, without further ado,” he said, handing the scissors over to Colin for the ribbon cutting. “To Micah Holland, our son, your friend...a hero.”
Colin’s chest puffed with pride as he turned and snipped through the pretty yellow ribbon, and a collective cry of joy and applause rang out as the local high school band struck up a tune. The group disbursed, loading plates with food that Sally and her army of local cooks had prepared. Yesterday’s rain was gone and the sun shone brightly overhead, lightening the glorious blue sky.
Both Sally and Carl found him and hugged him tight. “We’re so glad that you were here,” Sally told him. “It’s meant more than you’ll ever know.”
It had to him, as well, for different reasons. While Carl and Sally shuffled toward the food line, Eli watched Colin stalk away from the square and head toward the direction of the Catholic church.
He knew exactly where the boy was going.
Eli caught Shelby’s gaze, nodded to Colin’s retreating figure and watched as realization dawned. She gestured significantly to Eli, encouraging him to follow the boy.
Eli purposely hung back for a minute, giving him a good lead, then quietly took off after him. Predictably, he found him at the foot of Micah’s grave, part of the yellow ribbon dangling from his hand. He wiped his face with the back of his hand.
“This sucks, bro. I didn’t want a damned memorial. I want my brother back.”
His throat tight and clogged with emotion, Eli stepped out from behind a tree. “I’d like my friend back, too, Colin, but that’s not the way it works.”
Colin turned on him, eyes hard and wet with unshed tears. “Shut up,” he shouted. “You have no right to call him a friend. I saw you!” he exploded. “I saw you with her! He trusted you!” Colin came at him, fists wailing against Eli’s middle, and Eli let him pound away. “How could you? Bros before hoes, man. I’m thirteen and even I know the code!”
Eli grabbed his arms, forced him back. “Shelby isn’t a whore, Colin. No more letters, you understand?”
He blinked. “You knew it was me?” He jerked away from him. “Did you go to the police?” he asked, his eyes widening in alarm.
“No,” he said. “I didn’t.”
Colin seemed to wilt and shook his head. “I just don’t understand,” he said. “He was your friend. He loved you. And he loved her,” he said, his voice hard.
“That’s right,” Eli said. “And I’m not going to pretend that what you saw between me and Shelby meant nothing, because it did. We all loved each other, Colin, which I know is confusing for you because it’s been confusing for us, as well. But what you have to realize is that Shelby didn’t break things off with Micah because of me. She did it because she knew that she didn’t care for Micah as much as he cared for her. She didn’t want to marry him knowing that the affection was unbalanced between them.”
“She broke his heart.”
Eli hesitated, winced. “She bruised it, but he knew how she really felt, and he loved her enough to let her go, because he cared enough for her that he wanted her to be happy.” He paused. “And if Micah could do that, don’t you think you should be able to?”
He might as well be talking to himself, Eli thought, the truth crashing into him. Micah would have wanted her to be happy and, ultimately, he wouldn’t have given a damn where that happiness came from.
Colin twisted the ribbon around his fingers, then looked up. “Do you really think that’s what he’d want?”
“I know that’s what he wanted,” Carl said from directly behind them.
Startled, both Eli and Colin turned around.
“Because he told me so,” Carl finished. He laid a hand on his son’s shoulder. “Listen, Colin, I know this is difficult to understand—there are things that just simply aren’t going to make sense until you’re older—but Micah told me years ago that if anything ever happened to him, to give his blessing, and mine,” he added significantly, “to Shelby and Eli.” A faint smile tugged at his lips and his gaze lingered on Micah’s headstone. “He said he was too selfish to get out of the way on his own, but if providence intervened, to make sure that they stopped denying each other.” Carl glanced at Eli. “Why do you think Sally and I have been pushing you two together all week, why we insisted that you come here? We’re honoring our son’s wishes,” he said, his voice thick. “And ensuring that the pair of you stay in the family.”
Overwhelmed with emotion, his eyes burning, Eli walked over and wrapped his arms around Carl, who hugged him back just as tightly. “He wanted you to be happy, too,” Carl said. “My son was a good man.”
“He was,” Eli told him. “The best.”
Carl drew back, looked at him, unspoken gratitude in his kind eyes. “Thank you for being there for him,” he said. “What happened in Mosul...” He shook his head. “That was bad business, a load no man should ever have to carry. Pregnant women, dead babies...”
Eli stilled, a question forming. Did he know, then? But how could he know?
Carl slung his arm around Colin’s shoulder. “Come on, son. We’ve got a lot of food to eat.” He glanced at Eli. “And you should probably find Shelby, shouldn’t you? Don’t you have something to ask her?”
* * *
MAVIS STROLLED UP, her fingers threaded with Les Hastings. “Where’s Eli?” she asked, glancing around.
“He’s gone to speak with Colin,” Shelby told her. “My letter writer,” she added significantly.
Mavis’s eyes rounded right along with her lips. “Oh. Oh. Right.”
“I’m sure Eli will sort it out.”
“I’m sure he will, too,” she agreed. “By the way, I’m giving notice.”
Stunned, Shelby felt her jaw drop. “What?”
“Oh, I’m not quitting,” Mavis quickly assured her. “I meant for the apartment. I’m moving out.”
Shelby didn’t understand. “Moving out? Moving where?”
“1230 Windmere Street,” she said.
Windmere Street? But that’s where... She gasped, a smile sliding over her lips. She glanced at Les, who looked more than a little thrilled with the idea. “You’re moving in with Les?”
She nodded, pleased. That was a big step for Mavis, who’d always insisted that cohabitation had nothing to offer other than additional dirty laundry and more food preparation. That her friend was willing to do it for Les meant that she was genuinely smitten with him.
“Yes, I am,” she said. “But not until after we’re married. He’s a gentleman, after all, and is determined that we do things properly.” She frowned thoughtfully. “Though I should probably add that I proposed to him and insisted that I make an honest man out of him.”
“M-married?” Shelby repeated faintly. “Mavis you’re going to give me heart failure,” she admonished, laughing delightedly. “When are you getting married?”
“A week from Sunday. I’ll need a dress. I was hoping you’d—”
Shelby squealed and threw her arms around her. “Of course! Congratulations!” Excited, she hugged Les, as well, startling a chuckle out of him.
“Thank you,” he said.
Mavis’s eyes rounded. “Oh, did you hear the news?”
“There’s more?”
“Yes, Katrina Nolan has decided to leave town. She has a feeling her options will be better in a bigger city.”
Hmm. That was good news. She saw Mavis’s hand at work there and nodded at her, acknowledging her job well done. “I’m sure...someone, somewhere...will be sorry to see her go.”
Mavis glanced past her shoulder and she nodded. “I know someone who’s going to be sorry to see him go.” She leaned in. “A word of advice—don’t let him.” And with that parting comment, the pair of them turned and strolled away.
Anticipation making her nerves jump, Shelby pivoted to find Eli swiftly approaching. “Hey,” he said, smiling down at her. “Is there somewhere we can go talk?”
Shelby nodded. “My shop? I’m technically closed, so we should have some privacy.”
His fingers at the small of her back, Eli followed her across the street to the door. Her hands shaking so hard she could barely insert the key in the lock, she eventually managed to let them in.
“Let’s go back here,” she said. “I’ve got a little break room.”
While she’d always been good at reading him, she couldn’t draw anything from his expression, his tone, and it was making her crazy. She’d seen Carl head toward the cemetery, as well, and knew that Eli had to have spoken to him. And without Carl’s approval...
Shelby would like to think that he would be willing to risk the Hollands’ regard for her, but she just didn’t know. And she wasn’t even certain she could ask it of him, knowing that, like her, he had no other family.
The minute they were through the door, she turned around and looked at him. “Well? What happened? With Colin and with Carl?”
Eli released a breath. “Colin did see us the night of the anniversary party,” he told her. “He was understandably confused and upset and gave me the ‘bros before hoes’ speech.”
Shelby felt her eyebrows wing up her forehead. “What? I—”
His lips quirked and he stepped forward, taking her hand. “He realizes that you’re not a whore and, more importantly, he realizes that Micah loved you so much that he’d want you to be happy, regardless of who you were happy with.” He expelled a pent-up breath, his golden gaze deepening with emotion. “And it turns out...he wanted that person to be me.”
Shelby sank onto the couch, her legs unwilling to support her. “What?”
“He told Carl,” Eli said, sitting beside her. He laid their joined hands on his knee, absently stroked her fingers. “That’s why they’ve been pushing us together this week. Because Micah knew, Shelby—he knew—and he told his dad that he was too selfish to give you up on his own, but if anything ever happened to him, to make sure that we were together, that we had his blessing.” He cleared his throat. “Their blessing.”
Numb with shock, her stomach quivering, Shelby felt her eyes fill with tears. “Micah,” she breathed. “Only Micah.”
He squeezed her hand. “And I’m glad that we’ve got his blessing, that we have the Hollands’, but it wouldn’t have changed anything if we hadn’t.” His gaze tangled with hers. “I love you, Shelby.” He gave a helpless little laugh. “I’ve loved you for years. You’re my It Girl, too.”
Bubbles of happiness fizzed through her, emotion overwhelmed her. “Your it girl, too?” she asked, confused.
Eli grinned. “That what Micah used to call you. He said that once he met you, that was it.” He lifted a shoulder. “I know exactly what he meant, because the same thing happened to me. You smiled and...that was it.”
Shelby rested her head against his. “What are we going to do, Eli? I don’t want you to go.”
“And I don’t want to go, but I have to,” he said, her heart squeezing at his words. “But I’ll be back in three months, when my contract is up, and I want to marry you in that gazebo you designed and I helped build for our friend. Will you do that, Shelby? Can you wait three more months?”
Shelby wrapped her arms around his neck, joy whipping through her, the promise of a future she never imagined she’d have suddenly lying out before her.
“I’d wait three more years if you asked it of me,” she said.
“So that’s a yes. Yes to marriage. Yes, to the gazebo.”
She nodded. “It is,” she breathed against his lips, then sealed the promise with a kiss.