Vick shoved the Jeep into park and jumped out of the driver’s seat, adrenaline pumping through his body.
He’d already planned to show up tonight to fight for a second chance, but the moment he read Lucy’s message, his tentative hope skyrocketed far beyond his wildest expectations.
It had been a simple note, on a simple slip of paper.
A quote from their favorite book.
“Never say goodbye because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting.”
His entire body ached to hold her, to kiss her again, to assure her he wouldn’t be going anywhere. And he didn’t care if the whole town witnessed it.
Earnest anticipation spurred each step as he passed beneath the wisteria-covered pergola on the side of the inn, heading toward the music and festive commotion.
Stopping at the perimeter of the party, he searched the collage of faces.
People laughed and mingled over fancy hors d’oeuvres, all clad in creative, elaborate costumes.
Sparkling string lights and dazzling candlelit chandeliers illuminated the expansive backyard, which had a dance floor on one side and long banquet tables arranged on the other. Books and flowers were used as decorations in equal measure, and although Vick wasn’t one for pomp and circumstance, even he was impressed.
He continued searching the crowd, his pulse keeping time with the upbeat melody of the live band, until his gaze finally locked on Lucy.
Mid-inhale, his lungs stopped working.
Dressed in a blue satiny dress that enhanced the color of her eyes, she stole the show as Wendy Moira Angela Darling—the perfect match to his Peter Pan.
For a beat, all he could do was stare and soak up her beauty.
She chatted with a guest from the inn—Jayla, if he remembered correctly.
Eager to capture her attention, he strode toward them, stopping short when a man appeared by her side.
A man he’d never seen before… dressed as Peter Pan.
The stranger handed her a glass of champagne, and Vick flinched when their fingers grazed.
He waited for the intruder to walk away, wanting to write off the exchange as a fluke. But the man didn’t budge. Even worse, he stood much closer to Lucy than necessary.
She smiled, inviting the man into their conversation.
His gut twisting, Vick backed away, ducking around the side of the house. Hidden from view, he gathered a stabilizing breath, bracing himself against the brick exterior as he tried to register what he’d seen.
Had she come with someone else? And if so, what about the note she’d left? Had he completely misunderstood the meaning?
Confused and conflicted, he paced in the darkness, sorting through his agitated thoughts.
A few days ago, he might have read the situation as a sign to retreat.
But now, after countless hours of wrestling with his emotions, coming to grips with his past, giving up wasn’t an option.
He needed to tell Lucy how he felt and face whatever humiliation and heartache might follow.
He stepped out of the shadows, colliding with another man’s chest.
The man grunted an apology, and Vick met Rhett’s panicked gaze.
“Sorry. I didn’t see you.” Sweat beaded Rhett’s forehead as he tossed a frantic glance over his shoulder.
Vick followed his gaze and spotted a petite brunette in the crowd dressed in plain clothes.
Momentarily distracted from his own plight, he asked, “What’s going on?”
Without a response, Rhett ducked down the side of the building, and Vick followed, alarm bells ringing in his head.
Something wasn’t right.
“Who is that woman? The one you keep avoiding.” He closely observed Rhett’s expression in the dim light.
“I didn’t think she’d be here tonight.” His motions were twitchy and agitated.
“Who? Your ex?” Vick hazarded a guess.
Was Rhett being hounded for alimony payments or child support? He didn’t seem like the kind of guy to shirk his responsibilities.
Rhett ran his fingers through his sandy hair, misery etched into every fine line and wrinkle. “I don’t know how much time I have left, so I’d better just tell you.”
“Tell me what?” Vick pressed, not liking Rhett’s tone or choice in phrasing. What did he mean by how much time he had left?
“She’s not an ex,” Rhett confessed with a labored sigh. “She’s my parole officer.”
In the midst of their small talk, Lucy searched the crowd, looking for Vick.
Why wasn’t he here yet? Dinner would be starting soon, then dancing. She didn’t want to miss a single moment of tonight with him.
Kat, with the help of the planning committee, had transformed the entire backyard into a book-lover’s utopia, complete with a six-tier cake designed to resemble spiral bookcases. And the literary-inspired fare didn’t stop there. Guests could also sip Butterbeer from Harry Potter while nibbling on Caraway Seed Cake from Jane Eyre, among many other edible, bookish delights.
But Lucy didn’t want to touch a single crumb until Vick arrived.
She cast a sideways glance at Brennan Hollingsworth—her mother’s favorite bachelor and object of her relentless matchmaking attempts—who’d just said something to make Jayla laugh.
She still couldn’t believe her mother had done this to her. Or could she? Elaine Gardener wasn’t above chicanery. Brennan admitted Elaine had called him and suggested he make a surprise appearance. Of course, her mother knew her favorite fictional character, so his costume was purposefully chosen to win her favor.
Sneaky, to say the least.
Luckily, Brennan seemed to be hitting it off with Jayla, so once Vick arrived, she wouldn’t be responsible for keeping him company. Based on their easy chemistry, she didn’t think Jayla would mind stepping in. So far, the two had a remarkable amount in common.
“So, Jayla, what do you do?” Brennan asked.
“I’m an American Sign Language instructor and interpreter.”
“She works primarily with women and children in shelters where the need is often unmet,” Lucy added, knowing Jayla was too modest to mention that part on her own.
Brennan made a motion with his hands, and Jayla smiled.
“Was that sign language?” Lucy asked, admittedly surprised.
Jayla nodded. “He said he was impressed.”
Lucy couldn’t help noticing that Jayla looked rather impressed herself.
“My roommate in college lost his hearing as a child,” Brennan explained. “So I picked up some sign language to better communicate with him. I also learned a lot about what life is like for the deaf and hard of hearing. Sadly, in a lot of ways, he was overlooked or ignored.”
“That’s why I love what I do,” Jayla said with infectious passion. “So many people don’t have a voice. And if I can help with that in some small way, I consider myself blessed.” Something in her expression shifted as she added, “But it isn’t always easy. Sometimes, it feels like fighting an uphill battle. Our country has come a long way, but, in my opinion, there still isn’t enough awareness. And it’s hard to get the word out.”
“That’s true.” Brennan gave a sober nod and shared an experience with his roommate that opened his eyes to some of the issues.
While they bonded, Lucy listened, intently at first, but she increasingly found it hard to concentrate. Time continued to pass, but Vick still hadn’t shown.
Why wasn’t he here yet?
She refused to believe he simply wasn’t coming. There had to be another explanation, a reason for the delay.
For the hundredth time, she stole a glance at her phone, but no new calls or texts had come through.
Should she call him?
She pulled up his number, debating her next move, then set her phone facedown on the bistro table.
No need to panic. He’d show. She was certain.
“Excuse me?” A petite brunette in a black blazer approached. “Have you been taking photos of the event all night?”
“Off and on, yes.”
“May I take a look at them?”
She didn’t offer an explanation, but Lucy was too preoccupied to question her. Careful not to catch her hair in the strap, she slipped the camera from around her neck and placed it in the woman’s outstretched hand.
“Are you looking for something in particular?” Lucy didn’t recognize the woman and couldn’t figure out which literary character she was supposed to be.
“I’m looking for someone I thought would be here tonight.”
You and me both, she muttered internally. “Who are you looking for? Maybe I’ve seen them.”
The woman didn’t respond, her attention focused on the LCD monitor as she scrolled through the recent photos. “Aha! I knew it.” Mission accomplished, she handed the camera back to Lucy. “Thanks for your time.” Without another word, she headed toward the inn.
Strange.
Lucy glanced at the candid photograph on the small, rectangular screen.
It was a snapshot of her brother talking to Rhett Douglas.