“What does Shari want?” Olivia countered. “That’s what matters here.”
“She wants a wedding,” Brian said. “The kind of wedding she’s dreamed of since she was a little girl. She wants all her friends and family there, and she wants this designer gown, and...”
“Traditionally, the bride’s family pays,” she said.
“That’s old-fashioned. I don’t want to be the guy who’s forever beholden to her parents. It’s a bad start.”
“Okay,” Olivia said. “But there’s a difference between what we dream of and what’s realistic. I’m sure she knows that.”
“She doesn’t know how much you and I owe that hospital, so...”
He hadn’t told her... Her stomach sank.
“Then tell her,” Olivia said, lowering her voice. “Even if the Whites help us reduce it, you have to tell her about it. Don’t start out with secrets. Besides, there’s a baby on the way. You don’t have the time to rethink whether she’s the one.”
“Yeah, well, I have a feeling she’ll be a bit disappointed when she finds out that the big wedding isn’t a possibility,” he replied, but his gaze softened. “Not really the way I want her to feel. Do you actually think Mia’s parents will help us out?”
She could feel the hope in the air, softening Brian’s stony attitude. Hope made all the difference, especially if her brother was about to be a father. Her little brother...
“They’ve promised they would,” Olivia replied. “Brian, I’ve been praying and praying about that debt. I really think this is an answer to that prayer. They want to know their granddaughters, and they’re willing to help us if I can help them. I know you got the short end of the stick, but if we could get rid of this debt, then I’ll help you get that business loan.” She smiled hopefully.
“Yeah?” Brian asked hesitantly.
“Yeah. That’s a promise.” Olivia looked over to see Shari standing a few yards off, watching them. “She’s waiting for you.”
Brian’s gaze followed hers toward his girlfriend. “I want to give my kid more than we had. If Dad hadn’t left—”
“You aren’t leaving your child,” Olivia said firmly. “Your baby will already have more than we did, because he or she will have both parents. This baby is good news, Brian. Really good news. I’m happy for you.”
“Okay, well...when do you take care of your side of things?” Brian asked. “When do you talk to Sawyer about it?”
“When he remembers enough,” she replied. “I can’t rush that. It wouldn’t be right to pressure him when he’s at his most vulnerable. As soon as he remembers the situation, I can tell him that they want to make up. But until then...”
“Yeah, I get it,” Brian agreed. “Keep me posted.”
“You’d better pick up my calls then,” she retorted.
Brian didn’t answer that, but he did give her a small smile. Then he headed toward Shari and caught her hand in his. It was a start—and if the Whites could make good on their promise, Brian would get his chance to pursue his goals. She’d make sure of it. She wouldn’t be the only one to get the life she’d dreamed of.
It didn’t take Sawyer and Olivia too long to get the toddlers into their car seats. The little girls were in a good mood. Lloyd stood off to the side talking to a remarkably beautiful young woman next to his truck, and he didn’t look like he was in much of a hurry to leave. The woman was tall, slim, with dark hair...and she leaned in when Lloyd spoke to her. Sawyer glanced over at Olivia sitting next to him. She looked sober, a little pale, too. Was she okay?
The toddlers were babbling to each other in their car seats, and Bella let out a shriek of annoyance. He looked back at them.
“What?” he asked. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting—an answer? Not really—but Bella squirmed in her seat and wailed again. Olivia turned around to look, too.
“Oh—” Olivia stretched and picked up a fallen sippy cup and handed it to Bella, who popped it into her mouth and started to drink.
“Thanks.” Sawyer shot her a smile, then looked toward Lloyd, who was still standing outside of his truck chatting. “Lloyd doesn’t look like he’s in any hurry. We could leave without him.”
“Or we could see who he’s flirting with. I don’t know her—and she doesn’t look local. She looks...city.” Olivia chuckled.
“I think she’s the one who’s flirting,” Sawyer countered. But a woman like that—she wouldn’t be interested in an old rancher Lloyd’s age, would she?
“So, how did it go with your brother?” Sawyer asked, glancing toward her.
“Good,” Olivia said. “I think so, at least.”
“You talked for a bit,” he said.
“We did.” She leaned back in the seat. “It’s still pretty tense, but he’s my brother. Nothing is going to change that, and I like to think that he might need a little more of me now.”
“Why’s that?” he asked.
She eyed him for a moment. “Can you keep a secret?”
“Could I before?” he asked jokingly.
“Like a vault,” she replied with a chuckle.
“Then I probably can,” he replied. “What’s going on?”
“My brother’s girlfriend is pregnant.”
“Pregnant!” Sawyer raised his eyebrows. “Wow. So...is this good news?”
“Yes,” she said with a decisive nod. “I mean, obviously, it wasn’t the order he’d wanted to do things, but a baby is always good news. And Shari really seems nice. He’s smitten.”
“Great. So, what’s next for him, then?”
“A wedding, I hope,” she replied. “At least that’s what I’m encouraging him to do. But it’s a bit complicated. He doesn’t have a lot of extra money, and she’s got her heart set on a dream wedding. There isn’t a lot of time to save up. Her parents might offer to cover it but he doesn’t want to
