“She wasn’t exactly pleasant when Rick called looking for you.”
“That’s Elise for you. She only cares about what serves her best. I couldn’t see it when we were together. Now I know better.”
Epilogue
April stared into his eyes. “Are we good now? No more upsets or secrets that need to be cleared up?”
“Actually, there is one.” He hated to ask but David couldn’t help himself. “Pierce.”
April blushed and his stomach dropped. The perfectly set table, the lovely dinner he’d prepared for her. Hopefully along with his earlier apologies, this question wouldn’t derail things.
“Oh, that.”
“Yes that.” He gritted his teeth for what was to come.
“It’s not what you think. I promise. We’re friends and I like him.” She wrapped her fingers around the wine glass and glanced across the table at him, a smile on her lips that had him worried about what she was going to say. “You have to admit the guy’s a genius. There’s no one like him.”
“Luckily.” He was being uncharitable but David couldn’t help it. He reached across the table for her hand.
“That’s so mean. How could you, David?” She brushed his hand aside. “You have no idea what a treasure you have under your nose. In Seattle, his work sells for thousands. People clamor to get an original just like the ones in my shop.”
“I don’t believe it. If it was Monet, perhaps, but it’s not. It’s some weird guy painting bright colors on dead things.”
“Picasso, Monet – they used bright colors just like Pierce. Not so different after all, is he?” She heaved out a sigh. “And that weird guy just happens to be the father of your best friend.”
His lips twitched. “But that cow skull only has one good horn.”
“We’re all scarred in some way whether we want to admit it or not. Why shouldn’t art be the same? Who says it has to be perfect? You need to learn to see the world in all its imperfect glory. Everything isn’t black and white or straight lines. Didn’t they teach you that in med school?”
“Maybe.”
“Like I expect our relationship to be, David. Because we’re so different we’ll each bring something new to each other. We can learn something we didn’t know before. Nothing in life is a given, you know. Things are fluid and can change whether we like it or not. I fully expect there to be more bumps along the way. Life isn’t perfect and you need to understand that.” She tugged on a curl and he wanted to reach out and touch it himself. Feel the softness of her hair. “Heck, even I know I have to work on myself. I leap in, give advice too readily when I should just shut up and listen. There’ll be days you wish I would be quiet. I’ll just have to learn as we go. But I’ll have you to remind me.”
“But what about Pierce? I’m still not convinced he isn’t after you. I mean,” he had the sense to feel bashful. “Look at that heart hanging thing he gave you. If that doesn’t scream lovey-dovey to you, I don’t know what does.”
“I hate to break it to you, sweetheart, but the reason he gave me that piece is because I made him realize that life is for the living, not the dead. I’m pretty sure your mother has said something similar to you lately.” She stared at him, smiled at the confusion in his eyes, and then chortled with laughter when the penny dropped. His mother?
“No. No way. Mom isn’t dating Pierce, surely. Is she? Did you know all about this?”
“Yes, I did. Sorry it wasn’t my place to tell you. But you have to admit, your mom has been looking pretty happy lately, hasn’t she?”
“Yes, but…”
“It’s not about you, David. It’s about what your mother wants and she seems to be very happy with Pierce. You can’t deny her a second chance at love just because you find him a little strange.”
“A little? He’s a lot strange.” A shudder rolled over his shoulders and she burst out laughing.
“No, he’s just different from you. The world would be a very sad place if everyone was the same.” She reached over the table, grabbed his tie, and pulled him close. “Now, how about we forget all about your mother and her beau and concentrate on you and me? I think we have some time to make up for. What do you say?”
A devilish gleam came into her eyes.
Now she was talking. “How right you are. As much as I hate to admit it, you do talk a lot more sense than you think you do.” His lips touched hers and everything else was forgotten.
The End
Wedding Surprise
Ann B. Harrison
Prologue
“I don’t know if I can go back, Rake.”
“Sweetheart, you can do anything you put your mind to. I know you and how far you’ve come. But it still digs at you that you’ve never made peace with the family and I blame myself for that. I kept you away from them because I was stubborn and don’t forgive easily.” He took her hand in his and ran his thumb over her knuckles. “You shouldn’t have had to suffer for that.”
“It wasn’t your fault.”
“It wasn’t yours either. When Ethan tried to mend the bridges between us, I should’ve said yes then. He would’ve gotten to know his son and things would be good between the two of you but I was stupid. He isn’t my father, not by a long shot.”
“You weren’t the only one who made the decisions, Rake. I had a hand in that too, remember?”
“I know. Still, I loved my brother but he was always the good son, the one who never caused Dad sleepless nights. Not like me.” He closed his eyes, a bitter smile playing on his pale lips. “We’ve burned bridges that now need to be rebuilt,
