The chairs were filled, Greg’s father, mother and sister sitting up front. Angus took his place near the altar to one side of where Greg stood. Reverend Halpern, who’d presided over almost all the Base Camp weddings, took his place nearby.
The men and women of Base Camp arranged themselves in the first few rows. Behind them sat other people from Chance Creek they’d gotten to know over the past year.
Angus kept his hands by his sides, his fingers unclenched, although he wished he could lash out at something. Greg was marrying the woman he loved. That was proof things could turn out all right, wasn’t it? Maybe he, too, would heal in time and be able to love someone new. Maybe this Leslie woman would turn out to be someone special.
He wasn’t going to love her, though. He already knew that.
The music changed. Angus nudged Greg. “Last chance to make a run for it,” he joked, but he knew Greg didn’t want to run. Angus was the one who wanted to bolt down the aisle and out the door.
Avery appeared in a deep blue gown, her hair piled on top of her head with tiny white flowers tucked into it. Eve Olsen followed in a matching outfit. Angus forced himself to hold still, and when Renata stepped into the room, he softened a little. No matter what his sorrows were, the world still held love and happiness, and he should honor that.
Would honor that, despite what was in his heart tonight.
The women made their way down the aisle. Martin Fulsom, the billionaire funding Base Camp, walked alongside Renata. He gave her away with a quick nod to Greg.
Greg took Renata’s hand, and they turned to face the reverend.
“Dearly Beloved,” Halpern began, “we are gathered here today…”
“Thanks for the ride—and the dress,” Win told Alice Reed as they stood on the front steps of the manor. Despite the cool night air and the imposing building’s closed windows, strains of music were audible from inside. Greg and Renata’s wedding reception was in full swing. Win was sorry to have missed the ceremony, but she hadn’t wanted to disrupt it. She’d planned to wait until the reception was over to return to Base Camp, but Alice, who’d put her up late last night when Win appeared without notice at Two Willows, had urged her to jump right into the fray and had driven home after the ceremony to pick up Win and take her to the reception. “This way everyone will learn at the same time that you’re back,” she said.
“Of course,” Alice said now. “You look wonderful in that gown. Angus will be so pleased to see you’re back.”
Win wished she was as sure about that as Alice sounded. Now that she was here, she’d begun to imagine all the things that could go wrong. Angus must be angry with her—
“Come on. Let’s get this over with.” Alice opened the door and stepped inside, tugging Win along with her into the manor’s front hall. It was crowded, and more than one person gasped as they noticed who had entered.
“It’s Win.”
“Win’s back.”
Whispers rocketed through the room, and by the time they managed to find a place to store their coats, she was sure people in the ballroom had heard the news.
“You can do this,” Alice whispered.
Win squared her shoulders. Time to face the music. For the first time in months she stopped sucking in her stomach and trying to hide her pregnancy. Alice had chosen a gown that called attention to her belly rather than minimized it.
“You look beautiful,” Alice assured her again. “Come on.” She put an arm around Win’s shoulders and guided her through the onlookers into the ballroom. In one area a band played and couples danced. Tables were spaced around the room. Someone was serving drinks from a bar.
Win scanned the crowd.
“There,” Alice said and pointed. Angus was standing with Avery and Walker near the dessert table, a plate of cheesecake in his hands. Win noticed that Walker had his gaze pinned on Avery, but Avery kept her attention carefully elsewhere. Win’s heart went out to her; she’d had her feelings hurt badly recently if the show was anything to go by. Win had told herself every week not to watch Base Camp, but every week she did. She knew enough to feel she could read between the lines, even of the episodes Clem Bailey had directed. Avery’s eyes were hollow. Walker looked like he’d been left out in the cold with the bison herd he and Avery tended. Win hoped they managed to patch things up soon.
Avery was the first to spot Win. She stiffened and said something to Angus, who turned around.
A wash of ice-cold fear rushed through Win as he met her gaze. She held her breath. Would he say hello or walk away?
No secrets, she reminded herself. She turned a little to make it easier to notice her belly. Smoothed a hand over the small curve of it. Looked him in the eye and nodded. Yes, she was pregnant. Yes, the baby was his.
She would never know who moved first, but a moment later, she was pushing through the crowd, unable to wait a second longer to hear his voice—feel his touch. Cameramen pressed around them, jostling to get footage of their reunion, but she didn’t care.
“Angus.” Could he hear all she meant to say in that one word?
“Win?”
“I’m sorry.” That was all she could manage before tears clogged her throat and blurred her vision.
It didn’t matter.
Because Angus pulled her into his arms and kissed her for all he was worth.
Chapter Five
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Angus didn’t know when he stopped kissing Win, how they got down to the tiny house he was due to move into in about forty days or how he managed to
