She grabbed a roll from the basket and then, because carbs were so comforting, another.
She didn’t have to ask before Doug slid her the butter dish, and she furiously added pad after pad to her roll, because what did it matter if she put on a pound or two or ten? No men loved her, and all the good ones were taken.
And for the second weekend in a row, she was sitting next to her nemesis, because no matter what she did, she just couldn’t seem to be able to shake him.
Doug watched as Gabby polished off one sourdough roll, then another, and then, after checking the breadbasket and noticing it was nearly empty, he caught her eye.
“Go on,” he encouraged.
“Thanks,” she muttered, helping herself to the last of it.
He considered himself to be an astute observer of human behavior, though perhaps he had overestimated his skill set. Considering that he was just as thrown by Lisa cutting off their engagement as he was baffled by Gabby’s funk right now, he might still have a lot of learning to do.
Curious, he finished his first course and waited until the main course had been served before turning to Gabby. “I don’t think frowns are good luck at a wedding.”
It was meant to be banter, but she didn’t even bother to argue. He took a sip of his wine, realizing that something must seriously be wrong.
“Is this because of that guy?” he asked in a low enough voice that he knew they couldn’t be overheard. The conversation was lively, and voices were rising as drinks were flowing.
“This guy, that guy, all guys.” Gabby narrowed her eyes as she tore into the last roll with her teeth. She chewed angrily and then picked up her fork, making short work of the potatoes.
He watched in amusement as she ate her way through the plate, finishing it clean before he was barely halfway done with his fish.
“Well, I think you’re giving this guy far too much credit, if you ask me,” he said, glancing at her sidelong. When she didn’t argue he pointed out, “I mean, yeah, so he’s tall and has dark hair and money and saves kids’ lives. If you’re into that kind of thing.”
Now he got a smile out of her, wan though it may be, and he grinned in return, happy to see a glimmer of the old Gabby returning and realizing that he had missed the spark in her that seemed to have gone away, however briefly.
“Sometimes it wears on me,” she said. “Going to these weddings, helping to plan the flowers, making every other woman’s day special. Is it too much to ask for a special day like that for me?”
“Oh, all my clients once had their day,” Doug replied. “Remember that. They’re probably more miserable than you are right now; in fact, for most of them, I’m sure of it. Besides, I’d like to think that it’s better to be alone than with the wrong person.”
Her eyes rounded as she stared at him, half a bread roll still lodged in her cheek, puffing it out in the most strangely attractive way. The Gabby he knew back in school never had a hair out of place. She was perfect, unreachable, and unflappable.
Or was she?
Gabby finished chewing and chased it down with a long sip of wine. “That’s exactly what I tell everyone. I’m not just going to settle for the heck of it.”
Ah, now they were getting somewhere. He nodded, because he agreed and because he was curious to sit back for once and let her do all the talking. There was no debate here, no argument to contend with, just two single people, sitting together, at yet another wedding.
“I mean, take my cousin for example. Maddie.” Gabby gave him a knowing look, and he was surprised that she would even refer back to their afternoon at the bakery. She’d left in such a huff that he assumed it would be the last she’d speak to him.
Until he poked her, that was.
“She agrees with Brooke. And all the rest of them.” She sat back while their plates were cleared and eyed the raucous across the tent. “Oh, good, the cake is being cut. I’m starving.”
He raised an eyebrow. He was quite full himself.
“And what do Maddie and Brooke say?” he wanted to know.
“Oh.” She waved a dismissive hand through the air. “A lot of things. Basically, that I’ll never find everything I’m looking for.”
“And what is that you want? Husband? Kids? White fence? Maybe a dog?”
“Doesn’t everyone?” she sighed. She caught herself and gave him a sharp look. “Oh, that’s right. Not everyone. Not you.”
He opened his mouth to disagree, because that’s what he did, especially when it kept her attention, but tonight he could not disagree with her words.
The problem was, he couldn’t agree with them either. Sitting here, beside Gabby, at a wedding, where his parents were two tables over, holding hands, his mother laughing at something his father whispered in her ear, made him realize that he did want everything that Gabby had just listed.
He just didn’t believe that he could have it.
His gaze drifted to the bride and groom now posing in front of their four-tiered cake, and he listened as their nearest and dearest gave them a heartfelt toast. He clapped along, not allowing himself to wonder what his brother or parents might have said at his wedding. He’d never really gotten that far, and maybe that was a problem.
He frowned as he sipped his wine, watching Gabby devour the icing on the cake that was set before her.
“So, you really want all this? A big, white wedding?”
“Doesn’t everyone?” She paused and shook her head. “Never mind. I forgot who I was talking to. I know, you’re probably going to say that this is all just a fantasy, an overly expensive party with flowers that will just be dead tomorrow. That marriage isn’t about
