“When it clicks, it clicks.” He looked at her, feeling a pull rise up that was stronger than anything he could push aside. It was the feeling, deep inside, the one that had nothing to do with ration or reason or facts or the promise he’d made to himself, either. It was bigger than that, irrefutable, even if it couldn’t be proven or factored in as evidence. It was reckless, the kind of emotion that led people to make the wrong choices, to end up in his office years or months later, tearful and disappointed, broken or angry.
Only right now, he didn’t feel any of those things. And all those little warnings that told him to stand up, walk away, call it a night and go home, were replaced with something deeper and stronger, and so much better.
His eyes locked with hers, and he could feel his breathing slow as his heart started to pound. She was so close, and so beautiful, and it would be so easy to lean forward and kiss her right now. It was what he wanted. It was also, he supposed, what he feared. Following this feeling, daring to believe that it wouldn’t lead him astray. That he too could be one of the lucky ones.
A burst of applause erupted from the tent, pulling Gabby’s attention from his. She turned, looking at the commotion, and said, “They’re going to toss the bouquet.”
He looked at her, seeing the hope that filled her eyes when she looked back at him, and he knew that he couldn’t even find it in himself to tease her for this, even though once it would have been so easy.
“Go on then. Maybe you’ll catch it.”
She waggled her eyebrows and set down her cake. He watched from the bench as she hurried up the grass to the small fountain near the tent where the women were gathered, the bride holding the bouquet high in the air, and he found himself hoping that Gabby would be the one to catch the bouquet, and not just because it would make her happy.
He’d seen that hope in her eyes, the belief that love would find a way into her life, and a part of him couldn’t help but want to find that for himself, too.
Chapter Eleven
Gabby sat in one of the blush-colored velvet chairs in the center of Brooke’s shop, covering her mouth with her hand while Candy silently flipped through the bridal lookbook, “just in case she missed something.”
She didn’t dare look up and catch her sister’s eye. Every time she did, Brooke’s wide-eyed stare made her nearly burst out laughing, and more than once Gabby had needed to excuse herself to the bathroom.
The wedding was now only three days away, meaning that there was no more time for any changes. Today was meant to be the final fitting.
“Everything is just so beautiful.” Candy sighed and finally closed the book.
Brooke wasted no time in bending forward and taking it from the table. She disappeared without a word into her back room, hugging it close to her chest. Candy sipped her tea and looked over to the dressing rooms, where the four daughters of Uncle Dennis were changing into their bridesmaid dresses.
“I’m sorry I didn’t get here in time to see you in your gown, Candy,” Gabby said. A last-minute sympathy order had kept her at the shop longer than she’d planned. “But I guess it won’t be long now before I see you walk down the aisle in it.”
“Oh, enough about me.” Candy leaned in closer. “Who was that handsome man that was in your shop last week?”
Gabby knew this was coming, and she’d prepared for it, only now, she wondered if Candy would see through the lack of conviction in her protest.
“What handsome man?” Britt asked, coming out of the dressing room. She was in a carnation-pink chiffon dress that flowed from the waist and stopped just below the knee. It was simple and elegant and captured Brooke’s design style, which had been honed when she worked for a major designer in New York.
Gabby was just a little surprised that Candy hadn’t managed to convince Brooke to go for something a little more…noticeable.
“Ah, this fits perfectly,” Brooke said now, looking much more relaxed as she emerged from the back room, without her lookbook. She pinched at the fabric near Britt’s waist and had her turn in front of the three-way mirror. “Lovely, isn’t it, Candy?”
Her tone left no room for argument. Gabby pressed her lips closed to ward off a smile. She didn’t dare meet her cousin’s eye. The other three girls seemed to be hiding in their dressing rooms, letting Britt, as the eldest, deal with Candy’s final opinion.
Final was a very vague word in Candy’s vocabulary.
“It’s very pretty. I do remember loving the big, ruffled collar—”
“We discussed that, though, Candy, remember?” Brooke gave her a polite smile, but Gabby was able to detect the tension in her jaw. “You don’t want anyone to outshine the bride!”
This seemed to perk Candy up and she nodded eagerly. “No, we wouldn’t want that.” She let out a sigh and then gave a quick nod of consent. “It’s perfect.”
“Good, now that that’s settled, who is this handsome man Candy is referring to?” Britt raised an eyebrow in question as her sisters emerged from the dressing room in identical gowns looking both relieved and eager to be part of the conversation as it was unfolding.
Brooke snapped a look of curiosity in Gabby’s direction before turning her attention to Cora, who was directed to stand in front of the mirror while Brooke pinned her hem.
“Doug Monroe is back in town,” Gabby explained to the girls, even though Maddie was fully aware, and Candy had probably told Amelia all about him in the kitchen of the café. “He’s an old friend,” she insisted to Candy, even though she wasn’t exactly sure that was true. Friends didn’t try to kiss each other, and that’s
