“There’s something I have to show you.”

Alison handed Brady the envelope and said, “This might come as a shock.”

Brady frowned and opened the envelope, his hands shaking as he pulled out the marriage certificate—their marriage certificate. Then he removed the next set of papers and his eyes met hers.

“They’re our annulment papers,” Alison said in a low voice. “My grandmother sent them to me in my hope chest.”

“But they haven’t been processed. What’s going on?”

“Apparently Dad asked Grammy Rose to file them and she…forgot.”

It took just a second for him to realize the implications. “Then…we’re…”

“That’s right, Brady. We’re still married.”

Dear Reader,

Heartwarming, emotional, compelling…these are all words that describe Harlequin American Romance. Check out this month’s stellar selection of love stories, which are sure to delight you.

First, Debbi Rawlins delivers the exciting conclusion of Harlequin American Romance’s continuity series, TEXAS SHEIKHS. In His Royal Prize, sparks fly immediately between dashing sheikh Sharif and Desert Rose ranch hand Olivia Smith. However, Sharif never expected their romantic tryst to be plastered all over the tabloids—or that the only way to salvage their reputations would be to make Olivia his royal bride.

Bestselling author Muriel Jensen pens another spectacular story in her WHO’S THE DADDY? miniseries with Daddy To Be Determined, in which a single gal’s ticking biological clock leads her to convince a single dad that he’s the perfect man to father her baby. In Have Husband, Need Honeymoon, the third book in Rita Herron’s THE HARTWELL HOPE CHESTS miniseries, Alison Hartwell thought her youthful marriage to an air force pilot had been annulled, but surprise! Now a forced reunion with her “husband” has her wondering if a second honeymoon couldn’t give them a second chance at forever. And Harlequin American Romance’s promotion THE WAY WE MET…AND MARRIED continues with The Best Blind Date in Texas. Don’t miss this wonderful romance from Victoria Chancellor.

It’s a great lineup, and we hope you enjoy them all!

Wishing you happy reading,

Melissa Jeglinski

Associate Senior Editor

Harlequin American Romance

Have Husband, Need Honeymoon
Rita Herron

www.millsandboon.co.uk

To Melissa Endlich—

Thanks for helping me give life to this one.

I hope it’s the first of many more books we do together!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rita Herron is a teacher, workshop leader and storyteller who loves reading, writing and sharing stories with people of all ages. She has published two nonfiction books for adults on working and playing with children, and has won the Golden Heart award for a young adult story. Rita believes that books taught her to dream, and she loves nothing better than sharing that magic with others. She lives with her “dream” husband and three children, two cats and a dog in Norcross, Georgia.

LETTER FROM GRANDMOTHER

My sweet, darling Alison,

You’ve always been a special granddaughter to me because you are the last link to our past, the last link to our future. Endings are usually sad, but you taught us that endings can also be a joy.

You readily accepted the broken toys, the hand-me-down clothes, the hectic life and schedule of a single father. You were always sensitive to others, the peacemaker between your sisters during their turbulent years, always the one to hold the family together. You have the rare gift of knowing when to listen as well as talk, and you touch everything in life with wisdom and kindness. When we tried to baby you, you fought for independence and won. But even when your hair turns gray like mine and your children grow taller than you, you will still be my baby.

I hope you learn to speak your mind, to sometimes rock the boat without worrying about what others might think. I wish for you happiness, true love and a man that will be your equal and bring you all the joy a partner can.

Love you always,

Grammy Rose

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Epilogue

Chapter One

“Thomas asked me to marry him.”

Still glowing from their own recent weddings, Mimi and Hannah, Alison Hartwell’s two older sisters, exchanged odd looks.

Alison had expected them to jump up and down and start making plans right away, so their lack of exuberance surprised her, especially since they were sitting in the middle of her bridal shop, Weddings to Remember. Every time they gathered here, they talked about weddings. Hannah’s wedding to Jake Tippins, a sexy cop who’d almost arrested their father. Mimi’s wedding to Hannah’s ex-fiancé, Seth Broadhurst. The fact that Hannah had fixed Alison up with the handsome obstetrician gynecologist the minute he’d driven into town. The fact that Alison had caught the bouquet at Mimi’s wedding. The hope chests their grandmother Rose had sent them that had seemingly been a catalyst for choosing their mates—and for the craziness in their lives.

“That’s great,” levelheaded Hannah finally said. “Thomas is a wonderful doctor.”

Mimi, folded hands across the bulging mound of her pregnant belly, kicked off her shoes to reveal swollen ankles. “Yeah, he has a good sense of humor.”

Hannah straightened the stack of bridal magazines on the round table between them. “And all his women patients love him.” She frowned. “I don’t mean they’re in love with him, I—”

“I know what you mean,” Alison said.

“He is an OB-GYN.” Mimi wrinkled her nose. “Let’s hope his women patients love him. After all, he doesn’t have men patients.”

Mimi laughed at her own joke, and Alison and Hannah both shook their heads.

“Come to think of it,” Mimi continued, “marrying a gynecologist would be kind of weird. Do you think he ever gets tired of—”

“I’m sure he gets tired of that question,” Hannah said, cutting her off.

Mimi giggled mischievously and grabbed Alison’s hand, checking her third finger. “No ring, huh? What is he, cheap or something?”

Hannah frowned at Mimi. “So what did you tell him, Ali?”

Alison picked up a piece of baby’s breath and brought it to her nose, inhaling the sweet scent. She loved all the smells in her shop—the lilac-scented spray she used to lighten the air, the fresh flowers in the entryway, the potpourri in the crystal dish beside the display of bridal books. “I haven’t given him an answer yet.”

Hannah’s blond eyebrows rose. “But you’re considering his proposal?”

“I told him I needed time to think about it.”

Mimi nodded, her rosy lips pursed. “Not sure he’s the one?”

“Mimi!” Hannah chided.

“Well, he’s rushing it, isn’t he? You two have only been dating a couple of months,” Mimi said.

“This coming from you?” Alison asked dryly. “The woman who went from thinking Seth was boring to a torrid affair in a matter of hours?”

They both glanced at Mimi’s belly. Mimi grinned, a wicked glint in her eyes. “Okay, well, sometimes being in a hurry isn’t so bad.”

Hannah stood, shaking her head at Mimi. “Sorry, girls, I have to get back to the clinic.”

“And I have to meet Seth at the coffee shop. He’s bringing a group over for role playing in the Book Nook section.” Mimi struggled to pull her bulky weight up from the chair, accepting Hannah’s outstretched hand with a sigh. “I guess I could play a whale or an elephant if they need one.”

Alison chuckled. “Don’t be silly, you look great.”

“Yeah, you’re the prettiest whale we know,” Hannah said, patting Mimi’s back.

Mimi rolled her eyes and smiled. “Just wait, payback will be fun, sis.”

“Hannah, are you—”

“No,” Hannah said softly, a sheepish look on her face. “But someday. We’re having too much fun together right now.”

They all laughed, and Alison pointed to a large box in the corner. “I’d better get busy, too. I need to unpack that shipment before Vivica drops by to discuss her wedding.”

“Oh, by the way, how’s her brother, Brady?” Hannah asked. “He was in the Air Force, right?”

“Yeah.”

“You used to have a thing for him, didn’t you?” Mimi asked.

“That was a long time ago,” Alison said.

“Is he coming for Vivica’s wedding?” Hannah asked.

Alison shrugged. “I don’t know.”

Hannah’s beeper zinged and she checked the number. “Now I really have to go.” She tucked a strand of Alison’s hair behind her ear, her big sister role firmly in place. “Take your time thinking about the proposal, sis. I like Thomas a lot, but don’t let him push you into something you’re not ready for.”

“Yeah, he’s got to be the one that lights your fire and keeps it burning all night long,” Mimi added.

Would Thomas do that? Alison wondered. So far, she hadn’t felt that animal magnetism. When Hannah had first described him, she’d expected him to knock her socks off with sex appeal, but instead he’d sort of tickled her socked toes with his nice friendly smile. Still, their friendship would make for a good stable marriage, she rationalized. And she was ready to settle down.

Instantly Brady Broussard’s face rose in her mind. Her body automatically tingled, bittersweet memories assaulting her. The dates in high school. The prom. The night they’d secretly gotten married. Brady had certainly made her burn all night, like dancing the mambo instead of a waltz. And in spite of the immediate annulment her father had insisted upon, Brady had kept the embers hot for three years with his romantic letters and promises to return. But the fourth year he’d suddenly stopped writing, and it had been like cold water dousing the fire. He’d broken her heart so badly she’d thought she’d never recover.

Hannah smiled slyly. “This is one time I agree with Mimi. Friendship’s nice, but the sparks are important, too.”

“You two are so mushy about those husbands of yours it’s unbelievable.”

Alison hugged them both and tried to banish thoughts of Brady from her mind. Maybe Thomas would help her forget him. So what if fireworks didn’t explode when he kissed her? The pain wouldn’t be so bad if things didn’t work out. She’d only been thinking about Brady because she was coordinating his sister’s wedding. Not because she was still in love with the man.

No, Thomas was a great guy—fun, easygoing. And he and Vivica’s fiancé were best friends, so the four of them could double date.

“You don’t want to tell him yes, then run from the altar like Hannah did.” Mimi dragged Hannah toward the door. “Of course, I wouldn’t have a husband right now if Hannah hadn’t jilted Seth.” The girls laughed again and Alison waved them off.

A few minutes later, Alison stared at the contents of the crate, a mixture of awe and apprehension engulfing her. When she’d caught the bouquet at Mimi’s wedding, she’d whispered to her grandmother, telling her about Thomas’s proposal.

Now her hope chest had arrived.

Her Grammy Rose was probably already pruning the flowers around the gazebo for the wedding, and Alison hadn’t even accepted Thomas’s proposal!

She ran her hand over the hope chest, her heart fluttering. It was a beautiful, gold-embossed chest with intricate hearts carved on the outside, similar but slightly different in design from Hannah’s and Mimi’s. When Hannah and Mimi had received their chests, their lives had spun topsy-turvy out of control.

Alison’s fingers trembled as she unfastened the latch.

Would her life do the same?

BRADY BROUSSARD SETTLED into his assigned seat on Flight 1213, rubbed his throbbing leg and tried to straighten it in front of him in the narrow space, then punched his sister’s number on his cell phone while he waited for the other passengers to board. Vivica’s phone rang twice, then she answered in her normally cheerful voice.

“Vivica here.”

“Hey, sis, it’s me.”

“Brady! How are you feeling? Where are you? Are you on your way?”

“Whoa, slow down.” He chuckled, feeling his throat thicken with emotion. Thank God for Vivica; he hadn’t realized how much he needed her until now. And not just for the physical therapy she’d promised to help him with. “I’m okay. I made the flight to Washington. I’ll spend the night there, then fly home tomorrow.”

“Super! You’ll be here in time for the parade!”

Oh, hell. He’d been gone from Sugar Hill so long he’d forgotten about the big Fourth of July festivities. He didn’t want to disappoint Vivica, but he didn’t intend on joining the activities. Sugar Hill always celebrated with a parade, crafts for the kids, pony rides and fireworks.

Fireworks reminded him of Alison Hartwell and that incredibly erotic night by the lake. The last time he’d seen her. The one night she’d spent with him as his wife. No, he wasn’t up for a parade and a trip down memory lane. He was a different man now. “I’m not sure I’ll make it in time, sis.”

“Oh, Brady, please try—”

“Look, Vivi, I’m coming home to recuperate, not to socialize.” His hand automatically went to his pocket, where he still kept two of Alison’s letters.

She was the only woman he’d ever loved or wanted.

But he wasn’t the same man he’d been when he’d left Sugar Hill years ago. He never would be again.

“No, Brady, you look. All your old friends will want to see you. You haven’t been back since you joined the Air Force, and that’s been almost four years.”

“I know.” After his father’s death, he’d hated coming home. And Alison had been away at school anyway. He wouldn’t be back now if he hadn’t been injured in a recent crash and been forced to take a medical leave to recover from the wounds. But his best friend had died right next to him. He wasn’t sure he’d ever recover.

Because he was partly at fault.

“Just promise me you won’t tell Mom I’m coming. I don’t want her making a big deal out of my arrival. We’re going to focus on your wedding.”

“All right, all right. As a matter of fact, I’m on my way to see the wedding coordinator now. I’m so glad you’ll be here to run interference between me and Mom.”

“How is she?”

“Being her usual self.” Vivica sighed. “She means well, but I want a simple wedding and I’m afraid she’ll let things get out of hand.”

Their mother could be pushy. After their father’s funeral, she’d pressured Brady to take over his father’s print shop, not join the Air Force. But he’d refused because he’d been gung ho to be a fighter pilot like his dad had been in his early years.

Now Brady didn’t know what he was going to do with his life.

Vivica was chattering away about her wedding plans, something about whether or not to invite their great-aunt Bernadette, who had a penchant for pick-pocketing, and he tried to focus. He was glad Vivica had found happiness.

“I can’t wait to meet this guy,” Brady said. “He’d better be good to you. I’d hate to have to beat him up. I learned some pretty good moves in training.” Only he was too out of shape to use them.

Vivica laughed and assured him he’d like Joe. Then Brady hung up. He had to get some sleep. He just prayed that this time when he fell asleep, the nightmares of the accident wouldn’t return to haunt him.

ALISON SLOWLY UNFASTENED the latch to the hope chest and peeked inside. A pale gold envelope sat on top of mounds of gold tissue. She pulled out the stationery and smiled at her grandmother’s loopy handwriting.

My sweet, darling Alison,

You’ve always been a special granddaughter to me because you are the last link to our past, the last link to our future. Endings are usually sad, but you taught us that endings can also be a joy.

You readily accepted the broken toys, the hand-me-down clothes, the hectic life and schedule of a single father. You were always sensitive to others, the peacemaker between your sisters during their turbulent years, always the one to hold the family together. You have the rare gift of knowing when to listen as well as talk, and you touch everything in life with wisdom and kindness. When we tried to baby you, you fought for independence and won. But even when your hair turns gray like mine and your children grow taller than you, you will still be my baby.

I hope you learn to speak your mind, to sometimes rock the boat without worrying about what others might think. I wish for you happiness, true love and a man who will be your equal and bring you all the joy a partner can.

Love you always,

Grammy Rose

Alison wiped a tear from the corner of her eye and removed the top layer of tissue paper, her breath catching at the sight of her grandmother’s bridal veil. She recognized it from Grammy Rose’s wedding pictures; the narrow tiara with ivory porcelain roses and pearl-and-rhinestone accents gave way to yards and yards of sheer white netting that would cascade down the bride’s back in exquisite, billowing folds. Excited, Alison pulled away more tissue and discovered a new pair of white satin gloves, beaded with pearls and rhinestones almost identical to the ones on the veil. A lacy blue garter lay beside it. Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.

Digging deeper, she uncovered an envelope and an eight-by-ten, ivory porcelain picture frame with wedding bells etched on the side. Then she flipped the frame over and gasped. A picture of her and Brady stared back at her—the photo of the two of them the night they’d gotten married.

The memory of that crazy wonderful night and the three months before flashed back in painful clarity.

On prom night, they’d been hot in love, hadn’t been able to keep their hands off each other. One thing led to another and they’d given in to their passion and made love out by the lake. Their feelings had escalated over the summer. Brady had promised he’d love her forever, and had begged her to marry him. In a frenzy of emotions, mostly desperation that they would soon be parting, they’d sneaked away and gotten a marriage license. The night before he was to leave for the Air Force, they’d woken up a local preacher and had married at midnight in the little chapel by the lake.

Alison shivered as she remembered how wonderful it had been to lie in Brady’s arms all night long. But her father had discovered them at dawn and insisted on annulling the hasty marriage. He and Brady had had a major fight, but Alison had finally given in to her father’s demand, although the incident had caused a rift between them for months. Brady had kissed her and promised her the paper didn’t make a difference, that he would forever be married to her in his heart.

And he had been for the first three years he was in the service. Then he’d suddenly stopped writing. She’d tried to contact him, to find out what was wrong, had sent him dozens of letters a week, but he never replied. Finally, when he started sending her letters back unopened, Alison had given up and forced herself to accept the fact that Brady’s love for her had died, that he’d probably found someone else.

She swallowed back emotions as she ran a finger over the outline of his bad-boy face. Dammit. Why did just the sight of his chiseled features, that thick, jet-black hair, his wide jaw, that nose that had been broken in a teenage fight—why did that face still cause her insides to purr with desire?

And why had Grammy Rose included the photo in Alison’s hope chest, especially now, when another man had proposed to her?

Maybe the photo was to remind her of her spontaneous marriage, the veil a hint to marry in a traditional ceremony this time. Expecting a note of explanation inside the envelope, she hurriedly opened it, but she sucked in a sharp breath when she saw the contents—her marriage certificate and the annulment papers that had ended her marriage to Brady.

Only Wiley and Grammy knew about the short marriage; she’d never even told her sisters. They’d both been away at college, each with their own problems. Did Grammy think Alison needed the papers to get a license to marry Thomas?

She quickly scanned the pages, the blank lines for their signatures, the blank line for the notary… The blank lines? Dear heavens, the papers had never been signed. She skimmed the note from her grandmother. “Honey, I’m so sorry. Wiley asked me to file these, but I suppose I forgot.” Alison’s heart pounded as she realized the implications.

She was still married to Brady Broussard.

Chapter Two

Alison’s head was still reeling the next morning as she headed to the Fourth of July parade. She wiped perspiration from her forehead, half hoping it would rain to alleviate the drought they’d been having. But of course, rain would ruin the day’s festivities.

Making matters worse, yesterday Vivica had shown up to talk about her wedding arrangements, and had informed her Brady was on his way home. Alison hadn’t had time to recover from seeing the annulment papers; now she’d have to face Brady and tell him they were still married.

He hadn’t been home since he’d left for the Air Force.

Could he possibly be returning to see her?

No, he was obviously coming for Vivica’s wedding. He hadn’t contacted Alison in almost a year—ten months and eleven days, to be exact. Not that she’d counted.

Hurt squeezed at her chest again, followed by confusion. All these years apart, she and Brady had both thought their marriage had ended, that they were free to go on and find someone else. Had Brady done that?

The memory of his kiss on her lips, his promise to love her forever brought a fresh wave of pain. But he hadn’t loved her forever. He’d cut her out of his life without an explanation. And she’d given him her heart and soul. And her innocence.

In fact, she hadn’t been able to give herself to anyone else since. Could it be because she’d still felt married to Brady? Heck, technically she was still married to him.

Maybe when she saw him today, she would realize they’d both changed and she’d finally be able to exorcise him from her mind. She squared her shoulders, waved to a few of the people she knew as she searched the growing crowd for her sisters, and tried to brace herself just in case she and Brady crossed paths during the day. Of course, with a ka-zillion people in town for the festivities, that would be unlikely.

Besides, she had to decide what to do about Thomas.

Planning other people’s weddings and seeing her sisters so happily married had definitely given her the bug for a family of her own. Thomas wanted kids, a house in the suburbs, the whole nine yards. His proposal bounced around in her mind, along with all his positive characteristics, just as she rounded the corner and bumped into him.

“Hey, Alison.” A grin lit his green eyes. Kind eyes. Yes, Thomas was a kindhearted, considerate, ambitious, stable man who would make a wonderful husband. He slid his fingers through hers and squeezed her hand, then whispered in her ear, “I was hoping we could talk after the parade.”

Alison’s stomach quivered. Was Thomas expecting an answer today?

BRADY HAD BARELY GOTTEN off the plane when his sister and mother launched themselves into his arms. Then they shoved him in the car to go to the Fourth of July celebration, and he felt himself fast losing control of his life.

“Mom, I told you I didn’t want to go to the parade.”

She smiled sweetly, cranked up her Thunderbird and tore down the highway, ignoring his protests as she launched into complaints about the recent drought. “We haven’t been able to water the lawn for weeks. They’ve got us on one of those rotating schedules.”

“Yeah, the water police come around daily to check,” his sister said with a giggle.

Brady tried to smile, thinking the dying grass and shrubs resembled the way he felt inside.

“Honey, we’re so proud you’re here,” his mother chirped. “You know one reason we have the parade is to honor the veterans, especially men who’ve given their lives for us.” She gestured toward his leg. “And all those who’ve been injured.”

“In case you haven’t noticed, Mom, we haven’t been at war lately. And I wasn’t hurt in battle.” Quite the opposite, he thought, as renewed guilt gripped his stomach.

“Nevertheless, your father served our country. He’d want you to be there in his place to honor the veterans just as he always did.”

Brady’s throat closed. That he couldn’t argue with. He did respect veterans and all other soldiers, but he could never take his father’s place. God knows he’d tried. He’d failed miserably, though.

“Relax, it’ll be fun,” Vivica whispered. She leaned over the edge of his seat and patted his leg. “All your old friends will be there. Johnny and Bobby Raye and, oh, Alison will probably be there, too. I think her daddy, Wiley, is the grand marshal of the parade. You know he was in the navy himself when he was young.”

Brady glared at Vivica, but an image of Wacky Wiley Hartwell as grand marshal flashed in his mind, and he couldn’t contain a smile. Wiley had a reputation for cheesy, funny advertising stunts and was somewhat the clown of Sugar Hill. But the last time Brady had seen the man in person, Wiley hadn’t been happy. He’d just discovered he had a son-in-law, had reared up like a mother bear protecting its baby cub, and ordered Alison to get an annulment.

“Is he still as flamboyant as ever?” Brady asked.

“Is he ever!” Vivica said. “I heard he wore a ruffled shirt to Hannah’s and Mimi’s weddings.”

“Last Thanksgiving he had live turkeys in one of his used-car ads,” his mother added with a chuckle. “I thought they were going to gobble up the old coot.”

“Alison said he’s wearing his Uncle Sam top hat and coat for the parade,” Vivica added.

Brady tried not to react to the sound of Alison’s name as he rubbed at his leg. The familiar scenery along the north Georgia highway rolled past, the parched grass and dry ground evidence of the drought across the southeast.

“Is your leg bothering you much?” his mother asked, her voice riddled with concern.

He ground his teeth, not wanting to worry her. “It’s fine, Mom.”

Vivica must have sensed his discomfort. “It’ll be like new with some therapy. Just wait till I work my magic hands on him, Mom.”

“I can’t wait,” Brady mumbled. “I’ve heard you’re worse than a drill sergeant.”

“Whatever cures ya,” Vivica said with a wink.

He gave her a grateful half smile, but she ruined his mood. “By the way, did I tell you Alison’s dating—”

“About a dozen times already.” He sighed and lay his head back, pretending disinterest. “I think I’ll rest until we get there. It was a long flight.” And another long, sleepless night.

Vivica lapsed into silence and he silently cursed himself for being short with her. But he didn’t want pity, not for his injuries, not for his personal life. He’d sit through the parade, then hightail it back to his mother’s.

An hour later, they pulled into town, and he grimaced. The town square had been roped off, rerouting traffic in a wide loop to avoid food vendors, crafters and various other booths. The town bustled with activity, with locals eating hot dogs, preparing for an old-fashioned cakewalk, watering the ponies for the kids. His mother parked and they got out of the car—right in front of some town dignitaries. To his surprise, the mayor greeted him personally.

“Let me shake the hand of one of our own heroes.” Mayor Stone pumped his hand, his ruddy face already flushed from the activities, a glob of unabsorbed sunscreen puddling on his bald head.

Brady’s tongue completely tied itself into a knot with denials, but the mayor gave him no time for a reply. He immediately helped him onto a huge float draped in red-white-and-blue crepe paper resembling the flag. Brady felt like a fake among the other veterans as they rode down Main Street, waving at the kids and throwing candy. Children shouted while music blared from the high school band. The cheerleaders marched and chanted the familiar high school cheers. Shriners zipped by in go-carts, doing wheelies to entertain the crowd. Clowns passed out balloons to the children, followed by several antique cars carrying local beauty contestants—Little Miss Sugar Hill, Miss Teenage Sugar Hill, Little Mr. Sugar Hill. Unfortunately, the veterans float followed the line dancers and horses—a bad choice, Brady realized, when two of the huge mares decided to relieve themselves in front of them.

Oblivious to the problem, Wacky Wiley belted out a speech about all the servicemen and women and how they were heroes for their country, naming each person on the float. The high school band burst into a slightly off-key version of “The Star Spangled Banner” in the background.

Brady grimaced when Wiley called his name, his mind shouting that he wasn’t a hero, that he didn’t deserve to be up here with these other men. But Wiley continued, and Brady scanned the crowd for familiar faces. He spotted a few of his high school teachers, the football coach he used to think hung the moon, some high school football buddies. Hannah Hartwell was standing beside a big, dark-headed guy, her arm tucked in his. Must be the cop Vivica said she’d married. A pregnant Mimi Hartwell stood beside them next to a sandy-haired man.

Finally he spotted her—Alison.

Beautiful sweet Alison wedged in the crowd, yet sticking out from all the others like a diamond in a case full of cut glass. She was even more beautiful than he remembered. She’d trimmed her waist-length black hair to her shoulders, but the shorter length made her look even more lively than ever. Though she was still tall and slender, her curves appeared more pronounced, more womanly and enticing, especially in that slinky, pale blue sundress. For a brief moment, he allowed himself to savor the sight of her, to remember what it felt like to hold her, to kiss those tender lips, to touch those luscious breasts with his hands, to have made her his wife….

The float jerked, then inched on, turning the corner by the hardware store, and Brady’s gaze landed on the man beside her. Medium build, dull brown hair, scrawny, probably couldn’t bench-press his own weight. He had to be Emerson, the doctor she was dating. Even if Vivica hadn’t warned him, Brady would have known by the way the man was looking at her, drooling like a Saint Bernard.

Damn. He thought he’d been prepared to see her with another man, but he wasn’t. The anguish nearly made his good leg buckle.

Just as he grabbed the edge of the float for support, Alison looked up from the crowd. Their gazes collided, locked. Time slipped away…. The driver whipped the float around the corner and Brady leaned forward, craning his head so he could still see her. But the float jerked again and he toppled off headfirst, right into the horse’s behind in front of him.

ALISON’S FINGERS SLID from Thomas’s hand and fluttered to her chest. Brady Broussard was riding on the float. Dear heavens, she hadn’t been prepared for the sight of him in that Air Force uniform.

Or the fact that he simply stared right through her as if she wasn’t there.

Hurt clogged her throat, pushing tears to her eyes, but she blinked them away, furious at herself for still caring. And for still being mesmerized by the man.

And he was definitely a man now—bigger, more muscular, tougher looking. She’d known all that thick black hair would be cut military style, but she hadn’t imagined it showcasing the strong angles and planes of his face so well. The man was twice as sexy as he’d been in high school and college.

But more distant than ever.

Thomas yanked on her hand and a wave of dizziness assaulted her. She couldn’t marry Thomas when she already had a husband, especially when they still had things unresolved between them. Like their annulment.

“You want a soda or one of those snow cones, Ali?” Thomas asked.

Dear heavens, he was always so considerate, and here she was—a married woman dating him, and she hadn’t even told him.

She shook her head. “No, but we need to talk.”

Horns blasted from the parade, the fire engine blared its siren, children screamed and the grand finale—a pig named Elmer that had placed first prize at the country fair, and its owner, the winner of the hog-calling contest—rolled past, emitting grunts and squeals that could wake the dead.

The crowd began to disperse, all heading toward the festivities. Mimi waved. “I’d better get to the coffee shop. We’ll be bombarded all day.”

Seth curved his arm protectively around Mimi and guided her through the crowd. “And I’m going along to make sure she doesn’t overdo it.”

“We’ll check out the booths. I see some dolls to add to my collection,” Hannah said.

“Uh, I think I have to help direct traffic,” Jake teased.

Hannah laughed and yanked Jake’s hand, leading him away. “No, you don’t. You promised me the entire day.”

Alison laughed and waved to several people she knew, but Thomas coaxed her the other way, ending up beneath the awning of Sugar Hill’s Hotspot, the new coffee shop-bookstore Mimi and their cousin Rebecca co-owned.

Thomas folded Alison’s hands in his and pressed them to his chest. She could feel his heart beating, could see the anticipation in his eyes. “You look great today, Ali.”

She smiled, wishing she could sugarcoat what she had to say. Thomas was just so darn nice. “I…we have to talk.”

“I know. I hope you’ve been thinking about my proposal.”

She inhaled a deep breath. “I have, Thomas, and you’re a wonderful guy.”

His smile slipped slightly. “Uh-oh, that sounds like the beginning of a brush-off.”

She pulled her hands free and laid one hand against his cheek. She wanted to love him. She just needed time to talk to Brady, sort out this annulment, put the past behind her forever. “I need some more time, Thomas. It feels like we’re rushing things.”

He studied her for a long moment, his expression calm and understanding. “Okay, take all the time you need. I’ll be here whenever you’re ready.”

He was too good to be true.

Alison pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Thank you, Thomas.”

Before she could elaborate, Vivica bounced up behind her. “Ali! Hey, look who’s here.”

Alison spun around, her breath whooshing out when she saw Brady standing beside her.

BRADY’S JAW ACHED from forcing a smile on his face. He’d been congratulated by at least a dozen people when he’d gotten off the float. Thankfully, Vivica had rescued him and heralded him through the crowd. Now he knew why. She’d purposely dragged him right to Alison.

When he’d seen Alison kiss Emerson Brady had clenched his jaw harder, bitten his tongue and almost cracked a tooth.

“Dr. Emerson, this is my brother, Brady,” Vivica said, smoothing over the awkward moment by launching into a long diatribe about how she and Brady had known Alison in high school. Brady shook the man’s hand, studying Alison out of the corner of his eye. He tried to read her reaction—hurt, anger, disappointment or a combination of them all?

She had a right to be hurt, he thought. He had broken promises, stopped writing, sent her letters back even after she’d pleaded with him to write and explain what had happened to change his feelings toward her.

She’d be even more disappointed if she knew the truth about him now.

“Brady, aren’t you going to give your old friend a hug?” Vivica nudged him forward. “I swear you and Alison are acting like you’ve never met.”

He forced himself to hold out a hand, his insides clenching when she placed her long slender fingers in his and squeezed. “It’s good to see you again, Alison.”

“Brady.” Her dark expressive eyes flickered with emotions.

“How long are you in town for?” Emerson asked, seemingly unaware of the tension between them.

“About a month.” Brady adjusted his hat, aware that Alison followed the movement. Aware she also saw the long jagged scar on his hand. There were others she couldn’t see. Some he would never reveal to anyone. “Maybe longer.”

Alison’s jaw went slack.

“He came home for the wedding.” Vivica tucked her hand through his arm. “I asked him to run interference between me and Mom with the wedding plans. If it was up to her, I’d have three thousand guests, a full string orchestra, and the ceremony would be televised.”

Alison smiled slightly, obviously trying to recover from the shock of learning Brady planned to stay in town all month. “She reminds me a little of Dad.”

Vivica and Emerson laughed, and Brady gritted his teeth again. Was the man always so damn friendly? It was downright irritating.

“Brady, guess what?” Vivica tugged on his arm. “Alison owns the bridal shop in town, Weddings to Remember. She’s coordinating the wedding for me.”

Brady’s mouth fell open this time, but he quickly snapped it shut.

“Since you offered to pay for the wedding, you’ll need to work with her about finalizing all the details.”

Brady shot Vivica a murderous look. His sneaky, conniving sister had set him up.

A beeper chirped and Emerson checked his, then threw an arm around Alison. “I hate to leave the celebration, but duty calls.” He grinned. “Babies like to pick their own schedule. Of course, it’s usually during the middle of the night.”

He pecked Alison on the cheek, making Brady’s blood boil with all his friendliness and attentiveness, then said goodbye and sauntered away.

“I have to run, too,” Vivica said. “Got to go see if I can find that fiancé of mine so I can introduce the two of you, Brady.”

She flitted away, leaving Alison and him alone.

Alison turned grave eyes to him and he fisted his hands by his sides. He wanted desperately to apologize for the way he’d treated her, to explain about the training exercises that had taken him away for months, the accident that had scarred him for life, his uncertain future, but that would mean explaining about his friend’s death and his part in it.

And he could never tell her or his family about that.

Of course, she’d gotten over him anyway, or she wouldn’t be seeing another man and considering marriage to him.

ALISON BIT DOWN ON her lower lip, furious with Vivica for deserting her. Although Vivica didn’t know the entire story about the wedding and annulment, she did know Alison had written Brady daily. And that he’d broken her heart.

Why would she do this to her?

One of the ladies from church nudged her in passing, and Alison forced her thoughts back to Brady. He was standing ramrod straight, military style, his expression as hard and ungiving as the dry ground beneath her feet. So different from the friendly, easygoing way Thomas looked at her. And the hungry way Brady used to look at her.

The sooner she told him about their little problem the better.

“I…we need to go somewhere and talk.”

His dark brow raised slightly. “Now?”

She could have sworn his voice quivered. “If you have time. It’s…” She twisted her hands in her skirt. “It’s important.”

“Is there a problem already concerning Vivica’s wedding?”

“No.”

He studied her, his lips pressed into an unbending line. “Can’t you say what you have to say here on the street?”

Alison glanced around at the crowd. Oh, no, she didn’t think that would be a good idea. But she might as well ask for the annulment, because Brady certainly didn’t look as if he’d come to rekindle their relationship. “Let’s go to my shop. It’s closed today, so we can speak in private.”

Chapter Three

Brady winced, feeling awkward and absurdly large, as he stepped inside Alison’s frilly bridal shop. The lacy white fabrics and pictures of bridal gowns, invitations and other paraphernalia reminded him of his own wedding to Alison—and the simplicity of their ceremony.

But the vows had still been very real to him.

His hand once again pressed over the inside pocket to make certain her letters were still there, although he knew they were safely tucked within. He checked a hundred times a day. It had become a habit.

She turned to study him, her gaze resting on his injured leg. “Vivica didn’t tell me you’d been hurt.”

He shrugged. “I’m OK. I wanted to be here for Vivi’s wedding.”

Alison’s dark eyes searched his face. For a brief second, he allowed himself to imagine her touching him.

“So you’re a bridal consultant now?”

Alison smiled and glanced around the shop. “Yeah, go figure.”

“I always thought you’d wind up teaching swimming or maybe being a counselor.”

So he remembered she’d been on the swim team and that she played referee between Mimi and Hannah. “Yeah, well, things change, don’t they?”

He nodded. “Time does that to people.”

She looked away, stared at a gold chest in the corner that resembled a treasure chest, then bit down on her lip again.

“Why did you want to talk to me in private?” he asked.

Her eyes hardened for a moment, as if he should know the reason. And he did; he just couldn’t bring himself to apologize or explain why he had stopped writing.

“There’s something I have to show you.”

He watched hungrily as she glided across the room, the blue dress brushing her bare legs as she knelt and opened the chest. She drew out an envelope and stood, then gestured toward a seating area with a low-slung white sofa and a dark green wing chair. “I think you’d better sit down.”

What the hell did she have in the envelope? “I’m fine standing.” Besides, he’d need help getting up off that sofa, and he certainly didn’t want her helping him or feeling sorry for him.

“Really, Brady. I think this might come as a shock.”

He studied her for a long moment, then finally conceded and took the chair, knowing he’d be able to get out of it easier. It took him a minute to stretch out his leg, another to look up at her without revealing the pain the movement cost him.

She was watching him when he did, a lost, soulful look that reminded him of that night at the lake. The night she’d cried because he was saying goodbye.

“I think you’d better take a look at this.”

She handed him the envelope, and he breathed in the scent of lilacs, the same fragrance she’d worn four years ago. God, this was torture.

“I want you to know I received those papers only yesterday.”

He frowned and opened the envelope, his hand shaking when he pulled out the marriage certificate. Then he removed the next set of papers and studied the text, his hands tightening around the pages.

“It’s the annulment papers,” Alison said in a low voice. “My grandmother sent them to me in the mail with my hope chest.”

So that’s what the gold chest was. Didn’t women have hope chests when they were planning on getting married? The realization hit him full force. Alison was planning to marry Emerson. “I see.” His gaze rose to meet hers, his throat thick. “But there are some missing signatures, and the papers haven’t been processed. What’s going on?”

“Apparently Dad asked Grammy Rose to file them and she forgot.”

It took a nanosecond for him to realize the implications. When he did, he jerked his gaze to her. “Then…we’re…”

“That’s right, Brady. Technically, we’re still married.”

AND WE HAVE BEEN for the last four years.

Alison let the unspoken words stretch between them. Shock settled on Brady’s face, then his eyes mellowed. With memories of the night he’d proposed, the night their young love had propelled them into each other’s arms, into consummating their love by the lake, then into marriage.

Brady suddenly stood. The papers fluttered to the floor as he slowly reached out and touched her hair. His familiar scent filled her nostrils, his hungry gaze trapped her with its heat, and she moved toward him, cupped his face with her hands and melted into his arms.

He lowered his head, his breath ragged as he captured her lips and settled his mouth on top of hers, then delved inside with his tongue to taste her passion. The years fell away, the pain, the lonely nights and days, until Alison found herself clinging to his arms.

But she’d promised herself she would never cling or beg or force him to come back to her if he didn’t want her. And she hadn’t intended for the papers to do that.

She pulled away, slowly at first, then realized she had to distance herself or she might shatter and forget those promises she’d made to herself. As easily as he’d forgotten the ones he’d made to her.

“Alison… I—”

“No, don’t.” She turned and wrapped her arms around her waist, a nervous laugh bubbling inside when she saw the wedding picture of her and Brady. She’d been in her prom dress, so young, so in love, so naive….

“Alison, I’m sorry.”

The gruffly spoken words made tears burn her eyes.

“I wish I could explain what happened, but I…I’m afraid I can’t.”

“We’ve both grown up,” Alison said, squaring her shoulders.

“And changed.”

The nervous laughter escaped. “Right, we were only kids back then. Foolish and impulsive and full of dreams.”

“And stars.” He cleared his throat. “But life changes and goes on.”

She turned to face him and saw the strains of fatigue and worry etched on his face. He had aged, she realized, and a hardness, an emptiness had settled into his eyes that hadn’t been there before.

What had happened to put it there?

She wanted desperately to know, yet self-preservation kicked in and she decided she couldn’t ask. Not with that wall of broken trust between them.

“I…I really didn’t know about the papers until yesterday. I’ll file them as soon as possible, if that’s what you want.”

His expression grew even harder, even colder, if that were possible, the tension between them palpable. “I think that would be best.” Then he turned and walked out the door, shutting it behind him.

Alison watched him limp down the street, and wondered at his choice of words. He hadn’t said it was what he wanted, he’d said he thought it would be best. Her fingers brushed across her lips, and the memory of the passion in his kiss rose to taunt her. Could it be possible? Could Brady still have feelings for her? Or was she overanalyzing what he’d said, trying to hold on to some sliver of hope for their future?

BRADY WAS TOO SHAKEN to deal with the crowd in Sugar Hill, much less his doting, but slightly over-bearing mother. He did find Vivica and meet her fiancé, Joe, an architect, who seemed like a decent enough guy and appeared to adore Vivica. But Brady couldn’t focus; he was trying to absorb the news that he and Alison were officially still married.

“The fireworks display is supposed to be even bigger this year,” Vivica said.

“I’ve never been to a small-town one,” Joe admitted. “We usually go into Atlanta.”

“Hey, Vivi,” Brady said, “would you and Joe give Mom a ride home, and let me take the car?”

“Aren’t you going to stay for the fireworks?” Vivica asked.

Brady jammed his hands in his pockets. “I’m tired. If you don’t mind, I’d like to head home. It’s been a long day.”

“Of course.” Vivica dug in her purse for her keys and handed them to him. “I keep forgetting it hasn’t been long since the accident. You need to rest.”

He grimaced and shook Joe’s hand. “See you later.”

Although he’d intended to go home, he found himself driving out to the lake, sitting by the edge, looking at the chapel across the water. As he threw rocks into the lake and watched them sink to the bottom, he contemplated the downward spiral his life had taken.

And he remembered the last time he and Alison had been here together. The night they’d made love.

He shouldn’t have kissed her back at her shop, but the kiss had been so natural, so damn full of uninhibited passion that he’d forgotten the reason he’d returned to town. The reasons he’d broken things off with her.

He’d nearly forgotten he couldn’t be with her again.

Although it was seven o’clock, the hot July sun was still beating down fiercely on his neck, and he swiped at the perspiration on his brow. A headache pulsed behind his eyes, due to the strain and the aftereffects of the head injury he’d suffered in the accident, so he lay back on the grassy hill and closed his eyes. Memories of his high school days, of football games and dances and Alison, floated in and out of his consciousness, and he finally drifted into a deep sleep. But in his sleep, he was suddenly thrust back into that last training maneuver, the simulated combat mission in the Arizona mountains, the horrible accident….

The sound of Josh’s panicked voice rang in his ears. “Caught his jet wash!”

The third jet turned and flew left.

Brady gritted his teeth. Josh was the best pilot he knew. He could handle it. “Hang in there, Shooter.”

“No, not good,” Josh mumbled.

“The bogey’s right on me,” Brady called. “Got to drop altitude.” He dropped and exhaled as the bogey zoomed ahead.

Josh cursed. “Damn. My engines are down!”

Brady glanced sideways and saw Josh’s fighter jet fly into a spin.

Brady hung a right onto Josh’s tail. “Pull it up, man, pull it up.”

“Can’t. Out of control.” The radio crackled. “This is bad…can’t get her back.”

Brady saw the mountain coming at them. Josh’s plane’s belly skimmed a rocky peak, clipping one of the wings.

“Lost the other engine!” Josh shouted. “Mayday! Mayday!”

Brady had to do something, had to help his friend! But the bogey was coming back toward him. “Eject! Eject, Shooter! Hit the eject button.”

Josh’s voice rasped out, “Can’t reach it.”

“Dammit, man, eject now! And watch the canopy!”

“Eject button malfunctioning!”

Brady’s hands tightened on his own controls as Josh tried to crash-land, the jet shimmying wildly in its nose dive toward the valley. Another mountain came at Brady and he barely pulled up in time. The bogey pulled up and circled back. Josh hit the trees, skimmed along atop them, then plunged into the mountain.

Brady grappled with his own aircraft. Seconds later, his heart pounding, he landed, barely missing a nearby military building on the edge of the mountain as he rammed into the forest. Even before the plane stopped completely, he was undoing his seat belt. The jet’s nose hit a tree and the impact threw him forward, his head slamming the control panel.

Then he was fighting to get out, running across the terrain.

An explosion suddenly rent the air. The wing of Josh’s jet blew off and shards of metal slammed against his leg, knocking him to the ground. Another explosion shook the rocks, causing them to collapse. His foot was trapped, caught beneath the rubble. He yanked, tore at the debris, dragged his limb free. Pain shot through him. His leg was twisted and mangled, but he dragged himself forward. He clawed at the burning wreckage, frantically trying to pry open the door.

Blood spurted from his arm; metal scalded his hands; pieces splintered, slammed into his head. He tried to crawl inside, but the wreckage was an inferno. Josh…God no!

Brady jerked awake, trembling and sweating, the horror of Josh’s twisted body still vivid, his own screams ringing in his ears. Where was he? The lake? But he’d heard an explosion.

Fireworks.

The town had started their evening show with a burst of patriotic red and blue colors. He must have slept for over two hours, for night had fallen. A skyful of stars twinkled above the lake, and the moon shone like a beacon. Just the way it had the night he and Alison had made love here. So damn long ago.

Another lifetime.

The marriage, the annulment—the sheer reality of it all crashed on top of him, almost as painful as the explosion had been. Alison had fallen in love with the star football player, the adventurous guy who planned to be a fighter pilot, the man who’d intended on spending his life serving his country, a hero.

If he and Josh hadn’t been trying to best each other in the flying maneuvers, Josh might have realized the bogey was on him before he got caught in the other plane’s jet wash. Brady couldn’t escape the guilt that he had survived and Josh hadn’t.

He looked down at himself in disgust, stared at the ugly scar twisting around his hand, at his leg, which was scarred and ugly beneath his pants. He was a broken shell of a man. Alison deserved a whole man. How could he have done anything but ask her to file the papers?

“YOU’RE AWFULLY QUIET, sis. Something wrong?”

Alison glanced at Hannah and forced a smile. Other than the fact that she had just watched the fireworks with three very-much-in-love couples on top of a beautiful hill overlooking the meadow by the lake, and she was alone, she was fine. Jake, Seth and Joe had gone for lemonade, momentarily leaving her with her sisters and Vivica.

“Alison?”

“I’m just tired, I suppose.”

Mimi leaned closer. “Where’s Thomas?”

Good grief. She hadn’t even thought about him. “He had another delivery. Seems like the Fourth is a big day for babies.”

Mimi laughed and patted her stomach. “I’m glad I have a few more weeks.”

“Did you get a chance to talk to Brady?” Vivica asked.

Alison tried not to let his name affect her. “Yes, for a few minutes.”

“How’s he doing, Vivi?” Hannah asked. “Jake and I saw him walking toward the Thunderbird. He looked as if he was limping.”

“He had an accident.” Vivica frowned. “I’m going to help him with physical therapy while he’s home.”

“Why didn’t you tell us he’d been hurt?” Mimi asked.

Vivica shrugged. “He asked me not to say anything to anyone.”

Alison struggled with her emotions. “What happened, Vivi?”

Vivica ran her fingers through her pixie hair. “I don’t know exactly, some kind of crash during a training maneuver. He won’t talk about it.”

That sounded exactly like Brady, Alison thought. He’d keep everything to himself, all his troubles, his pain. He always had to be the tough guy.

She had to be tough, too. After her parents divorce, she’d heard her mother arguing with Wiley. “I can’t stand married life. That baby’s always clinging to me.”

That baby had been her.

Alison had made up her mind then she would never cling to anyone, and she wouldn’t cling to Brady now.

“So, what did you tell Thomas?” Vivica asked.

Alison jerked her head up, surprised at the change in subject. How pathetic—she was still starved for any word about Brady. “I told him I needed time to think about it.” And I need time to end my first marriage.

She opened her mouth to confide in them, then realized she couldn’t, not now. Vivi and her sisters would want to know details, but her feelings were too raw to discuss with even her closest friend and her sisters.

The men sauntered back, laughing and joking, each heading toward his loved one. Alison suddenly felt out of place. The crowd was breaking up, so she said good-night, then headed toward her car, remembering her conversation with Brady. She’d told him she’d file the annulment papers as soon as possible so she could move on with her life.

But who could she get to file them? She didn’t want the whole town to find out about her hasty marriage, to gossip and pry. She could see the headlines “Town bridal consultant divorces.” She needed a lawyer, someone who would be discreet.

Her mother.

A ball of anxiety knotted her stomach. She’d promised herself she’d never ask Janelle Hartwell for anything. After all, for more than twenty years she’d been a non-existent parent. Alison had been three when Janelle had deserted them. So she barely even remembered her. She and Hannah and Mimi had always depended on their father, Wiley. He’d been wonderful, except for that one night—the night he’d forced Alison to have the annulment.

And now she was back in that boat again.

The very reason she was thinking about her mother, the lawyer. Dear heavens, she’d refused Janelle’s offer of financial aid when she’d decided to open the bridal shop; she hated to go to her now. But Donald Matthews and her mother were the only two lawyers in town. Matthews’s secretary Wanda had a mouth like a party line. Janelle was the only one Alison could swear to secrecy.

She glanced over her shoulder and saw Jake and Hannah, Mimi and Seth, and Vivica and Joe all walking hand in hand toward their cars, and felt more alone than ever. She didn’t want to be alone forever. And Brady didn’t want her—he’d made it clear when he’d stopped writing, and then again today. She had to accept his decision.

Knowing she shouldn’t put off the inevitable, she dug through her purse for her cell phone, swallowed a big chunk of pride, punched in her mother’s number, and left a message on her machine.

Chapter Four

“It’s nice to have you home.” Brady’s mother placed a heaping plate of pancakes in the center of the table, along with a pitcher of maple syrup and a bowl of fresh strawberries, all the time complaining about how the heat had affected her garden. “We need a man around this house.”

Brady’s hand tightened around his coffee cup.

Vivica rolled her eyes. “We don’t need a man, Mom. We’ve managed fine on our own.” She winked at her brother. “But it is nice to have you here, Brady.”

He smiled, grateful for her interference, and stabbed some of the hotcakes. “Do you need some yard work done or something, Mom?”

“Heavens no, the grass is dying from lack of rain.” His mother scooted a plate of sausages toward him. “You eat up, now, son. You look a little thin to me.”

“I’m fine, Mom.” Brady ignored the way she stared at him in concern. “But I must admit, I have missed your cooking.”

“Just don’t overdo it and get fat or you won’t be able to fit into your uniform when you return to duty,” Vivica said.

Brady’s fork halted in midair. When he went back? He wasn’t sure if he would, but he hadn’t told anyone yet.

Mrs. Broussard stirred sugar into her coffee. “I thought you might decide to stay here. Won’t they give you some kind of early medical discharge?”

“Mom,” Vivica chided. “Don’t start bugging Brady to retire from the Air Force.”

“I thought he might have changed his mind about taking over the print shop.”

The pancakes were beginning to clump in Brady’s stomach like rocks. He and his mother had argued about this over and over in the last few months. It was one reason he hadn’t come home sooner. Trouble was, he wasn’t sure he would ever fly again—and for the first time in his life, he was actually considering her suggestion.

Vivica pushed away from the table. “Gotta run now. I want to catch Alison before I have to go to work.”

Brady watched Vivica hurry out the door. What would Alison think if she knew he was considering staying?

“I’M SO GLAD YOU WANTED to meet for breakfast.” Janelle Hartwell laid her hand over Alison’s. “I want us to get together more often.”

Alison struggled not to immediately pull her hand free. “This isn’t a social visit.”

Disappointment flitted across her mother’s face. “Oh, then what exactly is it?”

Alison took a sip of her water, silently asking for courage. Her mother was dressed to the nines today in a designer suit. The perfect outfit made her seem standoffish, contradicting the almost overeager look in her eyes. If Alison didn’t know better, she’d have thought her mother really wanted to be a part of her life. “I need your help.”

Janelle studied her silently for a moment, her ruby lips slowly moving into a smile. “Of course, honey. What can I do for you?”

She should have asked that years ago, when Alison needed her to take her shopping for her first bra, explain the facts of life, show up at her swim meets… But she bit back the words. Hannah and Wiley and Grammy Rose had been there for all those things. And Alison couldn’t dwell in the past. Not with her mother or with Brady.

She placed the envelope on the table, sipping coffee while her mother studied the papers. Finally her mother sent her a questioning look. “You were married?”

Alison nodded. “Brady and I dated his last year in high school, then he went to college and we kept in touch.” She hesitated, not wanting to share too many details. “After his father died, we grew closer, then Brady joined the Air Force. The night before he was supposed to leave, we got married.”

“Young and impulsive, huh?”

Alison smiled. “Exactly. But Dad found out the next morning and insisted we have the marriage annulled.”

Janelle nodded, crinkling her eyes in confusion. “But he never filed the papers?”

“He asked Grammy to file them, but she forgot.” Alison twisted the napkin in her lap. “She sent them to me a couple of days ago.”

“I see.”

The waiter delivered their breakfast, an omelette for Alison, wheat toast and fresh fruit for her mother. Janelle took a bite of her sliced peaches before continuing. “So you want me to file them?”

“Yes. As soon as possible.” Alison leaned closer. “And I’d like to keep this between us. I don’t want the town to know. I never even told Hannah or Mimi about the marriage.”

Janelle arched a brow. “All right, but why the hurry?”

Alison shrugged and pushed the omelette around on her plate, wishing she’d stuck with dry cereal. “It’s been almost four years. I’d hardly call that a hurry.”

Her mother smiled, smearing butter on her toast. “I guess you have a point. But there may be a problem.”

Alison’s stomach protested the eggs, so she sipped her orange juice instead. “What kind of problem?”

“There are certain restrictions on the parameters for annulment. You were both legally of age. You aren’t cousins or related in any way.”

Alison nodded.

“There was no coercion involved—I’m assuming he didn’t force you into marriage?”

“No, of course not.”

“Neither one of you were already married at the time?”

She shook her head.

“One last thing—did you consummate the marriage?”

Alison’s breath caught. Even as a grown woman, she found it way too weird having this conversation with her mother.

Janelle waited, studying her with a knowing look.

“Yes, we consummated the marriage.”

Janelle nodded. “Well, then unless one of you can claim mental impairment, you don’t fit the parameters for an annulment.”

“What?”

“That’s the law, honey.”

“Then…then what do we do?”

“You’ll have to file for a divorce.”

Divorce. That seemed like such an ugly word, so much more hurtful than annulment.

“And how long will a divorce take?”

“About thirty days.” Janelle poured more coffee, her voice low. “That is, if neither of you contests it.”

BRADY HAD PROMISED his mom he’d stop by the print shop and help out for a while, but he’d also promised Vivica he’d meet her at Alison’s to discuss wedding plans.

And of course, he needed to find out about the ending of his own marriage.

Dreading the thought of seeing Alison almost as much as the thought of not seeing her, he strolled down Main Street, noting changes in the town he hadn’t noticed the day before. In the aftermath of the big celebration, the small community seemed unusually quiet, a peaceful blend of nostalgic antique shops and more contemporary businesses popping up. A recreation center had opened on the corner, he wondered if Alison swam there daily. He passed a new law office with the name Janelle Hartwell on the door—could that be Alison’s mother, or had Wiley remarried? Moving along, he noticed a sign for Wacky Wiley’s Used-Car Fourth of July Sale, then the Hotspot, which Vivi said Mimi had opened next to Alison’s bridal shop. Everywhere he looked there seemed to be Hartwells.

His parents’ print shop was situated a few doors down from Alison’s store, with a photography shop and a dress boutique in between. Brady entered the Weddings to Remember shop, bracing himself to see Alison.

She stood behind a long counter filled with a selection of bridal books, crystal champagne flutes and bridesmaid gifts. A long, white, lacy wedding dress covered in pearl beads hung behind her on a padded hanger. As he drank in the sight of her, his vision blurred and he imagined Alison wearing the dress—to their wedding.

The bell tinkled, announcing his arrival and shaking him back to reality. “Alison.”

She looked up. “Brady.”

At one time, she would have launched herself into his arms. Now she seemed wary, distant. What had he expected? “I’m supposed to meet Vivi here.”

She nodded, adjusted a stack of brochures and walked around the counter. “Can I get you some coffee?” She gestured toward a corner table draped in a rose tablecloth, complete with coffee, condiments and sweet rolls.

He pressed his hand to his stomach. “No, thanks. Mom stuffed me this morning.”

Alison’s mouth curved into a smile and his gut clenched. He’d forgotten how her eyes sparkled with flecks of gold when she smiled. “I bet she loves having you home.”

“I’ll probably gain twenty pounds in a week.”

A small laugh escaped her and he couldn’t help but smile. God, he missed the sound of her voice and laughter.

“So, you want to sit down? Vivi should be here soon, then we can discuss the plans. I’ve worked out a tentative schedule to make sure all the details fall into place.”

The shop seemed amazingly intimate as he limped to the sitting area and situated himself in the green chair again.

As if she read his mind, Alison said, “The shop shouldn’t be very busy today. Everyone’s probably gone into Atlanta to the big malls for the holiday sales.” She rattled on for several minutes, filling him in on her sisters’ jobs and how Mimi had come to own the coffee dessert shop. “So Mimi and Seth ended up together. They were married in the gazebo on Pine Mountain at Grammy Rose’s, just like Hannah.”

He nodded and was just about to open his mouth to ask how he could help with his sister’s wedding plans when she continued. “I had breakfast with my mother this morning.”

That surprised him. “I didn’t know she was back in town.”

“She came back a couple of months ago. We were all surprised.”

He remembered Alison mentioning her mother once, not in a good way, either. “So, how is it?”

“Awkward as all get out.”

Honest, forthright Alison.

“But we’re managing. She set up a law office downtown.”

“Oh, yeah, I saw it on my way over.”

Alison nodded, gathered some paperwork he assumed had to do with his sister’s wedding, and sat down on the love seat. Today she was wearing a peach-colored shell and a floral skirt that hit her midknee, showcasing those dynamite long legs. He tried not to think about how they’d felt wrapped around him, or how they would feel again.

“Anyway, I asked my mother to handle the annulment.”

Oh, right, so Alison could marry someone else. “I see. And she agreed?”

“Yes, but there’s a problem.”

She didn’t want the annulment? His heart missed a beat as he waited.

“Technically we can’t annul the marriage. There are parameters for that.” She listed several reasons. “And since the marriage was consummated…” A slight blush swept across her features, making her appear young and vulnerable again, reminding him of that night when she’d lain naked in his arms. “Well, unless one of us pleads mental incompetence, we have to file for a divorce instead.”

“I guess we could both plead mental incompetence. We were only kids.”

“Yeah, impulsive, crazy in love…” She laughed, a nervous sound this time.

“Crazy teenage hormones. But I don’t suppose the judge would buy that.” He forced a laugh, too, but the laughter died quickly, fading into awkwardness.

“Anyway, my mother agreed to file the papers for us. She said a divorce takes about thirty days, unless someone contests it.” She fiddled with her notepad. “I told her to keep everything confidential, that I didn’t want the whole town to know. Since I’m a wedding planner, a divorce might not be good for business.”

So her job was more important than his feelings. And she probably didn’t want her new boyfriend to know she’d married him.

Brady nodded, glancing sideways at the fake wedding cake sitting on the table. They hadn’t had a cake the night they’d married, but they’d stopped at the doughnut shop, bought crème-filled doughnuts and fed them to each other to celebrate their union. Everything had been so simple—they hadn’t cared about details. They’d only cared about being together.

Now she wanted to erase that past without anyone ever knowing they’d shared it.

ALISON WONDERED IF BRADY was remembering their wedding, the simple but romantic ways they’d celebrated. Maybe she could put their relationship behind her if she understood more about where it had gone wrong. He looked so lost and faraway that she forgot her pride.

“Why did you stop writing, Brady?”

His head jerked back to hers, his breathing raspy. But he quickly looked away, studied his hands, his shoes, finally resting his hands on his knees. “I intended to keep my promises when I left. But…”

“You met someone else?”

“No.” His gaze flew to hers, a hint of desperation there, as if it was important to him that she believe him. “I was sent on a training assignment and was out of touch most of last year.”

“That’s when the letters stopped.”

He nodded. “I couldn’t contact anyone, not even my family, to let them know where I was.”

“What about when you returned?”

“I intended to write you then, but we did some combat maneuvers in Arizona, and I had the accident.”

“You were in the hospital?”

“About three months.”

Alison’s hand flew to her chest. “That serious? Vivi didn’t tell any of us.”

He nodded again, his eyes dark as he stretched his fingers in front of him and studied his hands. “I asked her not to say anything.”

“Why not? You knew we’d be worried.”

“Look, Alison, I’m sorry.”

“Was anyone else hurt?”

Brady hesitated. “My best friend, Josh, was killed.”

Alison’s heart broke for him. “Oh, Brady, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s over now, but things change, Alison. People change.” He flexed his hands, then balled them into fists. “When I was recovering, I realized I’d been away too long, that it was time for both of us to move on.”

She frowned in confusion. “Because you lost your friend?”

His voice took on a hard edge. “Because you have your life here, and I have another life. Why keep writing, hanging on to silly teenage dreams? Like you said, we were impulsive kids. We’re not anymore.”

His words sounded so harsh, so final. Alison tried to absorb what he was saying and the things he wasn’t saying. She had a feeling the parts he’d left out were as important as the things he’d openly revealed.

“When do you have to report back for duty?”

“In a month, but my enlistment time’s almost up.” He shifted, avoiding eye contact. “Mom’s pressuring me to come home and run the print shop, and with Dad gone and Vivi moving to Atlanta, I’m…I’m considering it.”

“What?” Alison couldn’t have been more shocked if he’d said he wanted to open a bridal shop. “But, Brady, you hated working there in high school, even for the summer. You never wanted to do anything but fly.”

“Like I said, Alison, things change. And so do people.”

Alison stared at him in confusion. Some things did change, but Brady giving up flying? He couldn’t have changed that much. Or could he?

Chapter Five

The bell on the door tinkled, interrupting them, and Vivica walked in, followed by Brady’s mother. Brady breathed a sigh of relief, grateful for the change in subject.

“Hey, Brady, Ali, I’m sorry we’re running late, but we got tied up looking for shoes at the mall.”

Brady stood. “That’s okay. Where’s Joe?”

“He had to go back to Atlanta. He’s trying to finish designs on a big shopping complex so he can take time off for the honeymoon,” Vivica explained. “He gave me free rein, told me to do whatever I wanted for the wedding.”

“We do need to do a fitting for your dress,” Alison said. “The alterations may take time.”

“Okay.” Vivica plopped down onto the sofa. “But give me a few minutes. I’m worn-out.”

Alison explained the checklist she used to make certain all the arrangements would be completed on time—the photographer, caterer, florist, reservations for the chapel, the wedding cake, invitations, bridesmaids’ dresses, music.

“You’re a dream,” Vivica said, giving her a hug. “I don’t know how I’d get through this without you.”

“It seems like you have everything under control,” Brady commented. “You’ve turned into quite the businesswoman.”

Alison smiled, obviously picking up on the admiration in his voice. “Thanks. Dad’ll be glad to know college was worth something.”

“Have you started plans of your own with Thomas?” Vivica asked.

Brady tensed, waiting for Alison’s reply. Was she planning a big splashy wedding to Emerson?

Alison blushed. “Did Joe tell you about Thomas?”

“Of course.” Vivica turned to Brady. “Joe and Thomas were college buddies. Thomas actually introduced me to Joe.”

She turned back to Alison, and Brady ground his teeth. So the four of them were chummy, huh? How nice.

“He shouldn’t have said anything,” Alison stated in a low voice.

Vivica grinned, oblivious to their discomfort. “Even if he hadn’t, Ali, this is Sugar Hill. Proposals and pregnancies are the stuff that keeps the gossip vine alive.”

“You’re pregnant?” Brady asked in a shocked voice.

“No!” Alison screeched. “And I haven’t given Thomas an answer yet, Vivi.”

Mrs. Broussard cleared her throat. “Vivica, honey, if you don’t need me, I’m going to grab Brady and take him to the print shop.”

Brady’s chest tightened. Had he made a mistake by agreeing to help his mother temporarily? She was already dropping hints and pressuring him to stay permanently.

“Vivi, go on into the fitting room and start changing,” Alison suggested. “I’ll help you in a minute.”

Brady’s mother grabbed his arm.

“Mrs. Broussard, I need to discuss some things with Brady before you go. Maybe you can look over the invitation list and see if there are any names we need to add. We should get those printed and in the mail right away.”

“Oh, certainly, dear.”

Brady stiffened, not wanting to resume their earlier conversation about the accident. In fact, he didn’t want to meet with Alison to plan his sister’s wedding at all. Seeing her and not being with her was almost as painful as his throbbing leg. “We could get someone else to take care of the wedding arrangements if this is too uncomfortable.”

“Don’t be silly, Brady.” Alison frowned. “Vivi’s my best friend. I want to help plan her wedding.”

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