Page 2 of Love, Second Chances and Other Nonsense
“For the table tomorrow,” she says, glancing back at me. “What do you think?”
I think she’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.
“Adam?” She tilts her head, waiting for my response.
“Sorry, I was just—” I step closer, running my hand down her bare arm. “You look so beautiful today. I got distracted.”
A blush spreads across her cheeks, making her freckles stand out even more. “You’re changing the subject. Flowers? For the table?”
“Get whatever you like,” I tell her. “But I think your cooking is going to be so good, no one’s going to be looking at the flowers.”
She laughs, the sound clear and bright in the open air of the market. “Flattery will get you everywhere, you know.”
I watch as she selects her favorites. She hands over cash to the vendor, then carefully nestles the flowers in her market bag alongside the vegetables.
“I think I have everything,” she says, surveying her purchases. “Potatoes, tomatoes, shallots, basil, peaches, rosemary… I picked up the roast yesterday, and we have everything else at home.”
“Perfect,” I say, taking the bag from her. Our fingers brush, and even after all this time together, I get butterflies in my stomach. “Ready to head back?”
She nods, and we make our way through the market toward where I parked the truck. The sun is higher now, warming the day. Caitlin loops her arm through mine, leaning her head briefly against my shoulder as we walk.
“What if they don’t like me?” she asks quietly, her earlier worries resurfacing.
I stop walking, turning to face her. “Caitlin. Listen to me. There is no version of reality where they won’t like you. You are…” I search for the right words, needing her to understand. “You’re everything I never knew I needed. You’re sunshine and adventure and home all at once. They’ll see that. I promise.”
She looks up at me, her eyes soft. “I just want to belong with you. With your family.”
“You do,” I tell her. “You already do.”
The certainty of it settles in my chest, warm and solid. I’m going to spend the rest of my life with this woman. Nothing can change that.
Caitlin bumps my hip with hers as we reach the truck. “What are you smiling about now?”
“Just thinking about the future,” I tell her, leaning down to kiss her.
“Our future?” she asks, a teasing lilt to her voice.
“Definitely our future,” I confirm, opening the truck door for her and carefully setting her market bags on the floor.
As I walk around to the driver’s side, I catch another glimpse of her in that yellow dress, golden in the Colorado sunshine,and my heart feels too big for my chest. One more day until my family arrives. Once I’m sure my family knows how perfect she is for me, I’m going to ask this woman to marry me.
It’s a good plan. The best plan I’ve ever had.
1
Chapter 1
Caitlin-One year later
The heat in the church is oppressive. I sit on the hard wooden pew, my black dress clinging to me. Sweat trickles down my back, between my shoulder blades and down my face.
“Why would God inspire his creatures to invent air conditioning, only for this huge congregation to reject it?”I wonder.
Between the heat and the smell of sweat mixed with the cloying perfume of hundreds of flowers, I’m feeling rather sick.
I can only see the back of Adam’s head three rows up, but can’t help imagining his face. He hasn’t left Millie’s side since the accident. It’s been two whole weeks, and the only time I’ve seen my fiancé is when he’s stopped at home for a change of clothes. He has his arm draped around her shoulders; her head is tucked against his chest.
I get it; her dad just died. She and Adam have been friends their whole lives. She is, as Adam constantly reminds me, like a younger sister to him. Still, the sight of them together makes my stomach twist into a pretzel of guilt and jealousy.
