Unfortunately, his simple head nod in greeting was completely unreadable. Was he as nervous about being there as she was having him? Or had he completely just disregarded everything they had together? One mistake and it was over? Albeit it was a big mistake. One she was still anguished over.

Next to him, Marissa scanned the room but didn’t see her, so instead she headed toward several other kids sneaking treats from the dessert table. Sarah sighed. She’d missed Marissa, too. She was dying to ask her about camp and talk to her about her plans to design her own apps…

Would she get a chance to talk to her? Would she talk to Wes? This event wasn’t exactly conducive to a great conversation.

She connected the cables to the projection screen and motioned for Lia to join her at the front of the room.

“Is it ready?” Lia asked. She was clutching a champagne flute, and the glass looked ready to shatter under her tight grip.

Everyone else was having a good time, but Lia had been tense and on edge all evening.

“Yes,” she said, handing her the remote. “Your aunt texted and said Grandmama is all set. Just hit Connect whenever you’re ready.”

Lia took a deep breath and actually looked nervous as she clinked her glass and the crowd turned their attention toward her. “Hi, everyone. Thank you all for coming. I love that we were able to be together like this.” She paused. “Unfortunately, there is one very important member of our family who wasn’t well enough to travel.”

She turned to glance at Malcolm, and Sarah couldn’t quite decipher the look that passed between them, but Lia seemed even more uneasy than Sarah felt, trying to avoid looking at Wes.

Lia continued, as though a lot was riding on this surprise for her husband. “So, we brought her here the best way we could.” She hit Connect on the remote, and a second later, Grandmama’s smiling face appeared on the large projector screen in the front of the room.

Malcolm’s look of surprise gave way to one of affection as he glanced at Lia, and Sarah’s sigh of relief seemed to be in sync with the other woman’s.

Lia’s grateful smile in her direction had some of the tension melting away. She’d done it. She’d pulled off the event. She’d impressed the great Lia Jameson. And more importantly, she’d impressed herself. She hadn’t given up on the inn or its legacy. Her grandmother’s legacy.

“Thank God for technology, am I right?” someone in the crowd said, and Sarah shifted her gaze to Wes. He was looking at her, his expression torn. Conflicted and strained. Should she go talk to him? Should she avoid him? Her heart raced and the air around her felt stale, thick…