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Chapters (82)
  1. Cover
  2. ALSO BY JAMIE BRENNER
  3. PART ONE
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. PART TWO
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. PART THREE
  64. 59
  65. 60
  66. 61
  67. 62
  68. 63
  69. 64
  70. 65
  71. 66
  72. 67
  73. 68
  74. 69
  75. 70
  76. 71
  77. 72
  78. 73
  79. 74
  80. Acknowledgments
  81. About the Author
  82. What’s next onyour reading list?

“I have to admit, on more than one restless night I thought about coming upstairs at Lidia’s to pay you a visit.”

Elodie smiled. “I had the same idea.”

Tito sat next to her on the bed. “I like you, Elodie. I hope it’s not too much to say this, but I’ve been hoping for someone like you for a long time.”

The statement had the strange effect of making her delighted and uncomfortable at the same time. She wasn’t used to such directness—not from a man.

“Is that why you never got married? You never found the right person?”

“When I was younger I was married to the sea. With my schedule, there was no time for a wife. It would have been selfish of me to even try. But things are different now—have been for a few years.” He reached for her hand. “What I want to know is, how did a catch like you stay single?”

“My work took precedence, too,” she said.

“That’s it?” He seemed skeptical.

“Well, yes. There was one bad experience that perhaps made me gun-shy.”

“What happened?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. It was so many years ago I hardly remember.” She wished that were true. Maybe, someday, it could be.

He leaned over and kissed her, and her heart beat so strongly she was sure he could feel it through his shirt.

“This bed might not be great to sleep in, but I think we could find some use for it,” he said.

She stood and locked the door.

55

Sorry I’m late!” Celeste said, running up Commercial and waving to Jack. He waited at the fence bordering Suzanne’s Garden, their mutually agreed meeting time having passed about ten minutes ago. “I took Gemma to an estate sale.”

“I thought we agreed we weren’t buying any more for the season?”

“Gemma wanted to look for jewelry.” She would break the news about the chest later. First things first. “But I did acquire one thing: another houseguest. Lidia rented out the room Elodie’s staying in and she doesn’t have anywhere else to go in town, so I offered her the second bedroom upstairs.”

He smiled. “Celeste, I’m proud of you.”

They walked past the gate into the garden. It was relatively empty considering how many people were in town. The flowers were a riot of color, peak bloom. Jack reached for her hand and they followed the white-shell path to the center of the gardens and ducked into the arbor. She sat on the stone bench while Jack stood in the center and looked around.

“This could really work, don’t you think? Clifford could stand right here, and there’s enough room for my best man and your matron of honor. We put some folding chairs right over there . . .”

It was a perfect spot. And he was her perfect man.

“So? What do you think?”