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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?

He started to say something about Maud but then looked past her. It took a second for her to realize everyone was gazing in the same direction, looking back toward the Barros house. She turned to see what everyone was staring at.

And saw Celeste walking into the party in her wedding gown.

73

Celeste knew it was a long shot.

The party turned quiet as she walked to Jack, not down an aisle, but across a paved lot, past the boat rental office, and toward the dock. Her pulse raced the entire way, and it took all of her will to put one foot in front of the other for the solitary, terrifying march toward a bewildered-looking Jack.

She glanced at the crowd, searching for Elodie. Her sister gave her a thumbs-up. Celeste knew that she, at least, would understand what she was doing. Trying to do.

Jack stood at the bar talking to Manny and Lidia.

Celeste caught the eye of Clifford Henry, and he began cutting through the crowd.

“Excuse me! Make way . . . wedding officiant coming through!”

People began murmuring. Elodie, realizing what was happening, made her way over to stand by her side. Manny, already next to Jack, gave Celeste a smile. The guests, confused and hushed in anticipation, gathered in a loose crowd before them. All she heard was the gentle lapping of the water and the old Bee Gees song “How Deep Is Your Love” playing on the sound system. A breeze stirred the lace of her dress.

“What are you doing?” Jack said, glancing around uncomfortably.

“I brought you something for your birthday,” she said. “If you’ll accept it.”

She held out the two matching platinum bands Gemma made for them. He looked at the rings uncomprehendingly, then at Clifford. Then at her gown.

“Do you know what you’re doing?” Jack said.

Celeste reached for his hand. “I do.”

It all happened so fast. One minute, Elodie was feeling sad and uncomfortable around Jack. The next, he was her brother-in-law.

“Well, that was something,” Tito said, handing her a flute of champagne. “Does this make us cousins-in-law?”

She laughed.

“I suppose.” She reached down to pat Pearl. Overstimulated, she’d settled by Elodie’s feet and wouldn’t budge. Bart, in contrast, roamed around the party, visiting each cluster of guests like he was the host.

“I hope that doesn’t mean we can’t also be more,” he said. “Have you given any more thought to moving in?”

Of course she had. But as tempting as it was to think of moving into Tito’s house and living a romantic life by the sea, she couldn’t. Pavlin & Co was a part of her. It was her legacy, one she’d set her claim on from the time she was a little girl. It was her first love, the one that had always been there—for better and for worse. She couldn’t walk away.