“I watched it once.” Mariella’s voice was raw. “The video. And I hated that woman making a spectacle of herself, even more than I hated Joshua for his betrayal.”

“The cheating fiancé?”

Mariella gave a tight nod. “I chose to leave. I sold everything of value that I personally owned, and walked away. It wasn’t difficult. What has been harder is coming back into the world in any kind of meaningful way, even on a small scale.”

“You mean designing dresses for brides who seek you out.”

“And working with the brides who’ve contracted with the inn to plan their weddings.”

“Do you need the money?” Angi placed her glass on the table. “Is that why you’re doing it?”

“I don’t need money. I saved enough to get by. I like weddings. I’ve been fascinated by brides since I was a kid, and I feel like with the inn there’s a certain woman—or couple—who chooses this place as a venue. The type of people I want to help. The Wildflower is special.”

“I know,” Angi murmured. “That’s why I can’t quite let go of it yet. Why I’m a grown woman sneaking around like a teenager so my mom doesn’t bust me.”

“For following your dream?”

Angi looked at the ground. “For not wanting to follow hers.”

Emma burst through the swinging door that led to the dining room at that moment.

“Problem?” Mariella asked, arching an eyebrow.

Emma looked between the two of them. “Honestly, I was afraid you two might be at each other’s throats.”

“We’re like peas and carrots,” Mariella told her, and Angi laughed in response. It felt good to laugh despite everything. She appreciated these two women. She might have grown up in Magnolia, but it wasn’t until meeting Emma that she felt she’d found a true friend. Mariella, too, despite their differences and the friction that sometimes arose between them.

“What have I missed?” Emma asked as she picked up the glass Angi had left for her on the counter.

Angi glanced at Mariella. “Nothing,” the blonde said. “We were waiting for you.” She met Angi’s gaze, her cool blue eyes giving away nothing of the vulnerability she’d just revealed. “Let’s figure out how to help your boy,” she said, and Angi felt immensely grateful not to be alone.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

THE PHONE ON the shop’s counter rang for what felt like the hundredth time that morning. Gabe stared at the ancient rotary dial, wishing his grandmother at least had a device with caller ID installed. Who didn’t have caller ID in this day and age?

Not that Gabe needed it to know who was so incessantly trying to get a hold of him.

His mother had been calling nonstop for the past three days, and he’d grown tired of arguing with her. Two older women who’d stopped in on the rainy morning quickly let themselves out of the shop after he cursed out loud at the ringing telephone. He wasn’t sure whether to applaud or groan. He’d promised his grandmother a visit to the shop, but he couldn’t seem to stop himself from letting it fall to ruin just to piss off his mother.