“I’m not sticking up for him, but I think that neither of us was in love with one another. We were just going forward on the road that was laid out for us when we were too young to question.”

“The reason Beth doesn’t know if the news is true or not is because Beth hasn’t spoken to him since you left.”

I sat up. “What?”

“He left town around the same time. He hasn’t returned her calls. Mrs. Butler has been calling everyone to find him.”

Where did he go after he left Ashland?

“Does Skylar’s mom know that Beth is pregnant?” I asked.

Vicki’s volume rose. “Oh, girl, I don’t know, and if I were Beth, it sure as hell wouldn’t be a discussion I’d want to have with the Butlers without Skylar’s support.”

Poor Beth.

Had I really just had that thought?

“When are you coming home?” Vicki asked.

“I got the job that I told you about. I’m going to stay here for a while.”

She laughed. “That’s another weird Twilight Zone-y thing. I knew you applied for a job, but yesterday, the crazy-ass newspeople have you engaged to someone else. It’s wild. They twist everything.” Before I could reply, she went on. “I looked the man up. He’s uber rich and some good-looking recluse. I told my mom about it and said you’d gone for a job, not a new proposal.”

“The job opportunity is why I came up here. The whole thing hasn’t exactly worked out as I planned.”

“Tell me about the job,” Vicki said.

“The job is to write Donovan Sherman’s memoir.”

“That’s the guy,” she said, her voice rising. “I swear those reporters are crazy.”

I sat taller. “They aren’t. He did propose. I said yes.”

“What the hell?”

I nodded. “I did. I know it’s fast—”

“Lightning fast. I mean, he was good-looking, but isn’t he too old for you?”

“Not as old as I expected when I went to the interview. His age doesn’t bother me.”

“Julia, you’re really going to marry him? I don’t approve.”

“You don’t?” I asked, surprised.

“I think he needs to meet your only best friend. Then we can discuss this.”

My smile returned. “I’d love that. After the holidays when I go back to Chicago to gather my things.”

Will Van go with me to Chicago?

I’d made the comment without thinking. After all, he was a successful man. He more than likely didn’t have time to help me pack. Maybe I’d said he’d be there because I wanted him to be.

Vicki was talking. “You’re moving up to northern Wisconsin? Really, Chicago doesn’t get cold enough for you?”