Memory of You (A Misty Cove Love Story) (8 page)

Finally, I collapsed on the sand and hugged my knees to my body. Erin did the same. In silence, we gazed out at sea, watching the waves sweep the shore and shrink back into the ocean, sky meeting water in perfect harmony. I closed my eyes and let the breeze comfort me, the sounds of the water and seagulls to calm my nerves. Then I opened them again. The tears were gone but not the pain.

“I wish I didn’t love him anymore.” I let out a small laugh. “It would have made everything so much easier.”

“I know, sweetie.” Erin put an arm around my shoulders. “But you’re strong. You will get through this. One day, you might even meet another love of your life. I actually don’t believe there’s only one person for everyone.”

“I disagree. Even when I married Milton, I knew Bryce was still the one who owned my heart. I knew that I could never love him as much as I loved Bryce.” I let out a stream of air. “Maybe he sensed that and that was why our marriage crashed.” I paused. “I think I only fell in love with the idea of being in love with him… and his good looks, of course.”

“That man was movie-star gorgeous,” Erin added. “When I met him the first time, I was actually disappointed he didn’t have a brother. Hell, I would have married a sister if he’d had one.” Erin laughed and so did I.

“I thought you’re not ready for marriage.”

Erin shrugged. “Exceptions are there to be made.”

I shook my head and smiled at her. “You’re right.” Some of the tension melted and all I felt was sadness, deep and dark, and stifling. “But he certainly wasn’t husband material.” I had run away from Bryce because I thought he had cheated on me, only to enter into a marriage with a man who never hid his affairs from me.

“You went through so much.”

“Yeah, I had hoped Misty Cove would give me a break. It’s the place where I had been happiest.”

“It could still bring you happiness.” Erin drew hearts in the sand. “It’s a tiny town and not much happens here. That’s why people are wagging their tongues. But believe me, they will soon get bored and move on to something else.”

“It could take years,” I said softly.

“Or a few days. One can never say.” She erased the hearts she had drawn and dusted off her hands. “I cannot believe you stood up to them back there. I’m so proud of you.”

I smiled broadly. “I’m proud of myself. Maybe they will actually think twice about gossiping next time. They should have at least waited until I was out of earshot. They are plain disrespectful.”

“I agree. Sally’s face is one to remember. I thought she was going to bolt.”

“I used to like Sally,” I said. “When her first husband died, Gran and I baked her a meat pie. I took it to her place and we ate it together. She was so kind then.” Her husband had been hit by a car while crossing the street to meet Sally on the other side. His death was one of the well-known tragedies of Misty Cove.

“I know. Do you know she’s married again?”

I raised an eyebrow. “No, I had no idea. To whom?”

Erin nodded. “To her husband’s best friend, of all people.”

“Wasn’t that Chief Spencer?”

“The one and only. He retired two years ago.”

“Well, I hope they’re happy.” I could still remember the tears sparkling in Sally’s eyes that night when I brought her the pie. She had poured me freshly pressed orange juice and told me then that she would never, ever marry again. Maybe hearts really did heal.

Erin nodded. “They seem happy enough.”

I looked at Erin seriously. “Do you think they will stay in Misty Cove… after their wedding?”

“We’re not talking about Sally and Chief Spencer anymore, are we?”

“Bryce and…”

“Lori?” Erin shifted. “I wish you didn’t ask me that question.”

“What do you know? Tell me. You’re my best friend.”

“I think they’re staying. Word around town is that Bryce will be renting out his parents’ cottage and building a new house on the plot… the plot—”

“The plot he’d bought to build our house on,” I said softly. I bit back tears. I couldn’t help feeling betrayed in the worst possible way. Even though I had no right to feel that way. It was his plot, after all. “I know it’s selfish, but I kind of hoped he would sell it.”

“I know it hurts. Should I have lied to you?”

“Don’t you dare!” I nudged Erin. “Doesn’t matter. He can do whatever he wants. Let’s eat some tarts.”

For the next ten minutes I pretended to be fine, to enjoy my lemon tarts. But I didn’t taste a thing. One thing was clear: This was going to get more painful before it got better.

Chapter Sixteen

I stood in front of the display window of Petal & Pearls, one of the two bridal stores in Misty Cove.

My heart came in quick gasps as I stared at the dress in the window—strapless and simple with tiny pearls scattered all over the bust. The chiffon skirt was slightly short at the front and long at the back but barely touched the floor. The perfect beach dress. Even after all these years, it was the one. It was so different from the gown I'd worn when I married Milton—an expensive princess gown that was beautiful but never felt like mine.

My hands trembled as I placed them on my lips. Five years and they still sold the dress I’d nearly married Bryce in. Didn't they adjust to the trends? I had to admit that the dress was classic enough to withstand time and the unpredictable nature of fashion. It was still here, still taking my breath away. It had been heart-wrenching telling Erin to return it barely worn but not unloved. Much like Bryce. I had given him up even though I still loved him.

He has made his decision, Jade, and it doesn't include you. Deal with it. I’d bumped into him on the beach last night. We had both been out for a Sunday evening walk.

Although we had greeted each other and exchanged a few words, we had felt like strangers. Before he left, I couldn’t help telling him what Luke had told me, that he thought he was making a mistake. Bryce simply shook his head and told me that he had made his decision and he was sticking to it. I’d wished him well again and walked in the opposite direction.

I blinked away the tears and stepped away from the display window, almost colliding with an old man carrying a walking stick that looked older than he was.

“I'm so sorry,” I said.

He shot me a look and walked off.

I sighed deeply and took a last glance at the dress, willed myself to move away, to get to work. I was already ten minutes late because of a wedding dress. Why I'd chosen to take this path to work was beyond me. It was almost as if my feet had led me here of their own accord and I had been unable to resist.

“Jade?” A voice behind me made me jump farther away from the display window, as if I had been caught doing something wrong. I whirled around and there she was. All put-together and gorgeous. I hated that she was gorgeous.

“Hi.” The word made it past my throat with difficulty. Since the baking sale incident, I had seen her and Bryce around town but never came close enough to hear her voice, to see how perfect her makeup was, and to see that she had the bluest eyes I had ever seen and a mouth that belonged in lipstick ads. She wore a white silk blouse and a blue pleated skirt that matched her eyes.

Watching her made me feel as if someone had grabbed my heart and squeezed it tightly.

“Hmmm... hi, Lori, right?”

“Yes.” She smiled. Her teeth were perfect pearls. Was there anything at all about her that wasn't perfect? No wonder Bryce couldn't walk away from her.

“I'm actually glad we bumped into each other.” She placed a white Pearls & Petals shoe box under her arm and hoisted her purse higher up on her shoulder. “Do you have a moment? I want to have a word.” She had a hint of a British accent.

“Sure but...” I said, wondering why Bryce's fiancée would want to talk to me. There could only be one reason and I wished I could ignore her, just walk away. But I no longer ran away from problems.

“How about a coffee. I won't take too much of your time.”

“I'd love to chat but I have to be at work.” I glanced at my watch. “Right now, actually.”

“Okay,” she said. “How about later... after you finish work? Tell me when and I'll meet you then.”

I nodded. “Let’s meet at
Mrs. Muffins
at six.” I walked away then and felt her gaze after me. With each step, I regretted agreeing to the meeting.

Chapter Seventeen
 

Lori was already waiting at a window table when I arrived at
Mrs. Muffins
. She was leafing through a bridal magazine but looked up when I approached.

Before leaving the office, I’d run a brush through my hair. I even put on a stroke of lip gloss and mascara. I didn't want to feel like a frump next to her. But who was I kidding? She had the bride-to-be glow on her side. How could I compete with that?

“I wish I didn't have to talk to her,” I’d said to Erin over the phone as I’d walked down the street.

“You can do this. Don't let her take a piece of you away. Show her that you're strong enough to move on without Bryce.”

Now as I watched her sitting there in all her perfection I knew that she had already taken a piece of me away.

She gave me a half smile and waved at an empty chair.

“Thanks for agreeing to see me.” She pushed her magazine to the side.

I sat down. “No problem. What do you want to talk to me about?”

She took a sip of her coffee and smiled. “You know what I want to talk about.”

“Do I?”

She leaned forward, annoyance flashing in her eyes. “I know about you and Bryce. People in this town talk, as you already know. Bryce told me how you broke his heart.”

“Good to know you're well informed. No secrets in a small town.”

She sighed and leaned back, her arms folded across her chest. The fragile image she had displayed at the bake sale was nowhere to be seen. “I know women like you. You think you can have what you want, when you want it.”

“What makes you think that?” I tipped my head to the side. “I never told you I want Bryce. In fact, you and I have never even exchanged a word before today. What makes you think you know me so well?”

“Bryce told me. He told me that you tried to talk him out of marrying me.” The warmth in her smile left, and it looked more like a sneer now. “Well, he came home all ruffled last night. You probably know that Bryce is not good at lying. When I asked him what was bothering him, he told me that he saw you on the beach. He tells me everything, you know.”

I drew in a slow, steady breath. “If he tells you everything, why are you talking to me?”

She sighed. “I was hoping this conversation will be easy and we will both be adults about it. I guess not.” The smile fell off her face, leaving only coldness there. “Well, I came here to tell you to back off my man. You were the one who left him. He has moved on with his life. He loves me. You telling him that he could be making a mistake won’t change anything. We are getting married in three days and nothing you do or say will change that. We’re both very excited.” Her ruby lips spread into a thin smile. “Did he happen to tell you the good news? Probably not. Well, two days ago I made him the happiest man when I told him he’s going to be a father.” She paused to allow me to digest the news she had shared with me. “I’m pregnant. I had thought of giving him the news on our wedding day… a wedding present, you know. But I couldn’t hold back.”

My heart crashed against my chest and exploded, and a heavy feeling settled in the pit of my stomach. A moment passed where my breathing seemed to be suspended. “Well… congratulations.” I forced myself to my feet, my legs unsteady. “I hope you will have a happy life together.”

Whatever else I had thought of saying to her had been shattered by that single piece of information, a huge piece of information. That changed everything. Bryce was going to be a father, and that baby was being carried by another woman.

“Have a happy life as well. Stay away from my man.” Her words followed me out the door.

The air was balmy and welcoming. It felt like a big, warm hug that offered me comfort but also made me want to weep. I didn’t. Not yet. Not until I reached the beach.

I had planned to go straight home, but there was no way I could ride my bike in this condition. Nothing could have prepared me for what Lori had told me.

I was just coming to terms with Bryce getting married. To find out he was also getting a baby made me want to throw up. I knew it would come someday. They would definitely want to start a family. I thought I would have time to prepare myself for it.

I crashed on the sand, hugged my knees, and rocked back and forth. A wave of nausea washed over me, but I shoved away the urge. 

I had come to the beach with the strong need to cry, but despite the pain in the back of my throat, I left dried-eyed and numb. Not for the first time, the feeling of abandonment that had been born by my mother’s rejection poured into my heart, leaving me empty and disoriented.

Back at the cottage, I took a shower and climbed under the covers. It was still too early for bed, so I watched a movie to distract myself. But Lori’s revelation wouldn’t stop tormenting me. It cut me to the quick, but it was also the closure I had needed. The push to move on. I just had to get through their wedding day, the final nail on the coffin. Knowing Bryce had someone else’s ring on his finger would be the ultimate end of us.

Chapter Eighteen

I woke up early today, hoping not to bump into too many people who were excited about the wedding. Fat chance.

When you got married in Misty Cove, you hardly sent out invitations. Everybody invited themselves. All you did was put up a white flag on your house to signify an upcoming wedding. Everybody was involved in the wedding, helping with decorations, cooking, and other wedding preparations.

Today the town was awake early, ready to celebrate. There was laughter and smiles that died when I walked by. When I went for a walk on the beach last night, to clear my head, I saw a gazebo already set up and ready. They would be declaring their love to each other in one of the most romantic spots in town.