Once More Chance (Chance #2; Rosemary Beach #8) (24 page)

Grant fell in love with that girl, and it happened right under my nose. While I was screaming and cursing, she was quiet and calm. It would have taken an idiot not to choose her. She was the
easy one to love. I was impossible.

I looked down at the invitation again. Harlow Manning had never done anything to me other than have the love of a father we shared. It wasn’t her fault. She didn’t beg for it or
demand it—she just had it. I could blame her, but it would be pointless. From what I had seen, her life hadn’t been peaches just because Kiro Manning loved her. He still sucked balls at
being a father. But then, having a rock star for a parent was never a positive thing.

I had been unfair to her . . . no, I had been cruel to her. But I had paid my dues. I made up for my wrongs with her. Now I could walk away and let Grant and Harlow Carter live their happily
ever after. They had a baby girl and a house with a white picket fence. That was what they both deserved.

I didn’t deserve shit. I was alone in this world, and it was all my fault. I didn’t see that ever changing, because I would have to let the me I once was free, and I couldn’t
do that again. Any more rejection, and I wasn’t sure I’d make it. Finding a reason to live was becoming more and more difficult.

This was my life. And I’d created it.

H
arlow hadn’t even flinched when I’d said we didn’t need to send my dad an invitation to the wedding. He’d never mentioned
his visit to our house, but Harlow had told me every detail. If he didn’t want to say anything to me about my baby girl, then he didn’t deserve to be a part of my wedding.

However, I had flinched when she’d said she wanted to invite Nan. Harlow’s whole attitude toward Nan had changed ever since she found out about Nan giving her blood. Although Nan was
already back to her normal nasty self, as far as I could tell. I had seen her at the club bitching at Rush about something. Her haughty glares were also firmly in place. She hadn’t even
acknowledged Blaire when she’d walked up to Rush. Didn’t seem to matter with Harlow, though. She would never forget what Nan had done. It was hard for me to forget, too. If she wanted
to invite Nan and try to reach out to her, then I was more than willing to let her. However, all bets were off the moment Nan did anything that upset Harlow. I had my limits.

The rest of the invitations were sent out to everyone we loved and cared about in our lives. Lila Kate had lain in a blanket on the floor while we sat down at the table beside her and addressed
all the envelopes. She had been happy to listen to us talk. It was moments like these that made me get choked up. The idea that I almost didn’t have this got to me if I dwelled on it too
much.

The girls had been getting ready upstairs while I had breakfast. I heard Harlow talking to Lila Kate as she walked down the stairs, and I set down my cup of coffee and went to meet them. Harlow
was dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved shirt, since the fall was finally starting to show up. It was normally warm here until November, but we were getting a few cooler days already.

Lila Kate had a whole new wardrobe now, thanks to Blaire. She had come over with preemie clothing, because nothing but the baby gowns fit her, and even those were big. Harlow didn’t want
to leave the house yet, so Blaire had brought the clothes to her. They had gone through what looked like hundreds of outfits before settling on the ones that Harlow liked best. Today she had
dressed her in a onesie covered in lots of yellow butterflies.

“Look who’s waiting for you,” Harlow said as she reached the bottom step. “Daddy’s here.”

“I was actually waiting for both of you,” I told her, and kissed her lips. “You look good enough to eat this morning.”

Harlow giggled. “That can be arranged.”

“Mommy’s being naughty. I like it,” I teased her. Her beautiful smile grew bigger.

I took Lila Kate from her arms and placed her against my chest. I held her head as she reared back to try to look up at me. “You have fun dress shopping today. Buy whatever the hell you
want.”

She was going shopping for a wedding dress with Blaire and Della. Della was also looking for a dress. Her wedding was several months away, but they were doing a joint shopping trip and making a
girls’ day out of it. Blaire had invited Bethy, but she had used the excuse that she needed to work some extra hours. Blaire was worried about her, which made all of us worried about her. She
was pulling away more and more. Someone had to reach her, I just didn’t know who could do it. I did know Jace wouldn’t have wanted this. He wouldn’t have wanted her to grieve for
this long.

“You two have fun while I’m gone. I’m nervous about leaving, but not because I don’t think you can handle it. I just haven’t been away from her since I woke up. I
don’t like the idea of not being able to see her whenever I want to.” We had been home a little more than a week now, and Harlow hadn’t left the house. The doctor recommended that
we keep Lila Kate at home for the first month while her little body and immune system matured some more. While I had gone to work, Harlow had stayed here happily. Blaire almost had to plead to get
her to look for a wedding dress.

“I’ll have my phone in my pocket. Every time you want to see her, just FaceTime me. Now, go have fun,” I said, swatting her on the ass and nodding my head toward the door.

She grinned and rolled her eyes at me. “Fine. I’ll go,” she agreed, but then leaned in to kiss Lila Kate’s head one more time. “I’ll be back soon,” she
said.

Lila Kate got so excited by Harlow that she buried her face in my chest. I kept my hand at the back of her neck, because she’d throw it back again to see if Harlow was still nearby any
second now.

“She looks more like you now,” Harlow said, touching her little arm.

“She’s too pretty to look like me,” I replied.

Harlow cocked an eyebrow at me. “I know you don’t like hearing this, but you’re pretty, too, pretty boy.”

Chuckling, I opened the door and kissed her lips one more time just as Blaire’s Mercedes SUV pulled into our driveway. Harlow waved good-bye and blew us kisses, then finally left the house
for the first time.

I watched until she was safely in Blaire’s car and was pulling away until I closed the door. “Want to bet your mommy calls us in the next ten minutes?” I asked Lila Kate as we
walked to the kitchen to get her a bottle and finish my coffee. “She won’t be able to help herself. Being away from you isn’t something she’s fond of. But I need her to get
that dress so I can marry her. Then we’ll be official. The Carter family. Has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?”

I
folded the letter and wiped away the tears that were now running down my face. Crazy man had to make me cry before I walked down the aisle. I
used the tissue in my hand to blot away the wetness and took a deep breath. I would probably need to frame this, because I was going to read it so often the paper was going to wear through.

“Why are you crying?” Blaire asked as she stepped into the room.

I held up the letter. “This. It’s from Grant,” I explained. “I don’t think it was supposed to make me cry, but it did.”

“Ah, I understand. Rush had me in a fit of tears before I walked down the aisle.

Smiling, I remembered their wedding. It had been beautiful and much more elaborate than this one would be. I had wanted simple, and Grant had agreed.

“We have a five-minute drive. You ready to go?” she asked me.

“Yes. Is Lila Kate ready?”

She nodded. “Yep. She looks like an angel. Her mommy might not be wearing white, but she’s rocking her own fluffy white gown.”

Laughing, I slipped on my flats and tucked the letter into my jewelry box. “Let’s do this,” I said, heading out my bedroom door and toward Lila Kate’s room. She was lying
in her crib, looking at her slipper-covered feet in fascination. When her gaze found mine, she kicked happily. “We have a handsome prince waiting for us. We need to go.” I scooped her
up.

She did look adorable in her dress.

Blaire led us out to my Land Rover, and I buckled Lila Kate in before climbing into the passenger seat. My dress was easy. I hadn’t gone for the long, white, traditional wedding dress.
Instead, my dress was the palest of blues. It reminded me of the color of the sky when looking through a cloud. It was a simple yet elegant satin gown that belted at the waistline and flowed
outward, falling just above my knees.

Lila Kate gurgled and let us know she was back there with a little fussing. We turned toward the club, then drove back to the private beach for homeowners only. Woods had offered to let us use
the stretch of beach in front of his house. We wouldn’t have any uninvited spectators, and it would be private.

Blaire pulled up to the rose-covered archway that served as the entrance to the wedding. “This is your stop,” she said, grinning. “Nervous?”

I shook my head. “No. Not at all. I’ve never been more ready to do anything in my life.”

After stepping out of the car, I quickly scooped Lila Kate out of her car seat before she got too frustrated and tucked her in my arms. She was still less than six pounds, but she was gaining
weight steadily, and that was what mattered.

“Let’s go see Daddy,” I whispered. We stepped up to the archway. Blaire straightened her dress and quickly sent a text to let them know we were ready, since we couldn’t
be seen on this side of the house.

The music started up, and Blaire wiggled her fingers in a wave before picking up a small bouquet of three roses—a pink one centered between two white ones. It was a symbol of our family. I
would have carried it myself, but I had my hands full of something much more important.

Blaire walked away down the aisle, and I counted to twenty just like we had practiced, before Lila Kate and I made our way down the rose-petal-covered walkway. We made the turn around the house,
and there they were, all standing up and turning toward us. The people we loved. I smiled as Lila Kate’s gaze took everything in.

It wasn’t until we were at the center looking straight up the aisle that I saw him. Our handsome prince. His eyes locked on mine.

He thought I was the hero of our story. How wrong he was. He had been the hero all along.

W
riting this second half of Grant and Harlow’s story was a journey for me I didn’t expect when I started. I’ve never cried so
much while writing, editing, and rereading a book in my life. I’ve always loved Grant. I am so pleased that his story turned out the way it did. He was special, and his story deserved to be
just as special.

First of all, I want to thank the Atria team. The brilliant Jhanteigh Kupihea. I couldn’t ask for a better editor. She is always positive and working to make my books the best they can be.
Thank you, Jhanteigh, for being awesome. Ariele Fredman and Valerie Vennix for being not only brilliant with your ideas but listening to mine. Judith Curr for giving me and my books a chance. And
everyone else at Atria that had a hand in getting this book to production. I heart you big-time.

My agent, Jane Dystel. She is always there to help in any situation. I’m thankful that I have her on my side in this new and ever-changing world of publishing. Lauren Abramo, who handles
my foreign rights. I couldn’t begin to think of conquering that world without her.

The friends who listen to me and understand me the way no one else in my life can: Colleen Hoover, Jamie McGuire, and Tammara Webber. You three have listened to me and supported me more than
anyone I know. Thanks for everything.

My beta readers, Natasha Tomic and Autumn Hull. You both are brilliant and know exactly where to point out what is missing. Thank you so much for keeping up with my hectic schedule. Beta reading
for someone who is always writing a book isn’t an easy job.

Last by certainly not least:

My family. Without their support I wouldn’t be here. My husband, Keith, makes sure I have my coffee and the kids are all taken care of when I need to lock myself away and meet a deadline.
My three kids are so understanding, although once I walk out of that writing cave they expect my full attention, and they get it. My parents, who have supported me all along. Even when I decided to
write steamier stuff. My friends, who don’t hate me because I can’t spend time with them for weeks at a time because my writing is taking over. They are my ultimate support group, and I
love them dearly.