Allie watched the woman she’d always thought of as her second mom. “Did Sophie go crazy with a church full of people and no wedding?” Allie asked her dad.
It was the first time she’d spoken of the wedding debacle with anyone here other than Josh and Devon.
Owen chuckled. “Of course. But everyone went to the party. They forgave.”
“Well, they all got their gifts back, I assume,” Allie said, pushing the swing lazily with her foot. “No one was really out anything but an hour of their time. And no one could say it wasn’t entertaining.”
Owen chuckled and squeezed her upper arm, but he said nothing more.
“Were you…disappointed?” she asked him. “Or angry?”
He didn’t reply right away, and Allie looked up to find him seemingly thinking about her question.
“Dad?”
“Not angry,” he said easily. “Not disappointed either.”
Allie shifted so she was out from under his arm and could face him fully. “Then what? Worried? Shocked?”
“Surprised. You let it get too far. You didn’t want it,” he finally said in his choppy way of speaking. “But it was Gavin—not shocked.”
“Really?” Allie was a little shocked at that. “Concerned then?”
Owen shook his head. “No. You wanted to leave. You’re careful. You know what you want. You wanted Gavin, so I didn’t worry. Just felt bad for Josh.”
Of course he had. Everyone in the church had, she was sure. She knew that the town had quickly divided into Team Josh and Team Allie.
That had been apparent, even without Danny’s explanation, when she’d gone to the grocery store that morning for fruit salad ingredients and more hamburger buns. She’d been greeted and glared at equally, but she definitely hadn’t gone unnoticed.
Some thought she was the biggest bitch to ever set foot in the harbor for leaving Josh. Most thought she was crazy. Apparently there was a rumor going around that she’d been kidnapped by Gavin. Another rumor was that Gavin was blackmailing her and another that she was pregnant with Gavin’s baby. But there were also some people who thought Gavin’s actions were romantic and that if Allie didn’t want to marry Josh, then it was good she hadn’t gone through with it.
Several thought that Josh was, and always had been, too good for her anyway.
“Sorry about the gossip. And the money,” she said.
“I’ve survived worse,” Owen said with a smile.
She leaned over and hugged him. “Thanks, Dad.”
“You and Gavin might have to do smaller,” Owen added when she released him. “Can’t swing another open bar too soon.”
The comment was casual, even a little teasing, but Allie felt the sharp clench of
I want that
in her chest. She wanted a wedding with Gavin.
She swallowed hard before she could respond. “We don’t need anything fancy.”
Did that mean she was considering marrying him? But the answer came immediately. Of course she was going to marry him.
“How long are you staying?” Owen asked, his eyes on the party rather than his daughter.
“Staying?” Allie looked around. Everyone was very settled in their chairs, their stomachs full and their loved ones gathered around. This party wouldn’t be breaking up anytime soon. “A while. Gavin’s not even here yet.”
Which, if she thought about it, flipped her stomach. He wasn’t just late—he’d missed lunch entirely. The barbecue had started two hours ago.
Where was he?
She was better just not thinking about it. They didn’t need to be together twenty-four/seven. And he had old friends here. Maybe he’d run into someone. Maybe he was just sleeping late. Lord knew that she was all about shutting down when things got crazy. Besides, he’d still been very awake as of two a.m.
She knew he hadn’t actually
left
. Not back to Alaska anyway. But he also wasn’t
here
. He hadn’t called or sent a message with Hayley.
Allie was trying to be cool about it. This was a lot for him and it would make sense that he’d dawdle on his way over.
But two hours was beyond showing up fashionably late or making a grand entrance.
“No, when back to Alaska?”
Owen’s question yanked her back to the moment.
“What?”
“That’s where Gavin lives?” Owen frowned like he was trying to remember something.
“Yes. That’s where I’ve been.”
“You’ll be going back.”
She sat back. “I will?”
“Why not?”
She stared at him. “Dad? Do you mean on a vacation, to visit?”
Owen focused on her. “You want Gavin?”
“Of course.” That question, at least, had an easy answer.
“Then you’ll move to Alaska.”
Unbelievable. Allie couldn’t quite wrap her head around her dad’s assumption she was moving to the opposite side of the country.
“We might stay here.” But even as she said it, it didn’t feel good. Staying here didn’t feel like it fit.
“Why?” Owen asked.
“For
you
,” she said. “I’d stay for you.”
Owen looked genuinely surprised by that. “Why?”
“Dad,” she said, finally exasperated. “I do
everything
for you.”
“I’m gonna have to work harder.”
“Work harder? You make it sound like all this time you could have been doing all these things if you wanted to.”
“I’m spoiled and lazy. Your mom did everything. Then you,” he said. “But I can do things. Sophie will help me. Or I’ll hire help. Really don’t want to scrub toilets.”
She blinked at him. “Seriously. You think you’ll be fine if I pack up and move four thousand miles away.”
“Gavin has a plane. You can come visit a lot. And I’ll come visit you.”
He made it sound so simple.
Which was ridiculous. Something like this couldn’t be simple. Could it?
“What if you need something?” she asked.
Owen looked around the yard and grinned. “No problem, honey.”
She looked around as well. He had a point. Then her gaze landed on Lydia and something in her heart clicked into place. She felt herself smile. With Lydia here, everything would be just fine.
The girl was a natural-born caregiver. She’d loved taking care of Gavin. Now she’d have Charlie, Danny, Owen, Sophie and who knew who else to boss around, organize and take care of. If anyone could herd this group, it was Lydia.
Wow. Maybe…
“I need a refill,” Allie said. “How about you?”
“I’m good.” Owen stretched to his feet with her and pulled her into a hug. “Be happy. Okay?”
She gripped the back of his shirt in her fists, breathing the Tide-coffee scent in deeply. Then she blinked against the moisture in her eyes and let him go. “I will, Dad. You too.”
“Always have,” Owen said. “Might not have done everything right, but always done that.”
Allie looked up at him and felt the tears threaten again. She’d spent so much time paying attention to the things he needed that she hadn’t really paid attention to
him
. Owen was happy. He really had always been happy. Her mom’s illness and death had, of course, been a blow, but looking at him now, Allie had no doubt that he was happy and content and thankful. He was looking upon the gathering of family and friends with a pride and affection that was deep and genuine.
Okay, she could do that too. She
would
do that. And she was going to start by finding the man who had a lot to do with her happiness.
Hayley and Jackson were by the buffet table on the patio and Allie headed in that direction. Surely Hayley had an
idea
where Gavin might be.
“Hayley, did you talk to Gavin this morning?”
“Um…” Hayley looked at Jackson worriedly. “Yeah.”
That was weird. “You okay?” Allie asked as she picked up the pitcher of homemade-with-freshly-squeezed-lemons-just-that-morning lemonade that Danny and Lydia had made. How had she not immediately seen how great Lydia would be for her brothers and dad? Shaking her head, Allie poured a glass, then turned to face Hayley and Jackson.
“I wasn’t going to tell you,” Hayley started out.
Allie straightened. She already didn’t like whatever Hayley was going to say. “What?”
“Because you’d worry,” Hayley said.
“
What
, Hayley?”
“I don’t know why Gavin’s so late.”
“But you know where he is,” Allie guessed.
Hayley glanced at Jackson, then back to Allie. “Yeah. He went to talk to his dad.”
Her words made Allie’s breath catch. For some reason, she looked over to where Lydia was sitting with Charlie. The girl had obviously overheard. In fact, everyone had overheard, and all were watching her with varying degrees of curiosity and concern. Lydia definitely looked concerned.
“I thought Gavin didn’t have contact with his parents,” Charlie commented.
“Yeah,” Allie said quietly. “I did too.”
“He doesn’t,” Hayley added confidently. “It’s been years. But he asked if I knew where his dad and brothers were working today so he could go see them.”
“For what?” Allie’s gut told her this wasn’t good.
“He just said to talk,” Hayley said. “But I know that Ken Martin called him yesterday. He’s offering to sell his practice to Gavin.”
Allie went cold. She knew Ken Martin. She also didn’t think Gavin would have initiated that contact. “Does Ken know Gavin’s dad?”
Hayley frowned. “Yes.”
So Greg was up to his old tricks. He was getting Gavin a job. Dammit. That would piss Gavin off. It pissed
her
off. Gavin was perfectly capable of getting his own job, starting his own practice, whatever he wanted. And it didn’t matter. He had a job, a thriving practice that he loved. He didn’t need work in Promise Harbor. And he definitely didn’t need his dad pulling strings and cashing in favors.
“Dammit.”
“Yeah,” Hayley agreed grimly. “And Gavin went to talk to his dad almost four hours ago.”
“Okay. Where are they working?” Allie was going over there. Whatever was going on, Gavin needed her with him.
Being in love with him obviously made her feel protective—but
dammit
, Gavin was amazing; he’d done everything he set out to do with his life. His dad just needed to leave him the hell alone.
“Come on, Hayley,” she said as she started for the sliding glass door leading into the house.
“I’m coming?” But Hayley was already following.
“Well, you can take me over there in your truck or ticket me for speeding in my own car.”
“You’re right. This is more efficient.”
“I’m coming too,” Jackson said, shoving back his chair and grabbing a handful of pretzels on his way to the door.
“Well,
I’m
not missing this,” Devon said, getting up as well.
“Are you going to tell her where they’re working today?” Josh asked, also getting to his feet and pulling his car keys from his pocket.
Allie stopped in the middle of the kitchen and looked at Hayley. “Where are they working?” Why did that possibly matter? It was a construction site. Gavin’s dad and brothers owned Montgomery Contracting.
“Um.” Hayley looked at Josh. He shrugged. “The church.”
Allie frowned. “What church? There are eight in town.”
“
The
church,” Hayley said. “Your church.”
“My…oh.” The setting for the Wedding That Wasn’t. “Got it.”
“I’m so coming,” Charlie said, tugging Lydia along with him. “Gavin came storming into that church to rescue you and now you’re doing the same thing for him. Awesome.”
Yeah, awesome.
Allie took a deep breath. Well, she was doing this anyway. Gavin was there so she was going to be there. It really was that simple.
Hayley made record time to St. Mark’s. Allie, Hayley and Jackson piled out of her car while Charlie, Lydia and Danny pulled up at the curb with Josh, Devon, Sophie and Owen, and Greta and Hank right behind them. Everyone headed for the front of the church together.
Allie threw open the doors and rushed inside. And came up short.
It was pretty anticlimactic really.
The sanctuary was empty.
She turned in a full circle. “Where are they?”
“Social hall.” Hayley pointed to the east.
They burst into the great room a moment later. Allie actually slid a little on the slick tile floor with her flip-flops as she tried to slow her momentum.
Again, though, the room was empty.
Well, dammit.
She swung to face Hayley. “Well, where are they?”
Hayley looked around. “I don’t know.”
The rest of their gang crowded through the doorway, then stood looking around.
“They’re not here?”
“What’s going on?”
“Should we call him?”
Hayley held up a hand. “Shh! Listen.”
They were all quiet immediately—that alone was amazing—and tipped their heads.