Chapter 9
The engagement photos were scheduled for the following Saturday.
Grace refused to tell Brooklyn.
That realization struck her while she was driving home from work on Wednesday, and it bothered her far more than she wanted to admit.
There should not have been anyone she felt the need to keep wedding information from.
Yet she'd found herself hesitating every time her phone buzzed with another cheerful text.
Have you picked your engagement photo outfits yet?
She hadn't answered.
Instead, she'd closed the message and called Paige.
"You think I'm ridiculous," Grace said by way of greeting.
"I haven't even heard what you did yet."
"I deliberately didn't answer Brooklyn's text."
"Oh." Paige sounded thoughtful rather than surprised. "Why?"
"I don't know."
"Yes, you do."
Grace pulled into her driveway and turned off the engine. "I don't want her showing up."
The words hung in the quiet car.
Paige didn't laugh. She didn't tell Grace she was overreacting. Instead she asked gently, "Do you think she'd do that?"
Grace looked through the windshield at the front of her little bungalow. "I don't know anymore."
"You've started expecting her." Grace closed her eyes. That was exactly it.
Brooklyn had become like bad weather.
Grace found herself checking the forecast before every wedding event.
Would Brooklyn somehow already know?
Would she have spoken to the vendor?
Would she have an opinion?
Would she somehow arrive smiling with coffee and an apology for "interrupting?"
It was exhausting.
"I hate this," Grace admitted.
"I know."
"I don't want to spend my engagement wondering where another woman stands."
"You shouldn't have to."
Luke arrived an hour later carrying Chinese takeout.
Grace met him at the door wearing yoga pants and one of his old college sweatshirts she'd stolen months earlier.
He smiled the moment he saw it. "I've been looking for that."
"No, you haven't."
"No." He laughed.
"I absolutely haven't."
She took the takeout bag from him.
"You hungry?"
"Starving."
They spread cartons across the kitchen island and ate standing up, stealing bites from each other's containers the way they always did.
For a while, everything felt wonderfully normal.
Luke told her about one of his project managers accidentally emailing a demolition schedule to the client instead of the weekly update.
Grace laughed so hard she nearly dropped her chopsticks.
Then Luke looked up. "So..."
She immediately recognized the tone. "What?"
"Mom called."
Grace sighed inwardly. "What now?"
"Nothing bad." He sounded almost cautious.
"She wants to host an engagement party."
Grace blinked. "I thought we weren't doing one."
"We weren't." Luke shrugged. "Apparently now we are."
Grace laughed despite herself. "Your mother doesn't really believe in asking first, does she?"
"No." He smiled. "She believes in enthusiastic informing."
"When?"
"Three weeks."
Grace considered it. An engagement party wasn't unreasonable, she just hadn’t wanted to plan one. "Okay."
Luke studied her face. "That's it?"
"What?"
"No objection?"
Grace smiled. "I'm learning to choose my battles."
His smile faded. "I don't want you to feel like that's necessary."
"I know." She reached across the island and took his hand. "But your mother throwing us a party isn't the same as Brooklyn rearranging our seating chart."
Luke squeezed her fingers. "I appreciate that distinction."
She smiled. "Besides..."
"What?"
"I get to show off my ring."
He laughed.
"I’m the shallow woman you've always dreamed of."
"Exactly." He leaned across the counter and kissed her.
His phone buzzed. They both ignored it. It buzzed again. Then again. Luke frowned. "Sorry." He pulled it from his pocket. His expression shifted.
"What?"
"It's Brook."
Grace felt her shoulders tense despite herself.
Luke noticed. Without saying anything, he declined the call. A second later, another text appeared. He read it. Then looked at Grace.
"What?"
He handed her the phone.
Brooklyn: I'm so sorry to bother you. Elaine just called me crying because she's overwhelmed with the engagement party. I know she won't ask you guys for help because she doesn’t want to stress you. Can you call her? I think she'd really appreciate hearing from you.
Grace stared at the message.
Then at Luke.
"It sounds..."
Luke hesitated.
"...reasonable."
"It does."
Neither of them moved.
Finally Luke called his mother.
Elaine answered on the first ring. "Hi, sweetheart!" She sounded cheerful. Not crying. Not overwhelmed.
Luke frowned. "Mom?"
"Yes?"
"Are you okay?"
"Of course."
Grace watched his face carefully.
"I heard you were stressed."
Elaine laughed.
"Oh."
Another laugh. "I told Brooklyn I couldn't decide between two caterers."
"That's all?"
"That's all."
Luke looked down at the phone in his hand.
"I wouldn't say I was crying. Oh heavens, no." Elaine sounded genuinely puzzled. "I'm actually having fun."
Luke smiled faintly. "Okay."
After they hung up, neither of them spoke immediately.
Finally Grace asked quietly, "What do you think?"
Luke read Brooklyn's message again. "I think..." He frowned. "...she exaggerated."
Grace nodded. "Why?"
"I don't know." He looked genuinely confused. "Maybe she misunderstood."
Grace didn't answer.
Because this time...
She wasn't sure he believed that himself.
Saturday morning dawned clear and cool. The photographer had chosen the botanical gardens on the edge of town, arriving before the crowds with coffee in one hand and two cameras slung over her shoulders.
Natalie greeted them with a broad smile. "I'm excited."
"So are we," Luke said.
Grace slipped her hand into his.
Natalie looked between them. "Good." She smiled knowingly. "The best pictures happen when people forget I'm here."
For the next forty-five minutes, Grace did exactly that.
She forgot Brooklyn.
Forgot wedding planning.
Forgot every awkward family conversation.
Luke made her laugh.
She teased him about the way he always blinked just before a camera clicked. He whispered something ridiculous in her ear that made her snort in the middle of a posed shot.
Natalie grinned. "There’s the shot."
"What?"
"That's you two." She lowered the camera "Not the perfect smile." She pointed. "That."
Luke was still looking at Grace. Not at the lens. At her. As though he'd forgotten anyone else existed.
Natalie lifted the camera again. "Don't move." The shutter clicked three times.
Grace knew without seeing them that those would be her favorite photographs.
They were changing locations when Luke wandered toward a nearby fountain with Natalie to discuss the next setup. Grace stayed behind to smooth her hair.
She was alone for perhaps thirty seconds. "Grace?" She froze.
Slowly, she turned. Brooklyn stood on the path behind her wearing running clothes with earbuds around her neck and a water bottle in her hand. She looked surprised. "Gosh." She laughed softly. "What a coincidence."
Grace stared. "The gardens?"
Brooklyn lifted the water bottle. "I run here every Saturday."
Grace searched her face.
Brooklyn looked completely sincere. "I had no idea you'd be here."
Luke looked up from across the lawn. He spotted Brooklyn. Even from a distance, Grace saw the confusion on his face. Not annoyance.
Brooklyn followed Grace's gaze. She waved cheerfully. Luke waved back automatically. Then his hand slowly lowered. He looked from Brooklyn…to Grace...and something in his expression changed.
It wasn't realization.
Not fully.
But for the first time since Grace had met him, Luke didn't look pleased to see Brooklyn.
He looked… Tired.
Brooklyn smiled brightly. "I won't interrupt." She took a step backward. "I just wanted to say you both look beautiful." She gave another little wave. Then jogged away down the path. Grace watched her disappear around a bend lined with flowering trees.
Natalie walked back toward them carrying a reflector. "Oh!" She looked after Brooklyn. "Was that your friend?"
Grace opened her mouth.
Before she could answer, Luke quietly said, "I don't know anymore."
Grace looked at him. He was still staring down the path Brooklyn had taken. And for the first time… He wasn't asking Grace to explain why Brooklyn bothered her. He was asking himself.