Chapter 19
The murmur of conversations faded behind Dakota as she made her way to Trudy’s bathroom, which was located beyond the modest
family room in her Cape Cod–style house. Ever since she’d arrived for Layla’s bridal shower, she’d felt like she couldn’t
breathe.
She’d planned to send a gift and avoid the shower, but when Layla texted her at the shop earlier in the day to make sure she’d
gotten an invitation, Dakota felt obligated to come. She’d done her best to make conversation with Layla’s friends and Shane’s
family members, but she felt as if the memories surrounding her might strangle her.
Every time she looked at the family photos on the walls, she was taken back to when she and Hudson had been a couple. She’d
spent hours in this little house with Hud and his family. It seemed like only yesterday that this house felt like her second
home, but now she was nothing but a memory, almost a stranger.
She washed her hands before exiting the bathroom, and when she moved past the kitchen, she caught a glimpse of the backyard. She took in the lovely landscaping of flowers along a rock path accentuated by benches.
Dakota crossed the kitchen and pushed open the back door leading to a small deck. She inhaled the fresh air as the warm, late-April
afternoon sun kissed her cheeks. It was Saturday, and spring had fully arrived in Flowering Grove. The colorful plants in
Trudy’s lush backyard danced in the warm afternoon breeze as bees buzzed around them. Three rabbits hopped by before disappearing
into a bush, and two squirrels helped themselves to an afternoon snack from a nearby birdfeeder.
But despite the happy scenery, sadness built in Dakota’s chest as she leaned on the deck railing. She was still reeling from
hurting Parker last night, and now the memories conjured up by Trudy’s house were about to send her into a bottomless, hopeless
abyss.
She should have told Layla that she needed to keep working on her gown, which was the truth. She was still struggling to perfect
the dress, and she only had a little over a month to finish it before the last fitting. The beading on the skirt still didn’t
look right, and despite hours of work, she wasn’t yet happy with the sleeves or the train. Had she lost her touch?
The backyard gate opened with a squeak, and Dakota looked up. Hudson was walking through clad in pressed khaki shorts and
a green golf shirt from an exclusive brand that flaunted his sinewy arms. A rush of nerves swarmed her stomach. His face was
clean-shaven, and when his blue eyes met hers, he appeared as surprised as she felt.
She pushed her hands down her green sundress and patted her hair, hoping her French braid was still straight. Then she stopped herself from groaning. Why was she always fussing about her appearance around him?
He reached the bottom of the deck stairs. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“I wasn’t planning on coming.” She grimaced. “That came out wrong. What I meant was, I was going to send a gift so I could
stay at the boutique and work, but Layla texted me and asked me to come.”
“Interesting. She texted me too.” He nodded toward the double glider behind her. “Want to sit?”
“Sure.”
***
They sat down, and Dakota looked out over the yard. “The yard looks different than I remember,” she said. “It’s nice.” She
closed her eyes and pressed her hand to her temple. “Again, that’s not what I meant. Nothing’s coming out right today.”
“It’s okay.” Hud chuckled at her honesty. “I was never one to make time for helping my aunt with her yard work.” He blew out
a puff of air. “But apparently, Shane wanted to show off his landscaping skills.”
“He did this?” she asked with a gasp, and he nodded. “He’s talented. If I had the money, I’d hire him too.”
“Yeah, I guess he’s pretty talented.” Hud’s smile dipped downward.
“That sounded sarcastic. Do you not think he’s talented?”
He wasn’t about to offer up his feelings about Shane when Dakota had made it clear she was Team Wedding. While keeping his
focus on the yard, he gently pushed the glider into motion, and it creaked back and forth.
“It’s nice that you came to her shower,” she said. “Does that mean you’ve changed your opinion on the marriage?”
He glanced back toward the house, confirming none of the bridal shower guests were within earshot, and faced her again. “Honestly? No, I still think she’s too young and not ready for this.”
“Hold on, Hud.” She rested her sandals on the deck, stopping the glider. “That’s just an excuse. What’s the real reason you’re
against the marriage?”
He shook his head and looked out toward the backyard. She didn’t want to hear the truth, or maybe he wasn’t ready to share
it.
“What aren’t you telling me?”
He pressed his lips together. “She was a mess in high school.” His voice was low and close to her ear.
“What do you mean?”
“She got mixed up with the wrong crowd and was expelled for fighting.”
“Fighting?” Dakota cupped her hand to her mouth before angling herself closer to him. “I can’t even imagine that.”
He fiddled with a loose sliver of wood on the arm of the glider. “I couldn’t understand it. She was failing classes, skipping
school, and experimenting with drugs and alcohol. I knew how gossip spread in this town, so Aunt Trudy and I kept it as private
as we could. Only her school counselor knew the details of what was going on.”
“If I had known, I could have tried to help her.”
He gave her a look of disbelief. Why would his ex-fiancée help his sister?
“Hud, I adore Layla. When we were together, she was like the little sister I never had.”
He continued to watch her, warmed by her admission. Had she truly loved him and his family? If so, why had she done what she
did?
She shifted away from him on the glider.
“Aunt Trudy was going out of her mind, and I was in New York City,” he explained. As he spoke, all of the worry and helplessness he remembered crashed over him again. “I was brand-new at the company and had no personal time off to use, not to mention the money to travel home to help. So I did what I could from afar. We talked to the guidance counselor so often, I had her number memorized. We got Layla in with the school psychologist, which helped, and signed her up for summer school to make up the work she missed so she wouldn’t be held back.”
“That had to be horrible, Hud. I’m so sorry.”
He scrubbed his hand over his face. “I’d never been so stressed out before, but we got her through it.”
“But she’s doing great now. I can tell she’s gotten her act together.”
Hudson’s brow wrinkled.
“What else am I missing, Hud?”
“I can’t trust her decisions.”
“Because of her past?”
He stared out toward the fence line, and when Dakota touched his bicep, he almost jumped.
“Hey,” she said. When he turned and met her gaze, he was struck by the softness in her eyes. “Learn to trust her to make her
own decisions, Hud. She’s not a little girl anymore.”
“She’ll always be little to me.”
“I know how much you care about her. I really do. But she’s a young woman now. What’s the real reason you don’t want her to
get married? You’re still making excuses. What’s the truth , Hud?”
“The truth is that this marriage is a mistake, Dakota.” He pointed toward the flowerbeds. “Sure, Shane is talented, but he
needs to work harder and start making some real money.”
“Is money all you care about?” She clucked her tongue. “If so, you’re not the same man I fell in love with in high school.
You’re different now.”
Her words felt like a spike to his heart, and he shielded his hurt with a scoff. “Is that what you think?” Is that why you dumped me?
“You’ve always been so focused on making money to take care of your family, and you’ve done that. But now money seems to be
all you care about, and there’s more to life than that.”
He stared at her. “I don’t only care about—”
“There you are, Dakota,” Trudy called from behind them, interrupting his words. “Oh, hello, Hudson. I saw your vehicle, but
I didn’t know where you’d gone.” She beckoned them toward the back door. “Come in for cake,” she sang before disappearing
into the house.
Hudson stood and held his hand out to Dakota. She hesitated, and for a moment he thought she was going to reject him. But
she accepted his hand and allowed him to lift her to her feet.
He released her hand, and together they walked into the house. He was still reeling from her comment and longing for more
time to explain himself, but the moment was gone.
For the rest of the afternoon, Hudson couldn’t take his eyes off Dakota. She was stunning in a green sundress that made the
most of her trim figure. Her thick dark hair was fixed in a braid with tendrils falling around her beautiful face. Just enough
makeup accentuated her captivating dark eyes.
He also couldn’t stop mulling over the conversation they’d shared outside on the glider. He was stunned when she said she
would’ve tried to help Layla if she’d known she was struggling in high school. It seemed so unlikely that she still cared
about his family after the way she’d ended their relationship without explanation. Had the roles been reversed, would he have
done the same? He wasn’t so sure. Yet he found truth in her eyes and in the tone of her voice. It seemed she really cared
for his family. He then remembered how she’d given his sister the family discount on her gown to help her with the wedding
of her dreams.
If she cared about Layla, did that mean she could still care about him?
He almost laughed out loud. To indulge these thoughts was foolish because Dakota was seeing Parker. She belonged to another
man.
But still it felt good to tell her about Layla’s past and finally get his concerns off his chest. She had listened to him,
which hadn’t surprised him. She’d always been a good listener—the best, really.
But what had shocked him most of all was when she accused him of only caring about money.
Is money all you care about?
If so, you’re not the same man I fell in love with in high school.
Those words had quickly burrowed deep into his soul. Was that who she truly thought he was?
More importantly, was she right about him?
They joined the party in the den, where they sat on the sofa together, ate cake, and talked to some of the other guests. He’d
felt strange being the only man at the shower, which made him wonder why his sister had invited him. But when he saw his sister
grinning at him from across the room, it hit him—Layla was still holding on to the crazy idea that he and Dakota could rekindle
their romance.
When the party ended, Hudson helped clean up the kitchen while Layla said goodbye to her guests. Dakota had disappointed him
by slipping away before he’d had a chance to say goodbye. Had she deliberately left when he wasn’t paying attention? Had she
been that disgusted with him after telling him he only cared about money?
“There’s a box for you in my craft room, Hud,” Aunt Trudy said, setting a serving tray in the cabinet. “I found a photo album
I want you to have.”
“Okay. Thanks.” Hudson dropped a handful of utensils into the dishwasher.
“You and Dakota were getting awfully cozy out on the deck earlier.”
He shrugged. “We were just talking.”
“Oh.” She sounded disappointed.
He glanced at her. She looked disappointed too.
They worked in silence for a few moments as she washed another serving tray and he stacked the dishes in the dishwasher.
Then he looked over at her again. “Did Layla invite me because of Dakota?”
Trudy paused long enough that Hud thought she wouldn’t answer his question. Finally she said, “Well, she’s determined to get
you two back together.”
“Not gonna happen. I’ve already made that clear.”
“It’s obvious you still care for each other. I’m sure even a stranger would pick up on the chemistry between you two.” She
dried the serving platter and set it next to the sink.
“She’s seeing someone, Aunt Trudy.” He leaned back against the counter, and when she gave him a disbelieving look, he added,
“Dakota has a boyfriend. I’ve met him.”
His aunt waved him off. “That might be true, sweetie, but the intensity I saw in y’all’s eyes for each other out there on
the deck is something very special. It reminded me of your younger years.”
“That was a long time ago.” He picked up a few glasses and added them to the top rack. “Plus, I’m not staying here. I’ve decided
to go to Bahrain.”
“Blah, blah, blah.” She turned and jammed her hands on her hips. “Hudson Nathaniel Garrity,” his aunt began, “don’t you think
it’s time for you to stop running?”
He bristled at her words. “I’m not running.”
“Are you sure about that? You need to stop trying to prove that you’ve done enough to take care of your sister and me. You’ve done right by your parents, Hudson. It’s time you stopped running from your feelings for Dakota and faced them instead.”
“Running from my feelings for Dakota?” He scoffed. “She dumped me without any explanation, remember?”
Aunt Trudy’s expression warmed. “Of course I remember, but did you ever ask her why?”
“She said it was over. What else was there to ask?”
“Maybe you didn’t ask her because you were too afraid to fight for her and still lose her in the end.”
“Aunt Trudy, she made it clear that she’d made up her mind about me. She just didn’t love me.” He shrugged as if Dakota’s
rejection hadn’t permanently scarred his heart.
“Hudson, listen to me,” she began. “After you left, you never came home for Thanksgivings. At Christmas, you never stayed
here more than four days. And you also avoided your ten-year class reunion. You always tell me you’re too busy working to
spend more time with your family, and I understand that you have an important job—but even CEOs take some time off to recharge
their batteries.” She took a step toward him. “I believe the true reason you didn’t want to come for extended periods of time
is because you were trying to avoid Dakota. If that’s not running away, sweetie, then I don’t know what is.”
He stared at her as her words soaked through him, but then he shook them off. She was wrong. He didn’t belong in Dakota’s
life any more than he belonged in Flowering Grove.
“Let’s finish these dishes,” he muttered before turning his attention back to the sink.
***
Later that evening, Dakota stood in her brother’s backyard and aimed her phone at Skye and Gunner as the couple posed for
prom pictures.
Skye’s thick long hair fell in curls past her shoulders, and her long pink A-line gown fit her perfectly. The V-neck bodice
was adorned with an embroidered lace applique, thin straps, and a laced back that complemented her tall, youthful figure.
She looked as if she’d just walked off the pages of a fashion magazine.
Gunner was handsome in a gray suit that made the most of his tall muscular build, short blond hair, and bright-green eyes.
He seemed completely relaxed resting his hand on her waist as they posed and smiled with three other couples in front of Eileen’s
colorful flower garden.
“They make the cutest couple,” Mom gushed while snapping photos on her phone.
Dakota beamed at her mother and sister-in-law. “I definitely agree.”
She took more photos of the posing couples, and when Gunner slipped a corsage onto Skye’s dainty wrist, Dakota couldn’t help
but ponder her conversation with Hudson at the bridal shower—how they’d sat close together on the glider and how he’d opened
up to her about the issues Layla had encountered after he’d left for New York.
She’d felt close to him again, but she knew it was all a facade. She’d meant what she said when she accused him of only caring
about money. She missed the man he’d once been, back when they were in love. Back then they’d dreamed of a future together,
in the days when his focus was on his family and his former wife-to-be.
But none of that mattered now. Soon he’d leave, and she’d stay behind in her hometown—trying to reckon how to make heads or
tails of her business woes.
She tried to bypass her worries while the young couples pre pared to leave for the night. Then she walked with Skye to Gunner’s sports car.
“Skye, you’re absolutely gorgeous.” Dakota pulled her niece in for a hug. “Have fun tonight.”
“I will, Auntie.” Skye touched her shoulder. “Thank you for the dress. I love it.”
“It was made for you, sweetie.” Dakota stepped out of the way and took a few more photos of Skye saying goodbye to her grandparents,
parents, and younger siblings. Her chest squeezed at the tender scene.
“You okay?” Nick asked, sidling up to her.
Dakota nodded. “Yeah.”
He shook his head and grinned. “You never were a very good liar.” He pointed to the porch. “Sit with me.”
They sank down beside each other on rocking chairs and peered out over the driveway, where Mom, Dad, and Eileen were engrossed
in a conversation with a neighbor and Aubrey and Kevin stood nearby looking bored.
“Skye mentioned you’re still working ridiculously long hours.”
Dakota pushed an errant tendril of hair behind her ear.
“I try not to get caught up in the gossip, but I heard Skye tell Eileen that you broke up with her art teacher.”
“That’s all true.”
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah. It was my call.” She brushed her hands down her green sundress.
“Still, you look stressed.” Nick gave her a hesitant expression. “Want to talk about it?”
“I’m really fine,” she fibbed, peering out to where Aubrey had begun turning cartwheels on the front lawn. “I never could
master the cartwheel.”
“She definitely doesn’t get her talent from me,” Nick quipped. “But you are one heck of a roller skater, so not all Jamisons are unathletic klutzes.”
Dakota grinned. “Thanks.”
His smile flattened. “Eileen says I owe you an apology.”
“For what?”
“For inviting Hud to stay for supper last Sunday. She insists I made supper awkward by having your ex there.” Nick held his
hands up. “I’m sorry. I know I ordered you around a lot and gave you tons of unsolicited advice when you were younger because
I thought I was so much wiser than you. I wasn’t trying to be your know-it-all brother again. I honestly thought inviting
Hud to join us would be okay, but apparently I was mistaken.”
“You did nothing wrong. In fact, that’s what has me tied up in knots. I broke up with Parker because I can’t stop thinking
about Hud, but I know it could never work between us.”
“Why?”
“Because he chose his career over me once, and he’d probably do it again.” She moved her finger over the white-painted chair
arm. “We want different things. I want a life here in Flowering Grove, and he wants to run another company in the Middle East.”
Nick scratched the scruff on his neck.
“If he really loved me seven years ago, he would’ve kept the promise he made when he gave me a diamond ring. He would’ve chosen
a life with me instead of a fancy life in Manhattan.”
“Dakota, I know how you get when you’re fixated on something, so I need to ask you a question.”
“Go ahead.”
“Did you ever tell Hud exactly what you wanted?”
She swallowed. “No.”
“Maybe it’s time you had an honest conversation with him.”
Dakota stared at him as his words took hold. An honest conversation was what she was trying to have with Hudson at the bridal shower. She had been pushing him to be honest with her and himself about why he was really against Layla’s wedding. It was obvious to Dakota that he didn’t want to let his little sister go. And she suddenly saw the hypocrisy of how she’d never been honest with Hudson about their breakup.
“Who wants pizza?” Eileen called, and Aubrey and Kevin started cheering.
Nick stood. “That’s my cue to order supper.”
While her brother disappeared into the house, Dakota began to wonder if things could have ended differently between her and
Hudson seven years ago if she’d just told him the truth about her dreams.