Eloise
“Oh my gosh, so much has changed here,” I said as I shifted my weight until I was leaning against the car door so I could see better. Harmony was passing by at breakneck speed, and I feared if I blinked, I was going to miss something.
Gaines and I had spent our summers on this island.
It was where my grandparents retired. We would spend our days swimming in the water or lounging on the beach.
After our grandparents, we stopped coming.
It had been ten years since I’d been back, and I was shocked with how different everything could look in such a short amount of time.
“I was shocked when Gaines and I came out to look at wedding venues,” Josalyn said, looking at me from over her shoulder. She was sitting in the front seat with her body angled so she could face Gaines as he drove.
“You mean there’s more than just the Harmony Community Center to host a wedding at?” I snorted.
Josalyn’s eyes widened. “You wouldn’t believe how many new venues have popped up.
It’s amazing.” She reached out and grabbed Gaines’s hand that was resting on his right thigh.
“I’m so glad we decided to get married here.
” Then she paused. “And I’m so glad you could step in to take over for Miriam.
” She shot an appreciative smile my way.
“Of course,” I said.
Miriam was their wedding planner who got into a motorcycle accident and broke both her legs two weeks before the wedding.
When Gaines called me in a panic, I quickly told him that I had accumulated vacation time and offered to step in.
Plus, I was currently floundering at my job much like I was floundering with everything else in my life.
I needed this break to gain focus and regroup—even if it meant refocusing and regrouping in Harmony.
Gaines shot me a smile as well, before returning his gaze to the road.
“What venue did you pick?” I asked as I reached into my purse to retrieve my lip gloss.
“We went with Hudson’s suggestion.”
The mention of Hudson’s name sent an icy shiver across my skin. My enthusiasm for the man must have been evident on my face because Josalyn’s expression morphed.
“I know you don’t like the man, but he’s been really helpful with our wedding ever since Miriam’s accident,” she said, her eyes widening like she wanted me to believe her.
I raised my eyebrows. “I’m sure he has been,” I said, trying to mask the sarcasm that clung to my words every time I spoke about him.
“It’s true,” Josalyn said with a strained laugh.
Apparently, my attempt to appear apathetic about the man had failed.
“It’s not you,” Gaines said as he squeezed Josalyn’s hand and then glared at me from the rearview mirror. “Nothing you say about Hudson will change Lou Lou’s mind. She doesn’t like him even though he’s my best friend and best man.” He dragged out the last two words as he held my gaze.
I raised my hands. “I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again.
I will be Switzerland for the wedding. My feelings for him will not affect the performance of my duties.
Your wedding will be unforgettable.” I gave him a big smile and then turned my focus to Josalyn so she could see that I meant what I said.
She frowned. “I still don’t understand why you—”
“Don’t.” Gaines’s voice cut through Josalyn’s words.
His tone was sharp and had both of us glancing over at him.
He shot Josalyn an apologetic smile before he brought their clasped hands up and pressed his lips to the back of her hand.
“Don’t ask her why she doesn’t like Hudson.
She’ll never stop talking about it if you do. ”
I folded my arms and glared at him. He glanced at me only once before turning his attention to the road.
“I can stop talking about Hudson,” I lied. Just because I didn’t like the guy didn’t mean I couldn’t keep things civil. I was an adult just like he was.
Gaines scoffed as he flipped on his blinker to pull off the freeway and onto the exit ramp, where he slowed to a stop. Once he’d looked both ways, he took a left. “We’re depending on you, Lou Lou,” he said as he leaned back in his seat with his wrist resting on the steering wheel.
“Yeah.” Josalyn turned around and shot me an apologetic smile.
“I hate that we’re leaving you here for the week to get everything ready for the wedding.
” She sighed. “I tried to explain to Jeremy that I couldn’t come into work, but he told me that if I’m a no-show I’m fired.
” Anger sparked in her gaze as she shook her head.
“Life will be so much simpler when the merger is over and we can all breathe.”
Gaines squeezed Josalyn’s hand. “You’ve got this, love,” he said as he brought her hand up to his lips once more. “They’re lucky to have you.” His smile was genuine, and it made my heart hurt.
It’d been so long since a guy had looked at me that way. Sure, I loved my silence, my cat, and my apartment, but the truth was, I was tired of being single. I wanted a future. I wanted someone to come home to. I wanted to be excited for milestones to come.
I wanted to heal from Nick so I could finally believe that men weren’t just put on this earth to break my heart.
Was that too much to ask?
Not wanting to spiral with thoughts of my ex, I quickly pushed him out of my mind and turned my focus back to the road. We were in downtown Harmony now. It was strange how a town that used to change so slowly seemed to have progressed at breakneck speed.
Sure, there were bits and pieces that I recognized.
But as a whole, the town had been given a facelift, which pulled at the nostalgic strings of my heart.
I wanted to believe there was one place on this earth that was immune to change.
That would cling to its roots no matter how fast the world around it shifted.
Harmony used to be that place for me—but now it wasn’t.
It was going to take some getting used to.
Ten minutes later, Gaines pulled into the parking lot of Sweet Beginnings Bakery and parked in the far left spot. I sighed as I climbed out of the car and slammed the door. I paused at the front steps that led up to the wraparound porch. Memories of taking those stairs as a child slammed into me.
My mom, my grandmother, my grandfather. All of the people that had been so influential in my childhood were now gone. The only one left was my dad, but just like when we were kids, he was too busy campaigning for the next election to make time in his schedule for us.
Tears pricked my eyes as I forced my emotions down. This wasn’t the time to wallow in my grief for my mom who had been so violently taken away from me four years ago. She was in a better place, and I knew the last thing she would want was for me to cry over her once again.
We were here for Gaines’s wedding. It was a happy time. And I was determined to make sure nothing and no one stood in the way of that.
Gaines and Josalyn didn’t seem as affected by the sight of the bakery’s stairs. They walked up them hand in hand with ease. I seemed to be the only person stuck in the past, unable to move forward.
I inwardly scolded myself for being so weak and followed after them. Just as I neared the top step, the front door opened and my entire body went cold at the sound of Hudson’s voice.
“Gaines!” he exclaimed.
From where I was standing, I couldn’t see him, but I saw his arms engulf my brother as they hugged.
Anger pricked my skin, but I schooled my face into an apathetic expression.
Gaines had made it clear that he knew of my dislike for Hudson and he would be anticipating it.
Maybe proving that I could handle being in that man’s presence without losing my cool would be my wedding gift to the bride and groom.
“Josalyn.” Hudson let go of Gaines and was now hugging my soon-to-be sister-in-law. “You look gorgeous.” Josalyn giggled as she hugged him back.
Gaines had moved further up onto the porch so when Hudson pulled away from Josalyn I had a direct line of sight to him. As soon as his gaze met mine, I steeled my expression, just waiting to see what he was going to do.
“Eloise,” he said as he bestowed his familiar smile on me. “It’s good to see you.”
So many snippy retorts raced through my mind, but my commitment to be Switzerland ran circles in my head, so I just settled on a cursory nod. “You too,” I said.
Hudson raised his eyebrows like he hadn’t expected that response.
Not wanting to delve into an actual conversation with him, I joined Gaines and Josalyn on the porch, making sure to position myself so I was inaccessible to Hudson.
Our greeting was as much interaction as I was going to allow myself to have with him.
“This place looks great,” Gaines said as he swept his gaze around the bakery.
“It smells amazing,” Josalyn offered.
Hudson grinned at both of them. When I didn’t speak, he glanced over at me for only a brief moment before he moved to turn the handle of the front door.
“Well, let me give you the grand tour,” he said, flourishing with his hand toward the inside.
Gaines went first, followed by Josalyn. I took up the rear, which I instantly regretted when I realized that Hudson was going to follow me inside. Just as I passed by him, his low voice caused me to stop.
Maybe it was out of instinct—a person normally hesitates when they’re being addressed—or maybe I was more curious as to what he had to say to me than I’d been telling myself I was this whole time.
“I honestly didn’t think you were going to come.” He sounded inches away from me.
I tipped my face ever so slightly to verify that he was closer than I’d anticipated.
Goosebumps raced across my skin from the sound of his voice and the warmth I could feel even though he wasn’t touching me.
Memories of the drunken kiss we’d shared at a college party the night before his graduation raced through my mind.
Despite my best efforts, my gaze dipped down to his lips for just a moment before I brought it up to study him.