Chapter 9
Laughter hums through the elegant dining room as twenty-five of us sit around a long gold-draped table, conversations drifting in clusters down its length.
At this end, it’s us, my parents, Hattie and Finch, with their maid of honor and best man beside them.
On the surface, it’s everything you’d expect from a rehearsal dinner, except something is off—way off.
Hattie fawns all over Finch like the perfect bride-to-be, but every laugh sounds forced, every smile rehearsed. Like she’s been trained for it.
Even more strange, there isn’t a single friend of hers here. They all seem to belong to Finch. His family. His friends. His world. Even her maid of honor looks like she has been plucked from his entourage.
It’s weird…unsettling even.
The only upside is being spared the pitying looks and awkward comments I was expecting. At least for tonight…
A burst of laughter pulls me from my thoughts. Linc’s at the center of it, grinning like he belongs here, even coaxing a chuckle out of my usually stoic father.
He’s completely stolen the show with my parents tonight, something that seems to have really pissed off Finch, considering the scowl he’s been wearing since we sat down.
“Harlow, you never told us he was so funny,” Dad says, still smiling.
Linc shoots me a glance over his glass, looking far too pleased with himself.
“That's Linc for ya,” I force out, the words as sweet as molasses. “Always a barrel of laughs.”
He chuckles, probably knowing how much it pains me to say that out loud.
Though, if I’m being honest, having him here hasn’t been nearly as unbearable as I imagined. I’ve only wanted to throat-punch him twice, which might just be a new record.
He’s even been kind of nice. Maybe a little too nice.
That must be why I nearly combusted when he peeled off his shirt earlier, muscles on full display, like some kind of god.
Or why my pulse stuttered when I walked out of the bathroom and caught him staring at me like I was the only thing in the room worth seeing.
For someone who’s spent her entire life being overlooked by the people who are supposed to love her most…that means everything.
“Tell me again how this all came about,” my mother prods lightly, a soft curve to her lips as she swirls her wine between Linc and me.
“I already told you, Mom, we share the same friends.”
She nods. “I know. But this seems new, and you moved back years ago, something I still don’t understand.”
That’s because she’s always hated living in Passion Falls. She doesn’t realize that town has always felt more like home to me than her house ever did.
“So,” she presses gently. “What changed?”
“I’d love to know that too,” Finch slides in, his tone filled with quiet challenge. “From what Hattie told me, you two were quite the rivals growing up. Couldn’t even stand living on the same street, let alone being in the same room together. A pretty drastic switch if you ask me.”
I can’t tell if it’s suspicion or jealousy lacing his tone. Not over me, but over Linc stealing the spotlight at his own rehearsal dinner.
Either way, I want to bust up that pretty face of his.
Before I can respond, Linc cuts in, his arm sliding across the back of my chair. “The rivalry was just a disguise, Finch. Truth is, I’ve always thought Harlow was beautiful. Even when we were kids.”
I look up, struck by the sudden conviction in his voice.
His gaze locks on mine, steady and unwavering. “I remember always watching her out my window—sometimes running with a fistful of dandelions, other times swinging barefoot in the yard—and I’d come up with all the dumb ways to ambush her just so I could get close enough to talk to her.”
He speaks like those words are carved into him, not rehearsed, and suddenly it’s just us, the entire room fading away.
“I wondered if it would be different when she moved back, if maybe we’d outgrown it.
Then I saw her at Heart Mountain Gas Station.
” A smile breaks free, reshaping his expression.
“She was drowning in an oversized sweatshirt, hair an absolute mess, not an ounce of makeup on…and still, she was more beautiful than I remembered.”
I can’t look away, can’t breathe. I’m dragged back to that night, after ten hours on the road, betrayal heavy in my chest, a trunk full of suitcases, returning to the only place that had ever truly felt like home.
“Then she opened her mouth”—his grin deepens, boyish and knowing—“and hit me with that sharp tongue.”
Despite myself, I smile too, recalling it word for word.
Of course you had to be the first person I see. Couldn’t be someone I actually like.
His eyes warm with amusement as he remembers it too. “I thought, yup. Same old Harlow, still bold, still sassy…just a whole lot more dangerous.”
The rawness of those words wrap around me, igniting a warmth I have no defense against.
“It took a while, but eventually I knew the banter had to end, and it was time to acknowledge what had been in front of me all along.”
For a long moment, the weight of it all hangs between us, a current I can’t escape.
Then, he turns back to the table, casual and aloof. “So, there you have it, folks. That’s the story. That’s how it all changed. Not so drastic after all.”
I’m slapped back to reality, his indifference shattering the spell he had over me.
Damn, he’s good.
I reach for my wine, taking a long sip before chancing a look at my family. Mom’s captivated, Dad quietly impressed. Finch scowls as usual, but it’s Hattie’s soft, tear-brimmed smile that catches me—warm, wistful…and maybe even a little envious.
Another red flag, considering she’s the bride-to-be.
“Honestly, I always suspected this,” she says, eyes flicking to mine. “I knew you secretly liked him. You talked about him all the time.”
I stiffen, my denial sharp. “What? No, I didn’t!”
“Did too,” she fires back, teasing.
Linc leans back, looking more than amused. “She did, did she?”
“No, she didn’t,” I snap, a hint of panic threading through my voice. “I complained about you. Plotted your demise. Big difference.”
He smirks, clearly not buying it.
“And here I thought you spent most of your days roping your sister into those silly little weddings you planned,” my mother says, her tone laced with unmistakable condescension.
Bitterness rises in my throat, my teeth clenching as it tangles with the ache I keep buried.
“They weren’t silly, Mom,” Hattie defends quickly. “Besides, we had fun.”
I meet her smile, appreciating the support.
“Guess that’s why she’s so good at it,” Linc adds, also backing me up. “Harlow’s well-known across the Rockies. If there’s a wedding here, chances are she’s the one behind it.”
“I’m not surprised.” My mother’s tone is light, almost effortless. “Harlow excels at everything she does. She always has.”
Surprise flares inside my chest for half a heartbeat, but dies with her next breath…
“Too bad she didn’t stay in Vancouver where she could build a real career out of it.”
Welp, that didn’t last long.
“People travel from all over the world to get married in the Rockies, Mother,” I point out, my annoyance seeping through every word.
She shrugs. “That may be true, but the clientele isn’t the same caliber. There’s a lot more money here.”
I shake my head, knowing it’s pointless to argue with her.
“What about you, Linc?” my father asks, redirecting the conversation. “Harlow tells us you’re a firefighter.”
Linc nods. “Joined the academy right out of high school. Been with Passion Falls’ department ever since.”
“He’s a lieutenant,” I add, knowing he won’t.
“Lieutenant,” my father echoes, impressed. “Quite an accomplishment at your age, isn’t it?”
Linc downplays it with a shrug. “Helps that I started young.”
Finch decides to chime in just then, his voice edged with arrogance. “Can’t imagine there’s much money in a small-town fire department.”
Heat flares in my chest at the not-so-subtle dig, but Linc’s calm never wavers.
“It pays well enough,” he says evenly. “But I didn’t become a firefighter for the money, Finch. I do it to protect the town I grew up in and the people I care about.”
That statement alone shows just how much better he is than the man across from him.
“I also do it for people like you,” he adds, “the ones who wouldn’t stand a chance in a hazardous situation.”
Silence drops like a bomb, awkward and deafening.
I take a sip of wine, hiding my smirk.
Score one for Slimer.
Finch’s glare hardens, his ego bruised.
My mother shifts in her chair, torn between smoothing it over or pretending it never happened. “Well, it’s a very noble profession,” she says.
A laugh nearly slips free but the sharp clink of silverware on glass shatters the moment.
The best man and maid of honor rise together, glasses lifted high, smiles bright and practiced. “We’d like to say a few quick words before tomorrow’s big day.”
All heads turn to them, Finch and Hattie’s smiles on full display.
I wait for the usual well wishes, expecting all the sweet, heartfelt words about everlasting love, but that isn’t what happens—not even close.
The speech isn’t about the couple at all. It’s a love letter to Finch. His charm. His success. Hattie’s name is barely a footnote, mentioned only as the woman lucky enough to marry him, even from the maid of honor.
My sister nods and smiles through it all, like it’s perfectly normal.
Stunned, I scan the room, expecting someone else to notice how messed up this is, but everyone looks just as captivated as she does. Everyone except Linc.
Our eyes meet in a quiet exchange, the hard edge in his gaze reflecting every one of my own thoughts.
When they finish and I realize no one else plans to say anything, something hot presses against my chest.
Screw it.
My chair scrapes back, the sound cutting through the clink of glasses as I push to my feet. “I’d also like to say a few words.”
The room falls silent, surprise etched on several faces, especially Hattie’s. She shifts in her seat, her posture tightening. Even our parents look nervous.
I let it all roll off me and press forward. “For those of you who don’t know me, hi, I’m Harlow, Hattie’s younger, much funnier sister.”
A ripple of laughter breaks the tension.
“Most people don’t know this, but Hattie’s had plenty of practice being a bride. Growing up, I roped her into marrying whichever stuffed animal I had on hand, all so I could indulge my dreams of being a wedding planner. Let’s just say, Mr. Teddy has also had his fair share of weddings.”
More laughter dances through the room, including Hattie and my parents’.
“No matter how silly it was, Hattie always went along with it, because that’s the kind of person she is. Always striving to please others, even if it means sacrificing herself.” My voice dips lower, softening the next few words. “A beautiful trait, but also a heavy burden.”
A glassy sheen gathers in her eyes, a testament to the truth of my words.
My own throat thickens, but I push through it.
“They say a successful marriage is built on give and take, but my hope for you is that it’s filled with more take than give.
I also hope you never sacrifice yourself for it, because anything truly worth giving up in the name of love shouldn’t feel like a sacrifice to begin with. ”
By the time I finish, the energy in the room has shifted, the quiet heavier now.
I ease back into my chair, feeling several gazes on me. Until Hattie leans forward, pulling me into her arms.
“Thank you,” she breathes, the words trembling past her lips. “I don’t deserve you—or those words—but thank you.”
I sink into her embrace, holding her just as fiercely, hoping this is the new beginning I came for.
Eventually, the room slips back into its hum, everyone falling into conversation again, except my family.
My mother discreetly dabs her eyes, my father’s hand covering hers, pride softening them both. But Finch remains untouched, his glare cutting across the table.
I meet it head-on, leveling him with a silent warning.
Hurt her and I’ll hunt you.
A sudden warmth brushes my side, pulling me out of the moment. Linc leans in, voice pitched low. “Think if we glare at him long enough, he and his tight-ass suit will disappear?”
Laughter tumbles past my lips, loosening something deep in my chest.
His smile catches mine, and as I look up at him, I can’t help but wonder if the new beginning I came for isn’t just with my sister…maybe it’s with him too.