28. Chapter 28
Don
Don stood in the war room with his back to the conference table as his friends filed in behind him. He’d made a batch of each of their favorite cookies, placing them at each of their seats, and had poured glasses of milk for all.
“Oatmeal chocolate chip,” Harry said with glee. “I love these.”
“And red velvet,” came Rosa’s voice next.
As they took their seats, Don put up a picture of Sean and Blue and clipped it to the board with a magnet. His heart swelled at the sight of them. He was so pleased things had worked out the way they had. He couldn’t think of a better gal for Sean than Blue, and couldn’t think of a better man for Blue than Sean.
But, now, days later, looking back on his behavior, Don wished he’d gone about it all differently.
Swallowing his pride, he faced the world’s most loyal friends, the family he never meant to create that had made their way into his heart, and prepared to humble himself.
They smiled at him, waiting.
“These sugar cookies are delightful,” Nancy said, digging into her treat early on in the meeting than she normally did, and with a big old grin on her face to boot. She wore a coral-colored sundress today. One that Grace probably bought her from Blue’s store. The two young women were closer than ever. They didn’t leave Kate out of anything either and she’d already added Blue to her list of bridesmaids.
“And these chocolate chunk cookies are mouthwatering,” Polly agreed.
Winnie laughed around her mouthful of ginger cookies, as Walt filled his mustache with peanut butter cookie crumbs.
Slowly, Don made his way to his chair and took a seat.
“What’s wrong?” Winnie asked, her smile falling.
He had the attention of the room now, but not because of the cookies. They all looked at him with worried expressions on their faces. Nancy brushed down the front of her as if she would dare let a crumb escape.
Don straightened his spine. He’d never run from what was right, even when he’d been in the wrong, and he wasn’t about to start now. “I have to apologize for my behavior over our last case. You were right. I was suffering, and instead of dealing with my loss constructively, I behaved badly.”
Winnie patted his shoulder.
He continued, “And yet, you never let me down. Sean tells me that while I was getting poor Walt and Harry arrested, you ladies were out doing everything you could to get us out of jail, including standing outside Bob’s Underwater Salvage in the pouring rain waiting for Sean to come back from a dive.”
“Of course we were,” Polly said, not unkindly. “You’re our friends. We’d do anything for you.”
Walt nodded. “And you didn’t get us arrested. We went along with you willingly.”
“And it’s not like we didn’t get something out of it,” Harry added. “I waltzed right back into Virginia’s good graces and we danced the hurricane away.” He hooked a finger at Walt. “And Walt’s a pro.”
Walt blushed.
Don shook his head. “The point is, you never would’ve been in that spot in the first place had I just listened to you all. Losing Amelia was . . . is one of the hardest things I’ve ever gone through. I don’t know how you managed it, Polly, Nancy, and Walt.”
Walt glanced down at the table, his cheeks rouging just a little.
“One day at a time,” Nancy said. “It’s the only way to go about it.”
Don nodded. That was sage advice there. “I just want to thank you all for being patient with me when I needed it, and giving me a big kick in the pants when I needed that. It couldn’t have been easy—I know I can be difficult—but the sign of a true friend is not just someone who will be kind, but someone who cares enough to bring tough love when kind no longer works.”
Rosa sniffled into her milk and whispered something in Spanish.
“You all are the truest friends a man could ever hope for.”
“Thank you, Don,” Nancy said.
“Que hermoso.” Rosa wiped her eyes with her napkin.
Apologies done, Don sat a little taller, and let a smile creep over his lips. He pointed to the picture of Sean and Blue. “Is now a good time to say I told you so?”
Everyone groaned and slumped back in their seats.
“Don,” Winnie grumbled.
Nancy clapped her hands. “Order, order please.”
The room hushed.
“I believe we’re on to our next case,” Nancy said, turning to Walt. “Walt, it’s your turn.”
Walt rubbed the crumbs from his mustache and stood.
As he launched into his thoughts for their next targets, Don relaxed back in his chair with a smile. Amelia was gone, yes, but he still had a box of her letters that he had yet to read, amazing children she’d given him, and even more amazing grandchildren, he’d faced his emotions, even cried a little, and survived it, and he had the best friends a man could hope for.
Everything was going to be just fine.
***
The Secret Seven are back at the marriage board with a new target. To be a part of their matchmaking schemes, read the next book in the series, Love on Course by Holly Stevenson and find out what Polly has in store for her granddaughter!
Read about how Don and his friends started matchmaking in The Secret Seven !
Thank you so much for reading! If you enjoyed Under Pressure , please consider leaving a review here . Reviews are the lifeblood of authors and allow us to do what we do.