Can't Take My Eyes Off of You (Summer Lake #2)(3)

They both knew she was no good at keeping secrets. But it was the fear, the pain, the confusion in Wesley’s eyes that had her promising, “I won’t tell anyone what happened tonight.” Knowing he must be desperate to talk things through with John after their kiss, especially if it was their very first, she said, “Tomorrow, we’ll figure out how we want to break the news to everyone. That we’ve decided to just remain friends and call off the wedding.”

But the next morning, Christie was surprised to find his note.

I have to leave. I need some time, some space away from Summer Lake, to think things through. I’ll come home as soon as I can, but please don’t come looking for me.

Mere minutes later, his mother, Susan, burst into the inn’s reception room gripping a similar letter in her hand. Tears were fresh on her cheeks—and she didn’t bother to hide the accusation in her eyes when she looked at Christie.

*

Present day…

A bird chirping loudly outside the inn’s window brought Christie back into the moment. One where Sarah’s look of concern had morphed into full-on worry.

“Have you heard from Wesley yet?” Sarah asked.

“No. He hasn’t been in touch with any of us.”

“He’s family, and you know I love him,” Sarah said. Her grandmother Olive and Wesley’s grandmother Jean were sisters. “But that doesn’t mean I always understand him, or his brother Liam, who never even responded to our wedding invitation.”

Christie turned her gaze to the window, as if she could somehow spot Wesley out there if she looked hard enough. But she sensed he wouldn’t be back so soon. He was dealing with a lot right now, but every now and again, she felt a little miffed that he’d left her here to deal with everything on her own, for who knew how long.

Sarah gripped her hand tighter, and Christie felt moisture tickling her eyes again. No. The only tears she’d cry today would be happy ones.

Just then, the church bells chimed. Christie opened the door and held out her hand to her friend. “I can’t wait to see Calvin’s face when you walk down the aisle. He’s going to be the happiest man alive.”

*

Oh my. What a lovely wedding it was. Beyond anything Christie could have prepared herself for.

Of course, the bride was gorgeous and the groom was handsome. Pink and white and red hothouse roses were in bloom all over the room. But Sarah and Calvin could have been standing in the middle of an open field wearing jeans and T-shirts and it still would have been one of the most beautiful ceremonies Christie had ever witnessed, simply because the love between them was so big and true that it reached out to wrap itself around everyone in the room as they said their vows.

Sarah was at once strong and completely vulnerable as she looked into Calvin’s eyes. “Calvin Vaughn.” She smiled as she said his name, and even if she said nothing more today, everyone in the room already knew from the raw, pure emotion that infused her words just how much she loved him. “There isn’t any part of my life that doesn’t have you in it. When I was five years old, you were there with me on the playground, pushing me higher on the swings than I thought it was possible to go. When I was fifteen, you kissed me for the first time and made me feel more than I thought it was possible to feel. And even when I wasn’t here for ten long years, every single second that I was gone, you were with me in my dreams, in my hopes…and in every single part of my heart.” Tears spilled down her cheeks, but Calvin caught them, gently brushing the wetness away with his thumbs. “My love for you is unconditional. My love for you is breathless and passionate. My love for you is everything I was, everything I am, everything I want to be. Anything you need, I vow to give you. Anytime you hurt, I promise to heal you. I love you, Calvin Vaughn, now and forever.”

An audible gasp sounded in the room when he dipped his mouth to hers and gave her the sweetest kiss in the world. “I love you, Sarah.” His deep voice resonated with boundless emotion. “I can’t remember a time when I didn’t love you—and I know there will never be a time when I won’t. Your love is what has always been, and will always be, at the foundation of who I am—and who I want to be. Your devoted husband.” He placed one hand over the slight swell of her stomach. “The best father in the whole wide world to our children.” She covered his hand with hers as he said, “And your partner in all of the adventures we’re going to have together.” He drew her even closer, so close that Christie knew that despite the wedding guests watching them say their vows, he was seeing only his bride. “Past, present, future—you have my heart.”

Christie didn’t bother to hide her tears, not when everyone else in the room was dabbing at their eyes. Thankfully, she really had thought ahead and put pretty little boxes of tissues at the end of every row of seats. Boxes that were currently being passed back and forth as Calvin’s ten-year-old sister, Jordan, reached into her basket of rose petals and threw them over her brother and new sister-in-law as they kissed and the crowd cheered.

The guests were mostly Summer Lake locals, with a few of Sarah’s friends from the city having made the trip as well. Suzanne Sullivan was there with her boyfriend, Roman. Drake Sullivan was there with his girlfriend, Rosa. And Alec and Harry Sullivan were there too, along with their father, William. Christie always marveled at how even though so many of the Sullivans were famous or billionaires—or both—they made sure never to overshadow their friends. Instead, they always managed just to fit in with everyone else in the small town.