Page 97 of The Secret to a Southern Wedding

“We may have rushed into the wedding,” Preston said with a shrug.

Imani cocked her head to the side. “You think.”

Cyril bumped her knee with his. When she looked at him, he shook his head. Sighing, Imani decided that just because the sudden switch in the situation had her brain scrambled, she didn’t have to make the situation more uncomfortable.

“Is this what you really want?” she asked her mom.

Linda nodded before patting Preston’s leg. “I do. I’ll admit when we first jumped into the idea of a wedding that I may have been influenced by your dad calling and saying he was marrying someone else. But what I feel when I’m with Preston has nothing to do with any of that.”

“And I know I was pushing to try and get back the family feeling I had before your mom died,” Preston said to Cyril. “Instead of recreating something old, we’re both going to take the time to find out what us being together should look like.”

“And that may or may not mean marriage,” Linda said. “But for now it means we enjoy each other’s company and will continue to do so.”

“Does this mean you’re not going back to Tampa with me?”

Linda shook her head. “I’m not. I love being here in Peachtree Cove. And if you’re honest with yourself, you do, too.” She held up a hand before Imani could protest. “You don’t have to decide now. But you’ve got a lot of good reasons to stay.” She grinned and looked pointedly at Cyril.

Imani sat up straighter. “What are you trying to say?”

Her mom gave her a don’t be silly look. “Do you really think we don’t know about you two?”

Preston nodded. “I knew it the moment they said Cyril was kissing some woman on Main Street. Heck, half the town probably figured it out by now.”

Imani’s jaw dropped. Heat spread up her neck to her cheeks. She didn’t know what to say. She’d thought they’d been discreet, but what secrets could be kept in Peachtree Cove?

If Cyril was shocked, he didn’t show it. Instead, he reached over and rubbed Imani’s back before grinning at their parents like a kid who’d been given free rein at a candy store. “So you don’t have a problem with us being together?”

His dad looked confused. “Why would we have a problem?”

“You said you wanted us to be a family.”

Preston nodded. “I do, but there are all types of families out there. You two being together and me and Linda being together may not be what people are used to, but who cares as long as everyone here is happy.”

Imani looked at her mom. “You feel the same.”

“I do. Don’t keep holding back, Imani. If you want something, whether it’s to speak up at the hospital, strike out on your own or finally trust yourself in a relationship, go for it. Don’t be like me and wait so long to finally find joy despite the pain of the past.”

thirty-eight

Six months later, Imani walked into A Couple of Beers. The Friday night crowd hadn’t thickened yet but would soon. She waved at Joshua setting up the area for Joi to perform later.

“Where’s Cyril?” she asked.

“In the back. You can go on back and see him. How did things go today with the hospital?”

Imani grinned. “Better than expected. Looks like I might be able to set up here soon. Keep your fingers crossed.”

Joshua raised his hand and crossed his fingers. “I will.”

She kept smiling as she headed to the back of the bar. When she’d turned in her resignation in Tampa the hospital administration had seemed more concerned about how to handle the publicity of losing the doctor of the year than they seemed concerned about losing her. The other doctors in her practice were sincerely sad to see her go, and Towanda threatened to follow her to Peachtree Cove.

“If you don’t keep in touch I’m coming after you. You’re my best friend and I’m going to miss you.”

Imani would miss her, too, but there was so much more for her in Peachtree Cove. Not just her family, Tracey and Halle, and Cyril, but the community that continued to embrace her. The hospital was hoping to open a doctors’ office next to the ER; sure enough, once the mayor learned Imani was moving back, she’d immediately put in a good word for her. Imani met with those hospital executives today about coming to work for them.

She found Cyril in the back, sampling the fall blend he’d finally finished. He took one look at her, grinned and waved her over. “Try this?”

Imani cringed and shook her head. “I tried it. I like the fruity beers, but not regular-tasting beer.”

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