Page 2 of Beards and Broken Hearts

“Wow, this is impressive,” Holly says beside me.

I take our moment alone as the perfect opportunity to apologize.

“It is. And, hey, Hol, I’m really sorry I snapped earlier. I know you’re looking out for me, and I shouldn’t have said what I did. There’s absolutely no shame in dating whoever, whenever you want. I also just worry that doesn’t make you happy.”

She looks at me solemnly. “It doesn’t. You’re right,” She says, “And I forgive you. I like that we tell each other all the things we don’t like hearing. Sometimes we need it,” she continues.

“A lot of times,” I reply with a laugh that she echoes. Then we’re joined by Maddison Leigh and a woman who leaves me speechless.

From her button nose to her kind blue eyes, the sight of Elenore Michaels sends a shiver down my spine, and I forget how to talk. My tongue weighs a thousand pounds for a moment, and all I can think about is the last time I saw her.

One of them says something, probably in greeting. It might be Maddison Leigh, but my brain is completely blank. Suddenly, I don’t feel like the confident businesswoman who walked into this party. Instead, I’m eighteen with tears in my eyes and a rock in my throat.

“Hello again, sweet pea.” Her voice pulls me from my spiraling panic.

My lip trembles, and I fight to clear my throat. It doesn’t work, and I still don’t have the faintest idea of what I should say.

More than anything, I wish the ground beneath me would suddenly open and just take me down to the earth's center. Imagining a young Josh Hutcherson and sexy Brendan Frasier in the movie, Journey to the Center of the Earth, makes me want to laugh.

I force a small smile for the woman who unknowingly holds my heart in a vice-like grip. The distraction is welcome but doesn’t last. I force myself to say words out loud even though I’m nervous.

“Hi,” I muster in reply.

“You two already know each other?” Maddison Leigh looks between the two of us as Elenore laughs softly.

“Once upon a time, but now I see a beautiful woman who’s all grown up and a successful dressmaker, I hear.”

She says in a way that encourages me to continue and tell her all about myself, and as much as I want to, I still have a hard time clearing the chaos of memories currently assaulting me. The last time I saw Elenore, she broke my heart for someone else. A so-called man who was too big of a coward to do it himself.

Lucky for me, that’s when Holly pipes up. I imagine she’s shaken out of her own shock. “You would be beyond impressed, Ms. Elenore. Daphne’s dresses are one-of-a-kind beauties and will make any bride feel like a queen.”

“Well, that sounds lovely, dear. I would love to know what a queen feels like, even if it's just for my big day.”

“You’re the bride?” My sister asks awkwardly, sticking to my side for support, even though I sense how badly she wants to exit this conversation.

My knees feel a bit stronger, and I no longer think I will burst into tears, so I venture into the conversation slowly.

“You would make a beautiful bride, and I would be honored to make your dress if that’s something that wouldn’t be too uncomfortable,” I say in a professional tone.

“Oh, dear child, I would love that more than I could ever say,” Elenore says, gripping her chest, and all loss of professionalism that I had mustered goes out the door as she pulls me into her arms for a warm hug.

The last time I hugged the older woman, I was a whole head shorter than her, and she was several pounds heavier than her now slender form, but the embrace is as warm as it was then.

“It’s settled then. Time to celebrate,” Maddison Leigh says as she scurries off, returning just as soon as Elenor and I take a step back, still facing each other. Waiters offer guests glasses of champagne, and I take one, smiling graciously at my friend for saving the day. We all raise up in a toast to working together.

With a little liquid courage and hugs out of the way, Elenore introduces Holly and me to her fiancé Darrel, who has worked in accounting his whole life and seems very sweet. I catch the way he looks at her when she’s not looking, and my heart melts. No one deserves happiness more than Elenore, but I can’t help but wonder what happened to her Ivin, the man I knew as her husband all those long years ago. More burning questions haunt me as the night goes on and the party ends.

Finally tucked in bed, sleep evades me as I toss and turn, and the biggest question becomes clear: Was it a terrible idea for me to agree to make Elenore’s dress? Does this mean I might run into my teenage heartbreaker?

CHAPTER TWO

Layton

Stepping out into the balmy heat of the southern sun, I wipe my brow.

“Think you can look into this guy Jason for me? We need this spot filled before the holiday season starts.”

I grunt my reply to the Chief, which he interprets as a yes.

---