Page 85 of After Tonight

“I’ll make cheddar popcorn and kettle corn.”

“Deal! Okay, I’ll see you at the gazebo soon.”

“See you soon.”

Riley hung up and took a big breath. Well, that had been easy. Just like everything else had been in Sapphire Falls. And she was beginning to think that easy was pretty damned great.

Then she headed out to the path dedication.

She’d really thought she was ready for it. But when she walked into the square, she was overwhelmed by the number of people already there. It seemed that most of the town had shown up.

Scott spotted her right away and gave her a big grin as he made a path through the crowd to her side. “Everyone’s ready.”

“I had no idea so many people would show,” Riley said, her eyes wide.

“Oh, Hailey made sure everyone knew,” he said, referring to Hailey Bennett, the Director of Business Development and Tourism for Sapphire Falls. The gorgeous, outgoing blond loved nothing more than huge crowds gathering for things in Sapphire Falls.

Riley felt a bubble of panic welling up. Hailey had thought this was worth advertising and bringing people to town? Riley had thought she’d be speaking to a small group of concerned citizens. Did these people all really understand what was going on? Had Hailey hyped this thing as something inspiring? Fun? Monumental? What was the expectation here? Her heart was racing.

Then she saw Derek.

He was on the other side of the gazebo. He stood off a bit from everyone else, but the moment he looked over and their eyes met—cheesy as it was—the tension left her. All she could really think was I love you.

It was bright and clear in her mind, and she felt her breath catch.

He gave her a smile, and suddenly all she wanted to do was march over there and tell him.

“Okay, showtime,” Scott said.

Everyone gathered around the gazebo came back into focus, and Riley shook her head. Wow. She took a deep breath. “Okay.” She had to concentrate—and get this over with so she could talk to Derek.

She headed up the gazebo steps. Looking out over the crowd, she was amazed at the faces that looked back. Her parents were there. So were Derek’s. Both of their grandmothers were there, along with Hannah’s. Kyle and Hannah stood with them. Scott went to join Peyton, who was grinning and almost bouncing with her excitement. She stood near her sister Hope and her husband TJ, Sapphire Falls’ mayor, who was holding their little girl.

“Come here,” Riley mouthed to Peyton, waving her friend forward.

Peyton shook her head.

“Yes,” Riley said firmly, only then realizing that the microphone in front of her was on. She grinned sheepishly at the crowd and waved Peyton forward again.

Scott nudged her and she laughed, then ran up the steps to Riley’s side. Riley grabbed her hand and squeezed.

Hailey was standing near the front, of course, with her husband Ty. Ty’s brothers, Travis and Tucker, were with their families at the back of the crowd. There were so many Bennett kids—and a lot of boys—and they all looked so much alike that it was hard to tell who belonged to who as they chased and tumbled around the grass as their parents and grandparents, Kathy and Thomas, watched with big smiles.

Phoebe and Joe Spencer and their three kids were standing with Adrianne and Mason Riley, and Joe’s brother and sister-in-law, Levi and Kate, and all of their kids. Levi was a multimillionaire-turned-farmer, and he’d donated the sign explaining the Peace Path, as well as making a huge donation to the Family Alliance on behalf of Sapphire Falls.

And Riley could see that all of them, every single person in that crowd, was holding a blue stone to add to the path. Suddenly she had to blink against the tears that welled up.

She barely knew Levi. She didn’t know the Bennett brothers well—though she knew all their love stories. Everyone knew those stories. They had been a big deal in town. What she knew about Adrianne Riley was that she made the best cookies and muffins in four counties. She’d never had Phoebe Spencer as a teacher herself, but Mrs. Spencer had been involved in nearly everything about the school, so Riley had seen her around and spoken to her a few times. But no, she didn’t really know these people that well. And yet, she felt like they were here supporting her. The cause too, of course, but this town…when someone here did something good, big or small, everyone backed it and supported it.

She sniffed and then chuckled when the microphone amplified the sound. At least it worked to get everyone’s attention.

Which meant that when her gaze found Lucy in the crowd, standing with Bryan and Tess and Michael Kade, it took her a second to realize that Lucy was holding Kade’s hand. Like holding it. Like a girlfriend would. And when Lucy met her eyes, she gave Riley a huge grin.

She took all of that in, in just a few seconds, but couldn’t respond, couldn’t ask any questions, couldn’t actually process that Lucy was holding hands with Michael Kade like a girlfriend would, because Riley had to address the entire town of Sapphire Falls.

It was time.

“Hi, everyone. I’m Riley Ames,” she started. “Thank you for coming. This is—” She was suddenly choked up. She had to clear her throat, and she sought Derek out in the crowd without even consciously thinking about it. He was watching her with a look of pride and love. She could see it even standing thirty feet away.

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