Page 8 of Tempt Me

“Hi,” I say eagerly.

“Hey beautiful,” he says. “How did the fitting go?”

“Great,” I say. “I’ve found the perfect dress.”

“I knew you would. Mom says Couture Hélène is the best. Hey, so I have some good news and some bad news.”

“Oh no,” I say. “Bad news first.”

“The rooftop fell through. Mom’s pissed, as you can imagine. But I know you’d rather get married in Magnolia Bay anyway,” Luke says. I can hear his smile and my spirits soar. We can get married at the Thorn! I glance at Mom and she looks excited too. “So I managed to convince her.”

“Luke!” I squeal. “Thank you, thank you! This means so much to me.”

“Anything for the queen of my castle,” Luke says. Charlotte barely resists rolling her eyes. “I spoke with Daisy Everton the other day and we’re all set.”

My heart plummets to the pit of my stomach and pulses there like some living stone.

It feels as if all the air has been sucked out of the limo.

“You know how perfect Everton Estate is in the summer,” Luke is saying. “And it’s big enough for all the guests. Mom says…”

He keeps talking but his words have faded to a dull buzz. Am I friends with Daisy Everton? Yes. She’s so kind and sunny and she’s always helping out the town, just like her mother used to. Have I recommended Everton Estate to guests at the Thorn? Of course. It’s an amazing place despite its recently dark history—beautiful views, fantastic wines, and a gorgeous turn-of-the-century aesthetic.

But it’s also a reminder of the man who broke my heart. There’s a world of difference between appreciating Everton and gettingmarriedthere.

Charlotte grabs my phone from me.

“Hey Luke, Charlotte here, uh, sorry we’re about to go through a tunnel, talk later, bye!”

She hangs up. Three pairs of eyes are staring at me with varying shades of concern.

Only four people know about me and Caden—reallyknow about the depths of my feelings for him, and the fact that we were together, albeit for only a moment in time. And three of them are in this car right now. The fourth is Noah Patterson, Caden’s best friend.

Well, Grace doesn’t know all the gritty details, but there was no way I could hide my pain and sorrow from her. It was my dominant personality trait for about a year. And she remembers everything she hears, so one eavesdropped conversation with Charlotte and she was officially in the loop.

Luke knows Caden and I had a brief “thing”—that’s what I decided to call it. It was nothing, really. Just one night. And then he left. He doesn’t live in Magnolia Bay anymore. It didn’t seem relevant to tell Luke all the details. How I was in love with Caden for years. How broken I was after he left.

But my mom and Charlotte saw the shell I became. They saw the tears and the heartache.

“Maybe you can find someplace else,” Mom says gently. “We’d love to have the wedding at the Thorn. And there are other wineries…”

I shake my head. I know Lucille. If she’s decided Everton is a suitable replacement, nothing will sway her from that decision. Not unless the winery burned to the ground.

I have a fleeting vision of myself as an arsonist.

But then I think of how pretty the estate will be in late August. And how I’ve known it my whole life—it’s certainly a moremelocale than some fancy pants rooftop in Manhattan.

“It’s fine,” I say slowly. “It’s totally fine.” I’m getting over the initial shock now. Charlotte looks at me doubtfully and I smile at her, delighted to find it feels almost natural. “I’m getting married to an amazing man. And I get to be married in Magnolia Bay! That’s a win in my book. Plus, Everton is gorgeous. It’s a great spot for a wedding.”

My mother beams, though Charlotte doesn’t look convinced.

“I think it’s good too,” Grace declares.

“You do?” I ask, surprised.

She nods. “It’s just a place. You’ve been scared of it, but it’s just a place.”

She’s right. And anyway, it’s not likeheis going to be there. He doesn’t live here anymore. Maybe this will be healing. Maybe this is the last step for me to let him go completely.

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