Page 55 of All I've Waited For

“How? I have almost two hundred invites with the wrong date. And they need to go out this week.”

“I’ll call the shop, get it fixed.”

“They won’t reprint them for free when it was our mistake.”

She said “our,” but she really meant Ashley’s. And she was right.

“Just let me worry about that. I’ll keep you posted.” Ashley said a few more soothing words, then hung up. “I have to fix this.”

Madison squeezed her knee. “Anything I can do to help?”

“Thanks, but no. I’ll call the print shop and pray they’ll do me a solid. I’ve worked with Raul on several weddings, so there’s a chance they’ll do the rush order. But it sounds like it was my error. I’ll probably have to pay at least a percentage of it.”

She whipped her phone out, navigated to her email, and found the proof from the print shop. And sure enough, there it was—an extra one in front of the three. “How did I not see this?” But she knew. She’d been too distracted with Derek, with the Christmas festival, with every other thing she’d committed to.

And now she’d quite possibly ruined her brother’s wedding. At the very least, Bella had lost all faith in her. She’d never heard her future sister-in-law talk to anyone the way she’d just talked to Ashley—such tightness and command in her voice. Such anger. Such disappointment.

Ashley couldn’t let her down. “I’ve got to make this call.”

“I’ll show myself out.” Madison stood, then studied her. “What about your date?”

Right. The date. “This is more pressing right now. Derek will understand if I need to be a little late.”

Madison thumbed her ear, nose scrunched. “Couldn’t you wait until tomorrow to deal with this? It’s already four-forty-five. The print shop is probably closing soon anyway.”

“No, I’d just be worried about it all night. Hopefully it’ll be a quick conversation and then I can get over to Mimosa’s.” Her stomach lurched at the thought of having the tough conversation with Derek about where they each stood. But she couldn’t stand him up again—not after last time. She’d face whatever was between them head-on.

“Okay.” But doubt crept into Madison’s tone.

“It’ll be fine.” Ashley gave her friend a quick hug. “Derek has waited this long for our date. He can wait a little longer.”

Chapter 15

She hadn’t shown up.

Again.

Derek slumped against the back of the stone bench, fingers still locked around the bouquet of flowers he’d purchased from Fleur de Lee this afternoon. The purple blooms—which Lee Rivas had assured him stood for love, depth, and loyalty—had wilted during Derek’s two-hour wait.

He checked his phone again. Make that three hours.

By now, Main Street was mostly deserted, and Mimosa’s had just closed. He needed to stop lingering, but some stupid part of him still believed she’d show up. He’d give her a few more minutes. After all, she’d said it was a work emergency keeping her away. He understood that. Knew from experience that little fires could grow beyond control very quickly.

But on tonight of all nights, with their history—well, no one could blame a guy for wondering if that were the real story.

Derek’s phone vibrated in his hand. His heart skipped as he saw the sender and nearly stopped when he read her message.I’m so sorry to do this, but I just don’t think I can make it tonight. Can we reschedule?

Yep. He definitely should have called it sooner than this. Should have known this was how it would go. Should have accepted the fact that the past was bound to repeat itself.

But like a fool, he’d believed Ashley when she’d texted initially and said she’d be an hour late. Then again when she’d pushed him off another thirty minutes. And another. And another.

The storm from earlier had cleared, leaving the air crisp and new. He’d thought it a sign of what was to come between them. Now, with every breath, the cold bit into his lungs, slicing through his heart.

Jumping up, he shoved his phone into the pocket of his dress slacks and hurled the flowers into the trash can next to the bench. Derek climbed into his Jeep and started it up, flexing his fingers against the steering wheel as he contemplated his next move. Going home was the obvious choice, but that would mean an entire night of waiting, of torturing himself with the what-ifs.

Forget it. He had to know if he’d tossed away his chance to save his family’s vineyard for nothing.

Derek threw the car into Drive and headed toward Ashley’s apartment. Once he arrived, he marched up the stairs to her door and knocked, wincing at the way his pounding resounded through the hallway. It was late and a weekday night, after all. But he stood his ground.

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