Page 64 of All I've Waited For

Ashley peeked at Bella, who watched her. Blood rushed to her cheeks. She hadn’t seen her friend since dropping off her and Ben’s new—and correctly printed—invites a few days ago. They’d both been in a rush to get out the door, so Ashley hadn’t been able to tell if the couple was still upset about her screwup.

She shrugged. “Kyle ended up giving me the business, which was very kind of him.” Picking up her fork, she poked at some of the food on her plate. “It was a gift, but I’m determined to do my best with it.”

“Any bride will be lucky to have you in her corner.” Bella bit her lip.

Ashley’s chest constricted.

Ben took a swig of Coke from his can. “We really appreciate all you’ve done for us, sis.”

“Agreed.” Bella paused. “And I shouldn’t have freaked out like I did. Will you forgive me?”

Did she even have to ask? “If you’ll forgive me for messing up your invitations.”

“Nothing to forgive. It was an honest mistake.”

They hugged, and Ashley finally tucked into her food. That first bite of her charcoal-grilled burger was heavenly. Ms. Josephine’s husband, Arnie, had outdone himself this time.

Behind her, the band ended their compilation of all the armed forces’ theme songs with a squeak, and the crowd clapped.

Ashley lifted her burger for another bite.

“Excuse me.”

Her eyes widened at the voice coming over the microphone, and the burger in her hands tumbled to her plate.

Derek?

Ashley twisted to see him up on the stage, the microphone tucked under his arm as he led the crowd in clapping. What was he doing? He hated being in the spotlight. Had nearly failed his public speaking final in college—or so he’d told her.

What would possess him to be up there now?

“Hi, everyone. Thanks for coming out today. Not that I had anything to do with the whole thing, but … uh, yeah.”

All around her, townspeople murmured.

He ran a hand through his hair and pulled the mic back to his mouth. “I confess that I may have slipped Mark West a twenty to commandeer the stage for a moment.”

“I’m donating it to the Legion, don’t you worry, Arnie!” Uncle Mark called from his spot to the right of the stage.

Arnie Radcliffe banged his tongs against the grill. “You’d better be!”

A laugh rippled through the crowd.

But Ashley couldn’t laugh, couldn’t do anything but swallow hard at the sight of the man who had broken her heart again. She barely felt the hand Bella placed on her knee.

Derek waited for the laughter to die down. “I know you’re all wondering what I’m doing up here, but much as I like you guys, this really has nothing to do with any of you.” A pause. “Well, that’s not true. It has to do with exactly one of you.”

He stepped to the very edge of the stage. Then his eyes found Ashley’s, and she froze.

Despite the size of the park and the number of people in it, the only sound Ashley heard was the whoosh of pounding blood in her ears and the drumming of her heart.

“Most of you know that I was supposed to be getting married today. I’m sure there are a lot of rumors floating around about why my fiancée and I ended things.”

Another rustling of whispers.

“But let me tell you the absolute truth of the matter so there’s no doubt in anyone’s mind. I never loved Claire and she never loved me. We had our reasons for getting married, and when those things didn’t work out, we ended it amicably.” Even from the distance between them, Ashley could see the sweat shining off his forehead. “I’m telling you this not because I care what any of you think of me but because I don’t want you saying one bad thing about the woman that Idolove.”

Oh, goodness.

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