Page 8 of Wanting Happily Ever After

“It doesn’t sound stupid. It sounds to me like a woman who’s been on her own for too long, left to do it all. You don’t need to prove anything to anyone. You’re a fabulous mother. The best I know.” Her lips twitched up into a small smile. He had to hold himself back from reaching out to her, just the same way he’d held himself back for months. “If it’s important to you to prove to the Audrey Hills of the world that you can throw a kick-ass soccer wind-up party, let’s do it.”

She blinked her big brown eyes at him and shook her head a little. “Let’s? As in, you and I? You want to help?”

He nodded. “Absolutely. I’m totally willing to help.”

Especially if it meant spending more time with her. That’s all he needed—just a bit more time to convince her that it was him who she wanted to go out with.

ChapterThree

Faith Turner tookup an entire corner table in Sweetie Pies, her papers, notebooks, and photographs from a recent photo shoot spread out in front of her. Her eyes continued to drift to one photo in particular. It was a shot of her friend Katie in her wedding dress by the river. Her back was turned to the camera, which was a good thing because Faith knew that her friend’s eyes were sad when the picture was taken because she thought that her relationship with now-husband, Damon, was falling apart. What she didn’t realize was that a few minutes later she’d be surprised with a huge wedding celebration and a declaration of love that even Faith, who steadfastly didn’t believe in love, might have been swayed by.

It was one of Faith’s favorite pictures and it would be perfect for the ad campaign she was planning for Ever After Ranch, her twin sister’s—and now hers as well—wedding venue business. But it wasn’t enough yet. She needed more pictures.

She laughed a little at herself at the idea that she was actually a co-owner of a wedding business of all things. Her laughter attracted the attention of other customers, but Faith didn’t care. She smiled and even waved at one particularly nosy-looking older woman who didn’t look very impressed with the display of mirth. Faith resisted sticking her tongue out at the woman and fortunately, her phone rang, distracting her further.

She glanced at the caller ID, smiled, and answered the call. “Hey, sis. On your way home yet?”

Faith could almost see her twin sister, Hope, rolling her eyes on the other end of the line, even as far away as Europe, where she was currently on an elaborate honeymoon with her new husband, Levi. “You know I’m not.”

“You should be.” Faith’s smile fell a little. As much as she genuinely wanted her sister to be enjoying herself on her once-in-a-lifetime trip, she also wanted her home. A few weeks ago, that desire was out of selfish want so Hope could once again resume the operations of Ever After, which was, after all, her business baby. But now, the want to have Hope get on a plane and get back to Glacier Falls was all about having her sister home safe and sound, where she could make sure she was healthy.

Hope had been diagnosed with uterine cancer right before her wedding to her childhood sweetheart, Levi. They decided to take an elaborate trip around the world as they tried for a baby, and held off on Hope’slife-savingsurgery. And sure, they had her doctor’s blessing, but it wasn’t enough reassurance for a very worried sister. And now, with Hope’s latest news, that they were in fact already pregnant, more than ever, Faith wanted her only family member back, safe and sound.

She also knew it was unlikely that her sister, stubborn as she was, was going to do anything before she was good and ready.

“We’re in Ireland now,” Hope continued, as if Faith hadn’t spoken. “And before you ask,yes,I’m feeling great andno, I haven’t had any Guinness. I’m leaving the drinking up to Levi for the time being.”

Faith rolled her eyes, but couldn’t help but smile.

“I promise, Faith,” Hope said more seriously. “I’m fine. I feel fine and I’ve been in touch with my doctor back home. She’s given me permission to stay. We’re good.”

“Okay,” Faith said begrudgingly. “I know you’re not going to take any stupid risks.”Especially not now that she was pregnant,she thought but didn’t bother saying out loud. It helped that Levi was there to take good care of her, and Faith knew the man loved her sister more than anything else in the world. He wouldn’t let anything happen to her. “Tell me about Ireland.”

For the next few minutes, Hope filled her in on all the sights they were seeing, the pubs Levi was enjoying, and the challenges of driving on the wrong side of the road in an impossibly tiny car on even more impossibly tiny streets.

When she was finished, Faith filled her sister in on the upcoming weddings they had on the books, including one more that Faith had booked all on her own. Most of the events had been set up before Hope had gone out of town, leaving some empty spaces in the calendar that Faith was starting to fill.

“I’m impressed, Faith. It sounds like you might actually be enjoying this wedding business after all.”

“Don’t get carried away. I’m doing you a favor. That’s it.” She glanced down at the papers and photos in front of her with all the details of the social media advertising campaign she was planning, but decided not to say anything. If it worked out, it would be a surprise for Hope. And if it didn’t…then she wouldn’t have to say anything at all.

“And Logan’s helping you out?”

Much to her annoyance, Faith’s stomach did an obnoxious little flip at the mention of the man. Even more annoying was that Hope asked. “You know he is.” She sighed. “After all, you and Levi both asked him to.” Before they’d left on their trip, the couple had asked Levi’s cousin, Logan, to help her out with anything she needed. Which would have been fine—if what she needed was an overly confident, arrogant, extremely gorgeous, pain in the ass.

Whom she also happened to be annoyingly attracted to.

“What aren’t you telling me, Faith?”

Her sister had the extra obnoxious twin sister trait of always knowing when Faith was holding back information—which, in this case, was that in a moment of weakness, she had let down her guard and given in to that annoying attraction when she kissed Logan. “Nothing,” she lied. Half a world away, her sister didn’t need to know anything. Especially considering Faith didn’t know herself what it meant.

The bells over the door of the bakery jingled and Faith turned to see Nick walk in. She didn’t know him well; in fact, she’d only met him a few times, once being at the surprise wedding celebration for Katie Langdon and her new husband Damon Banks the week before. But he was tall, dark, and fun to flirt with. And he was smiling right at her.

“I’ve gotta go,” Faith said to her sister. “I have some things to take care of and there’s someone I need to talk to.”

After a quick good-bye, Faith put her phone down right as Nick, a coffee and plate in his hand, approached her table. “May I join you? I seem to have two of these delicious-looking scones.”

“I never could say no to a fresh scone.”

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