Page 16 of Into the Light

I cocked my head to the side, considering. I suppose it couldn’t hurt. I needed to find a date for the wedding, anyway. Maybe this was fate.

“Okay, thanks,” I said with a smile.

While we waited for our food, we caught each other up on the months we’d missed from each other’s lives.

He’d been in Portland, mostly, but came up to Moon Harbor every once in a while for work. He was a scientist who worked with marine life, and his lab had a satellite location on the coast up here. I hadn’t seen much of him, so I didn’t know how often he was in town, but I had to admit, it was nice to see him now.

“Look, I need to say this. I’m so sorry about everything that happened with Lucas. I had no idea he was so crazy, I swear I never would have brought him around.”

I waved him off, and just then, our food arrived. I waited for Toby to move to the other side of the bar before I spoke again.

“I know. It wasn’t your fault. He had serious issues, but I swear, I never blamed you. I think it was just… So much happened at once, and I guess I got scared. I just figured it would be best to be on my own for a while.”

“I can’t blame you for that. How has single life treated you?”

“Oh, it’s good. Aside from most of my friends being paired up and feeling like the odd one out,” I said with a laugh.

“Maybe that’s why I thought you and Rafael were together. Your little group is so connected.”

I nodded. “We sure are.” I grabbed a french fry and popped it in my mouth.

“Makes sense then why I saw him on a date with another woman the other day at Landry’s. They looked close.”

My hackles rose and it took everything I had to keep eating and look unaffected. Raf was with a woman?

“Ah, when was that?” I asked, using all of my energy to keep my voice steady and casual.

Derek eyed me and then took a bite of his reuben. “The day before yesterday. I guess that’s why I was a little surprised to see him with you last night, and acting so possessive.”

I huffed out a fake laugh. “Yeah, well. We’re just friends. He’s like another older brother.”

He looked me up and down and then smiled. “Right.”

My hackles were up. I wasn’t stupid, and knew he was saying these things to try to get in my head about Raf. Tip the scales in his own favor, maybe. But it didn’t matter at the moment. Whatever his motive was, he let me know some very important information.

I’d been pining after Raf while he’d been dating someone else. And Derek was right about something. Rafhadbeen possessive of me and weird toward Derek last night. And then the sweet phone call? Ugh, I felt the confusion from all of his mixed signals swirl around me and cloud my judgment.

I took a long sip of my beer and set it down a little too roughly, the liquid sloshing. If Derek was going to be sneaky, and Raf was going to be hot and cold, then I could take things into my own hands. At least then,I’dbe the one in control.

I looked over at Derek and smiled sweetly.

“What are you doing on Saturday?”

seven

ELLIE

The night before the wedding,we gathered at Il Petrini for the rehearsal dinner. Besides being the best and most fancy restaurant in town, it was also the one that Sam and Alex had their first date at, and where they ate right before Sam proposed.

It was also one of my favorite spots in town. The interior was a standard high-end restaurant—at least by Moon Harbor’s standards—but it housed a hidden courtyard that was magical. Like a portal to another world.

I stood at the back, near a stone fountain and admired the fairy lights strewn across the open sky. The courtyard was surrounded by four high brick walls and they had outdoor heaters on, so despite the cool night air, I was toasty in my sleeveless emerald green dress.

Tables were normally scattered throughout the space to create intimate areas for dining, but tonight, they were arranged in one long table, running from front to back. It was draped in a white table cloth, and covered in flowers. Not Alex’s desired peonies, but beautiful red and orange blooms to match the season. Tealights in clear glass cups were interspersed with the flowers. Each place setting had a menu, calligraphed by hand in gold ink.

Everything was perfect, and possibly, the most beautiful space I’d ever seen. The happy couple had been here to set up, but went over to my apartment just down the street to change for the evening. I stayed here to make sure everything was all ready, and to welcome any early arrivals.

Sara and Theo walked in then, carrying boxes of the cupcakes Sara had made for dessert. I hurried over to help them.

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