Page 77 of Peach Blossom Hollow

“It’ll be fine.” She’d checked the NHL trade lists that morning. The deadline had officially passed and Leo was with the Dragons for the time being. That gave them time. Time to figure things out before she once again faced the gut-wrenching fear that he might get traded away from her.

“Come on,” she said, feeling nervous. She hurried toward the door and held it open. “The bride can’t be late or the groom’ll start panicking.”

Daisy-Mae, in her flowing white sundress and flowered crown, stopped on the threshold and gave Violet a long hug. “It’ll all work out. I promise.”

“I know, and I’m fine.”

“I want to see you happy.”

“Thanks.”

They shared a smile and Daisy-Mae stepped out onto the veranda, arms raised as she sucked in a deep breath. “This is it. The day I’ve been waiting for!” She turned and did a little dance as she squealed in excitement, scaring a small yellow bird off the railing.

With a grin, Violet hooked her arm through her friend’s, leading her down the sandy seashell path. “Come on, Daise! Let’s go lock this man in.”

And, hopefully, by night’s end, she’d have Leo locked in as her new boyfriend, as well.

Leo stood as Daisy-Mae and Violet came across the sugary sand, the breeze toying with the hems of their dresses. Maverick was already standing under the rose-covered archway, waiting for his bride. The wedding was casual, and Leo, as a witness, was to sit in one of two chairs set out in the sand.

Two chairs. Spaced a half foot apart.

Leo edged the chairs closer together and waited for the women to arrive.

Violet was smiling, arm in arm with her best friend. She looked happy. Free.

One word: heart-stoppingly beautiful.

Again, he needed more than one word to describe the woman.

The women hugged, and Violet came to stand on the far side of the second chair. She didn’t look at him, and surreptitiously edged her chair farther from his before she sat down.

Leo, pretending to steady his chair in the soft sand, moved it closer again before he sat.

“Hi.”

“Hey,” she said, her hands twisted in her lap, her gaze solidly on the couple under the archway.

She was wearing what he thought of as an angry panda outfit. It was a white-and-black, half-sleeve sundress with a skirt that grazed her knees, and a giant pink flower splashed across her waistline, the petals flowing out from her right hip. Her hair was in an up-do, with tiny pink roses tucked into the folds, her bangs nearly brushing her lashes. She was gorgeous.

She was biting her lower lip as if nervous that the bride was going to run off or do something equally crazy, and she was still avoiding looking at him.He’d love to believe he was simply too handsome, and she was fearing self-combustion if she dared look at him.

Either way, it made it difficult to start a conversation about the two of them.

“The wedding is up there,” she said calmly, raising a finger to point to the couple.

Leo shifted and reached inside his jacket pocket, then held out his palm in front of Violet. On it rested a homemade peach muffin wrapped in plastic and a folded piece of paper. “I was going to make you a cobbler, but I thought a muffin might travel better.”

Violet blinked at the offering, then wordlessly, slowly accepted it. Her cheeks were pink and she looked like she was having trouble breathing. He pointed to the square of paper. “This is a list of good cars and salesmen who won’t rip you off if you still need to upgrade. But if you’d like, I’ll come with you.”

Violet blinked again and swallowed. “That would be really nice,” she whispered.

The ceremony began, and already tears were leaking down Violet’s cheeks, but Leo had a feeling they were more about him than the wedding. He shifted in his chair to wipe them away.

She looked at him, her chin trembling. “I’m scared. But I want…” Her voice broke and she glanced back at the flowery archway.

He knew this wasn’t the time or place to have this conversation, but he desperately wanted to hear what else she had to say. He caressed her cheek with his knuckle, then slid one arm across the back of herchair, angling his upper body so her shoulder fitted against his chest.

“I want you and love,” she breathed. “And I don’t know if…”

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