Page 36 of A Winter's Wedding

Leo’s mug shook in his hand. “I had no idea.”

“No-one did. She played it off for all these years so well,” America said. “I suppose she blames me for cracking her hard exterior. All I know is she loves him, like a lot.”

“And Pa?”

“You tell me? You’re his best friend.”

“I know he loves her too. I think she’s the main reason he moved back to the Cove after he got out of the military, and why he stayed long after the water dried up when almost everyone else moved away.”

America reached across the table for Leo’s hands. His fingers were cold to the touch, and she held them tightly in her palms. “She told me to make things right with you, and that I’ll never forgive myself for treating you badly. Leo, I am so sorry for saying that all of this is your fault. It’s not. None of it.”

Leo dropped her hands and came around to her side of the booth. Their legs touched under the table and his arms circled her shoulders. “Of course, I forgive you, how could I not?”

America hugged him back and felt the weight of her remorse lift from her heart. “You know I love you?”

“I love you so much America Greene?—”

“Thorpe,” she interrupted with a smirk.

“Thorpe,” he repeated and kissed her on the forehead. “I’m so sorry this week hasn’t gone how you planned.”

“It’s hasn’t, but to be honest, there’s no way I could have planned to accidentally marry the man of my dreams, in Vegas of all places, and then road trip across the country to get home in time for a wedding that people still think is really happening.”

America closed her eyes and thought of the past few days. She wasn’t usually someone who liked grand romantic gestures, but dinner at the Eiffel Tower was a magical experience that made her feel like the most loved woman in the world. The first night sharing a bed with Leo, her husband, made her feel anxious and all the more loved when he respected her space. The memories of so many wonderful moments forced her to admit that the trip had actually been really nice overall.

“I think the thing weighing on you is the guilt about lying to the people you love.” Leo poured another cup of coffee and sipped some. “I haven’t had to worry about it, since you’ve made all the phone calls and I’ve only texted with Grant about how the retreat is going this week. All business, nothing personal. But you… You’ve skirted around the truth, and I think it’s time to come clean.”

“Leo. I can’t. My parents will be devastated,” she said.

“Are you certain?” Leo asked and checked his phone again.

America couldn’t stand not knowing what was holding his attention so acutely. “What do you keep looking at that stupid thing for?”

“I called in a favor to help us out of this. I hope you won’t be upset.”

“Leo? Why would I be upset?” As the words came out of her mouth, she saw the reasons coming through the front door of the diner. “You called my mom?”

“Texted. But I guess, yes.”

America shot a look of disbelief his way as she stood from the table. “Mom, Dad, how are you here?” She hugged them both at the same time and leaned back to look at them. The two people that could help the most were somehow in Buffalo, to be with her.

“We were in the neighborhood,” Paul, her father, said with a side grin.

“We landed in Pittsburgh this morning and were driving east when we got Leo’s SOS. We headed straight here,” Mom said and linked arms with America. “I hear you’ve had a rough day.”

“You don’t know the half of it,” America said and sat beside Leo.

“I know more than you think,” her mom said as the waitress approached.

“Can I get you folks something?” she asked with a pen and notepad in her hands.

“Mom, you should try this lemon curd donut. It’s very good.”

“I’ll have that. And a cup of tea please.” Ever since Vivian got back from Italy the previous year, she had preferred tea to coffee, something about the way it reminded her of the leaves on the vineyard vines.

“Anything for you, mister?” The waitress turned to Paul.

“You got anything stronger than coffee?” Paul said with a chuckle. “Club sandwich, and a coke?”

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