LITMIR.BIZ

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glanced at Hannah and forced a smile. Other than the fact that she had just watched the fireworks with three very-much-in-love couples on top of a beautiful hill overlooking the meadow by the lake, and she was alone, she was fine. Jake, Seth and Joe had gone for lemonade, momentarily leaving her with her sisters and Vivica.

      “Alison?”

      “I’m just tired, I suppose.”

      Mimi leaned closer. “Where’s Thomas?”

      Good grief. She hadn’t even thought about him. “He had another delivery. Seems like the Fourth is a big day for babies.”

      Mimi laughed and patted her stomach. “I’m glad I have a few more weeks.”

      “Did you get a chance to talk to Brady?” Vivica asked.

      Alison tried not to let his name affect her. “Yes, for a few minutes.”

      “How’s he doing, Vivi?” Hannah asked. “Jake and I saw him walking toward the Thunderbird. He looked as if he was limping.”

      “He had an accident.” Vivica frowned. “I’m going to help him with physical therapy while he’s home.”

      “Why didn’t you tell us he’d been hurt?” Mimi asked.

      Vivica shrugged. “He asked me not to say anything to anyone.”

      Alison struggled with her emotions. “What happened, Vivi?”

      Vivica ran her fingers through her pixie hair. “I don’t know exactly, some kind of crash during a training maneuver. He won’t talk about it.”

      That sounded exactly like Brady, Alison thought. He’d keep everything to himself, all his troubles, his pain. He always had to be the tough guy.

      She had to be tough, too. After her parents divorce, she’d heard her mother arguing with Wiley. “I can’t stand married life. That baby’s always clinging to me.”

      That baby had been her.

      Alison had made up her mind then she would never cling to anyone, and she wouldn’t cling to Brady now.

      “So, what did you tell Thomas?” Vivica asked.

      Alison jerked her head up, surprised at the change in subject. How pathetic—she was still starved for any word about Brady. “I told him I needed time to think about it.” And I need time to end my first marriage.

      She opened her mouth to confide in them, then realized she couldn’t, not now. Vivi and her sisters would want to know details, but her feelings were too raw to discuss with even her closest friend and her sisters.

      The men sauntered back, laughing and joking, each heading toward his loved one. Alison suddenly felt out of place. The crowd was breaking up, so she said good-night, then headed toward her car, remembering her conversation with Brady. She’d told him she’d file the annulment papers as soon as possible so she could move on with her life.

      But who could she get to file them? She didn’t want the whole town to find out about her hasty marriage, to gossip and pry. She could see the headlines “Town bridal consultant divorces.” She needed a lawyer, someone who would be discreet.

      Her mother.

      A ball of anxiety knotted her stomach. She’d promised herself she’d never ask Janelle Hartwell for anything. After all, for more than twenty years she’d been a non-existent parent. Alison had been three when Janelle had deserted them. So she barely even remembered her. She and Hannah and Mimi had always depended on their father, Wiley. He’d been wonderful, except for that one night—the night he’d forced Alison to have the annulment.

      And now she was back in that boat again.

      The very reason she was thinking about her mother, the lawyer. Dear heavens, she’d refused Janelle’s offer of financial aid when she’d decided to open the bridal shop; she hated to go to her now. But Donald Matthews and her mother were the only two lawyers in town. Matthews’s secretary Wanda had a mouth like a party line. Janelle was the only one Alison could swear to secrecy.

      She glanced over her shoulder and saw Jake and Hannah, Mimi and Seth, and Vivica and Joe all walking hand in hand toward their cars, and felt more alone than ever. She didn’t want to be alone forever. And Brady didn’t want her—he’d made it clear when he’d stopped writing, and then again today. She had to accept his decision.

      Knowing she shouldn’t put off the inevitable, she dug through her purse for her cell phone, swallowed a big chunk of pride, punched in her mother’s number, and left a message on her machine.

      Chapter Four

      “It’s nice to have you home.” Brady’s mother placed a heaping plate of pancakes in the center of the table, along with a pitcher of maple syrup and a bowl of fresh strawberries, all the time complaining about how the heat had affected her garden. “We need a man around this house.”

      Brady’s hand tightened around his coffee cup.

      Vivica rolled her eyes. “We don’t need a man, Mom. We’ve managed fine on our own.” She winked at her brother. “But it is nice to have you here, Brady.”

      He smiled, grateful for her interference, and stabbed some of the hotcakes. “Do you need some yard work done or something, Mom?”

      “Heavens no, the grass is dying from lack of rain.” His mother scooted a plate of sausages toward him. “You eat up, now, son. You look a little thin to me.”

      “I’m fine, Mom.” Brady ignored the way she stared at him in concern. “But I must admit, I have missed your cooking.”

      “Just don’t overdo it and get fat or you won’t be able to fit into your uniform when you return to duty,” Vivica said.

      Brady’s fork halted in midair. When he went back? He wasn’t sure if he would, but he hadn’t told anyone yet.

      Mrs. Broussard stirred sugar into her coffee. “I thought you might decide to stay here. Won’t they give you some kind of early medical discharge?”

      “Mom,” Vivica chided. “Don’t start bugging Brady to retire from the Air Force.”

      “I thought he might have changed his mind about taking over the print shop.”

      The pancakes were beginning to clump in Brady’s stomach like rocks. He and his mother had argued about this over and over in the last few months. It was one reason he hadn’t come home sooner. Trouble was, he wasn’t sure he would ever fly again—and for the first time in his life, he was actually considering her suggestion.

      Vivica pushed away from the table. “Gotta run now. I want to catch Alison before I have to go to work.”

      Brady watched Vivica hurry out the door. What would Alison think if she knew he was considering staying?

      “I’M SO GLAD YOU WANTED to meet for breakfast.” Janelle Hartwell laid her hand over Alison’s. “I want us to get together more often.”

      Alison struggled not to immediately pull her hand free. “This isn’t a social visit.”

      Disappointment flitted across her mother’s face. “Oh, then what exactly is it?”

      Alison took a sip of her water, silently asking for courage. Her mother was dressed to the nines today in a designer suit. The perfect outfit made her seem standoffish, contradicting the almost overeager look in her eyes. If Alison didn’t know better, she’d have thought her mother really wanted to be a part of her life. “I need your help.”

      Janelle studied her silently for a moment, her ruby lips slowly moving into a smile. “Of course, honey. What can I do for you?”

      She should have asked that years ago, when Alison needed her to take her shopping for her first bra, explain the facts of life, show up at her swim meets… But she bit back the words. Hannah

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