Tate looked around the dining table. At one end, her mother was smiling like she was the bride. Tate's hand shook as she reached for her glass. Jimmy was her date for the wedding, so even Amelia sat them together.

Jimmy could have easily talked to his mother who sat next to him, but he drew Ellen Krasinski into the conversation. "Are you excited about the wedding?"

"I'm nervous. We don't belong with the fancy people."

"Nonsense, Ellen. You're the mother of the bride." Philip smiled at her.

She shook her head. "I know but..." Her voice dropped as she said something to Philip.

Tate jumped as Jimmy's hand squeezed her thigh under the table. He laughed. "Tate's the jumpy one. Relax, you've been in a wedding before."

She shook her head. "No, I haven't." She might have been in Faith's if it wasn't a rushed event.

Kasper laughed. "She was almost in her own."

A chorus of "Kasper," went through the table like a wave.

Tate didn't care because Jimmy kept his hand on her thigh. The heat went to her head making her feel lightheaded. Her thoughts went to another place she couldn't think about in her mother's dining room.

The longer his hand stayed hidden on her leg, her resolve to never have standing sex again weakened. She bolstered her resolve with the confidence she was sleeping at her parents' house.

Ignoring Jimmy, she asked Elena how long they were in town. "Until Monday morning. We'll visit with Joe's sister on Sunday. Jimmy, you'll come."

He nodded. "I love Josh but he rides Shadow now."

Joe said, "You bought a pony. Sarah doesn't need another horse."

Freya gasped. "Horses are dangerous. I've seen injuries."

"Not at the table, Frey." Joey shook his head.

Ivy said, "Freya's an emergency nurse."

Kasper said, "Do you see a lot of overdoses?"

"A ton. The worst are car accidents involving teens. As a parent, they hit me hard."

Tate tried not to think about what she said but her mind went right to that backroad. She placed her napkin on the table. "Excuse me." She couldn't stay. A tear dropped down her cheek, as she pushed her chair back and forced herself not to run. The room was silent until she reached the hall, and then the voices started.

Jimmy's was first. "I'll go."

She heard someone say no. It didn't matter as she climbed the stairs. Once inside her room, more tears fell.

When she began planning her wedding, she felt like someone was missing. Like Baxter chose Jimmy over Kasper. Tate should have chosen Sheridan over Doyle. They were best friends, except for the secret Tate kept from her. It was hard to remember her motive at fourteen for not telling her bestie about her crush on Jimmy. If she had, Sheridan would have pushed Jimmy away. Wouldn't she have? Everything would have turned out differently.

The knock on her door didn't surprise her. She felt relieved to hear Doyle call her name. She couldn't face Jimmy. One minute, she was pretending Jimmy was her date, and the next she never wanted to see him again.

"I ruined Ivy's wedding." Stripped of emotion, Her tired flat voice sounded foreign.

"You didn't ruin it. Based on Ivy's questions Bax never told her. Jimmy wanted to come, but we all know you don't like him."

"I just can't deal with the past. I like Jimmy when he stays in the present and doesn't steal innocent people's businesses."

Doyle laughed. "Good luck with that."

"Is mother mortified?"

"She didn't offer to come. Dad and Elena offered vehemently, but I stood, pushed back my chair, and announced that you are my sister."

"Mother will never forgive me."

Doyle sat on the edge of her bed and rubbed Tate's back. "Mother worries about you. No one has had it tougher than you."

"Then why are you the one doing drugs?"

Doyle sighed. "This isn't about my partying. My life is under control just fine. I'm not the one going to an island to get laid first."

"They don't do that on TV!"

"I think a lot happens when the cameras aren't rolling. Tay, are you gonna be okay?"

"I always am."

"Maybe you should see a counselor again."

Tate scoffed, "You need it more than me."

"If it makes you feel any better Jimmy looked upset too."

Tate winced at Jimmy's insistence they talk about it. "I'm fine, Doyle. Please, just go back before Mother is angry with you too."

"Come back down for Ivy. You're her maid of honor."

"I must look awful."

Doyle studied her face. "Just a smudge. You still look beautiful." Doyle had lighter hair and hazel eyes like Baxter. "Come on. You like dessert and Jimmy might eat yours."

Apprehensive, she returned to the dining room. Most of the eyes trained on her were sympathetic. As soon as she sat down, Jimmy leaned over. "Baxter told Ivy you lost a friend years ago. Everyone understands."

She looked up at him. His blue eyes reflected the hollowness in her chest. "I, um, I'm sorry."

"It's okay. Eat your torte. You'll feel better."

"I thought you would have stolen it."

Philip stood. "After-dinner drinks in the parlor."

When the dining room slowly cleared, Jimmy stayed along with his mother, Doyle, Baxter and Ivy. Tate looked at Ivy. "I'm sorry I ruined your dinner."

"Tate, it's fine. If I can help. Just know I care."

"Thanks." Tate pushed back her dessert plate and stood.

Elena embraced her. She gave her a comforting hug. "Darling, we all remember."

A tear slipped. "I know. Thank you."

Ivy hugged her and Baxter wrapped his arms around both of them. As they entered the parlor, Freya stepped towards her. "I'm sorry."

"You didn't know. The wedding added to my emotions."

Jimmy appeared with a snifter. "Drink this?"

"What is it?"

"Something to warm your chest."

She put her nose to the glass. "Sambuca?"

He nodded. "Your father poured it."

She rarely sailed with just her father, but after the accident, he often took her to see the sunset.

He pulled a bottle out and offered her a few sips. "Tatey, I'm not recommending you use liquor to deal with your feelings."

She took a sip, and it burned. "I thought you drank scotch."

"I do but I drank this with an old friend. I pull a bottle out when I need cheering up."

"Why are you unhappy?"

He shook his head. "Today, only because you are."

Then he held her in one of his special hugs. Even as a little girl, she ran to her father when he came home, assuming she was not in bed already. Her mother would frown. Tate learned young to earn her father's praise. It was much easier than her mother's. Even at almost thirty, a drink that burned her throat reminded her of her daddy's love.

She turned to lift her glass to him, but he was talking to Ellen again. Jimmy walked up behind her. "Still don't believe me."

Baxter appeared with a scotch. "Sinclair, what are you scheming?"

"Jimmy was snooping and thinks Dad and your mother-in-law knew each other before."

Baxter nodded. "They did. She fell in love with someone Dad knew. I don't know who it was."

"Maybe he'll be at the wedding." Jimmy smiled.

Baxter shrugged. "Could be one of the three hundred guests."

"I feel like a detective. This will be fun."

"Jimmy!" Tate chastised, but secretly agreed.

"Tate, I know you. You're intrigued." Jimmy poked her back.

Baxter looked from one to the other. "Don't cause a scene. I'm glad you two are getting along. Vegas worried me."

Kasper sauntered over. "Vegas was fun. Bax, are you nervous?"

"Why would I be? I love Ivy."

"You might mess up your words."

"Nope. We're saying traditional vows. I'll just repeat the words and wait until I can kiss Ivy."

Kasper gagged and walked away. "You got rid of him." Jimmy laughed. "Tate, can we talk about official wedding business?"

"Use my study, but don't mess up my wedding."

Tate sighed and led him to Baxter's old study. "What's going to happen to this room now?"

"Seriously, my mother hopes he's coming back. She didn't care when I moved out."

"I bet your father did."

"He visits me at work. It's so sweet." Jimmy stared into her eyes making her shift her feet. "What's this wedding business?"

"I don't know. I wanted to make sure you're okay."

"I'll be fine. You don't need to babysit me."

"I know, but I can still care."

She closed her eyes as his warm lips brushed her forehead. His hand lifted her chin, so she opened her eyes to see his blue ones just before his lips descended onto hers. A sigh escaped, and he pulled her closer. The meeting of their mouths didn't last long. She felt warm from more than the liquor. He pulled his face back too soon, but still held her.

"I look forward to dancing with you tomorrow." He let her go and walked away leaving her standing alone. She put her finger to her lips, but refused to wonder why he kept kissing her.

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