Half Moon Hill (28 page)

Jenny cast a cautious smile. “Who on earth is it?”

And Tessa exclaimed, “My brother! Isn’t it amazing? We didn’t even know! He didn’t even tell us! He just showed up at my parents’ house first thing this morning—home from Afghanistan, safe and sound!”

“Miss Ellie’s war hero,” Jenny murmured just loud enough for Anna to hear.

But Anna didn’t have a chance to respond before Tessa took her arm, pulling her into the small crowd to say, “Anna Romo, meet my brother the hero, Jeremy Sheridan!” And when she least expected it, Anna found herself face-to-face with possibly the most handsome man she’d ever seen.

“ . . . he was a charming fellow and showed that he was not lacking in intelligence.”

Gaston Leroux,
The Phantom of the Opera

Sixteen

“U
m, hi,” Anna said, extending her hand when he reached out to take it.

He was tall, lean, with light brown hair, a strong jawline, and the most smoldering eyes she could have imagined. And when he smiled, it practically lit up the entire garden. “You’re even prettier than everyone said.”

She blinked, a little unnerved. Who was everyone? And they’d said she was pretty? And he thought so, too? How had she suddenly found herself feeling quite wooed by a guy she’d never seen before, and with all these eyes upon her? “Um, thanks.” Though when he squeezed her hand in an almost intimate way, she decided it was probably a good time to take it back.

“I’m really happy to meet you, Anna,” he said with smooth confidence as she withdrew her hand. He wasn’t shy, or subtle.

Just then, Rachel’s grandma, Edna Farris, rounded the trellis. “I hear little Jeremy Sheridan’s home and that he’s some kinda big war hero, so I came to see with my own two eyes.” And when Jeremy shifted his gaze from Anna to Edna, the older woman grinned. “Sakes alive. Ain’t so little anymore, though, are ya? Come ’ere and give me a hug.”

Anna watched as he turned to scoop Edna into a big bear hug, and when it ended, Edna said in her direction, “This one used to help me with my fall apple harvest when he was just a young’un in high school.” And then she looked back at handsome Jeremy. “So what’s this about you savin’ a bunch o’ fellas’ lives over there in Afghanistan?”

“Wasn’t that big of a deal,” Jeremy said, giving his head a modest shake while still casting a grin. “Was just in the right place at the right time and did what I’d been trained to do.” And then he explained about thwarting an ambush just before a large convoy of U.S. troops had passed through.

Anna thought she sensed just a hint of seriousness behind his smile as he told the story, but by the end, Edna was saying, “Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle—ain’t that somethin’,” and his father was slapping him on the back, and he was all humble, handsome smiles again.

And a moment later, Jeremy was shaking Lucky’s hand, saying, “About time I got home to celebrate my sister getting married. Gotta admit, surprised me to hear who she was marrying, but I can tell already how happy you make her.”

More than once after that, Jeremy found his way back over to Anna, making a point of expressing his interest in her. “So I hear you’re opening a bed-and-breakfast? What’s a pretty girl like you want to hide herself away up on that hill for?” he’d inquired with a wink. “I hear you grew up in Indy. What made you choose small town life over the city?” “Looks like you’re fitting back into Destiny life just fine—maybe you can give a few tips to a guy who’s been away awhile, too?”

Time and again, though, he was pulled away by one person or another, especially as more people arrived at the party. He politely excused himself every time, and Anna now had plenty of other people to talk to—but she noticed that he repeatedly worked his way back to her. He was charming, and every bit as handsome as she’d thought upon first seeing him. And she couldn’t deny being flattered by how taken with her he seemed.

And if she hadn’t already fallen in love with Duke, she might well have been taken with Jeremy Sheridan in return. But she
had
fallen for Duke. So even as she enjoyed chatting with the war hero returned home, she knew that was all it was—chatting.

At one point in the afternoon as she stood catching up with Rachel and Mike, Mike said, “Now, Jeremy Sheridan—that would be a good guy for you, Anna.”

“Mike,” Rachel lectured him at the same time Anna flashed him a look.

He threw his hands up lightly in his defense. “I’m just pointing it out, that’s all.”

Anna narrowed her gaze on him. “Don’t you have enough to worry about in your own life at the moment without butting back into mine—Daddy?” She raised her eyebrows.

And his shoulders slumped as he let out a tired sigh. “Oh God, I keep forgetting that.” Then he shook his head helplessly. “How on earth did that happen?”

Rachel, too, looked wearied by the subject, almost making Anna feel bad for bringing it up. “Do you know how many people have congratulated us today? And how hard it is to smile? Because . . .” She sighed as well. “I know babies are precious and all, but we’re still pretty stressed out about this.”

Just then, Anna caught sight of someone waving at her from across the way and realized it was the young woman she’d met at Under the Covers a couple of days ago, Christy Knight. She excused herself from Rachel and Mike and made her way over to Christy—who seemed in better spirits today than when they’d met.

And as they stood talking a few minutes later, she realized just how glad she was she’d come. She really
was
getting to know people here. And she was also getting to like them. She was no longer the long-lost Anna Romo, no longer the town curiosity. That honor now belonged to Jeremy Sheridan, who handled it with far more grace than she had. But then, it was probably easier coming home as a war hero than someone who had been abducted. She almost laughed at the absurdity of the thought—and realized she was actually seeing a bit of humor in something she’d never dreamed she could. She was becoming part of this idyllic little town, relaxing into it, carving out a role for herself here at last.

And if that wasn’t amazing enough—she was in love. And even if Duke wasn’t ready to embrace Destiny along with her just yet, that was okay.
Everything in its own time.
She had faith in him—when she’d said that the other night, it had been about far more than orgasm—and she felt better in this moment than she had in a very long while.

She still stood making small talk with Christy Knight five minutes later when a woman named Mary Katherine, who had been introduced to Anna as Miss Ellie’s daughter, began tapping a fork on a wineglass to get everyone’s attention.

When finally everyone in the garden went quiet, looking her way, she said, “I know a rumor has gone around Destiny that there would be a big surprise at today’s party—and I’m pleased to tell you that it wasn’t just a rumor. I’m very happy to introduce to you all, for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Logan Whitaker!”

The entire crowd gasped aloud, Anna and Christy along with them, as Amy and Logan came whisking through the white latticed archway that led into the garden, hand in hand. Amy looked radiant and glowing in a flowy white sundress, a yellow flower tucked behind one ear. Logan appeared as handsome as ever in crisp khaki cargo pants and a blue polo shirt. Amy was smiling, laughing, looking absolutely joyful in a way Anna felt all the way to her toes as applause broke out.

Anna happened to be standing closer to the couple than most of their friends, and when Amy spotted her, she smiled and waved. Then called to her, “Mr. Knightley didn’t really get a flea treatment or shots!” Then she held up her left hand, flashing a diamond ring. “We eloped to Las Vegas!”

I
t was late in the afternoon that Rachel found herself alone with just her girlfriends. She sat at a large, white wrought iron table outside the garden under a billowing maple tree with Tessa, Amy, Jenny, and Sue Ann. Maybe most people wouldn’t consider a crowd that size private, or “alone,” but after a few hours in the crowd at Miss Ellie’s, still just on the other side of the rose of Sharon bushes in the distance, being in a circle of only her close friends made her feel more relaxed than she had all day. She loved Mike with all her heart, but since coming home to Destiny a few years ago, her friends had been her safety net, her safe place.

“Where’s Anna?” Jenny asked. “We should invite her to join us.”

“Being monopolized by my brother probably,” Tessa replied on a laugh. “I was going to tell her we were sneaking out for a little girl talk, but I didn’t see her anywhere.”

“It’s so great that Jeremy’s home,” Amy said. “What a surprise, huh?”

And they all just looked at her. Sue Ann said, “Look who’s talking about surprises! What on earth got into you, eloping?”

Rachel remained just as stunned as everyone else, and was eager to hear Amy’s reply.

Blushing prettily, Amy said, “We just decided we didn’t want to wait—and that we wanted to do something adventurous. I mean, do you guys realize how little of the world I’ve seen beyond Destiny? And it just made sense that if I’m going to start having more adventures that I do it with my soulmate, right?”

Rachel smiled and tried to ignore the current queasiness in her stomach, something she still hadn’t quite shaken, glad to let Amy’s exciting news distract her. “You deserve grand adventures, Ames!” she said.

“So—tell us everything,” Tessa prodded.

And Amy gave them all the fun details from start to finish, about the beautiful ceremony in the garden at the Bellagio, about the gorgeous white dress she’d bought in a boutique in the hotel, about the honeymoon suite complete with rose petals on the bed. “And Logan was so romantic every step of the way.” She sighed happily, and Rachel couldn’t have been more pleased for her sweet friend.

Only then Amy’s happy smile faded as she looked in Rachel’s direction. “You got cheated, though. Out of being maid of honor.” The agreement Rachel, Amy, and Tessa had embarked upon had put Rachel in line to be Amy’s.

Yet she shook her head, eager to let Amy know it was okay. “Your happiness and adventures are way more important to me than being a maid of honor—I promise.” And then another wave of nausea struck and she made a face, pressing her palm to her belly. “Ugh. Seems I have other things to worry about these days anyway.”

“Still sick, huh?” Sue Ann asked, her expression filling with sympathy.

“Yep.”

“That’s definitely the worst part of being pregnant for sure.” And as the only mother in their group of friends, Rachel figured Sue Ann was qualified to know. “You know,” Sue Ann went on, “I don’t want to pick on you, Rachel, but . . . you really didn’t have any clue you were pregnant?”

“Hey, it’s not as obvious as you might think when your birth control pill makes it so you only have four periods a year,” she pointed out. “And . . . I’m sure I was in denial, too. I mean, if the signs were there, I guess I subconsciously chose not to see them.” She released a heavy sigh, feeling tired. “I still can’t quite wrap my head around this. Is that awful?”

And that’s when Jenny said, “
Yes!
” and the whole group went quiet.

Rachel met Jenny’s gaze across the table, stunned. “Huh?” she murmured.

“Yes, it
is
awful,” Jenny said in a snappish tone Rachel had never heard from her, ever, in their whole lives. “I’d give anything to be pregnant right now, Rachel, and all you can do is complain about it and act like it’s a burden. Well, that’s not right. It’s a baby, Rachel—you’re having a child! You’re bringing a new life into the world! That’s amazing! It’s a miracle! But to you and Mike, it’s just an annoyance.”

When she finished, everyone stayed silent.

And Rachel felt like she’d been slapped. She knew Jenny was trying to get pregnant, but  . . .

“Look, Jenny,” she said, “I’m truly sorry you haven’t been able to conceive yet. And I’m sure as time passes, Mike and I will adjust to this—but right now, it’s something we didn’t choose and we’re not sure we’re cut out for. So you’re not the only one going through something. It’s not my fault you and Mick are having trouble getting pregnant. And . . . I don’t think you’re being a very good friend to me right now.”

In response, Jenny appeared as affronted as Rachel felt. “Well, I don’t think you’re being a very good friend to me, either.”

Rachel sat staring at Jenny, her dear girlfriend since they were little, unable to believe they were having this conversation. Occasionally she and her friends had disagreements or momentary squabbles, but nothing like this.

It broke her heart.

But she believed in her right to feel the way she felt, that her feelings were valid and just as important as Jenny’s.

“I’m . . . going to go,” Jenny said, brow knit, looking close to tears.

Then she stood up and began walking toward Blue Valley Road. The little yellow cottage she shared with Mick was the next house up, within sight through the empty meadow that separated the two homes.

“Um, I’ll go after her,” Sue Ann volunteered a moment later.

And after she was gone, Rachel said to Tessa and Amy, “What was
that
? Am I really so horrible?”

Amy reached over and took her hand. “Of course not. Jenny’s just . . . in a bad place right now.”

Rachel let out what she knew was an immature
harrumph
—because you could do that with friends. Or you
should
be able to anyway. “Well, I’m not in a great place myself.” She looked back and forth between Amy and Tessa. “Do you know that I’ve been so up in arms over this that I forgot to feed the cat yesterday. You guys—what if I forget to feed the baby?”

They both made comforting sounds and Tessa said, “Well, for one thing, it will cry and let you know. And for another, you won’t forget. You just won’t.”

“I really do worry,” she confided in them, “about Mike and me as parents. Some people are cut out for that and some aren’t. And we’ve both always been in agreement that we fall into the
aren’t
category, at least so far.”