Tucking the phone to her ear, Caroline punched out her friend’s number. As she waited for Savannah to answer, she set the leftovers in the refrigerator.

“Hi, it’s me, Caroline. You called?” she asked when Savannah picked up the receiver.

“I did.” Savannah sounded pleased about something but didn’t elaborate. In fact, she appeared to be waiting for Caroline to speak first.

“Um, Savannah, was there a particular reason you called?” Caroline finally ventured.

“Aren’t you going to tell me, or is it a big secret?”

“Savannah, what are you talking about?”

The line went silent. “He didn’t ask you?”

“Ask me what?”

“Oh, dear,” Savannah said with an exaggerated sigh. “When he left this morning, Grady was as fidgety as a drop of cold water on a hot skillet.”

“Maybe he’s got heat rash,” Caroline teased. “Now tell me what this is all about.”

“Grady,” Savannah said as if that much should be obvious. “And then in church, the poor man couldn’t keep his eyes off you.”

“This isn’t making a lot of sense, Savannah Smith.”

“And I was so sure, too.”

“Sure about what?” Caroline demanded.

“That Grady was going to ask you to marry him.”

9

EVERY PEW IN PROMISE CHRISTIAN CHURCH was filled for the wedding of Ellie Frasier and Glen Patterson. Glen had asked Cal to be his best man and Grady to serve as one of the ushers. Grady had agreed before he learned that he was expected to wear a tuxedo. He wasn’t sure how a man could breathe with a shirt buttoned up that tight.

The main advantage of being in the wedding party was that Caroline was one of Ellie’s bridesmaids. Grady had never realized that four women all wearing the same dresses could look so different. In his—admittedly biased—opinion, Caroline was the most beautiful. Savannah, of course, was a close second.

Since it was the hottest time of the year, Wade McMillen kept his sermon short. Ellie and Glen exchanged their vows as both their mothers sat in the front row quietly weeping. The Moorhouse sisters sobbed loudly, and Dovie Boyd dabbed at her eyes, as well. Even the coolly composed Dr. Dickinson, sitting beside Dovie, sniffled a bit as the I do’s were said.

Grady met Frank Hennessey’s eye as they exited the church. Frank had his arm protectively around Dovie, and his expression seemed to say that he had plenty of years on Grady and he still didn’t understand what made women weep at weddings.

The reception was held at the Grange Hall and, on this Saturday afternoon, there were as many cars parked out front as the night of the big summer dance. The table closest to the door was stacked high with elegantly wrapped wedding gifts.

Grady ended up spending most of his time in the reception line, but once again he was compensated by having Caroline at his side.

“Ellie looks so beautiful,” she said when the last guest had made her way through the line.

Grady’s patience when it came to these formal affairs was limited. He felt tired and hungry. “Do you want something to eat?” he asked with a longing glance at the buffet table.

“I’ve got to help Ellie change out of her wedding dress,” she told him.

“You mean we can take off these fancy duds?” He eased his index finger between the starched collar and his neck.

“Not us. Just Ellie and Glen.”

“Not fair,” he complained.

“Go help yourself to some dinner and I’ll be back before you know it.” She kissed his cheek, and while it was only a sample of what he wanted, he’d take what he could get.

“Where’d Caroline go?” Cal asked, coming up behind Grady in the buffet line.

“To help Ellie change out of her dress.” Grady thought that made him sound like an expert on wedding etiquette, but he wouldn’t have had a clue if Caroline hadn’t told him.

“Who designed these starched shirts, anyway?” Cal muttered, “The Marquis de Sade?”

“I wouldn’t doubt it.” Grady reached for a plate. It’d been hours since he’d last eaten. Between that and the afternoon’s exertions, he was starved.

“Glen’s a married man now,” Cal said as if it had only now hit him.

“Does that bother you?” Grady asked, thinking there’d be a big adjustment in Cal’s life. Grady had heard Glen was moving into town with Ellie; apparently, they’d put money down on a house.

“Doesn’t bother me at all—but it would if he hadn’t married Ellie. Those two are good together.”

Grady felt the same way. Cal and Glen had been his neighbors all his life. Neighbors and best friends. The three of them were as close as family, and yet Grady had to wonder if he knew Cal as well as he thought he did. Again and again he’d mulled over the news that Cal had once dated Caroline, but he firmly believed Cal would have married her if he’d been the baby’s father.

Grady had given up trying to work out who Maggie’s father was. He felt certain it had to be someone he knew, perhaps trusted, otherwise she wouldn’t hesitate to tell him. Whenever they were together he watched her struggle with herself. The one time she’d been ready to tell him, he’d stopped her. He wanted to kick himself for that now. This secret was tormenting her—and him, too.

Last Sunday on their picnic, he’d tried to reassure her that it didn’t matter. He loved Maggie and he loved her. Apparently he’d failed, because she seemed more apprehensive than ever.

“Glen looks at Ellie the way you look at Caroline,” Cal said casually.

“It’s that noticeable, is it?”

Cal nodded. “You could say that.”

They carried their plates to a recently vacated table in the far corner of the hall.

Grady stacked the empty plates to one side and pulled out a chair. Cal sat across from him. “I’m thinking of asking Caroline to marry me,” he said, mentioning it in an offhand way. It was the first time he’d said it aloud. He watched Cal’s reaction, closely.

“All right!” Cal grinned. “I wondered how long it’d take you. I’ve always liked Caroline.”

“I love her.” Grady had no problem admitting it, and if Cal had any leftover emotion for her, he’d rather they cleared the air now.

“Then what’s the holdup?”

Grady felt a surge of anger, not at the question but at the answer. He stabbed his fork into a thick slice of ham as he waited for the bitterness to leave him. This was a day of shared joy, and he refused to allow his brother to ruin it.

Cal propped his elbows on the table. “My guess would be that Richard’s got something to do with this. I thought he wasn’t around anymore.”

Without elaborating, Grady told him about the latest fiasco involving Richard. Cal and Frank Hennessey were the only two people with whom Grady would discuss his worthless brother. He supposed Cal had told Glen; that was only natural, and fine with him. Six years earlier, when Richard had disappeared with the inheritance money, Cal had advised Grady to press charges against him. Grady had agonized over it and in the end decided not to. Now he wondered if he’d made the right decision.

Few other people knew of Richard’s treachery.

Savannah might have told Caroline, but he couldn’t be sure. Of all the women in town, Caroline had been the most sensible about Richard and his attentions. Grady admired her for seeing through his brother and not being taken in by his easy charm. Nearly everyone had been deceived by his flattery and suave ways, but not her.

“Richard’s gone,” Grady said, answering his friend, “and yet he isn’t. He left behind damn near eight thousand dollars in debts.”

Cal gave a low whistle.

Grady told him how his brother had charged things on local accounts all around town. Clothes, liquor, food, even camping and ranch supplies, although God only knew what he intended to do with them. Frankly, Grady didn’t want to know.