Ultimate Cedar Cove Collection

A second later, she clicked the off button on the portable phone and sank onto the sofa next to Jack. “Were we supposed to meet this afternoon?”

“Ah…no, but I hadn’t seen you in a while. I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you, too. I swear this reception is going to be the death of me. But Justine’s my only daughter and I want it to be perfect for her and Seth. She frowned slightly. “You did get the invitation, didn’t you?”

Jack nodded. He was beginning to feel better already. “You look worn-out,” he told her. Maybe she’d noticed that he was emotionally spent himself, but he didn’t plan to drag Eric into the conversation. This was about him and Olivia, not their families or their obligations.

“I am worn-out,” she agreed. “I can’t believe how much time and organization a simple wedding reception requires. I hope both you and Eric will come.”

It felt good to be invited. “If you want.”

“Of course I want you there. I’m going to need all the moral support I can get.” The phone in her hand rang and she pushed the talk button and raised the receiver to her ear. “Mom, sorry, I’m on my way. Yes, yes, tell the caterers I’ll be there in ten minutes.” She clicked off the phone, then leapt up from the sofa and started toward the kitchen.

“You’re busy.” Jack stood, thinking it would be best if he left.

“I’m sorry, Jack.” She turned abruptly to face him. “Can we meet later?”

His heart sank. “I’m covering a school board meeting tonight.”

She nodded, although he doubted she’d heard him.

“Wait,” he said, and took her by the shoulders.

She seemed mildly startled but smiled when she realized he intended to kiss her. Her arms slipped around his neck and she met his mouth with her own.

Slowly, after their kiss had ended, he eased his mouth from hers. “I needed that.”

All too briefly, she pressed her head to his shoulder. “So did I.”

* * *

Justine was exhausted but jubilant as she held open the apartment door while Seth unloaded the last of the wedding gifts from the car. The reception had been wonderful—she couldn’t believe her mother and grandmother had pulled it off. The entire afternoon had been as close to perfect as she could imagine. The food was incredible, the music lovely, the atmosphere festive. She’d met Seth’s relatives and he’d met all of hers. His were easy to locate in a crowd; they were the big, husky, outgoing Swedes, while hers were comparatively restrained and tended to group together.

“I don’t know how Mom and Grandma did it,” Justine said, sitting down on the pale-blue sofa and propping her feet on the matching footstool. “I think this was the most magical day of my life, other than our wedding day, of course.” She found their elopement wildly romantic.

Seth sat beside her and leaned his head against the sofa back. His large feet, crossed at the ankles, joined hers on the footstool. He seemed as exhausted as Justine.

“I feel so spoiled,” she whispered.

Seth slid his arm around her. “I didn’t know I had that many relatives,” he muttered.

“It’s been years since I saw my dad’s aunt Louise.”

Seth kissed her neck and drew her closer against him. “Second thoughts?”

Justine smiled. “Not a one. You?”

“None,” Seth vowed. “I love my wife.”

Seth had been back from Alaska for almost three weeks and their lives had been a whirlwind from the moment he stepped off the plane. Preparing for the reception had taken up some of their time and adjusting their lives to each other’s had been more of a challenge than she’d anticipated. Seth worked at the marina and his hours changed from week to week. Slowly, he’d started moving his personal items into her place. Living together involved all kinds of accommodations, some of them delightfully easy and some more difficult, since neither of them was used to sharing decisions or routines with another person.

Still, every time Justine woke up and realized the man in her bed was her husband, she became so giddy with happiness she couldn’t go back to sleep. They found ways to amuse themselves in those early-morning hours. Unfortunately that made for extra-long days at the bank and she arrived home exhausted, her eyes stinging from lack of sleep.

“Who was that man with Grace Sherman?” Seth asked.

“Cliff Harding,” Justine told him and giggled. “She went out of her way to tell me they weren’t dating, but I think they must be.”

“Has anyone heard from Dan?”

“Not that I know of. Mom said the divorce will be final the Monday before Thanksgiving.”

“That’s next week.”

“I know.”

The idea of divorce had a sobering effect on Justine. Her father had been at the reception, but Marge wasn’t. She wondered if there was anything wrong between her father and his second wife. If so, she didn’t want to know about it. Maybe Marge had purposely stayed away, realizing the situation would be awkward. Jack Griffin had been one of the first to arrive and then stood in the background while her mother and father took center stage. It must have been difficult for him, since Olivia had barely had a moment to spend with him.

“You’re frowning.”

Justine looked at her husband, and all she could see was his love. She didn’t want that to change, not ever. “I hope you’ll always love me, Seth,” she whispered.

“Jussie, how can you say such a thing?” he asked, “I’ll draw my last breath loving you.”

“Promise?”

“With my very heart,” he said, gathering her into his arms.

“I don’t want what happened to my parents to happen to us.”

Seth kissed her brow. “It won’t. We won’t let it.”

Her parents’ divorce had taken place a long time ago; nevertheless, Justine remained affected by it. She knew she must sound insecure and emotionally needy, and blamed the fact that she was so tired. Seeing her parents together, laughing and chatting with their guests at the wedding reception, had reminded Justine of the happy life they’d all shared before Jordan’s death.

“I miss my family,” Justine whispered.

“I’m sorry James couldn’t be here.”

Her brother was in the Navy, stationed in San Diego, and had been unable to attend the reception. “I wish he could’ve come, too.”

“But it wasn’t your brother you were talking about, was it?”

“No. I so badly want everything to go back the way it was before the summer of 1986.” She paused, swallowing hard. “I remember how furious I was at Jordan that morning for reading my diary. And…and then that afternoon my twin brother was dead and my parents—my entire family was never the same again.” Justine turned to look at her husband, tears in her eyes. “None of us ever got over it.”

“I know.” Seth rubbed her cheeks softly with his thumb, catching the first tears. He continued to hold her close. “I’ll always love you,” he promised again.

Raising her head, she sought his mouth. Their kisses quickly deepened, taking on an urgency that was growing familiar.

Seth lifted her into his arms as though she weighed next to nothing. He carried her into the bedroom and helped her remove her dress before stripping out of his own clothes.