Ultimate Cedar Cove Collection

“Time for us to be together, Rosie. Just you and me. Do you realize we lived in the same house and barely spoke? We talked, but we were both too busy and too distracted to really listen to each other. You’re my best friend, and I’ve missed you and missed having you in my life. I believe that not spending time with each other is what got us into trouble.”

Perhaps he was right. Perhaps that was one of the reasons their marriage had fallen apart. With Zach spending long hours at the office and her filling every spare minute with charity projects and volunteer positions, they’d lost their focus. They’d forgotten about each other; everything else had come first.

Raising herself onto one elbow, she kissed his jaw. “Have I told you lately how much I love you?”

“You have,” Zach whispered. “Oh, Rosie, Rosie, it feels so good to have you in my arms again.”

“The kids want us to remarry,” she said.

Until then, neither Zach nor Rosie had said it aloud.

“I know.” She heard the hesitation in his voice. “How do you feel about it?”

Rosie nestled closer to him. “Excited…and a little afraid.”

“Me, too,” he said quietly.

They’d both said and done things that burdened the future. Could they maintain this new resolve, continue to nurture their relationship and each other?

“We need to be very sure, Zach.”

“I agree. When we do remarry, and I believe we will,” he said, kissing her again, “it has to be forever, with one hundred percent total commitment from each of us.” Zach met her eyes, a look of intensity in his. “We’ve opened that door marked Divorce and walked through it once.”

She nodded.

“It could easily become a swinging door. With every argument, every disagreement, we can decide we made an even bigger mistake by remarrying. We can turn what seems so right and good now into a living nightmare.”

Rosie understood what he was saying. “In other words, if we decide to remarry, that’s it. There’s no going back again. Ever.”

“It’s all or nothing,” he said fervently.

Rosie didn’t hesitate. She knew what she wanted and that was this man, her husband and lover, back in her life forever. “All or nothing,” she repeated. “I want it all.”

“Then, will you marry me, Rosie? In sickness and in health, till death do us part?”

“I will,” she whispered. “What are we going to tell people?” she asked after a pause.

Zach chuckled. “We’ll tell them the truth.”

“Which is?”

“The divorce just didn’t work out.”

“You’re a beautiful bride.” Grace wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.

Olivia turned away from the full-length mirror on the back of her bedroom door. She wore a new peach-colored suit, tailored and elegant, and carried a bouquet of pink rosebuds.

Grace sat on the bed studying her. James and Justine would arrive soon and together they’d escort her to the waterfront park where Jack, his family and Charlotte waited.

“Will Jack think so?” Olivia asked, knowing how insecure she sounded. After all these years of living as a single woman, she’d never expected to fall in love again, in love to the point that she was willing to share her home and her life with another man. Until Jack Griffin had come along…

“I think it’s so touching that Jack asked Pastor Flemming to perform the ceremony,” Grace said, digging for a tissue in the bottom of her purse. “I just know I’m going to ruin everything and cry through the entire thing.”

“You won’t,” Olivia assured her, although she wasn’t nearly as confident about herself. Every time she thought of Jack and how much she loved him, she felt like weeping with joy.

“Oh, Mom!” Justine said, dashing into the bedroom. She brought her hands together in a gesture of reverence. “You look absolutely gorgeous.”

Olivia blushed, then kissed her daughter on the cheek. “Thank you, sweetheart.”

“Are you ready?” Justine asked. “The limo’s arrived.”

Olivia looked at Grace, and her best friend threw her a bright smile and a thumb’s-up. Exhaling unsteadily, Olivia whispered, “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

“James was over at Jack’s place, and he’s a nervous wreck,” Justine informed her as they walked out to the car.

“Jack?” A few hours earlier, he’d sounded completely under control.

“Eric, Shelly and the boys got here,” Justine went on to explain, “and pandemonium broke out. One of the babies spit up on Jack’s tuxedo. Eric came unglued, but then Shelly calmly cleaned it off.”

“So everything’s right with the world once more,” Olivia murmured. It’d been crazy at her house, too. Seth had picked up James, Selina and Isabella at the Seattle airport, and within an hour of their arrival, Selina had announced she was pregnant again. That was when the celebrating had begun.

“Your coach awaits you,” Justine said with a little bow as they reached the sidewalk.

And she did feel a bit like Cinderella going to the ball. Today marked one of the most significant changes in her life. It was only a matter of weeks since she and Jack had made the decision to marry, but neither was content to delay the wedding. They wanted to be together.

The liveried driver stood outside the limousine, ready to help everyone inside.

“I hope to do something like this for Maryellen and Jon,” Grace said as she stepped into the car with Olivia.

“Have they set the date yet?”

Grace nodded. “The first Saturday in June.”

“Wonderful,” Olivia said. Weddings seemed to be in the air. Grace’s daughter and Jon Bowman had decided to marry; Olivia knew Grace was both delighted and relieved that Katie’s mother and father would soon be united.

“Another Saturday you’ll have to give up your stint at the Humane Society,” Olivia teased, knowing how much Grace enjoyed her volunteer work with the agency.

Jon and Maryellen’s engagement wasn’t the only news of a wedding that had reached Olivia. The controversial divorce decree she’d made last year, which had caused such a stir at the courthouse, had turned out rather well. She’d heard from Otto Benson, one of the attorneys involved in the case, that the Coxes were planning to remarry. Olivia was pleased, and wished the couple well. Everything at 311 Pelican Court seemed to be in good shape—a refreshing change.

As the limousine made its way down Lighthouse Road, Olivia looked out the side window at the cove. She loved this beautiful place, this town that was home. She glanced at Grace and smiled. Her friend was adjusting to life as a widow. Maneuvering in unfamiliar territory was never easy; Grace was bound to take a few wrong steps, but Olivia felt confident that all was well at 204 Rosewood Lane, especially now that Grace had found a cause to support. Olivia still hoped Cliff would reappear in Grace’s life, but only time would tell.

The limo pulled into the parking lot at the waterfront park. The driver rushed around and opened the door for Olivia, then offered her his hand, helping her out.

It couldn’t have been a more perfect day for a wedding. A day of bright sun and fresh spring breezes. The sparkling blue water of the cove sent shafts of reflected sunlight toward the gazebo where Jack stood waiting. Roses, lilies, irises and a dozen other flowers filled huge white baskets, carefully arranged to create a border around the white-painted gazebo.

Her mother was with her friend Ben Rhodes. Ever since her arrest, Charlotte had been unusually quiet. Olivia was convinced this newfound respect for the law would be short-lived, however. When Charlotte wanted something badly enough, she generally found a way to get it.

Olivia blamed Ben Rhodes for the fact that she’d had to bail her own mother out of the county jail. She was determined to keep a careful eye on him. Olivia wasn’t sure the elderly gentleman was a good influence on her mother. Nor did she think it was such a good idea for the two of them to be spending so much time together. She intended to learn what she could about Ben Rhodes.