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small community seemed unusually quiet, a peaceful blend of nostalgic antique shops and more contemporary businesses popping up. A recreation center had opened on the corner, he wondered if Alison swam there daily. He passed a new law office with the name Janelle Hartwell on the door – could that be Alison’s mother, or had Wiley remarried? Moving along, he noticed a sign for Wacky Wiley’s Used-Car Fourth of July Sale, then the Hotspot, which Vivi said Mimi had opened next to Alison’s bridal shop. Everywhere he looked there seemed to be Hartwells.
    His parents’ print shop was situated a few doors down from Alison’s store, with a photography shop and a dress boutique in between. Brady entered the Weddings to Remember shop, bracing himself to see Alison.
    She stood behind a long counter filled with a selection of bridal books, crystal champagne flutes and bridesmaid gifts. A long, white, lacy wedding dress covered in pearl beads hung behind her on a padded hanger. As he drank in the sight of her, his vision blurred and he imagined Alison wearing the dress – to their wedding.
    The bell tinkled, announcing his arrival and shaking him back to reality. “Alison.”
    She looked up. “Brady.”
    At one time, she would have launched herself into his arms. Now she seemed wary, distant. What had he expected? “I’m supposed to meet Vivi here.”
    She nodded, adjusted a stack of brochures and walked around the counter. “Can I get you some coffee?” She gestured toward a corner table draped in a rose tablecloth, complete with coffee, condiments and sweet rolls.
    He pressed his hand to his stomach. “No, thanks. Mom stuffed me this morning.”
    Alison’s mouth curved into a smile and his gut clenched. He’d forgotten how her eyes sparkled with flecks of gold when she smiled. “I bet she loves having you home.”
    “I’ll probably gain twenty pounds in a week.”
    A small laugh escaped her and he couldn’t help but smile. God, he missed the sound of her voice and laughter.
    “So, you want to sit down? Vivi should be here soon, then we can discuss the plans. I’ve worked out a tentative schedule to make sure all the details fall into place.”
    The shop seemed amazingly intimate as he limped to the sitting area and situated himself in the green chair again.
    As if she read his mind, Alison said, “The shop shouldn’t be very busy today. Everyone’s probably gone intoAtlantato the big malls for the holiday sales.” She rattled on for several minutes, filling him in on her sisters’ jobs and how Mimi had come to own the coffee dessert shop. “So Mimi and Seth ended up together. They were married in the gazebo onPineMountainat Grammy Rose’s, just like Hannah.”
    He nodded and was just about to open his mouth to ask how he could help with his sister’s wedding plans when she continued. “I had breakfast with my mother this morning.”
    That surprised him. “I didn’t know she was back in town.”
    “She came back a couple of months ago. We were all surprised.”
    He remembered Alison mentioning her mother once, not in a good way, either. “So, how is it?”
    “Awkward as all get out.”
    Honest, forthright Alison.
    “But we’re managing. She set up a law office downtown.”
    “Oh, yeah, I saw it on my way over.” Alison nodded, gathered some paperwork he assumed had to do with his sister’s wedding, and sat down on the love seat. Today she was wearing a peach-colored shell and a floral skirt that hit her mid-knee, showcasing those dynamite long legs. He tried not to think about how they’d felt wrapped around him, or how they would feel again.
    “Anyway, I asked my mother to handle the annulment.”
    Oh, right, so Alison could marry someone else. “I see. And she agreed?”
    “Yes, but there’s a problem.”
    She didn’t want the annulment? His heart missed a beat as he waited.
    “Technically we can’t annul the marriage. There are parameters for that.” She listed several reasons. “And