Before Today Read online

  Brooke wasn’t arguing with her. Sam had a black belt in karate, regularly carried a loaded gun, and had taken down men who were in more trouble than the runaway groom.

  Megan hitched up the skirt of her Cinderella wedding gown. “Wait for me! When you find William, I want to ask him some questions.”

  Brooke looked down at Nora. “It looks like it’s just you and me.”

  “That’s okay. I like spending time with you. Where do you think William has gone?”

  “I don’t know, but it must be important.” Brooke looked at the growing crowd on the sidewalk. “How about we go inside? Pastor John has a nice café. We could wait there until William arrives.”

  “Can we have a milkshake?”

  Brooke held out her hand. “As long as someone’s working in the kitchen, we can.”

  Nora took her hand and happily walked inside. They hadn’t gone far when Caleb came to a screeching halt in front of them.

  “He’s here. Where’s Sam and Megan?”

  “They came inside a few minutes ago. Where were William and his groomsmen?”

  “Looking for rose petals for Nora’s basket. William forgot to pick them up from the florist. By the time they arrived at the store, it was closed.”

  “So they don’t have any rose petals?”

  “They have plenty,” Caleb said quickly. “They went to the park and picked some roses. They would have arrived on time, but their car broke down.”

  “Why didn’t they call someone?” Brooke asked. William should have known Megan would be worried.

  Caleb pulled her toward a meeting room. “They left their phones at the bed and breakfast where William stayed last night.”

  Brooke’s eyebrows rose. “Are you kidding?”

  “I wish I was. Wait here. I’ll find Megan and Sam and bring them back to you.”

  “And the rose petals,” Brooke reminded him.

  “My basket, too,” Nora said. “I left it in the back of the big car.”

  Caleb gave a dramatic sigh. “I hope Sam and I don’t have the same drama when we get married. I don’t think my heart could take it.”

  Brooke sent him an encouraging smile. “Don’t worry. There are worse things that could happen.”

  “Try telling that to William. He’s a nervous wreck.”

  After Caleb left, Nora peered around the doorframe, watching what was happening in the foyer. “I think the café is open,” she said excitedly. “I saw someone with a milkshake.”

  Brooke looked around the room. Picking up one of the whiteboard markers, she wrote a big message on the board. It would only take a few minutes to buy Nora a milkshake. And after everything that had happened, she might order one herself, as well.

  Levi sat in the chair beside Carol. Thanks to her eagle eye and perseverance, they’d found William and his groomsmen running down Main Street.

  After searching William’s house, Carol had insisted they drive toward Flathead Lake, looking for the missing groom. After fifteen minutes of exploring every out-of-the-way place they could find, they’d decided to go back to the church, hoping someone had located him.

  Halfway down Main Street, Carol had screamed, “That’s him. I see William.”

  They’d pulled into a parking space and jumped out of the car.

  William and his two friends were running down the street, holding plastic bags full of roses. They’d thrown themselves into the back seat of Carol’s car, hoping they got to the church before Megan left.

  Ten minutes after they’d rushed through the front door, the organist began playing the Bridal March. Everyone stood and looked over their shoulder to the back of the church.

  Nora was walking down the aisle, throwing rose petals high into the air. Her pale pink dress looked like a miniature Cinderella ball gown. With a wide white ribbon tied around her waist and sparkly beads around the neckline, she looked like she’d stepped out of a fairytale.

  Sam came next, followed by Brooke.

  Everything in the church faded into the background. Levi’s heart pounded against his chest. Brooke was stunning. As she walked down the aisle, her strapless dress brushed against the floor. The only time she wore her hair down was in the mornings, before she started work. But today, her dark hair fell against her shoulders in soft waves, caught at one side with a wide, sparkly comb.

  As she walked past him, she smiled.

  Levi couldn’t remember a time when he hadn’t loved Brooke. His life before he met her was a blur of choices that led him into one of the most dangerous places on earth. By the time he arrived home, he was an emotional wreck. She’d helped him reconnect with the world, with himself, and with the people he loved.

  She’d given him her unconditional love, until she needed to leave.

  By the time Megan joined William at the front of the church, Carol was dabbing her eyes. “Oh, my. They look so wonderful together.”

  Whatever William had said to his fiancée must have calmed her nerves. They looked happy, in love, and excited about becoming husband and wife.

  There was a part of Levi that wanted the same sense of destiny, the knowledge that he was loved no matter what was thrown his way. But there was a bigger part that realized true love didn’t just happen. Two people needed to be committed to each other and to the promise of what they could be.

  He wanted Brooke to be the person he could love for the rest of his life. But after what had happened in their lives, that level of commitment wasn’t something he took for granted. It took time to trust someone. Time to understand what the other person needed in a relationship. But most of all, time to understand yourself.

  And Levi wasn’t in a hurry to go anywhere.

  Brooke held onto Levi as they moved around the dance floor. The large meeting room at the church made a wonderful reception area. With sheer fabric draped over the walls and flowers everywhere, it looked like an expensive hotel instead of the main hub of the church.

  “Have I told you how handsome you look?”

  “Only about ten times,” Levi laughed. “You can thank the suit rental store in Polson. While I was collecting the light fittings for the attic, I stopped by to see if they had anything in my size.”

  “I wish our dress fittings had been as easy as your suit hire.”

  Levi spun her in a circle. “It was worth every appointment. You look amazing.”

  Brooke smiled. “Thank you. What did you think of the wedding?”

  “I was surprised it went so smoothly.”

  So was Brooke. After William and his groomsmen finally arrived at the church, everyone had taken a deep breath and focused on why they were there. “Nora enjoyed throwing the rose petals down the aisle.”

  Levi’s arm tightened around her waist. “She’s a happy little girl. It must have been horrible when her mom and grandparents died.”

  “I imagine it was, but Megan is an amazing aunt. I’m glad she met William.”

  “It just goes to show that true love is waiting for everyone.”

  “You sound like Shrek.”

  Levi smiled. “Except I’m not a green ogre.”

  “And you don’t have a sexy Scottish accent.”

  “I could work on it.”

  She rested her head on Levi’s shoulder. “You have other qualities that make you more attractive than Shrek.”

  “I’m glad to hear it. I was beginning to get worried.”

  Brooke sighed. Levi didn’t have anything to worry about. “Maybe it’s Sapphire Bay. Everyone seems so happy. It makes it easy to work out what’s important in your life.”

  “What’s important to you?”

  Brooke smiled at Megan and William as they passed them on the dance floor. She thought about Levi’s question, the answers that were never far from her mind. “It’s important that I’ve got a warm house to come home to each night. I like to know I can pay my bills and afford a vacation every now and again.”

  “You like stability and consistency.”

  “I g
uess I do.” For most of her life, Brooke thought she’d done things to make her parents happy. But she was wrong. Until she’d decided to make candy, the choices she’d made had all been low-risk options. Stability and consistency. They were comfortable words that didn’t push her comfort zone, and there was nothing wrong with that—until it wasn’t enough.

  She ran her hand across Levi’s back. “I like to know I’m making a difference, too. What about you?”

  “Apart from knowing I’m loved, the next most important thing is family. Mom and Dad gave up a lot for Peter and me. If it wasn’t for them, I don’t know where I’d be today.”

  Brooke had seen Levi with his mom and dad. It was obvious they loved each other. “Do you still want to get married one day and have a house full of children?”

  “Would you be surprised if I said yes?”

  “I’d be more surprised if you said no. You’d make a great dad.”

  “I hope so. How are your parents?”

  Brooke sighed. “They’re okay. Dad invited me back to Phoenix for a vacation.”

  “That sounds like a good idea. You’ve been working long hours.”

  “Unless I find someone to manage the store, I won’t be going anywhere for a long time.”

  “Could Kathleen and Daniella look after everything for a few days?”

  Brooke had never considered asking them. “I’m not sure.”

  “If they can’t, you could show me what needs to happen. I’m happy to help.”

  As strange as it sounded, Brooke could see Levi working in the candy store. “I promise to think about it. But in the meantime, can I ask you a personal question?”

  Levi’s muscles tensed. “That sounds serious.”

  Brooke hesitated. Thinking about Levi’s personal life was bad enough, but asking him about it was worse. “Did you date anyone after I left Phoenix?”

  “No. What about you?”

  Brooke shook her head. “Not me, either.”

  Levi pulled her closer. “What’s wrong with the men of Sapphire Bay? Don’t they know how amazing you are?”

  “It wasn’t their fault. I was a hermit when I first arrived. And when I started making fudge, I was too busy to go out with anyone.”

  “You might not like this, but I’m glad you were busy.”

  Brooke kissed Levi’s cheek. “So am I.”

  Sam and Caleb passed them on the dance floor.

  “No canoodling,” Sam said with a grin. “Megan’s going to throw her bouquet to all the single women in a few minutes.”

  Brooke dropped her head onto Levi’s shoulder. “Why do perfectly sane women want to catch a bunch of flowers? It’s so archaic.”

  “It’s tradition,” he said with a smile. “But we could always find something else to do.”

  Brooke’s eyes widened. “We’re at Megan and William’s wedding. We can’t go anywhere.”

  “What if it was only for fifteen minutes?” Levi leaned forward and whispered, “You wouldn’t have to stand in the middle of the room with all the single women.”

  Brooke was tempted. Really tempted. “We’d only be gone for fifteen minutes?”

  “On the dot.”

  It didn’t take long for her to make up her mind. “In that case, I’m all yours.”

  Levi held onto her hand. “Your chariot awaits.” And with an exaggerated sweep of his arm, he escorted her off the dance floor and into the cool night air.

  Chapter 12

  “You can’t be serious?”

  Levi’s eyebrows rose. “What’s wrong with my motorcycle? Some people would consider it a privilege to ride a Harley.”

  “I’ve never ridden a motorcycle before.” Brooke peered at the spare helmet attached to the back of the motorcycle. “Were you expecting company?”

  Levi’s grin was positively wicked. “I’m always hopeful. I thought you might want a ride home after the wedding.”

  “Caleb offered to take me back to my apartment.” This wasn’t what she thought Levi had in mind when he said he’d save her from the bouquet toss. No one rode a Harley around the streets of Sapphire Bay for fun. In fact, they didn’t see many big, beasty motorcycles.

  She looked down at her bridesmaid’s dress and frowned. “I’m not wearing the right clothes.”

  “You’ll be okay. You can thank Zac for the helmet.”

  Brooke took the bright red helmet Levi handed her. It was heavy. “If I agree to go for a ride with you, what do I need to do?”

  For some reason, Levi seemed amused by her question. “The only thing you need to do is hold on to me. I’ll do the rest.”

  “Have you ever had any accidents?”

  “No accidents and no near misses—unless you count the squirrel who ran in front of my Harley in Missoula.”

  Brooke grimaced. “What happened to the squirrel?”

  “It survived.” Levi swung his leg over his motorcycle. “Are you coming?”

  This was it—her moment of truth. Apart from moving to Sapphire Bay, she’d never done anything reckless or spontaneous in her life.

  She jumped as the motorcycle roared into life.

  Taking a deep breath, Brooke jammed the helmet onto her head. She just hoped they didn’t meet any squirrels on the road.

  Levi couldn’t remember the last time he’d had so much fun. He didn’t drive too fast, but each time he accelerated, Brooke gave a high-pitched squeal and clung to him like a starfish. When he turned a corner, her arms tightened around his chest, making it difficult to breathe.

  “Do you want me to slow down?” he yelled over his shoulder.

  “No. This is fun.”

  Levi grinned. For all her concern about riding his Harley, Brooke was enjoying every moment. He would have given anything to see the expression on her face, the joy and excitement he imagined would be shining in her eyes. “I’ll have to head back to the church soon.”

  He felt Brooke’s helmet nod against his shoulder.

  Next time he took her for a ride, they’d have a picnic and spend the day exploring the small towns around Flathead Lake. If she thought driving around Sapphire Bay was exciting, there was nothing like opening the throttle on a clear stretch of road.

  As they drove along Main Street, he looked for any stray cats or dogs crossing the road. Regardless of what Brooke thought, he wasn’t reckless. Usually, he would be wearing at least a leather jacket and steel-capped boots. His suit and Brooke’s dress wouldn’t last two seconds if they had an accident, which was why he wasn’t doing anything that could harm either of them.

  A few minutes later, he pulled into the church parking lot. After he’d taken off his helmet, he turned to Brooke. “What did you think?”

  She pulled off her helmet and grinned. “It was awesome and so much better than staying for the bouquet toss. I can see why you like riding your Harley.” She glanced at the church and sighed. “I guess we’d better go inside.”

  “We can go for another ride but, next time, we need to wear the right clothes. Zac has some spare leather jackets and trousers in his garage. I’ll see if there’s anything that could fit you.”

  “Does he like motorcycles?”

  “Zac likes anything that goes fast.”

  As Brooke got off his Harley, she swung her bare legs over the passenger seat.

  Levi’s grin disappeared. With her hair messed up and a soft blush on her face, they could have been doing a whole lot of other things that didn’t involve his motorcycle. “We’d better make sure you look presentable before we go inside.”

  Brooke unwound her satin dress from around her thighs. “No one will notice if my dress is creased.”

  He got off his motorcycle and brushed a lock of hair off her face. “But they will notice if your hair is all over the place.”

  Brooke laughed. “It doesn’t matter. If Sam and Megan ask where I’ve been, I’ll tell them I’ve been cruising the streets of Sapphire Bay on the back of your Harley. You’d better watch out, though. Sam will want to test-d
rive your motorcycle.”

  He could have stayed here all night, listening to Brooke. Moonlight danced across her face, lighting her eyes, and making him believe they were meant to be together.

  “Has Sam ridden a motorcycle before?”

  “I don’t know, but she’s driven tanks, cars, trucks, bulldozers, and dump trucks.”

  Levi frowned. “What did she do before she started working for Fletcher Security?”

  “She worked in Army Intelligence.”

  That surprised Levi almost as much as Brooke’s agreeing to go for a ride with him.

  Brooke’s hand slipped into his. “Before we go home, I need to talk to Natalie about the color of the attic paint.”

  “I thought you’d already chosen what you wanted?”

  “I did, but I’m not sure it’s the right color.” Brooke walked toward the church’s reception room. “Sam and Megan liked different colors. How am I going to choose which one looks the best?”

  “You need to find one you like.”

  “But they’re all beautiful.” Megan opened the door to the reception room and grinned. “It looks like we missed the bouquet toss.”

  Levi cleared his throat. Megan was on her way across the room and she didn’t look happy. “You might want to stop smiling.”

  Brooke turned to him with a question in her eyes.

  He pointed at Megan.

  “Where have you been?” she asked. “We postponed the tossing of the bridal bouquet while we looked for you.”

  Brooke seemed to be a little less sure about what to say to her friend.

  “It was my fault,” Levi said. “I persuaded her to go for a ride on my Harley.“

  “He didn’t have to try too hard,” Brooke murmured.

  Megan grabbed hold of Brooke’s hand. “It’s just as well I’m looking after you. As soon as I tell the band we’re ready to toss the bouquet, they’ll invite all the single women into the center of the room.”

  Brooke’s panicked gaze shot to Levi.

  “It won’t work,” he blurted out.

  Megan frowned. “What won’t?”

  “Brooke being part of the bouquet toss. She gets hayfever.”