She looked up miserably. “Turn the clock back and make it all go away.” Her lip quivered. “Did anyone see where Nick went?” She fought to keep from wailing. “Oh, goodness! What he must think!”
Reva pulled Charlie Grace into a reassuring hug. “You can fix this.”
“You’ve got to fix this,” Lila added. “I mean, really, Charlie Grace. You can’t marry Jason.”
Charlie Grace drew a deep breath. They were right. She had to undo what had been done. The sooner, the better. No doubt everyone out there was chattering about the surprise engagement and upcoming nuptials. Oma and her Knit Wits group were likely already organizing the reception dinner. Betty Dunning would plan to make her signature homemade mints and Dorothy Vaughn would be intent on stocking up on pineapple juice, orange sherbet, and 7-Up for her punch.
The thought made Charlie Grace feel nauseous.
Then it hit her. Jewel was in the crowd. She had to get this cleared up and break the news to her daughter that there was no wedding on the horizon. At least no wedding to Jason Griffith.
How could she let this happen? It was as if she’d had an out-of-body experience. Jason slipped that ring on her finger and everything that followed was a blur.
Determined, she grabbed a paper towel from the dispenser and ran it under a blast of cold water. She patted her face, relishing the cool feel against the heat of the moment.
There was no escaping what she’d done—or failed to do—but there was no holding back now. Not if she didn’t want to be Mrs. Jason Griffith.
Charlie Grace tossed the damp paper towel in the trash receptacle and turned to face her benefactors. “Okay, I’m ready,” she announced. “I have to fix this.”
Thankfully,Charlie Grace’s girlfriends had her back. They followed her from the restroom as determined as she was to clear the situation.
Lila nodded to the impatient woman who waited outside the door. “All yours.”
Reva made a beeline for Gibbs and Jewel, promising to take them aside and alert them as to the situation. No doubt, Gibbs would relentlessly tease her about this for months to come. She’d just have to deal with it. There was no erasing what she’d done up on that gazebo. She simply had to move forward and correct her mistake. Take the knocks as they came.
Jewel and Lila would go on the hunt for Nick. While they would refrain from any detailed explanation, they assured Charlie Grace they would tell him to wait and hold off on drawing any conclusions from the event that had just occurred, and that she would not be marrying Jason. She’d see him back at the ranch and they’d talk.
The rest of those who had witnessed her faux pas would learn of the reversal soon enough. Gossip flew in this town. All they’d have to do is clue in Nicola Cavendish and she’d broadcast the news far and wide. Like anything of this nature, there would be lots of chatter. Eventually, people would tire of talking of Charlie Grace’s misfortune, and it would die down, only to be brought up occasionally at pinochle club or sadly, bible study—all in the ruse of praying for the situation and the parties involved.
Charlie Grace took a deep breath. After looking back at her girlfriends for mental fortitude, she marched toward Jason.
“Hey, honey.” Emboldened by the fact they were now engaged, he pulled her into a tight embrace. In a move he’d never ventured earlier, he reached and patted her bottom, then looked at her, beaming.
“We need to talk…now.”
“Sure, sweetheart. What’s up?”
She grabbed his forearm and pulled him toward the parking area and to an unoccupied park bench.
Once seated, she tried to find the right words. Despite her resolve, her insides trembled. “Listen, Jason…”
He grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips. “Anything you need or want—you’ve got it.”
Charlie Grace could barely breathe.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a soft glow over the silhouetted buildings of Thunder Mountain, Charlie Grace took a deep breath, summoning every ounce of courage within her. These years together had woven a tapestry of memories, yet the truth lingered heavily in her heart.
With tears welling in her eyes, she turned to Jason. “I can’t marry you,” she whispered, her voice trembling with vulnerability.
His brow furrowed, confusion etching lines across his face.
Charlie Grace went on, her voice barely audible. “As much as I’d like it to be different, I can’t do this. I can’t marry you, Jason.”
“Why?” His voice cracked. “We’ve been together for years.”
“I know,” she nodded. “But, I’ve realized that I don’t love you in the way you deserve to be loved. It wouldn’t be fair to either of us to spend a lifetime pretending otherwise.”
An agonizing silence settled between them, filled only by the faint rustling of the leaves on the nearby aspen tree. The weight of her words hung in the air, forever altering their path together.
