Sofia watched William fondly as he emerged from the house, carting three cold beers. “Hmm, yeah.”
Hope took in their beautiful surroundings, thinking about how lucky Jackie was to be marrying into all of this. The sad thing was, Jackie didn’t understand the full value of her fortune, because she hadn’t been here this week getting to know everyone like she had. Meredith came up beside her and whispered, “I’m starved. When’s dinner?”
“There’re hors d’oeuvres in the house.”
“What?” Meredith looked like this was the greatest news she’d ever heard. “Nobody told me.”
“Let’s go get some,” she said softly, and Meredith nodded.
As they loaded their plates from the spread on the kitchen counter, Derrick strolled into the room and opened the refrigerator. “Ladies,” he said, pleasantly enough.
“Looks like you’re doing a great job with that fire,” Hope told him.
Derrick extracted a bottle of beer from a shelf and shut the door to the refrigerator. “Thanks. I like working with fire.”
Meredith arched her eyebrows at him. “Me, too.”
Derrick uncapped his beer and studied her. “Is that right?”
A sly smile crept onto Meredith’s lips. “Fiery clients. Some of them can be real bears.”
Derrick actually laughed. “Bet those guys are hard to fix up.”
“It’s not the guys. Generally, it’s the women.”
Derrick choked on his swig of beer. “Who…would have…thought…that,” he said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
Hope rolled her eyes and chuckled. They were trying so hard to be civil. “I’m excited about the clambake,” she said. “It’s been eons.”
“Me, too,” Meredith chimed in. “I’ve only been to one.”
“Yeah?” Derrick asked her. “Where are you from?”
“Grew up in North Carolina, but I was born in Miami. My parents landed there by way of Puerto Rico.”
“You speak Spanish?” he asked.
Meredith shrugged. “A little. You?”
“Una cerveza, por favor.” Derrick raised his beer bottle, and Hope could tell that Meredith was working very hard not to smile.
“Not bad,” she told him. “You’ll do just fine surviving in many bars.”
She locked on Derrick’s gaze, and Hope could practically hear the electricity crackling between them.
“Anywho,” Derrick finally said, breaking away. “I’d best get back to tending that fire.”
When he was halfway through the kitchen door, Meredith shouted, “Bye!”
Derrick turned slowly on his heel, speaking over his shoulder. “Catch ya later, Mer.”
Hope wasn’t totally sure, but she thought his eyes sparkled when he’d said that. She fanned herself with her free hand. “Looks like Derrick didn’t leave the heat by the firepit.”
“What do you mean?” Meredith asked, trying to look nonchalant.
“Was it my imagination, or was there some kind of vibe going on between you?”
Meredith pursed her lips, then, after a beat, said, “It was your imagination.”
“O-kay,” Hope said, giggling. “If you say so.” She smiled at Meredith. “I’m just glad to see you and Derrick getting along.”
…
Later on, the group sat around the firepit, enjoying the remnants of their delicious meal. The mood was jovial yet mellow as shadows stretched over the gently rolling waves, and sporadic glimpses of moonlight danced behind the clouds.
“Supposed to clear up tomorrow,” Grandpa Chad said, lifting a forkful of potato. “Later in the day.”
“Let’s hope it stays that way,” Margaret said. “For the wedding.”
Everyone lifted their glasses and said, “Hear, hear.”
Her mom leaned toward her. “Have you mentioned ‘Eres Tú’ to Brent?”
“Mentioned what to me?” Brent took Hope’s hand in his and gave it a tender kiss. “Keeping secrets from me, darling?” he asked, searching her eyes.
Hope wanted to die and go to heaven, but only if she could take Brent with her. Then she realized that was unfair. He didn’t deserve to pay for her sins. Only she did. “Why would I do that?” Hope took a quick sip of wine to soothe her nerves while her mom explained.
“I’ve prepared the most beautiful song to sing at your wedding.”
“Oh?” Brent asked, looking surprised, because he’d seen the karaoke video, too.
“It’s in Spanish.” She turned toward Meredith, who sat to her left. “Do you know the song ‘Eres Tú’?”
“No.” Meredith shook her head while digging into her lobster. “Is it new?”
“Ancient,” Hope replied, and everyone but her mom laughed.
“That’s a very generous offer, Ava,” Brent said. “But I’m afraid I’ve deferred all wedding planning to my beautiful bride.”
“Um, thanks,” Hope said.
A grin tugged at Brent’s lips, and he turned away, saying something to Sally, who was next to him.
Ava sat up a little straighter in her chair. “Maybe at the reception?”
Hope was actually growing exasperated at her mom’s persistence. Fortunately, she could pass the baton on dealing with that to Jackie when she got here, along with several other things. Not that she was thrilled about passing on Brent.
Derrick was engaged in conversation with William and Sofia, who sat near him. Hope didn’t miss that the lovebirds held hands or the fact the back of William’s hand pressed lightly against Sofia’s belly as it rested in her lap.
Hope’s heart fluttered for them and the happy anxiety they must be feeling. They apparently hadn’t told anyone else yet, and Hope had vowed to keep Sofia’s secret. Some of the Albrights probably suspected. Brent had hinted he did during his and Hope’s walk in the country.
Hope tried not to imagine herself having children with Brent again, but her mind went down that wistful road anyway. Brent was so kind and caring. Fun-loving and generous, too. He’d make a really great dad. Hope could just feel it.
What if Jackie never gave that to him?
As people finished their dinners, thanks were issued to the Albright boys for cooking the fantastic meal and to Elsa for preparing the yummy cobbler, which had been served with ice cream from a local dairy to top it all off. It had grown late, with folks lingering around the fire, and the group was beginning to look weary from the fun exhaustion of the day.