She knew heâd be here.
Ali Pierce brought her car to a screeching halt next to Jake Hawkinsâs Porsche with the Just Married sign still on the back. She shut off the engine and jumped out.
She could hardly make out the area surrounding the cottage on this dark, moonless night, but that didnât stop her. Ali picked up the skirt of her long bridesmaidâs dress and hurried around the side of the small structure, concentrating on the steep grassy slope as she made her way toward the front porch.
Her concern was Jake. Heâd been so angry when heâd left the church, Ali was scared that heâd do something crazy.
Damn you, Darcie, for always leaving messes for me to clean up.
When Ali reached the front of the cottage, she kicked off her satin heels and began climbing the familiar steps that led to the wooden deck. Sheâd started across the porch when a shadow caught her attention. A tall figure stood motionless at the railing. Ali didnât need any moonlight to recognize Jake Hawkins. Since the age of fourteen, she had all but memorized his physical features, from the slant of his broad shoulders to his tapered waist and slim hips. She also knew he had a coffee-colored birthmark on his left side just below the waist, a scar on his right leg just below the knee and a slightly crooked nose that had been broken by Randy Foster in the eleventh grade.
No one knew more about Jake âHawkâ Hawkins than Ali, exceptâ¦her sister. And Darcie was gone.
A string of curses suddenly echoed across the silent lake as Jake raised his arm and flung a long-neck beer bottle toward the water. Then, one by one, he shoved the heavy clay pots off the railing, their impact resounding in the night.
Like a caged animal, he paced the deck. His words were mumbled, but Ali could hear the pain in his voice. He was fighting back. Fighting the pain that had started only hours ago when Ali had handed him the letter from Darcie. Ali hadnât read it, but she knew what it said.
Her twin sister had decided that she didnât want to be married to a man with no future. At least not the future Darcie wanted, or that she thought was her right.
And Darcie wanted it all. Not only did her sister have the love of the best man in town, but she also wanted the money, prestige and the big house on the hill to go along with it. And Darcie had waited four patient years for Jake Hawkins to return from his hitch in the army, and for him to take over Hawk Industries to complete the perfect picture.
But Jake had other ideas, and running his fatherâs company wasnât in his plan. Last night, at the rehearsal dinner, heâd told Darcie that he wanted to reenlist. Darcie got hysterical. Even after Ali took their grandmother home, the couple was still arguing. And just as the wedding was about to start, Darcie told Ali that she couldnât go through with it. Ali thought her sister was kidding. But when the wedding dress came off, Ali began to panic. Darcie loved Jake Hawkins. How could she walk out on the biggest wedding in Webster, Minnesota, history? But Aliâs older sister by eight minutes handed her a note and begged her to give it to Jake. Ali agreed and watched her identical twin hurry out of the bridal room and drive off.
That had been four hours ago.
Ali watched helplessly as Jake continued choking out his anger. She wanted desperately to hold himâ¦to help him get through this.
Ali swallowed back the threat of fresh tears and walked to the railing.
Jake raised his head, and his eyes widened. âDarcie!â
âNo, itâs me. Ali.â Ali was used to being mistaken for her sister. But it was the first time Jake had done it.
âOh. Did you come to see the fool?â
She shook her head. âI was worried. You took off before I could talk to you. Iâve been driving around everywhere.â
He turned away from her and stared out at the lake. âWas I supposed to greet the guests in the receiving lineâ¦alone?â
No. Ali and her grandmother had been left to explain to everyone why there would be no wedding.