Well, there was no time like the present.
“There’s one more person I need to thank. And she may be the most important person of all.”
A hush swept over the auditorium. With the stage lights blinding him, he could have almost believed he was alone in the room. He drew a breath and closed his eyes, struggling to find the words.
“Rory, if you’re watching—” he opened his eyes, trying not to wince at the bright glare “—I’m sorry.”
Saying those two words eased a bit of the ache in his chest. He hadn’t realized what a relief it would be to speak them aloud. It bolstered him to continue.
“You deserved so much more than what you got. And truth be told, you hold more talent in your pinkie finger than I have in my entire body.”
If the audience still remained in the auditorium, they had fallen utterly silent—he could imagine he was speaking directly to Rory. Only the faint electrical hum of monitors and amplifiers could be heard.
“If anyone deserves an award for best artist, it’s you. Because you’re the best artist I’ve ever known or collaborated with. Your faith in me helped me to believe in myself. I dedicate this award to you.”
Daisy cleared her throat, and a soft guitar riff from the speakers signaled it was time for him to wrap it up. He also heard a faint reverberation from the crowd, a wave of whispers traveling through the room.
“So, thank you...for everything.”
He tipped the award in acknowledgment and then moved toward Daisy, who was waiting to direct him off the stage. There would be a crowd of reporters wanting to interview him. Applause followed him into the wings, and he heard the ceremony’s host segue the proceedings into the next performance.
Sawyer paused at the hallway that led to the press area and looked down at the award he held in his hands. Though he felt relieved at having finally recognized Rory after all this time, a weight of grief still hung over him. Most days, he was too busy to acknowledge it, but in moments like this, the truth hit him full force.
No matter how many albums he sold, concerts he played, or awards he won, he wondered if he would ever shake the regret of letting her go.
* * *
RORY CALLAHAN TRIED not to fidget as the scones were passed.
It wasn’t that she was bored or having an awful time, she was just uncomfortable. High-tea luncheons weren’t really her type of scene, especially when she’d been forced to dress in a frilly pink sundress and strappy heels thanks to Paige Worth’s stringent dress code for the bridal shower. She tried to slip off the tight heels, but her best friend, Erin, nudged her gently in the side.
“Stop moving so much,” she whispered in an aside. “Paige is shooting daggers.”
Rory frowned and stopped working one open-toed shoe’s heel against the other. She slid a glance in Paige’s direction and caught her fellow bridesmaid glaring in disapproval.
“Well, it’s ridiculous,” she hissed back at Erin, her Irish accent more pronounced with her exasperation. “Why do we have to dress up in these fancy frocks anyway? Harper doesn’t care. In fact, I’m sure she’d have been just as happy having the shower at the Moontide, like I suggested.” She looked in her soon-to-be sister-in-law’s direction. Harper was smiling graciously. If she was unhappy with the choice of venue, she didn’t show it.
Beside her, Erin’s shoulders slumped. “That’s what I would have preferred, too,” she acknowledged, “but Paige insisted. And as the matron of honor...”
“I know, I know.” Harper’s sisters were sharing the role of matron and maid of honor, and that meant that whatever Paige wanted trumped anything Rory or Erin suggested. Tessa, as the maid of honor, occasionally spoke up to veto her older sister’s ideas, but on the whole, Paige was the one running the prewedding events.
“The Moontide would have been a lovely choice,” Rory continued, trying to keep her voice low so as not to be overheard by the other shower attendees, “and I’m sure Aunt Lenora could have used the business.”
Aunt Lenora was Erin’s great-aunt by marriage, and the proprietress of the bed-and-breakfast in Findlay Roads, the Moontide Inn. Erin and her young son, Kitt, lived there while her husband, and Lenora’s great-nephew, Gavin, was deployed overseas in the army.
Erin didn’t reply, and Rory guessed she’d decided to say nothing if she couldn’t say anything nice. Rory bit her tongue and tried to do the same. Harper was about to become her sister-in-law, and it was no good to start things off by complaining about Harper’s oldest sister.
“All right, everyone!” Paige, positioning herself in the center of the room, clapped her hands to draw the group’s attention to her. “Now it’s time for another bridal-shower game!”
Rory stifled a groan. After pin the ring on the groom, when she’d nearly choked on a macaroon at the blown-up photo of Connor used for the pinning, along with bridal bingo and shower charades, she’d had her fill of wedding-game antics. But Paige wasn’t done yet.
“I’ve saved the best for last.” Harper’s older sister was glowing with excitement. Rory had never been one of those girls who became giddy over weddings, even less so in the past couple of years since her breakup with her longtime boyfriend. But over the last two hours, she’d concluded that Paige’s enthusiasm more than made up for her lack of it, where matrimonial mayhem was concerned.
“Tessa is passing around your cards right now.”
As one of Harper’s bridesmaids, Rory already knew what was coming. Both she and Erin had been given the shower itinerary during one of Paige’s bridesmaid meetings, which occurred on a weekly basis now that the wedding was only three weeks away. So it was no surprise when Tessa handed her and Erin one of the scavenger-hunt cards, but still, Rory deflated a little.
Tessa paused to squeeze Rory’s shoulder in encouragement. Rory straightened. Tessa was keenly observant and definitely the sweeter of Harper’s two sisters. But still, Rory didn’t want to seem sour, especially as a member of the wedding party. She’d just have to make the best of Paige’s bridal-shower scavenger hunt. Tessa moved on to the next table.
“As you can see,” Paige continued with her instructions, “you have a list of items for our bridal scavenger hunt. Some items are easier than others.”
Rory scanned the list she’d be sharing with Erin.
A piece of candy.
No problem there. Erin always carried some in her purse, to appease Kitt when he got antsy.
Paper clip.
That shouldn’t be too hard. They could just ask at the hotel’s front desk.
A penny.
Easy.
She didn’t get a chance to finish perusing the items as Paige began speaking once again.
“Now remember, ladies, you only have twenty minutes to find everything on the list. The first pair back here with all of their items wins this deluxe mani-pedi gift certificate!”
Rory took a look at her fingernails. She kept them trimmed short, not only because of her server’s job, but also to make it easier to play guitar. She supposed she could use a manicure, especially for the wedding.
“All right, let’s get ready...”
Rory and Erin pushed back their chairs and joined the other guests, who were preparing to sprint for the doors. Erin neatly tore the sheet in half and handed the bottom portion to Rory.
“This will go faster if we split up.”
“Good idea,” Rory agreed.
“Set...”