“Hello, Garrett.” A soft feminine voice returned his greeting, followed by a short pause. “Molly? Is that you?”
Desperate to put more distance between herself and Garrett, Molly spun around to face her friend. But she moved too fast and her legs tangled beneath her. She swayed backward.
Garrett’s hands clasped her shoulders from behind. “Easy now,” he whispered in her ear. “I’ve got you.”
His low voice steadied her. She closed her eyes a moment, only a moment, and reveled in the safe feeling that washed through her. I’ve got you.
Did he know how bittersweet those words sounded?
“Molly? Are you unwell?” Fanny asked. “You’ve gone quite pale.”
The concern in her friend’s voice had her quickly opening her eyes. “I’m perfectly fine.”
She stepped forward, away from Garrett, away from the burst of memories and wave of hope, and countless other emotions she couldn’t seem to control whenever she was in his presence. “I merely lost my balance for a moment.”
Fanny tilted her head at a curious angle. “Well, then, it was fortunate Garrett was here to catch you.”
Was it? Molly made a noncommittal sound in her throat, wondering why he was suddenly right where she needed him when he’d been so determined to avoid her before today.
As if to confuse her all the more, Garrett gave an equally dispassionate response to his sister’s comment.
Eyes widening, as if she suddenly realized the oddity of the two of them in each other’s company, Fanny looked from one to the other and back again. Her gaze filled with unasked questions.
Molly gave a quick shake of her head, willing her friend to keep her thoughts—and questions—to herself. At least until they were alone. Of all Garrett’s family, Fanny was the only one who knew how heartbroken Molly had been over his decision to leave her behind when he’d gone away to school.
“Did you need something from me?” Garrett asked his sister with the sort of gentle impatience only a devoted brother could pull off without offense.
“No. I’m here to see Reese—” she swallowed, broke eye contact, sighed heavily “—but Mrs. Singletary asked for a brief word with him.”
She scowled at her brother, as if sensing he was the cause for the interruption.
He merely smiled at her, which seemed to annoy Fanny all the more. “Don’t you have contracts to review, ledgers to balance, or some such work that requires your immediate attention?”
That earned her a dry chuckle. “I do.”
“Then I suggest you get back to it,” Fanny snapped, her tone unusually curt.
Garrett dipped his head at a curious angle, his only reaction, but a telling one from a man who never showed his inner thoughts to the world. It was obvious to Molly he was concerned about his sister. She was concerned about Fanny, too. Her friend seemed troubled about something.
As if sensing Molly was the best one to address the situation, Garrett gave a stiff nod of his head. “Ladies.”
Looking perplexed, and a little apprehensive, he moved reluctantly back toward his office, as if he wasn’t fully convinced leaving his sister in this state was a good idea. When he caught Molly’s eye, she gave him a short nod, a silent promise to take care of Fanny. He smiled then.
And she smiled, too.
For a moment, the hostility between them faded away to nothing more than a memory.
“I’ll see you later tonight,” he said.
“Yes, you will.”
Snatching a quick breath, he shut the door between them with a resounding click.
Molly dragged in her own swift pull of air.
Glancing at her friend to determine if she’d noticed the revealing interchange, Molly caught a look of utter distress upon Fanny’s face. Something was wrong.
“Fanny?” She touched her arm. “What is it?”
“Not here.” Glancing to her right, then her left, she pulled Molly down the hallway, tugging her along until they were tucked away in a small alcove off the reception area.
Molly took stock of her friend. She’d never seen Fanny so agitated, or so unhappy. Fanny was never unhappy. There was always a ready smile on her beautiful face, her inner light even brighter since her engagement to Reese. Fanny’s amber eyes and golden hair coupled with Reese’s classic, dark good looks made them a stunning pair. They turned heads wherever they went.
Molly was pleased her friend had found a good man to marry, truly she was. Except...
Right now, Fanny looked anything but the happy bride-to-be. In truth, she looked tense, confused. Worried. “Fanny? What’s happened to upset you so?”
Fanny twisted her hands together at her waist, drew her bottom lip between her teeth, then sighed. “Molly, if I ask you a question you must promise to answer me truthfully.”
“All right.”
“How did you know when it was time to call off your weddings?”
The question dragged painful memories to the surface. She wanted to run, to forget she’d ever been engaged, but she owed her friend the truth. “I didn’t actually call—”
“Was there a moment when you looked at either of your fiancés and thought he’s not the one I’m supposed to spend the rest of my life with?”
Such a revealing question. “Oh, Fanny, are you having second thoughts about marrying Reese?”
“I...” Smoothing a shaky hand across her mouth, Fanny shut her eyes and groaned. “I don’t know what I’m feeling. I’m confused and...and...scared.”
“That’s understandable. Marriage is a big step.” Molly took her friend’s hands and gently squeezed. “It’s normal to have concerns.”
“Reese is a good man, the very best.” Fanny drew in a shuddering breath. “He gets along with my family, and I with his. But...”
“But...” Molly urged, letting go of Fanny’s hands.
“It’s nothing.” She crossed her arms at her waist. “I’m simply feeling weighed down over the wedding. The planning is getting out of hand, and I don’t want to let anyone down.”
What an odd choice of words.
“You could never let anyone down.” It wasn’t in her friend’s personality. “Everyone adores you, Fanny. Reese most of all.”
And why wouldn’t he? The woman was sweetly beautiful, well-educated, kind at the core. She never bent the rules, never made a mistake, never took a wrong step. Best of all, she’d met her counterpart in Reese.
“Your fiancé is fortunate to have you,” Molly said, believing it with all her heart. “You’re perfect for one another.”
“Yes.” Fanny nodded, then quickly looked away just as her eyes began to water. “So everyone keeps telling me.”
Yet another odd choice of words.
“Fanny, whenever I have a tough decision to make, and need to organize my thoughts,” she began, desperate to help her friend, “I apply a simple formula to determine if I’m making the right choice.”
“You always were gifted at mathematics.” Sniffing softly, a shadow of a smile on her lips, Fanny swiped at her eyes. “All right, Molly, I’m listening. What’s your latest formula?”
“Well, there are only four variables to this particular equation.” There were always