"Sorry." Her mom squeezed in next to her dad. "We brought them along to use up on our trip. We didn't expect you to drop in and notice. When you surprise people, you get the surprises you get." Her mom was clearly teasing.

  "They're almost gone," her dad added. "By my calculations, we'll use up the last of them the day before we get home."

  "Sooner now that you've stopped in." Her mom took a sip of tea.

  Tot sighed and rested her head and front paws on my feet. It was like she knew she was in for a wait before she got more attention from anybody. I would have picked her up, but there was no room for her on my lap between the table, the scotch, and me.

  "Nice scotch," Shelby's dad said. But his heart wasn't in it.

  "Glad you like it. It's a smooth one. Single malt. Not too peaty or smoky."

  There was a beat of awkward silence. I looked to Shelby.

  She cleared her throat. "You're probably wondering why we came so suddenly when you'll be home in less than a week."

  Two nervous stares across from us, like they were bracing themselves for a hurricane of bad news. Or possibly the news that they'd be on the line for another wedding that wouldn't happen. They definitely had that deer-in-the-headlights look about them.

  "I wanted to talk to you both about some things in person."

  "Sure." Her mom's voice had a slight waver, like that of a person trying to be brave.

  "First, I wanted to tell you in person that Alex is back. And it may look, well… There's a video that's gone viral, of him proposing to me at the big bridal fair yesterday—"

  "Oh? Is that what this is all about?" Her mom relaxed. "We know. Your aunt told us."

  "So did Carol, remember?" Mr. H asked.

  "And Susan. And just about everybody else." She turned her gaze back on us. "We've seen the video. And the marriage proposal. You looked very nice, Shelby. I've always liked that dress on you—"

  "You've seen it and you didn't call me about it?" Shelby looked stunned.

  "You didn't call us," her mom countered. "If you had, we would have told you we knew and saved you a trip. We figured you'd let us know when you were ready. Something like that can take time to process. You loved Alex so deeply. We wanted to give you time. You know it's our policy not to interfere with your love life."

  "I told you she wouldn't get back together with Alex," Mr. H said. "He broke her heart too badly. We Hudsons don't get over a heartbreak like that. We forgive. But we don't trust again." He finished his whisky.

  I'd misjudged him. He needed a drink as badly as I had. I held up the whisky bottle. He handed his glass over the basket for another pour.

  "Yes," Mrs. H said. "And I told you Shelby looked stunned, not excited. A mother knows her child."

  Mr. H took his glass back from me. "Yes, but I still think we half expected her to meet us in Seattle with Alex on her arm."

  Shelby had to break into their dialogue. "I wanted to set things straight in person. I got here as soon as I could."

  "We're glad you did." Her mom paused. "Alex still has a lovely voice, doesn't he? It's good he's off screamo and back into crooning. At least, I suppose he is. Love songs and ballads have always been his strength. Too bad for him he was too late to realize all that he's lost. Of all your fiancés, I always liked Alex best. Not Krater, of course. But Alex is still just as handsome as ever." She tipped her chin up to get a good look at Shelby over the picnic basket. "Are you sure you're over him?"

  "Mom! Really? Obviously I'm over him. I'm here with Dex!" Shelby squeezed my knee.

  I grabbed her hand beneath the table and squeezed it reassuringly.

  "Yes." Her mom turned to me. "Dex, I'm sorry. This has nothing to do with you personally. Alex caused a lot of trauma for all of us. It's something we need to talk through."

  "Sure." I took another sip of scotch.

  "It's brave of you to come down here and meet us, especially given the circumstances. Alex suddenly reappearing so publicly has to be a shock to you."

  "Thank you. I appreciate it. It's a pleasure to finally get to meet you."

  Now that the air was "clear," her parents relaxed. Shelby's mom asked, "What's in this lovely basket? We'd better eat before it gets cold."

  "Hot," I said. "It's a room-temperature meal."

  "I'll get plates—"

  "Mom! Dad. Lunch can wait," Shelby said. "There's more news—Dex and I are engaged!"

  I swore both of them paled.

  Mrs. H froze with her hands on the lid of the basket. Mr. H remained silent.

  "Yes. We were going to tell you on Saturday at the Gold Digger premiere party we're holding."

  "But why there?" Mr. H asked. He turned to his wife. "Is this some new kind of wedding fad? Announce your engagement at a TV-watching party?"

  "Dad, you know it's not any show. I'm on that show. And the reason is because Dex proposed to me on it."

  "What?" Her mom's mouth fell open. "How—"

  "Well, he had to. Jesse, you remember my guy friend I told you about? The one who got me on the show? He's actually one of my ex-fiancés, one you didn't know about." Shelby went on to explain.

  I thought I was looking better and better in comparison. But when Shelby finished, her mom said, "Dad and I, of course, went back and watched all the earlier seasons. Jesse is a handsome guy. But he can be kind of salty at times."

  "Not at all like Mitch," her dad added. "Much more outdoorsy."

  The three of them talked, ignoring me, as they compared ex-fiancés, arguing the merits and deficiencies of each.

  Finally, Mr. H half stood so he could get a better look at me. "Congratulations, Dex. You won my girl's heart, apparently. At least for the moment." He let out a big, barking laugh as he reached across the table and over the basket to shake my hand.

  "Dad." Shelby scowled playfully at him.

  "Kidding!" He laughed loudly. But I thought that he thought there was some truth to the allegation.

  "Thank you, sir," I said. What the hell was I supposed to call him?

  "Now you'll have to keep it quiet until after the show," Shelby said. "No telling anyone. Not Susan, not your sister. We have a nondisclosure…"

  When Shelby was done playing lawyer and spelling out our contractual obligations, her dad said, "We'll pay for the wedding, of course. No question of that. Wine's definitely not a problem. We still have a cellar full." He laughed heartily again. "And, of course, with Dex being a billionaire, there's no need to grill him over whether he can provide for you."

  Shelby rolled her eyes. "Ignore him," she said to me. "He's just teasing. He knows it's the twenty-first century. At least, I think he does."

  "As long as Dex's wealth doesn't complicate things," her mom said. "Prenups can be awkward and strain relationships. You'll need a good lawyer, Shelby, to make sure you get a fair shake. And then there's the reputation billionaires have. Women throwing themselves at them all the time. Fidelity is a real issue—"

  "That's just a stereotype," Shelby said.

  "Alex and this Jesse seem to have women throwing themselves at them too, hon. Let's give Dex a break here," her dad said.

  Finally, an ally. Kind of.

  "Thank you," I said, but it came out as more of a question. "And we appreciate the offer to pay for the wedding. But it won't be necessary. I can handle it—"

  "Nonsense," her dad said. "It's our responsibility."

  "Not anymore, Dad," Shelby said.

  "Besides, my mom won a wedding package she's eager to use." I couldn't help joking about that.

  Shelby elbowed me in the ribs. "Don't worry about that. He's joking."

  Her mom reached across the table toward Shelby. "Let's see the ring."

  "Umm," Shelby said. "I'm not wearing it. I can't until Saturday."

  "Oh." Her mom's face fell. "Okay, then. Have you thought about a date? When are you thinking? With your connections, you'll have your pick of the best venues, caterers…"

  "No date yet. We just got engaged, Mom. Give us some time."

  Mrs. H's eyes narrowed. "No date? You've never announced an engagement to us without a date? Or at least one in mind. Fall would be nice. We've never planned a fall wedding. Fall leaves. Pumpkins. It's all very romantic."

  "Maybe," Shelby said. "There's no real rush."

  Her mom glanced nervously at her husband. "I'm sorry, but I think there is. This fall, Shelby. I know it's short notice, but we'll have to do something. Pull any strings."

  Her eyes looked suddenly sad. She took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Shelby. I hate to break sad news at a happy time like this, but your grandma is very sick. Her cancer has returned."

  I felt Shelby freeze. She paled. "No. But she'll be fine. I mean, she'll go into treatment again. But she beat it back once—"

  "Not this time. This time it's spread. It's stage four." Her mom's voice broke with emotion.

  Mr. H squeezed his wife's shoulders. "It's terminal, hon."

  "No." Shelby shook her head. "It can't be. She's so sprightly—"

  "She's eighty-six, hon," Mr. H said. "No one lives forever."

  "She's slowed down a lot lately," Mrs. H said. "She's not afraid to die, Shelby. You know your grandma. She's braver than anyone."

  Shelby nodded and blinked back a tear.

  "She was so excited about your wedding to Mitch," Mrs. H said. "It gave her so much joy. A wedding to look forward to could be just what she needs to keep her going as long as possible. To keep her mind off what she's facing as much as possible. She'd love to see your wedding before she dies. I know she would."

  "How long?" Shelby asked.

  "Three months. Maybe four," her dad said.

  Chapter Twelve

  What A Fool Believes

  Dex

  Shelby was quiet on the way back to the airport.

  "I'm sorry about your grandma—"

  "It's impossible," she said. "Impossible to plan a wedding in just a couple of months, even with a wedding package and some of the top people in the industry helping us." She sucked in a breath, rambling as if speaking her thoughts aloud. "The venue. That's the thing. That's the holdup. Getting the venue."

  I froze. "Wait. Timeout here. You aren't actually considering getting married? Not getting married is what's holding our relationship together. Weddings…"

  I fought to get control of my emotions and phrase this gently. "Let's just face it, Shelby. You've never been able to go through with one. And I'm not sure I can. That's what makes us so good together."

  "I know. I know!" She was still pale and shaken. "But how am I going to fight my family? If I tell them our real plans, they'll be disappointed. A wedding would make Grandma so happy. She's the last grandparent I have. It just struck me that if I'm going to have any grandparents at my wedding, this is the last chance."

  "Yes, but that's the point—we're never having a wedding." I shot her a desperate look. "Shel, I don't want to lose you. Weddings are dangerous for us."

  She dabbed at her eyes with the back of her hand. "I know."

  I reached across the seat and squeezed her hand.

  She sniffled. "We're a couple of flip-floppers. First you look like you're going to cave after we meet your parents. Then I consider it. It's just—I love Grandma. And she loves weddings. She's been so excited for all of mine. The ones she knew about. Thinking about my wedding, helping me plan, dreaming about it, would make her last days so happy."

  I sympathized. "Meeting the parents is killing us, Shel. Thank goodness we don't have any more to meet. If we were like some people with multiple sets of parents, we'd be toast. What's wrong with us? Why do we still let our parents control us?"

  Shelby acted like she didn't hear me. "Grandma will be at the party Saturday. Once she learns we're engaged, and that I turned down another marriage proposal for yours—from a TV star, no less—there will be no stopping her desire to see me walk down the aisle. She loves rugged men. Did I tell you that? She'll tease me about picking the guy who sits behind a desk." Shelby glanced at me.

  These were the kinds of mysteries in our relationship that could remain that way, in my opinion.

  "And if she gets wind of Alex's bridal fair proposal, she'll be even more adamant. She must not have heard about that yet. She's not on social media and doesn't care for the Internet in general. I have my fingers crossed none of her friends will tip her off. But when she hears that I turned down two men for you, in the space of mere months? There will be no stopping the romantic in her."

  Shelby just kept shaking her head. "Grandma is a huge romantic, like the very definition of one. You should hear the stories she tells about her romance with Grandpa. And their wedding. Her retellings are like fairytales. They're a big part of the reason I fell in love with the wedding industry and helping couples make the perfect memory of committing their love. So they could live the fairytale wedding and romance that she did.

  "I could have specialized in hand lettering for any industry, really. Holidays and humorous sayings are filled with opportunities. I could have done corporate work and graphic design. But weddings are my passion."

  Other people's weddings.

  "Grandma will think it's very odd if we refuse to plan a wedding. If I refuse to plan my own wedding. It will be completely out of character. She'll think I don't love you enough, love you like I do."

  "And you didn't think of this before?" I said, thinking I was teasing, breaking the tension with a joke.

  I got the death glare from Shelby. "You would have preferred I turned you down?"

  All right. Just back up, buddy, and let it slide, I told myself. This is not my hill to die on.

  I forced a smile. "We'll think of something."

  My commitment-phobe heart was beating out of control. If I'd been a less confident man, I would have had a panic attack. I wanted this woman. I wanted her forever. I just wasn't certain that if push came to shove, one or the other of us wouldn't get an irrational case of cold feet and leave the other at the altar, ruining everything.

  A flash of a wedding video gone viral—Shelby, white wedding dress flowing around her, running as if her life depended on it while I was left stunned and standing at the altar alone. I had to hand it to Jesse. Shoving me into a slot machine was the mildest thing I would have done in his situation.

  Shelby

  Monday, Monday

  I was working in my studio, wondering how I was going to balance all of the conflicting pressures, when the front doorbell rang. I took a peek at my electronic doorbell app. Alex was on my front porch, dressed in shorts and a T-shirt, peering into my doorbell camera.

  Oh, no. Just what I need.

  I was already overwhelmed with work and interview requests, and dealing with my sadness at the news about Grandma's health. I'd called her from the plane on the way home. I'd cried, but she'd been strong. We made a date to get together for coffee at her house Wednesday afternoon. My treat.

  I gave her the basics about Alex and his prank at the wedding fair. I told her I'd give her all the details when we met, but to keep in mind that I loved Dex and was still with him, no matter what she saw or heard anywhere else. She was eager to meet him, she said. And she made me promise to send a link to the bridal fair video. She wanted to see it for herself and be armed when her friends called and brought it up. I sent the link as soon as I hung up.

  Other people were not so obliging and uplifting. Despite my statement on my website that Wellston and I were not engaged, and I was still with Dex, people persisted in believing the contrary. Friends and colleagues wanted to talk. People wanted to sell me their services and goods. I had a rush of new clients and even a few crank death threats for taking Wellston off the market.

  Alex waved. "I know you're in there. Let me in, Shelby. This is important. I'm not leaving until you do. Even if I have to come around back to your studio door and bang on the window. If you're in the middle of something, you'd better put your pen down."

  Being startled was an occupational hazard. One jump or bump could cause a slip of the pen that would ruin hours of work and a beautiful project. It wasn't so bad when I was working digitally, but today I was lettering and painting on actual paper.

  I set my pen down, got out of my desk chair, and headed for the front door as Bella barked from her corner basket. "It's all right. It's just Alex."

  Then I remembered that she was post-Alex. She had no idea who he was. Funny that two such important beings in the course of my life were connected by circumstance, but didn't know each other. If not for Alex, there would have been no Jesse. If not for Jesse, I wouldn't have Bella.

  I must have slurred my words though, because Bella cocked her head and gave me a happy bark, the one she reserved for Dex. Like all dogs, she loved Dex. And when she wasn't nursing puppies now, still flirted shamelessly with him.

  I pointed at her. "Alex, not Dex. Dex is at work."

  Alex hit the doorbell again.

  "Coming!" I mumbled about persona non grata and uninvited exes interrupting my day and my life and headed to the entryway. I flung open the door to find Alex with his hands stuck in his pockets.

  He gave me a pitiful "hurt" look calculated to send my heart fluttering and break my resolve. Yeah, I knew that look. It used to work, too. Even now I had to work to resist it. Old habits, I hoped.

  "Or what?" I asked. "You'll huff and you'll puff, and you'll blow my house down?" Standing there he looked so much like just Alex, the Alex I had loved, a regular guy.

  His gaze ran the perimeters and lines of my house. For a moment, he looked like he was calculating his odds of success. "I have a good set of lungs. I could give this old bungalow a run for its money." Was he actually flirting with me?

  I rolled my eyes. "You know you've made my life miserable since your proposal—"

  "Regretting giving my ring back?"

  "No. Getting death threats for taking Wellston off the market. Apparently not everyone has seen my public statement explicitly denying that we are engaged."

  His eyes flashed. He laughed. "What can I say? I'm popular. My fans are loyal and fanatical."