from the silly, immature girl who had told her high school boyfriend she loved him the first time he kissed her.
Hot, frustrating tears trickled out. Oscar tried to lick them away, which made her smile but didn’t ease the pain in her heart at all.
For once, at least, she had given her heart to a man who fully deserved it. She ought to get a few points for that, right? Unlike many of the guys she had previously dated, Ian was mature, compassionate, dedicated to his family and passionate about his career.
Any woman would have been crazy not to fall for him.
She should have tried harder, though.
What was she going to do? He was a peer of the freaking British realm. He wasn’t the kind of guy who would fall for someone like her, a seamstress from a tiny nowhere town in Idaho who had seen very little of the world.
She was destined for heartbreak, could see no way to avoid the train wreck headed her way.
The wedding was only a week away and then Ian and the children would be on their way back to England. Meantime, she would simply have to figure out how she would navigate the rest of her life without them.
So much loss. She hugged the puppies closer—yet another loss in her immediate future—and wondered where she would find the strength to endure it all.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
THE DAYS LEADING up to Gemma Summerhill’s wedding to Josh Bailey turned into some of the busiest of Samantha’s life.
The store seemed constantly filled with customers. Samantha couldn’t help any of them and had to leave their shopping to her assistants. She was too busy taking care of a flurry of last-minute alterations, orders for three more wedding gowns and fittings for two of the brides who were planning to marry in dresses she had designed.
At least the frenetic pace helped distract Samantha from the underlying heartache, but throughout her busy days and empty nights, she was aware of a dull, constant ache in her chest.
She hadn’t seen Ian since those moments by the lake. She wasn’t sure if they were simply on differing schedules or if he was purposely avoiding her.
This was the day Margaret had come into the store to pick up her altered dress and Sam waited with bated breath while she tried it on and looked at herself in the trio of full-length mirrors.
“Does it work for you?” she finally had to ask.
Margaret looked enchanted. “It’s gorgeous. Utterly gorgeous. I can’t believe it’s the same dress. How on earth did you manage that particular miracle?”
“I had a good quality dress to start with. That helped tremendously. The dress was fine at the outset. It had to be or you wouldn’t have purchased it in the first place. It just wasn’t quite right for you. I only had to make a few changes, really, to help it fit your style and body type better. I love the drape of the fabric and it’s a beautiful color for you.”
“Yes. I believe I shall wear this exact shade from now until eternity.”
Oh, she liked Ian’s mother so much. His entire family charmed her.
“What do I owe for your work?” Margaret asked after she had changed out of her dress and back into her slacks and white tailored blouse.
Samantha greatly disliked this part of running a store. If she had her way, she would sew for free and give everyone all the dresses. But she couldn’t live on benevolence. She had dog food to buy.
She handed the invoice she had already prepared for Margaret. Ian’s mother looked at it, then shook her head. “That little? That can’t be right. Even with the horrible exchange rate, that’s a steal.”
“That’s my rate, Margaret. Take it or leave it,” she said, then suddenly remembered something she had been trying hard to forget. “Oh. I’m sorry. I suppose I should have been calling you Lady Margaret all this time.”
Margaret raised a finely arched eyebrow. “That is a closely guarded secret here in Haven Point. More closely guarded than Barbara Serrano’s red sauce recipe, and believe me, I’ve tried to get it out of her since I’ve been here. Did Ian tell you?”
She shook her head, embarrassed. “I overheard you and Gemma talking the night of the shower. I wasn’t eavesdropping on purpose, I promise. It just happened. I’m sorry I invaded your privacy.”
Margaret gave a dismissive gesture. “I think it’s silly for Gemma to be concerned about people finding out the truth. Who cares