Fragile Hearts (Poplar Falls #4) - Amber Kelly Page 0,43

what Gram called it,” Braxton goes on. “See, I was angry and grieving. It took me a long time to realize that I hadn’t killed them. The drunk driver plowing into us had killed them. It was an accident. It could have happened anytime. While they were on the way to the store, going to work, or at a gas station. It could have happened with or without us in the truck. It could have happened that night or four weeks from that night on our way to get a tree if we had decided to wait. Accidents are just that … accidents and they’re senseless. And it was not my fault. Gram helped me see that.

“Brandt, what happened to your wife was not your fault. She was leaving the restaurant early because you were late. So? She could have been attacked on the way out while you paid the bill, or you could have walked out of that door together and been attacked. She’d still be the one who lost her life, and you still would have lived. It could have happened at any time or anywhere when she wasn’t with you. You are not to blame because you were running late. The man with the knife and the evil intent is the one to blame.”

He brings his eyes to meet mine, and I can see the truth in them.

“You didn’t kill her, brother.”

“I do every night when I relive that moment in my dreams,” I tell him.

“Because you don’t believe it yet, but hear me. You did not kill her.”

“You did not kill her,” Walker repeats.

Bellamy

I end up calling home and telling my parents that I am staying the night with Elle.

We continue to dissect the evening’s events over two plates of cookies. Ria joins us for plate number two, and she lets us in on a conversation she had with Elaine while they had coffee one morning.

Apparently, Brandt is a widower.

“Well, that explains a lot,” Elle says after Ria breaks the news.

She says she always felt something from his past was holding him back from opening up fully. Ria doesn’t know the circumstances surrounding his wife’s death but just that it was out of the blue and that Brandt did not cope very well with her loss.

“She hoped that moving here would help him heal,” Ria says.

“I’m not sure he has,” I share.

“No, not completely, not yet,” she agrees.

We end the night somberly, all curled up in the living room, watching reruns of Gilmore Girls, like we did when we were younger, until the aunts fall asleep, and Sonia leaves to go home to Ricky.

I don’t sleep much. I toss and turn all night, thinking of how painful it must be for Brandt and wondering if I made things worse for him.

By the time the sun comes up, I have decided to back off and pretend it was just the tequila and no big deal.

Hopefully, work won’t be too awkward on Monday morning. Thank goodness we have the weekend.

We get up and help Ria and Doreen make breakfast before the ranch hands show up, hungry. Once everyone has eaten, Elle goes off to take a shower, and Sophie and I use the opportunity to sit Doreen down and discuss the fake engagement party.

Sophie put a deposit on Mystic Mill, which is an old sawmill outside of town that has been converted into a special-event venue. It is a gorgeous space that hosts everything from weddings to retirement parties to political fundraisers for the people of Poplar Falls.

Doreen gets excited at the news.

“I love that place,” she remarks. “It’s big and romantic. The perfect venue.”

Sophie smiles and then asks our input on food.

“We can help with that. Ria and I will make the food,” Doreen chirps.

“Um, I’m going to hire someone to do the food,” Sophie insists.

“Why on earth would you do that? We know all her favorites, and we are more than happy to do it.”

“Because, Aunt Doe, if you two are in this kitchen for days, cooking enough food to feed the town, Elle will catch on to it. Besides, I need you to be the one keeping her distracted and get her to the party.”

“Me? Why me? I’m sure Bellamy and Sonia can get her there.”

Sophie looks panicked for a moment, and I weigh in.

“It’s the weekend of the church’s mother-daughter dinner, and Elle and I bought tickets. She plans to ask you to go with her and Momma and me. Just act surprised when