Wind Chime Wedding (A Wind Chime Novel Book 2) by Sophie Moss Read Free Book Online

sweeping. “I think I’ll let you make your own judgment when you meet him.”
    “Why? You don’t like him?”
    Annie swept the small pile of dirt into the bed of rosemary bushes and boxwoods. “I’ve only met him a few times. He doesn’t come down to the island much.”
    “But…?”
    “I didn’t dislike him,” she said carefully. “But I didn’t really like him that much either.”
    Colin frowned. He was surprised Annie hadn’t mentioned her misgivings about Becca’s fiancé before. He had gotten into the habit of stopping by the café whenever he came down to the island. Since Will was still stationed at the SEAL base in Virginia Beach and couldn’t make it home every weekend, he had asked Colin to keep an eye on Annie.
    Not that she ever needed anything. Annie was one of the most competent and independent women he’d ever met. But he’d like to think they had become good friends over the past few months. “What does Will think of him?”
    Annie glanced out at the street, lowering her voice when she saw that a few of her neighbors were within earshot. “Will doesn’t like him at all.”
    Colin’s frown deepened. Will didn’t like him either? “How many other people feel this way?”
    “Colin!” The screen door swung open and Taylor Malone ran out of the house, holding up a brand new softball mitt. “Look!”
    Colin bottled the rest of his unanswered questions about Becca, at least for now, and turned his attention on Taylor. “Where’d you get that?”
    “Della gave it to me,” Taylor said. “Mom said I could try out for the team at school next year.”
    Colin glanced back over at Annie. “They have a softball team at Heron Island Elementary?”
    “It’s a very small team,” she said, smiling.
    Colin took the glove from Taylor when she handed it to him. The leather was so shiny and stiff, it squeaked when he tried to bend it. “You’re going to need to break this in first.”
    “I know.” Her big green eyes looked up at him hopefully. “You want to play catch?”
    He laughed. “Sure, but only until Della ices that cake.”
    “Deal.” She took his hand, leading him down to the front yard.
    Sometimes, it was hard to believe this was the same kid who he’d met six months ago. She had come so far from the shy, frightened girl she’d once been.
    Reaching down, he pried the softball from the mouth of Taylor’s yellow lab, Riley, who never left her side. Wiping the slobber off the ball on the hem of his T-shirt, he wondered how the transformation had taken place without him really noticing.
    Was it possible that he’d spent too much time here?
    Had he been so focused on looking after Taylor and Annie, that he hadn’t realized some of Will’s other friends might need help?
    It was probably too late to do anything at this point, but it couldn’t hurt to ask Becca a few questions when he spent the evening with her on Saturday.
    Just to get a better picture of the situation.
    Will and Annie would want to know if their friend was making a mistake.
     

 

     
    T here was no reason to be so nervous, Becca thought, checking her reflection in the rear view mirror one last time before stepping out of her car in downtown Annapolis two nights later. She was only about to meet the most powerful man in her state, and it was only her co-workers’ jobs, Taylor’s future, and her entire community at stake.
    Pressing a hand to her stomach, she willed her insides to settle. She’d been up past midnight scouring the Internet for articles on the impacts of school closures on rural communities. She’d read stories about towns that had shrunk in population by double-digit percentage points, local businesses that had shut down because families with young children no longer wanted to live there, property values that had dropped to record lows when locals had left in search of better opportunities.
    Heron Island was one of the last few hidden gems on the Eastern Shore, but it wouldn’t take long for