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to go through something bad.”
    “Me, too. I mean, I’m sorry you did, too.”
    Baskets of muffins and croissants and delicate pastries were brought to the table, which gave them something else to focus on other than the increasingly intense—and intimate—conversation.
    The more he talked to her, the more he wanted to talk to her. And then he remembered she’d rejected his offer of dinner and told himself to keep the desire to talk to her in check. She wasn’t interested in him, and he had no business being interested in her or anyone when he was still so messed up over Courtney.
    When the waitress came to take his order, he went with the eggs Benedict and then smiled when Katie ordered the same thing.
    “Copycat,” he said in the same soft tone they’d been using.
    She laughed, which caused a curious feeling to unfurl inside him as he watched the way laughter lit up her face and eyes. It totally transformed her.
    “Eggs Benedict are my favorite,” she said, “but I never order them because they’re so fattening. Special occasion. So I’m not a copycat.”
    “Whatever you say.”
    After everyone had ordered, Adele stood at the head of the table and held up a glass of champagne. “I’d like to propose a toast to the newlyweds, Laura and Owen. On this first day of your married life, we wish you a lifetime of happiness and joy and love. To Owen and Laura.”
    Everyone toasted the newlyweds and drank champagne, except for Laura who settled for ice water.
    “Now I believe our friend Charlie has something he wishes to say. Charlie?”
    Looking extremely nervous, Charlie Grandchamp stood, holding a glass of champagne in his hand. “This day—and this weekend—belongs entirely to Laura and Owen, but since many of you are heading home this afternoon, Sarah and I wanted to take this opportunity to share some news with you. Yesterday, I spoke with Russ and received his blessing to ask for his daughter’s hand in marriage. Last night,” he said, looking down at Sarah with a warm smile on his face, “Sarah agreed to be my wife. We’re very happy, and we hope all of you will be happy for us, too. I’m really looking forward to getting to know the children Sarah speaks of so often. I want you all to know that your mother will never know another minute of unhappiness or unrest or fear or anything other than the love and respect she deserves. That’s all I wanted to say, and well, to Sarah.”
    “To Sarah,” the others said.
    The Lawrys seemed shell-shocked by the news of their mother’s engagement, but each of them got up to hug and kiss her.
    When Katie returned to her seat, she glanced over at Shane. “Wow. Didn’t see that coming.”
    “They seem really happy.”
    “I’ve never seen my mother look happier than she does today. I thought it was because of the wedding. I guess we’re going to get to know Charlie better after all.”
    “I know him quite well, and I can assure you he’ll take very good care of your mom.”
    “That’s good to hear.”
    She said the right thing, but he could see and feel the hesitancy coming from her anyway. This was a woman who didn’t trust men. Even though she had good reason to feel that way, it was a daunting realization.
    “While I have your attention,” Adele said when the Lawrys had returned to their seats, “Owen, your grandfather and I thought long and hard about what to give you and your lovely bride for a gift, and we kept coming back to the same thing time and again. We hope you’ll accept this gift in the spirit in which it’s given and know that you have brought us so much pleasure with what you both have done here.” She handed over a cream-colored envelope to Owen. He glanced at Laura, who shrugged.
    Owen opened the envelope, pulled out the paper inside, shared it with Laura, and they gasped in stereo. “No way,” he said.
    “Oh my God.” Laura raised a hand to her mouth as her eyes filled with tears. “You can’t do this,