“Mine too.” A weight lifted off Jenna’s shoulders. Nothing held her back now. “I can’t wait to see how the dress looks in photographs.”
Kerri wiped her face with the back of her hand. “I’d better be careful. I don’t want to cry all over the lovely lace.”
Jenna didn’t tell the bride-to-be that she had cried on what would have been her wedding day. Only the tears hadn’t been joyful ones like today.
“Trust me. A few tears won’t hurt the dress.”
After Kerri left with the wedding dress, Jenna danced around her house until she reached her bedroom. She stared at the empty spot in her closet where the gown used to hang and giggled like a schoolgirl.
The past was behind her. Finally. She thought she’d moved on, but she hadn’t. Not really. Now . . .
She touched the gold cross she wore around her neck, a birthday present from Pastor Dan and Trish.
Thank you.
Two words could never give back what she’d been given, but the words were all she had.
The doorbell rang.
Ash? They were planning to have dinner.
Jenna walked with a bounce to her step. Full of anticipation, she opened the front door. Not Ash. “Judge Vance?”
“Hello, Jenna.” He wore a dark suit with a blue shirt and tie. The wrinkles on his face had deepened, and his hair was whiter. “May I come in?”
“Please do.” She motioned him inside. “Would you like something to drink? Coffee or tea?”
“This isn’t a social call.”
Her muscles tied into knots tighter than the ones she’d learned rock climbing. “I don’t understand.”
“I’ll make this brief.” He removed a white envelope from his suit jacket’s pocket. “Inside is a check. It’s yours if you agree not to photograph Amber’s wedding.”
What? Jenna stared at him. “The wedding is next weekend. We have a contract.”
“Contracts can be broken.” Judge Vance sounded more like an ambulance-chasing lawyer than a respected judge. “Say you’re sick or your brother has been injured and you need to fly to him.”
“I can’t lie. I won’t.” She couldn’t believe this. “Finding a last-minute photographer would be too stressful for Amber and Toby.”
“I have a backup on retainer.” Judge Vance handed Jenna the envelope. “Look inside.”
“Judge—”
“Go on.”
She raised the flap and took a peek. A check made out to her. She counted the zeroes. Ten thousand dollars. She gasped. Nearly dropped the envelope.
“A lot of money. All you have to do is not show up at Amber’s wedding and stop seeing Ash.”
“Ash?” Jenna’s stomach felt as if it were going through the washer’s spin cycle and she might throw up. “This has nothing to do with Amber’s wedding.”
“No, it doesn’t.” Judge Vance didn’t sound guilty or remorseful. “I respect you, Jenna. You’ve done well for someone from such . . . humble beginnings. But Ash needs more, a woman with a similar background. A woman who can handle the demands of being the spouse of a high-profile attorney and political candidate.”
“Ash isn’t interested in running for office.”
“He’ll change his mind.”
“That’s his decision. As is who he dates.”
The judge’s face reddened. “I’m not letting my son throw his life away on a woman like his mother. One who will never adjust to the better lifestyle Ash would provide. You’ll end up miserable and hating each other.”
Jenna handed back the check. “I don’t want your money. I’m not your ex-wife. Your concerns are misguided. I’m going to photograph Amber and Toby’s wedding. And I have no idea what will happen with Ash, but he makes me happy, and I believe he’d say the same thing about me. I’m hopeful things will work out differently this time.”
The judge’s nostrils flared. “You’re making a big mistake. I can make your life difficult.”
“I’m sure you can.” Jenna squared her shoulders, not about to be intimidated. Once she might have cowered, taken the money, and walked away without a word. No longer. She wasn’t alone. She didn’t have to handle this by herself. She touched her cross around her neck. “But I’m not afraid.”
What was Jenna doing at the law office? Ash waited by his doorway. They’d planned to have dinner tonight, but he wasn’t going to complain about an afternoon visit.
Jenna turned the corner, saw him, smiled. “I could use a hug.”
“You came to the right place.” He wrapped his arms around her, brushed his lips over hair. She smelled like grapefruit. So nice. “What’s up?”
“We need to talk in private.”
He kissed her cheek, led her into his office, and closed the door. “Tell me what’s going on.”
She took a breath. “Your father stopped by my house.”
“That’s great.”
“Not really.” She dragged her upper teeth over her lower lip. “He offered me ten thousand dollars if I wouldn’t photograph Amber’s wedding and if I stopped seeing you.”