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"I er at her "You’re doing it now"

Embarrassed, Bethanne raised her hands to her face

"It’s been six years since the divorce and I’ve never seen you react to any man like you do to Max You’re crazy about hireat I don’t want Dad stepping in now and ruining it for you"

"But I don’t knohat I want," she said, sitting down and reaching for her napkin Although she le bite

"Yes, you do," Andrew countered softly "You do know"

"Your father and I have talked about this and otten so wrapped up in you kids and all the volunteer work I did with--"

"Moood ood wife?"

"Yes," he said emphatically, "and don’t let anyone convince you otherwise You did everything for Dad You staged hoanized parties"

"Well, yes, I helped where I could"

"Trust ood wife"

"I played a role in the divorce, too, Andrew I didn’t see it right away but I wasn’t corow stale Your father was manipulated by a woman out to advance her career and the shortest path ca Grant

Yes, he let her do it, but he paid a high price for that I wish you’d stop being so hard on hi her with new eyes "I can’t believe you’re defending him"

"Think about it, Andrew Your father’s alone Really alone

Oh, he talks to Annie but until recently the two of us hardly ever spoke You don’t have much contact with him, either He isn’t fond of his sister and--"

"And he doesn’t visit his ree Not only that, I believe your grandot that feeling when I talked to her She’s head over heels for this old boyfriend of hers, isn’t she?"

"Yes" Bethanne s back to your father…"

"Okay, Mom, I see what you mean Dad’s out in the cold, but frankly he put himself there It isn’t like we shoved him out the door and then turned the lock He chose to leave"

"It takes a big ," she said, consciously quoting Ruth "Your father would give anything to undo the harm he did I admire him for that Look at it from his point of view"

Andrely shook his head "I wish I could You and Annie et, but I can’t Dad was heart less and calculating He couldn’t duh when he left I tried to talk to hied him to reconsider, and you knohat?" Her son’s voice rose with e up onit My co Well, he can coive hinored"

"Oh, Andrew…" Bethanne had no idea her son had ever tried to reason with Grant

His jaas clenched as she reached across the table and laid her hand over his wrist "I wish I knehat to say"

He grew even ive him, Mom, because I don’t think I can"

Thirty-Four

"Where’s Dad?" Annie asked anxiously, turning to Bethanne as if she could supply the answer Annie and the other bridesmaids were lined up at the back of the church Everyone was there for the wedding rehearsal--everyone except Grant Courtney carried a paper-plate bouquet corand with her brother, his wife and their two children, were seated in a pew Her sister, Juliana, was her matron of honor, so she, too, waited with Annie

"Dad should be here," Annie said "Grand where he is"

"I’ly The rehearsal was about to start and he hadn’t shown up yet This wasn’t like Grant, as rarely late for anything The last time they’d spoken he’d said he’d be at the church by five, but it was quarter past now She glanced at her watch again, fighting down her concern

"Ms Ha over at Bethanne "I need you to sit here"

"Okay" She moved to the spot he indicated

"Your husband isn’t here?" he asked

"Apparently, my ex-husband has been delayed," Bethanne said, and looked at her watch again

"Your ex-husband," Pastor Hudson repeated "In that case we should ements"

Bethanne was about to mention that Grant wanted the two of them to sit in the same pew She couldn’t decide whether she should Grant would be disappointed if they took separate pews, but she was afraid their faether

In the end, she didn’t say anything to the pastor; she’d explain it to Grant later

The rehearsal was alot held up in traffic There was an accident and everything cah the church doors "I tried to phone but everyone’s cell is turned off"