Page 85 of My Best French Wedding

Walter held up one finger. “I think they called it a canteen.”

“Thank you for that vitally important distinction.” Hildy didn’t roll her eyes, but the sentiment was there.

Fiona’s gaze swung between them. “You both wrote about this wedding?”

“Yes,” Hildy answered, giving Walter a look when he would have said more. “And it was one of the most memorable weddings I’ve ever seen. They didn’t let anything get in the way of having the ceremony they wanted. The challenges made it more meaningful.”

“You think we don’t have enough challenges?” Fiona asked.

“Not at all,” Walter assured her. “But I also don’t think you have too many challenges. You have just the right amount.”

“I know a guy who got married in an old train yard,” Robbie said.

“Was it like that warehouse party we went to in New Haven?” Fiona grabbed his arm. “Remember that weekend?”

“Yeah! Parts of it. And the wedding was supercool.” Robbie frowned briefly. “A couple people had to get tetanus shots after, but it was totally worth it!”

Fiona shook herself. “I’m sorry I got all up in my head about this. At least we have our health, right?”

“Such a good point, babe.”

“Do you want to frolic?”

“Always!”

They took off across the grass, leaping and laughing.

“Those crazy kids.” Corinne sighed, watching them gallop toward the trees.

Hildy mimed drawing a curtain. “Let’s give them their privacy.” She turned her back on the young lovers, considering the looming shape of the castle instead.

Walter took a casual step in Hildy’s direction, and then a few more. “About earlier—”

“I’m working,” she said.

“Right now?”

“Yes, Walter.”

She said it with such conviction, he had no choice but to back away. Maude and Loïc were whispering to each other in French, so he approached Corinne.

“What’s your strategy here, Romeo?” She indicated Hildy with her chin.

“Keep blundering along and hope something miraculously changes?”

Corinne slow-blinked at him.

“I didn’t say it was a good plan.” He hesitated. “Do you have a better idea?”

“Depends what you’re trying to achieve.”

Walter had to laugh at that. As if he knew! He wanted to uncover…something. A truth or a secret or a solution, even though a parting salvo seemed more likely, given their history. Maybe it would come as a relief, to put an end to his fascination with Hildy after all these years. His heart didn’t exactly soar at the thought, but then a lot of things that turned out to be good for you sounded awful at the outset. Fish oil, for example.

Actually, that stayed awful. He wanted more than that. “You think I should walk away and let her have the story?”

“Would you do that?”

“I don’t know.” He wasn’t even sure where the idea had come from. “Would she do that for me?”