Autumn and I were so frustrated. Jackson, Savannah’s boyfriend, had been glued to her side since they’d arrived two days ago for the rehearsal dinner. He’d even refused to let her attend Autumn’s bachelorette party. He was also her manager, and apparently he was controlling one hundred percent of her life.

We were at Autumn’s house, the one she would officially start living in with Brian tonight. We had four hours before the limos arrived to take us to the church, and we were both excited that we’d finally get to spend some alone time with Savannah.

“I guess we should consider ourselves lucky Jackson’s letting her out of his sight long enough to get dressed with us,” Autumn said as we waited for Savannah to arrive. “Why does she let him boss her around like that?”

“If you think about it, her mother’s always been the driving force in Savannah’s life. It’s like she’s been trained to be obedient to an authoritarian figure.” I pulled the plastic off my dress.

“Well, that’s just sad. The only time I can remember seeing her really happy was the year she was with Adam.”

“Yeah, they were honest to God in love. Hopefully she’ll confide in us when she gets here.” I held my dress against me and looked in the mirror. Autumn was having a Christmas themed wedding. Mine and Savannah’s dresses were an emerald green, and we would be carrying red tulips. The dress was gorgeous.

“I wish she’d come back alone so we could have spent more time with her,” Autumn said. “I don’t think—”

The doorbell rang. “She’s here.” I opened the front door. Savannah stood on the other side with Jackson, and I caught the tail end of what he was saying to her. “…don’t talk about us.”

“No men allowed,” I said, grabbing her arm and pulling her inside before I shut the door in his face. For good measure I turned the lock.

Autumn and I smothered her in hugs. When I pulled away, her eyes were brimming with tears. Savannah Graham was a striking woman. Not classically beautiful like so many models, but her features were unique. Raven-black hair that fell halfway down her back and her gray eyes were the things you noticed first about her. In elementary school, the kids used to make fun of her, saying she had ghost eyes. They also called her beanpole.

Her skin was creamy and flawless, and she was tall and at least fifteen pounds lighter than the last time I’d seen her. Personally I thought she was too thin. She was also extremely shy, which I blamed on her mother for doing her best to crush everything that was special about Savannah except her looks. Regina Graham, a former model herself and a force to be reckoned with, had grown up in the valley. When she’d gotten pregnant with Savannah, she’d moved back. She never told Savannah who her father is.

It was only a guess on my part, but I think the pregnancy was an accident, and that Mrs. Graham resented Savannah a little for it. From the day Savannah was born, she’d been raised to be a famous model, and—another guess on my part—Mrs. Graham was living her glory days through Savannah. I wasn’t too fond of Savannah’s mother.

“I miss you two so much,” Savannah said.

Autumn narrowed her eyes. “Could have fooled us. You never call, never come back for a visit.”

“Autumn,” I said, shaking my head at her. This wasn’t a day for us all to end up in accusations and tears.

“I’m sorry,” Savannah said, her voice quivering.

“Well, you’re here now, and that’s all that matters. Time to break out the champagne.” I was determined to spend what little time the three of us had together laughing the way we used to.

I took Savannah’s hand and pulled her with me to the living room. Autumn and I had spread pillows around the coffee table, where we had a bottle of champagne chilling in an ice bucket. Plates of treats—chocolate-covered strawberries, iced tea cakes, thin slices of banana nut bread with cream cheese (Savannah’s favorite), and caviar on toast points—surrounded the ice bucket.

“Here’s to besties, to love, and to happiness,” I said after filling the crystal champagne glasses. We clinked glasses.

“To friendships that last forever,” Autumn said.

Savannah smiled. “Especially to that.” She took a small sip of champagne, then set it aside.

“By the way, you’re doing my makeup today,” Autumn said to Savannah. “I figure you know all the tricks to make me a beautiful bride.”

“I do know a few, and I’d love to.”

“Awesome. The plan for today is a few hours of girl time and then we’ll get dressed. Two limos will be here at five to take us to the church. My parents will be in one, and I’ll ride with them. You two will ride in the second one.”

“Why isn’t your mother here?” Savannah asked.

“Because my dad said he wanted to ride with her, so…” She shrugged.

Savannah and I exchanged glances, both of us knowing that Autumn never came first with her mother, even on her wedding day. Autumn’s parents were a revolving door of on and off together. At the moment they were off. But that was another story, and I was selfishly glad it was just the three of us together.

As Autumn and I ate, I noticed that Savannah wasn’t, but her eyes greedily followed each morsel we put in our mouths. I picked up a slice of the banana bread, put it on a napkin, and set it in front of her.

She shook her head. “I’m not allowed… I mean I’m not hungry.”

Autumn’s gaze zeroed in on Savannah. “I call bullshit, Savannah Graham. You’re too skinny and you’re looking at this food like you haven’t had a decent meal in ages. Who doesn’t allow you to eat? Your mother? Jackson?”

“I can’t…I mean I don’t want to talk about Jackson. Or my mother. Not today.”

From what I’d heard Jackson say, she was under orders not to talk about him, but I didn’t tell Autumn that. It would only set Autumn off even more, and Savannah was obviously already close to losing it.

I put my hand over Savannah’s. “Here’s the deal. Whatever’s going on in your life right now, we’re here for you if you want to talk. In the meantime, we haven’t seen you in over a year, and we’re going to have fun for a few hours like we used to. That means we’re going to drink champagne and eat these delicious treats, reminisce and laugh. What goes on in this room this afternoon, stays in this room. So today, eat to your heart’s content. Mine and Autumn’s lips are sealed. Okay?”

Savannah’s gaze slid over the goodies on the table, and then she smiled as she looked from Autumn to me. “It’s marvelously okay.”

“Thank God,” Autumn said. “I thought I was going to have to cram that banana bread down your throat.”

“Remember when it was my sixteenth birthday and my mother gave me a bowl of fruit with a candle stuck in the middle?” Savannah grinned at Autumn. “You were so mad about that when I told you the next day.”

I laughed. “Yeah, she got Mary to make a chocolate fudge cake piled high with icing. We hid in Connor and Adam’s tree house and ate the whole thing.”

“It was so good,” Savannah said. “I think that was only the third time in my life that I’d had cake.”

Autumn scowled. “That’s just wrong.”

“Well, we’re going to make up for that today.” I refilled our champagne glasses, then put two of each treat in front of Savannah.

Savannah popped a chocolate-covered strawberry into her mouth. “I could eat a dozen of these.” She ate another one. “Speaking of Connor and Adam, how are they?”

“They’re doing great. Their log home business is doing very well and keeping them busy.” I wondered if she still had feelings for Adam. “Both are still single.”

“They’ll be at my wedding and the reception.” Autumn slyly eyed Savannah. “Adam asks about you sometimes.”

Savannah’s gaze lowered to the table, hiding whatever was in her eyes at the mention of Adam. “Is he happy?”

“I don’t think he’s been happy since you left him.”

I shot Autumn a warning glance. We were just getting Savannah to loosen up, and I didn’t want her crawling back into her shell.

“You should see some of their log homes,” I said. “They’re beautiful.”

“I’d like to someday.” She looked at Autumn. “I always thought you’d end up with Connor.”

Autumn’s eyes widened. “Why would you think that?”

“I don’t know. The two of you seemed to have a special connection.”

That was true. No one could make Connor laugh the way Autumn did. And whenever she’d gotten in trouble, which was often, his was the shoulder she’d cry on.

“Well, I did have a crush on him in the sixth grade, but then along came Larry Stanley. He gave me that mood ring for Christmas, and when it turned blue, he told me it was because I loved him.” Autumn grinned. “How can you argue with a mood ring?”

“Yeah, you loved him until the ring turned your finger green.” I grinned at her. “You threw it back at him.”

“Oh, right. I’d forgotten that. Well, how was I supposed to love a boy who made my finger turn green?”

We reminisced, laughed, and ate the goodies for another hour. It was like old times, but I reminded myself that it was temporary. Both Savannah and I would be leaving the day after Autumn’s wedding. That led me to thinking of Dylan and how much I was going to miss him.

“What about you, Jenn?” Savannah said. “Anyone special?”

I shrugged. “Kind of. I’ve been seeing Dylan Conrad, our new police chief.”

Autumn fanned her face. “And he’s hot, hot, hot.”

“But I’m leaving Sunday, and he was just someone to have fun with for a little while. Nothing special.” The lie was bitter on my tongue. Dylan Conrad was beyond special.

Autumn snorted. “Keep telling yourself that, Jenn.” She glanced at her watch. “Crap. We’re running out of time. We still have to do pedicures and our nails.”

Growing up, we’d had fun giving each other pedicures and manicures, so Autumn and I had decided we’d do that today with Savannah. We got our toes and nails filed and painted, laughed some more, and then I watched Savannah do Autumn’s makeup and hair.

She really was an expert at both things, and when she was finished with Autumn, she turned to me and raised a brow. “Yes, please,” I said.

Finally it was time to put on our dresses. Savannah and I helped Autumn into her gown. I blinked back tears at knowing our girl time was over. Savannah hadn’t opened up to us, and I couldn’t help thinking she was terribly unhappy.

“I think you’re the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen,” I said, taking Autumn’s hand. Putting my doubts aside, I prayed that my friend had found her happily ever after.

“You really are.” Savannah took Autumn’s other hand and then mine, forming a circle. “I know it doesn’t always seem like it lately, but I love both of you,” she said. “Please don’t give up on me.”

I squeezed her hand. “Never.”

“Never,” Autumn echoed.

The doorbell rang, letting us know the limos were here. Our time together was up, and after tonight we’d each be going our separate ways. As I blinked back tears, already missing my two best friends, I saw they also had tears in their eyes.

“Friends forever,” I said, pulling them both into a hug.

Savannah slipped her arm around my waist. “It doesn’t seem right that Natalie’s not here today.”

I swallowed past the lump in my throat. “I know.” But I was going to find her again, somewhere out there in the world.