Do You See What I See
Delia Latham
Laramie’s fiancé betrayed her on what should have been their wedding day. Evan is still trying to recover from being jilted at the altar three years ago. Yesterday's heartbreak blinds them both to a surprising truth that could heal their hurting hearts.

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book excerpt

Laramie watched out the window as Sydney maneuvered the hills and curves of the familiar highway. Almost to Sevierville. After that, another half hour or so and she’d be home. She loved winter in the Smoky Mountains. Though it robbed many trees of their autumn dressing gowns, the area boasted an abundance of evergreens so even during the cold season, it didn’t look completely barren. Fir and spruce trees ensured a touch of color, even in mid-December. As they drew nearer their destination, the route became so familiar Laramie thought she could find her way blindfolded. A deep sense of belonging washed over her, even as panic beat inside her chest like a trapped thing. When they turned south off the interstate, a flood of anxiety slammed her with a physical punch. Her breath came in short gasps, and darkness teased the edges of her vision. “You okay?” Syd’s voice cut through the fog, and Laramie heard herself whimpering. Stinging pain in the palms of her hands drew her gaze to a smear of blood where her fingernails had dug into the tender skin. A gentle hand touched her arm. “What’s up, girlfriend?” She forced herself to breathe deeply, pulling air in, easing it out, then back in again. When she could speak, she looked at Syd. “I need a little time. Can we stop in Cattletsburg?” “Sure.” Concern shadowed Syd’s dark eyes. “Where to?” Laramie closed her eyes and leaned her head back. “Just pull in anywhere.” A few minutes later, they slid into a booth at Chloe’s Café. Laramie hadn’t prayed since the night she should have been married—why bother? God had shown He didn’t care what happened in her life. Still, for the second time in the space of a week, she found herself breathing a grateful thank you for a business’s lack of customers. She needed a chance to pull herself together without an audience of strangers. “Somethin’ ta drink, ladies?” They ordered coffee. The waitress poured steaming liquid into their mugs and sauntered away. Syd reached across the table and grasped both of Lari’s trembling hands. “You’ve got to stop this.” “I know.” Lari drew strength from her friend’s support. “We’re almost there, Syd—less than half an hour, and I’ll be home.” She blinked back stinging tears and met the other girl’s sympathetic gaze. “I’m going to run into Evan while we’re here, you know that. It can’t be avoided.” Her stinging eyes won the battle, and she dashed tears away. “I don’t think I can stand to see him.” Sydney’s full lips tightened, and she narrowed her gaze. Chocolate brown sparks seemed to fly from the narrowed slits of her eyes. “Yes, you can. You’re stronger than you think, Laramie Buchanan. So take a few deep breaths, count to ten—or a hundred, if you need to—then chin up and do what has to be done. You hear me, girl?” In spite of the fluttering of her heart, Lari chuckled. “Yes’m, I surely do.” She gently extricated her hands from Syd’s grip, unrolled the napkin from around her utensils, and dabbed at her leaky eyes. “Good.” Syd watched her through a narrowed gaze. “I don’t want to hear you say you can’t do this. You can, and you will.” Her voice softened, and she winked. “I’ll be right beside you every minute.” Lari managed a weak smile. “What in the world would I do without you?” “I seriously don’t know, child.” Syd slung a hand in the air and raised one brow in a mock haughty attitude. Having accomplished her obvious goal of making Laramie smile through a misty gaze, she glanced around the quiet room. “Looks like our waitress isn’t coming back. Did you want something to eat?” “Are you kidding? You know my Mama—she’ll skin us alive if we eat this close to home. She’ll have more food waiting than we could put away in a week.” “True. Are you ready then?” Nodding, she set her empty cup on the table and tossed some bills down beside it. As they started out, Syd slipped her arm through Lari’s and gave her an affectionate squeeze. Just as they reached the door, it swung open to admit a tall man with a firm jawline. The bright overhead light tangled itself into wavy dark hair that grazed his collar. Laramie gasped. Only Syd’s firm hold on her arm kept her upright. She found herself unable to remove her horrified gaze from Evan’s far-too-handsome face. He tilted his head and beautiful green eyes, touched with those striking gold flecks she remembered so well, narrowed and fixed on Laramie. Then he shook his head and gave her the lopsided smile that had always turned her legs to jelly. Except this time it didn’t. She straightened her spine and held his gaze. “I’m sorry,” he said. “For a minute there, I thought I knew you.” Syd’s body stiffened and her mouth opened, but Laramie jerked hard on her friend’s arm. Syd clamped her lips shut, but even without looking, Laramie knew the other woman’s eyes would be setting off mini explosions. “I don’t think so.” If he could look at her as though she were a complete stranger after all they’d shared in the past, Evan had never really known her. The chasm in her heart cracked a little deeper, and she dragged her furious friend out the door before she could make a scene. Ten minutes down the road, Laramie regained enough control to dry her tears and blow her nose. “Well, I guess we got that over with right up front, huh?” She managed a shaky laugh. “Now I don’t have to worry about running into him. He’ll just pretend he doesn’t know me anyway.”