by Ginny Baird
“Now that we’re all loosened up,” Meredith said, wiggling her eyebrows. “Maybe we should try one more?”
“Meredith?” Hope eyed her. “What are you up to?”
“Nothing,” she said, but her grin gave her away. “Nothing at all.”
Sally peeked inside the bag she was holding and guffawed. “Okay, then. Let’s see if this group is up for it.”
Hope’s heart beat harder. “If it’s really lewd, maybe we shouldn’t—”
“Oh come on, Jackie,” Sofia said. “We’re all over twenty-one.”
“Some of us much more than others,” Grandmother Margaret agreed.
Meredith grimaced and pulled the game box from the bag. “Pin the tail on the donkey, anyone?” She opened the box and lifted out a large folded piece of felt with a crossbar at the top, which held suction cups so the item could be stuck to a wall. Hope had no idea what it was until Meredith turned the fabric around.
Sally’s eyebrows shot up. “That’s not a donkey,” she said, giggling. “That’s the torso of a man.”
Sofia blushed. “A very naked man.”
“Yes.” Margaret sagely surveyed the design, which was cartoon-like yet nearly anatomically correct. “But he’s missing something very important.”
“I’ve got that!” Meredith exclaimed, digging into the game box for an envelope. “Each one is Velcro,” she said, her cheeks bright red.
Hope buried her face in her hands. “You didn’t.”
Meredith bent forward to whisper in her ear. “Like Granny said, this hopefully only happens once.” She held up the silky purple eye covering that served as a blindfold during the game and waved it in the air. “Who wants to play?”
Elsa pursed her lips, then said, “I’ll wait for someone else to go first.”
Meredith looked around. “Sally?”
Sally started to stand, but Margaret intervened. “I’ll take a crack at it,” she said, stunning the others. Before she took the blindfold, she tilted her empty prosecco glass toward her granddaughter. “Another splash?”
“Sure, Grandmother.” Sally’s cheeks bloomed red. “No problem.”
Nobody could believe it, but Grandmother Margaret actually won the game. Sofia whispered lightly to Hope that she thought she saw Margaret peek under the blindfold, but nobody honestly cared. They were all having so much fun. This was the most amazing party Hope had ever been to. So many generations, all getting along. Her mom seemed to be having a really great time, too.
“This is quite a family you’re marrying into,” her mom said happily, sitting beside her. Meredith had packed away the man game, and they were on to presents. Hope didn’t know how four hours had flown by, but somehow they already had.
“I know. They’re really awesome. But, hey. So are you.”
“I’m sorry if I embarrassed you.” Meredith handed Hope a stack of presents, not really looking regretful in the least. She actually appeared pretty pleased with herself because everything had gone so well.
“I’ll just have to get you back sometime.”
“Ha-ha,” Meredith said brightly. Then people started chanting for Hope to open her gifts. She was half worried Meredith had given her something really shady and was relieved to find a pretty wedding-night negligee in the package instead. The rest of the gifts were just as nice. Sofia supplied scented soaps and bath salts. Sally gave her a pretty travel purse for her honeymoon, while Margaret gifted her with a pretty silk scarf from Italy. Elsa presented her with an elegant gold-chain bracelet with a small gold anchor on it. “To remind you of our fun day here,” she said, warming Hope’s heart when they hugged. Ava proffered her present last. It was a stunning silver frame that she suggested might hold a favorite pic from her wedding.
“This has been so wonderful,” Hope said with a sigh, thanking the others. “I don’t know how I could ever top this day.”
Elsa’s eyebrows rose. “How about with ice cream and a pajama party?”
“And pizza,” Sally said.
“And chick flicks.” Sofia grinned. “Can’t forget those.”
“Will we really all sleep in the house?” Hope asked, charmed by the idea of an adult sleepover.
“We’ve got plenty of sleeping bags in the attic,” Margaret said. “We can sleep in the den.”
Elsa viewed her worriedly. “If you’d like to take the sofa…”
“Bosh, Elsa. I’m not that old.”
“No.” Elsa giggled, her eyes on the wall where the man game had been. “Apparently not.”
Chapter Seventeen
Hope’s eyes popped open when she heard the first car door slam shut. Then there was another, and another.
“My goodness, it’s the boys,” Margaret cried, scuttling in from the kitchen. She held a mug of coffee and wore her hot pink robe with fluffy pink slippers.
“Ack. What?” Meredith sat up abruptly, her face caked with Mother of Earth Mud Mask, which she’d apparently failed to remove before going to bed. Hope propped herself up on her elbows, nearly upending a half-empty bowl of popcorn, and stared around at the disarray. Streamers dangled from the ceiling while partially deflated balloons hovered near the ground. An open box of half-eaten donuts rested on an end table, and the case from the old VHS tape Margaret had located very late at night rested on the coffee table. She claimed to have purchased it by accident some time ago, mistaking its contents by the title. Little snippets of the film came back to Hope, all involving a male dancer with a blond mullet who looked like Rod Stewart on a bad hair day. He’d gone through four wardrobe changes and stripped down to nearly nothing.
Sofia pushed back the eye covering she’d been wearing, and Hope saw it wasn’t a regular eye mask at all, but the one from their man-part game. “Wha-what’s going on?” she said, looking dazed.
Ava sat up and rubbed her eyes, goggling at the mess.
Sally tugged her pillow over her head and moaned, “Five more minutes.”
Hope could relate.
Before she could process much else, there were footsteps in the front hall and the sound of the front door closing. Meredith scrambled out of her sleeping bag and bolted toward the French doors. She threw one open and shrieked again. “Who are all those people?”
Hope craned her neck to see a crew of guys setting up a huge white tent while others carried in chairs. Eleanor Bell followed closely at their heels, barking out orders while waving her tablet. That’s when she remembered Eleanor saying something about logistics and getting the “hardware” in place early.
“The wedding planner’s here,” Parker announced from the doorway to the library. He stopped short, staring at Elsa, who blanched when she noticed him eying something on her head. A cardboard man-part adhered to her hair, and it was sticking straight up, protruding from her crown like an X-rated antenna. She reached up and snatched it off, shoving the offending item beneath the flap of her sleeping bag.
Elsa smoothed down her braid and managed to say with dignified calm, “What are you guys doing back so early?”
Meredith stood frozen on the threshold to the outdoors, torn between dashing for the downstairs bathroom—and possibly past the men—or streaking through Eleanor’s brigade in her PJs and mud mask. When Derrick appeared beside his dad, she made a hasty decision and fled down the porch and across the grass, muttering something high-pitched and in Spanish.
Derrick watched, awestruck, as she trailed away, presumably toward the carriage house. He walked over and shut the door just as William and Brent entered the room.
Margaret had clearly forestalled Chad in the hallway, because Hope heard her say, “Not back there, dear. Not everybody’s decent.”
William surveyed the scene without comment and dipped his chin. “Morning, ladies.”
Hope’s face burned hot as Brent strode to the coffee table and picked up the empty video box entitled Dirty Dancing.<
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“Did Patrick Swayze moonlight?”
Sally, who was wide awake by now, shot to her feet and clubbed Brent on the shoulder with her pillow. Feathers spilled out of it on impact, sending little white puffs everywhere, joining the ones already on the sofa…matching loveseats…and all over the floor.
“Go on. Get out of here,” she snapped playfully. “No boys allowed.”
William pursed his lips, resisting a grin, while Derrick set his hands on his hips and just said, “Huh.”
Brent held up a hand as Sally continued to pound him. “All right, all right. We’re leaving.” He chuckled, holding out the video box. “Who should I return this to?”
Sofia and Ava attempted to appear guileless, and Hope tugged her sleeping bag up to her chin. Grandmother Margaret returned to catch Brent still holding Dirty Dancing as Grandpa Chad thudded his way upstairs. “Oh, for heaven’s sake,” she said, shaking her head at her grandson. “Give that to me.”
…
When Hope and Ava entered the carriage house, Meredith was in the shower.
“You can go next, Mom,” Hope told her. “I’m going to touch base with Jackie.”
“Tell her she missed a great party last night. Wait.” Ava paused, looking mortified. “You didn’t upload any of those pictures to Instagram?”
Hope shot a teasing look at her mom. “Only the G-rated ones from the boat.”
Ava gave a relieved smile. “Yesterday sure was something. Who knew the Albright women were so much fun?”
“Yeah.” Hope laughed and headed toward the coffeemaker. “Coffee?”
“Make two cups for me,” Ava called, bounding down the stairs.
Hope set the coffee to brew, then stepped out onto the deck overlooking the water. The sky still looked gloomy, but tomorrow was supposed to be a pretty day. It was after ten, so she hoped Jackie was headed to the airport. She speed-dialed her number and Jackie answered after one ring.
“Hi, Hope.”
“Are you at the airport?”
“Headed there soon.” A huge rumble roared in the background like a billion tumbling bowling pins.
“What on earth was that?”
“Thunder,” Jackie said, sounding winded. A loud zip indicated she was closing her bag. “It’s been pouring here all morning.”
“We got that yesterday.”
“I hope it’s clearer today.”
“It is, and it’s supposed to be even better tomorrow.”
“My wedding day,” Jackie said on a dreamy sigh. “I can hardly believe it.”
Hope didn’t doubt that. She’d been the one here doing all the prep work.
“How was the bachelorette party?”
“Memorable.”
“Oh yeah? You only posted a few updates on Instagram. What was the deal with the boat and the sailor hats?”
“I’ll tell you more about it when you get here. What time do you expect that will be?”
“I’ve got a noontime flight, which puts me into Boston a little past one. Blue Hill’s four, four and a half, hours from there. Build in an extra thirty minutes for me to pick up the rental car.”
Hope gasped. “You won’t get here until six?”
“I said I’d be there for the dinner. Isn’t that at seven?”
“Yeah, but what about the rehearsal?”
“My earlier flight was canceled, and the next scheduled one was all sold out, with people scrambling to leave the island before the storms.”
A dead weight settled in Hope’s stomach. “Oh no, Jackie. What if you don’t—?”
“Hush. Don’t even say it. Do you want to curse my travels or something?”
“No, of course not.” Hope bit her bottom lip. “I’m just worried—that’s all. The ceremony’s in the morning—at eleven a.m. Then there’s the big fancy lunch and reception.”
“I’ll be there for that.” Jackie actually sounded annoyed that Hope would doubt her. “All right?”
“And tonight?”
“Hang on. I heard a horn.” There was a brief pause, and Jackie returned to the line. “That’s my car to the airport. Gotta dash.”
“Text me from the runway.”
“What?”
“To let me know you’re taking off.”
“Okay. No problem. I’ll see you soon.” Her tone softened. “And thank you, Hopie.”
“You don’t need to keep thanking me,” Hope said, feeling like she’d gotten the better end of the deal. She’d come to love Brent and become enchanted by his family. Sadly, those benefits were double-edged swords. Because now Hope understood how hard it was going to be to lose them. “Just don’t be late, okay? I honestly don’t think I can do this for one more day.”
She ended the call and wiped back the single tear that had streaked down her cheek.
“Honey?” Ava said, stepping through the sliding glass door. “Are you okay?”
Hope sniffed and tried to collect herself. “Yeah, Mom. Just fine.”
“Is Jackie on her way?”
Hope nodded, and her chin trembled.
“Oh, sweetheart.” Ava pulled her into a hug. “This is so very hard for you, isn’t it?”
Hope met her mom’s gaze, all teary-eyed. “How could it not be hard, Mom?”
“You’re right.” Ava hugged her again and patted her back. “The whole situation’s terrible. You’re the one who should be marrying Brent, not Jackie.”
She lifted her head off her mom’s shoulder and stared at her in surprise.
“You kids are falling for each other,” Ava said. “Have fallen. It’s written all over your auras and maybe in the stars.”
“Well then, those stars have left us star-crossed,” Hope said sadly. She pulled out of her mom’s embrace and wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand. “And maybe that’s what I deserve. But not Brent.”
“When Jackie arrives, maybe you should explain things.”
“To Brent? And his family?” Hope asked in shock. “That would blow this wedding apart.”
“Yes. It could at that.” Ava furrowed her brow. “But wouldn’t that be better than Brent marrying the wrong sister?”
Hope inhaled sharply. “That’s just it. Brent didn’t ask me to marry him. He asked Jackie, and if this weird twin swap had never happened, he’d still be marrying her anyway.”
“Then he never would have known what he’s missing, would he?”
…
Later that afternoon, Brent knocked on the carriage house door, looking gorgeous in a coat and tie. Hope had dressed in a pretty white off-the-shoulders sundress with a flouncy hem that hit above her knees. She wore casual flat sandals with it and had partially pulled back her hair. Meredith and her mom were still changing for the rehearsal. Hope pressed open the screen to find Brent smiling at her while holding a beautiful bouquet of fresh flowers. “These are for you,” he said, “from Grandmother’s garden.”
“Aww. How sweet.”
“Sally’s gathering wildflower bouquets for the bridesmaids, but I handpicked these myself just for you.”
Heat warmed her cheeks.
“It’s hard to believe tomorrow’s the day.”
“I know,” she said, accepting the flowers and wishing it could be her holding the bridal bouquet tomorrow instead of Jackie. “Can’t wait.”
His eyebrows arched. “Have you heard anything more from Hope? Did she make her flight?”
“Yes. Thank goodness. She texted me from the runway that she’d gotten on the plane.” Hope worriedly glanced at the time on the kitchen clock. Nearly five o’clock. “She should have landed in Boston by now and be on her way.”
“Maybe you should call her to check in?”
“What? Now? I don’t know, Brent. She’s probably busy picking up her rental car.”
“
Might be good for us to update the others. Everyone’s been asking about her.”
“Yeah, yeah. Of course.”
Hope’s heart hammered as she set down the bouquet and nabbed her phone from where it lay on the kitchen counter. Half of her desperately wanted Jackie to answer, but the other half didn’t. Especially with Brent watching her.
After three rings, Jackie answered, clearly out of breath. “Can’t talk now.” She sounded like she was juggling things. Suitcases, perhaps. “I’m headed back to the airport.”
“Back?”
“I was on standby for the six o’clock flight.”
“What do you mean? I thought you’d boarded the plane.”
“We sat on the runway for hours, Hope.” She turned her back on Brent when Jackie said her name. “Hours. Until people started complaining that the airline was violating federal regulations or something. The captain kept waiting on the all-clear from the tower, but it never came. Finally, they cancelled the flight.”
“Oh, no.”
“Oh, yeah. I wasn’t going to call you until I was sure of this one.”
“What do you mean, sure?”
“There’s a chance that this one won’t go through, either.”
Hope stroked her heart-shaped pendant, her head suddenly woozy. This couldn’t be happening. It couldn’t. “What about—alternatives?” She was about to ask about a boat when she recalled that Brent was listening.
“Ferry service has been suspended for today. On account of”—thunder boomed loudly—“the storms.”
“Please don’t say it.”
“I know, I know,” Jackie wailed, and then her voice shattered into sobs. “Don’t you think I feel terrible about this?”
Hope held up her hand, and Brent read her signaled need for privacy, stepping out onto the deck.
“Jackie,” Hope said in hushed tones. “You can’t bail on me now. You have to be here.”
“I’m try-trying…” Jackie blubbered and blew her nose. “So, so hard. I never thought it would come to this, Hopie. Never dreamed it would go this far. At first I was afraid—”
“Afraid of what?”
“Marrying Brent. The decision was so hasty, and I was honestly still stung from Rodney.”