by Fredrick, MJ
Her mother returned when Poppy was sitting in front of Lacey with a make-up sponge. Joyce put a hand to her chest.
“You just look lovely. I’m so happy I ordered this dress for you online. I think today would be the perfect day to wear it.”
“What dress? When did you order it?” Lacey demanded, but her mother had left the room. Her mother and she did not have the same taste, so she couldn't imagine what the dress would look like, and she didn't remember getting a delivery this week. Of course, she tried to sleep as much as she could, so maybe the package had arrived during one of her naps.
Her mother returned a few minutes later with a pretty cream colored dress on a hanger. It had capped sleeves in a sheer fabric, with monochromatic embroidery across the bodice and waist, and the skirt was long and flowy.
“Oh, that’s way too fancy,” Lacey said. “And I don't know how it will work with my super-sexy nursing bras.”
“I thought about that when I ordered it,” her mother said. “Try it on. We can send it back if it doesn't work.”
“Almost done with the make-up,” Poppy said, focusing on that, and not the dress, which was weird, for Poppy. She brushed powder on Lacey’s face, which was possibly the most make-up Lacey had ever worn, then sat back on her heels to inspect her handiwork. “Okay, dress.”
“Guys, you know that just because I have babies now doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten how to take care of myself.”
“We just want to pamper you,” Ginny said, unplugging the curling iron and winding up the cord. “Go try on the dress.”
They were being weird, the lot of them, but Lacey allowed herself to be led to the other room. She peeked in at the sleeping babies before she shrugged out of her robe, carefully removed her t-shirt and yoga pants, and slipped the soft dress over her head.
She in no way had her figure back, but the fullness of her breasts helped detract from the softness of her tummy. For an online order, the dress fit pretty well, especially considering she had one-week-old twins.
“This is lovely,” she told her mother, stepping out of the bedroom to see the three women huddled together. “But it’s just not practical for out here.”
“It’s a gift. Indulge me. And you have to have better shoes than those flip flops.”
She hadn’t worn shoes other than flip flops or sneakers for months. But she did have some cute shoes she’d bought before she found out she was pregnant. They might go. She turned back into her room to look, her pulse picking up a little as she thought about what Beck would think when he saw her.
She was going to have to go to him, though, because he didn't have a vehicle.
“I really should wait until I know what we’re doing today,” she demurred.
“Take a change of clothes,” her mother urged. “Just let him see you all dolled up first.”
Weird, Lacey thought again, but went along with it. Maybe if she didn't have baby brain, she would put up more of a fuss.
“You’re going to have to take the babies with you,” her mother said, following her into the bedroom. “I’ll pack a diaper bag.”
“Oh, no, I have to put the car seats in the car,” Lacey groaned. “And then that will leave you here without a car.”
“That’s fine,” Joyce said. “Everything I’d need is within walking distance, and if not, I can ask one of your friends for a ride, can’t I?”
“Of course!” Ginny said, a little too loud, and winced.
Lacey packed a change of clothes for herself, something comfortable and accessible. She didn't know what Beck planned to do today, what he could do with his shoulder hurt. They might need to go to San Angelo to get a vehicle. She didn't want to travel all that way with her babies, but she was his fiancée now.
Her mother helped her carry the babies and the bags to the car, and Lacey stopped short.
“The car seats are already in?”
“Yes, Javi stopped by this morning and I had him put them in, just to make sure they were secure.”
“Javi did? After dealing with that accident last night?”
“He said he wanted to see how you were doing, but you were still sleeping, and I knew you’d want to go see Beck today. He was very happy to do it.”
“Wow, I don’t know what to say.” Beck had brought her home from the hospital in his truck, so the car seats had been sitting in her living room since. She was surprised she hadn’t noticed they were gone this morning.
Together, she and her mother put the twins into their seats. Evan started to fuss a little, but then went right back to sleep.
Still frowning, Lacey got into the driver’s seat, tucking her skirt up under her, since mud still caked the side of her car, and was probably on the floorboards, too.
Her mother waved her off as Poppy and Ginny walked to Poppy’s car.
If driving in the rain made Lacey nervous, driving with her babies made her even more so. She had to pull off to the side of the road twice to let cars pass, because she just couldn't make herself go the speed limit. She had to stop herself from constantly reaching into the back seat to touch them, to make sure they were fine.
The number of cars parked in the yard in front of the house startled her when she turned onto the lane. But maybe he had construction workers out? She knew Beck was in a hurry to get the house finished, but man, she didn't know how all these people could be working in the house.
But wait.
That was her dad’s car. And Con’s truck. And Hailey’s Mini.
What was happening?
She opened the car door and stepped out carefully, not wanting to sink into the mud of the yard.
Behind her, Poppy’s car pulled in, and Poppy, Ginny and her mother emerged, all smiling gleefully. The three of them had changed into dresses as well, and Ginny and Joyce picked their way carefully across the yard to her while Poppy leaned into the car to get something.
“This would have been so much better if it hadn’t rained last night,” Joyce said, opening the back door to lift Evan from his seat. “But at least it’s a beautiful day today.”
“Mom, what—?” Lacey looked around, and turned her attention to the porch of Beck’s house—their house—and saw Beck standing there, his arm in a sling, grinning at her, and surrounded by Javi, Con, Austin, Hailey, Sofia, her dad and Marianne. Mrs. Conover.
Tanya. Leonard. Her brothers Dalton and Luke and Luke’s wife Barbara. Her stepdad Andrew.
Everyone she loved. Everyone she loved was here. Everyone was here and smiling at her.
Poppy appeared beside her and pressed a bouquet of flowers into her hands. Lacey’s vision blurred as she looked from the colorful flowers to her friend’s face. Everything inside of her was haywire, her nerves zinging, her stomach tightening, her head floating.
“Happy wedding day. Don't cry. You’ll mess up my make-up.” Poppy offered her arm to help steady Lacey on her trek across the yard to the steps—no longer construction steps, but the real thing.
She looked up at Beck, who was waiting for her.
“I didn't want to wait any longer. I know you said you wanted a real wedding, but I didn't want to wait. I hope this will do.”
She put her free hand in his good one and stepped up beside him. Her heart fluttered as she felt the strength of his grip, as she looked into those steady eyes.
“I think this will do just fine.”
Her father edged between them. “I’m the one who gets to walk her down the aisle, even if this isn’t how I pictured doing it.”
“Everyone take your places,” Marianne called, and people moved to the living room,
Beck’s hand slipping away from hers as he went to stand in front of the fireplace, with Pastor de la Cruz on one side, his friends on the other. Her friends and sister hurried ahead with their own simple bouquets to stand opposite, smiling and laughing as her dad walked her between the rows of chairs.
She wanted to look around, both to see who was here, and the work that had been done to transform this p
lace into her wedding chapel, but she didn't look away from Beck, didn't let herself waver as she moved toward the man she loved.
Then her hands were in his again. She didn't hear the words the pastor spoke, but heard Beck’s and held them in her heart.
“Lacey Davila, today’s the day I make you my wife, today, here in our home, with the people we love as witness, with my heart open. I’ve never known a woman like you, a woman so strong and loving, a woman so brave and determined. I hope our children have half of those qualities. I want to start every day looking at you, end every day looking at you, for the rest of my life.”
A handkerchief appeared at her shoulder, and Lacey took it to dab at her eyes, and a little at her nose.
“I didn't have time to prepare vows,” she said, taking a deep breath. “But this was the best surprise I could have hoped for. Twelve years ago, you reached out to me and pulled me onto solid ground. More recently when I felt my feet slipping from beneath me, you made sure I was steady. I didn’t...I didn't know what to do with the emotions you made me feel. I didn't recognize them right away as love. But I do now, and every day I am thankful that I have a man like you to love, and that a man like you can love me.”
Now Beck had tears in his eyes, and he tightened his grip on her hands. She barely felt the slide of the ring on her finger, barely heard the pastor pronounce them husband and wife, barely heard the cheers of their friends and family as he pulled her close and sealed the deal with a kiss.
“I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU got everyone in on it,” Lacey said later that evening, laying in her husband’s arms on the sofa that had been pushed out of the way for the ceremony. Once everyone had left, she’d finally been able to see that the house, while not finished, was livable, and they’d be spending the night here in their home tonight, on their wedding night. Her dad and Con had gone back into town to get the bassinets, and the babies were asleep in the master bedroom
“It wasn't easy. You should have seen all the text messages, all day, every day. Not only that, but Con, Javi and some of their friends were working on the house every day, too, along with the crews from San Angelo, to get it ready. You have some really good friends, Lace.”
“Honestly, I never knew how good until today. But I would have caught on if I didn't have baby brain.”
“I believe that one hundred percent.” He craned his head to kiss her lips lightly. “You ready for bed, Mrs. Conover?”
She winced. That was his mom’s name, and didn't fit her. Still, his mother had hugged her—hugged her! So it wasn't all bad.
“Please, husband. Let’s go to bed.”
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Also by MJ Fredrick
Cascada Encantada
Christmas in the Cowboy's Arms
Kisses Sweeter Than Wine
Hearts of Broken Wheel
Lone Star Longing
Lost in a Boom Town
Twirling with Trouble
Standalone
Smitten in a Small Town
Sunrise Over Texas
A Ghostly Charm
Watch for more at MJ Fredrick’s site.
About the Author
MJ Fredrick knows about chasing dreams. Twelve years after she completed her first novel, she signed her first publishing contract. Now she divides her days between teaching elementary music, and diving into her own writing—traveling everywhere in her mind, from Belize to Honduras to Africa to the past.
She's a four-time Golden Heart Award finalist, and she won the 2009 Eppie Award with Hot Shot and the 2010 Eppie with Breaking Daylight. She was a 2012 Epic Award finalist with Don’t Look Back.
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Read more at MJ Fredrick’s site.