Sidney started to inch away from the door and toward her work area, but someone knocked on the glass. Couldn’t they read the closed sign? She sighed. Since she was clearly visible through the glass, courtesy required she speak to them. Maybe they only needed to pick a garment up. They’d be in and out, and she’d have one less thing on her racks.
Sidney found Colin standing on the step, his hand poised to knock again. Flipping the lock to let him in, she threw her arms around his neck for a hug. Colin wrapped her in his arms as he passed through the doorway, but let go as the door closed behind him. He pressed a kiss to her cheek and flicked a thread off her shoulder. “Hi honey.”
The short sleeve button down shirt with khaki shorts were not his typical work day uniform. He dressed for the job he wanted—moving into upper management—and wore a tie to work at the call center.
“Hey, you’re out of work early.” She locked the door and led the way to her sewing machine. Or one of her sewing machines. She had five in her alterations shop, not including the two sergers and the embroidery machine. Along one wall was a rack filled with clothes and all those bridesmaid dresses that arrived today. On the opposite wall, another rack stood with completed projects waiting to be picked up as well as a few things scheduled for longer than her normal one week turnaround. Before she went home tonight, she’d move the dresses to the far end of that rack along with a few winter coats. The suits and pants would stay where they were until completed. Most of those would be easy, except for the suit jacket for the guy with the swimmer’s physique. Broad shoulders, long arms, and a narrow waist meant she had to perform miracles with the jacket torso, so the man wouldn’t be wearing a tweed tent.
Colin dropped onto the rolling stool in front of the hemmer and spun around. His foot kicked a nest of fabric and thread that had missed the garbage. It tumble-weeded to the middle of the floor.
Sidney swooped it up and deposited it in the nearest trash can. She had to vacuum tonight too, then she and Colin had a marriage class at their church. It had been a long day, and she still had a few hours before she could relax. There wouldn’t be any time for canoeing tonight.
“About the class tonight,” Colin said. “I had something come up, and I need to miss tonight. I’ve got a good chance to get in with the big wigs. How could I turn an opportunity like that down?”
Sidney could think of a lot of ways. It didn’t explain why he wore shorts. Colin wasn’t the only manager who volunteered for extra time to impress the higher ups. “Couldn’t someone else cover it tonight?”
“Yeah, but Sidney,” Colin reached for her hand. “We could use the extra money for the wedding. Things are going to be tight on your budget.”
“Our budget is fine, and this class is important.” When had he changed his mind about so many of the things they’d agreed on? The honeymoon, the wedding, saving money for their life together rather than blowing their extra cash on one day. Sidney pushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear, then crossed her arms in front of her chest.
“A guy at the seminar on Saturday said most receptions are four or five times what we have budgeted.”
So had her planning book, but she wasn’t one to do what everyone else did. “But we talked about how much we were comfortable spending. We agreed to keep the ceremony small and do a dessert bar instead of a meal for the reception. Just because everyone else has an extravagant celebration doesn’t mean we have to.”
He rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand. “But I want so much better for us. I’m willing to work to provide us with the luxuries we deserve.”
“I love that you want to work so hard for us, but I’m comfortable with the wedding budget. I don’t want a big, fancy wedding. I want to celebrate our commitment to each other with friends and family. Something simple and fun. Let’s save the money for our life together.”
Colin pressed her hand tighter. “Sidney, this is our wedding day, the most special day of our lives.” He had a point. She wanted it to be perfect. The day she’d dreamed about since she was a little girl. But having a perfect day and spending boatloads of money didn’t have to go hand in hand. Having family and friends around her were her only requirements. The rest were extras she could live without.
She kicked at another clump of fabric clippings sticking to the carpet. “You’re right. It should be special. But can’t you switch with someone tonight? The marriage class is one of those things about our wedding and relationship that’s most important to me.”
“I know, but it’s just one class of the series.” He tipped her chin up, so she saw straight into his eyes. “I’ll definitely make it to the next one.” He pulled his phone out of his rear pocket and tapped the screen. “I’ll make sure I have all of them in here, so I won’t have a conflict.”
She peered at the screen as Colin tapped the events in. It could be her fatigue from an exhausting day talking, but why weren’t their marriage classes already in his calendar? Irritation scratched already tired nerves. If it was so important—if making their wedding extravagant was important to him, why hadn’t he put the events in his calendar as soon as they’d signed up for the class? Their life together should be more important than the events of one day.
She saw several other evenings blocked out over the next few weeks. The calendar popped up a notification that one of their classes conflicted with one of those meetings.
“What are all these appointments? I didn’t know you had so much going on.” She grabbed his phone to study the reserved times.
Colin peeled the phone out of her fingers. “Those are for the business I told you about. I’m getting in on the ground floor and need to get through all the orientation.”
Sidney jammed her hands on her hips. A brain that had been fending off exhaustion rallied for a fight. “You signed up for it? We never talked about it.”
Colin shrugged. “Yeah, I know. I wanted to know more about how everything works before I told you about it.”
“But if we are starting a life together, shouldn’t we talk about it before you take a new job?” If he thought he could jump into this without discussing it with her, then they definitely needed the marriage class. Tonight’s topic was communication.
“I haven’t officially committed to anything. I want to know as much as possible before we decide whether it’s a good opportunity.” He patted her arms with his phone still clutched in one hand.
Sidney didn’t like it. She rolled her fingers into fists and tucked them under her arms to keep from shaking one at Colin. But he seemed to be showing sufficient caution. It irked her that he didn’t want her input in evaluating the plan, but marketing wasn’t her thing and Colin knew that. “Okay, just don’t sign anything until we talk.”
****
As Joshua steered the grocery cart down the aisle, one wheel jerked the cart to the left, no matter how hard he corrected right. His dad had settled on the bench beside the free coffee for a rest. After all the fussing around at the hospital this morning for tests, the man was exhausted. Joshua had tried to talk him into going home and taking a nap while Joshua went for groceries, but he’d insisted a rest on the bench would be just fine. Probably wanted a chance to talk to someone who wasn’t wielding a needle.
Joshua glanced back at the bench as he rounded the corner to the cereal aisle. Another man had sat down next to his dad, and they were conversing over foam cups. He pushed the cart into the center of the aisle and studied the shelves for the high fiber brand the doctor suggested. Joshua grabbed a box where the contents of the bowl looked like tree bark. It didn’t look tasty, and he doubted it would encourage his dad’s appetite any more than a charbroiled steak. They hadn’t even begun the chemotherapy treatments, and his dad had already lost several pounds.
Joshua headed for the meat department and surveyed the plastic-wrapped cuts.
“Hi there, Joshua!” Aunt Penny slid her cart next to his, parking him between the meat and any chance of a getaway.
“How’s Buc
k?” she asked, leaning against the handle of her cart.
“He’s at the front of the store. You could ask him yourself.”
“Yeah, but I’ll get a better picture from you.”
Joshua had the suspicion this conversation would be longer than a passing greeting. “First round of chemo is tomorrow. We just left the hospital. They did another battery of tests today.”
Penny nodded, the knot on the yellow scarf wrapped around her hair bobbing. “He’ll come through fine. Do you want me to sit with you at the hospital tomorrow?”
Joshua hesitated. Aunt Penny’s presence usually hovered closer to terrifying than comforting. Throwing him in a canoe on their last meeting wasn’t the worst she’d done. She was always the one in the family urging them to try this or that adventure. Some with rewarding results and others not so much. The mission trip to Mexico had spurred his career choice to help people after a natural disaster. The kayaking trip where she’d convinced the guide they were skilled at tackling class IV white water had cemented his terror of water.
“We’ll be okay.” He hoped it was true. The idea of poison being pumped into his dad filled him with dread. He couldn’t read his dad’s feelings on the subject. At the doctor’s office, he nodded or grunted to the instructions, never asking questions one way or the other.
“If you need moral support, I’m here.”
Joshua tried to nod again. The whole scenario made him queasy. He’d only been home two weeks, and the cancer had taken a ravaging toll. How much worse would it get as they tried to cure it? His dad had less energy, less strength, and his skin had a gray tint. What would six treatments do?
The brochures and pages of instructions the doctors had given him were a life saver. He couldn’t remember half of what they said, and his dad absorbed even less. Knowing he’d be able to read the information over later eased some of his anxiety. He didn’t have to have the doctor’s lecture memorized.
Joshua had been so focused on remembering what they needed to bring and what time they needed to be there tomorrow to comprehend much else. His dad took it all in stride. Either that or he ignored everything they said. If he didn’t want to hear about something, he tuned out the person talking and anything related to the topic. When he spoke, he changed the subject.
“Yeah. I’m sure everything will be fine,” Joshua said. If he said it often enough, he might believe it.
Penny reached over and squeezed his arm. “It’s a tough situation, but they caught it early. Are you planning any more canoe races?”
Joshua was a bit baffled by the change in topic. Maybe topic jumps were a genetic thing rather than a result of his dad’s illness. Aunt Penny knew his dysfunctional relationship with water sports. Four days later and he could finally move without groaning. His muscles would seize if he touched another canoe paddle. “I don’t have plans for one.”
“Well, you and Sidney certainly made a good team. Colin would have never held off Missy and Zach the way you did.”
Nor would he have had the prescience to tip Missy into the water. Joshua wanted to snarl when he heard Colin’s name, and he wasn’t sure why. He had never met Colin. If Sidney liked him, he must be a decent guy. If he wasn’t, he should be. Sidney deserved someone special. Although, he based his evaluation only on her ability to make apple pie and bring it to him. He hadn’t seen her since Sunday afternoon, but he had thought about her constantly. How the sun lit her hair when they were rowing around the lake. How her presence smelled of apple and cinnamon. Before he had gone too far down that road, he reminded himself she was engaged to Colin. “Colin will have to bring his A-game to the last race.”
Aunt Penny gave him a look that said she didn’t think Colin had a B-game, let alone an A-game, but what could Joshua do? He wasn’t in the business of breaking up happy couples. He wondered where the thought had come from. He pushed it away. If Sidney was available, then he’d be considering a home with a foundation, and he knew from experience those crumbled in a storm. Sidney would never be his. He didn’t need that pounded into his brain with a canoe paddle.
Thankfully, Aunt Penny wandered away after reminding him to call if they needed anything. It was much easier to slap thoughts of Sidney out of his head without Aunt Penny’s prodding.
Worrying about his dad should be his first concern, the whole point of temporarily relocating to Pine Bottom and being in the grocery store in particular. He double-timed it through the rest of the list, knowing his dad’s exhaustion. His speed was hampered by the unfamiliar store and the recalcitrant cart. He had to backtrack several times. After each instance, he swung around the front of the store to see his dad reclined on the bench, chewing the fat with someone new. At least he hadn’t fallen asleep.
When his list was finally complete, he shoved the cart into the shortest checkout lane and leaned against the handle as the cashier rang up the person in front of him. He gazed wearily at the tabloids surrounding him before the conveyor belt opened enough to unload his items.
As he plunked down the high fiber cereal, another man slid into line behind him. He held a frozen pizza and a two liter. Joshua compared his full cart with the few things the other man held. Joshua gestured for him to go ahead.
“Thanks!” The man tipped his head. “I appreciate it. I’m already late to meet my girlfriend, and I promised to bring dinner.” He held up the plastic-wrapped pizza.
Joshua tried to hide his grimace. The frozen pizza wasn’t even the good kind with thick crusts and readily identifiable toppings. The cardboard supporting the crust was thicker than the entire pizza including the thin smattering of cheese and smear of pizza sauce. “I’m sure she’ll be grateful,” Joshua said, thinking that whoever the girl was, she was anorexic and she deserved better.
The man dumped the pizza on the conveyor and added the generic two liter of club soda. “Are you new in town? I haven’t seen you around.”
“I’m staying with my dad during his chemo treatments.” Joshua nodded to his dad whose companion had been replaced by another elder of the community.
“Gotcha.” The man fished his wallet out of his pocket and handed the exact amount of cash to the cashier. “Nasty stuff. My name’s Colin, by the way.” He held out his hand.
“Joshua.” He reached across the grocery cart and shook Colin’s hand, wondering if this was the same Colin who stood Sidney up on Saturday. He gave the man a closer look. His shoulders hunched forward and barely filled out the white short-sleeve shirt. If this was Sidney’s Colin, she probably had to pin reminders to his shirt.
Colin grabbed the bag and waved. “Have a good night.”
Joshua returned the salutation, then unloaded his groceries onto the conveyor. His dad’s companions had abandoned him, and Joshua was ready to get home himself. There was baseball on tonight, and a close game should clear out the thoughts of Sidney. He and his dad were in for a long day at the hospital tomorrow, and he couldn’t be lingering on a woman who wasn’t his.
Chapter Six
Sidney peeked out of the dressing room. Her mom perched on the stool in front of the three-way mirror. She glanced at her watch, then picked up a bridal magazine next to her seat and flipped through the pages, not settling on any article or photo spread. Sidney should have shown her at least one dress by now. Sidney eased the door closed and wrinkled her nose at her reflection. That the dress wore her might be a better description. Her body was little more than a hanger for the yards of fabric. Satin bands wrapped around her upper arms. The bodice hugged her waist and hips and flared at her knees. A straight-jacketed mummy, and this dress wasn’t any better than the last four. Maybe a suggestion from her mother could nudge her in the right direction.
Sidney edged the door open and squeezed through. The tulle on the skirt rustled against the door jamb, hissing like a snake. She stepped up onto the platform in front of the mirror and met her mother’s gaze over her shoulder.
Her mother didn’t burst into tears or gasp in horror. She stood, placed her h
ands on her hips, and studied the dress. She paced from side to side, eyeing the gown exactly like she would the afore-mentioned viper, contemplating whether to back away or chop off its head.
Well, at least, they agreed this one wasn’t the winner. “What do you think?” Sidney asked anyway.
“The cream color complements your complexion.” Her mom pursed her lips. “But it doesn’t look like you can move your arms.”
Sidney tried raising them. She could, but not enough to dance and spell letters over her head, and the dress didn’t slide back into place. The fabric caught and bunched on her bust and hips.
“This is so tight it gets stuck on your skinny bum.” Her mom helped her jerk the dress back down over her behind. “What else do you have in the dressing room?”
Sidney shook her head. “Another mermaid thing. A princess style with enough tulle to provide mosquito netting to half of Africa and a couple simple sheaths that do nothing but make my butt look like it needs a truck with flashing lights in front of it.”
“Try something else on. We have about twenty minutes before you have to be back at the shop.”
“I don’t think I’m going to find a dress in twenty minutes.” Sidney jumped off the platform, and the dress shuffled back into place.
“Of course not, but you’ve found three styles that aren’t good. A couple more styles, and you’ll find a direction.” Mom sounded so hopeful, but Sidney was sure this process was doomed. She was searching for her wedding gown on her lunch hour. Who did that? Shouldn’t it be a big party with her sister and her mom and Penny, instead of between bites of her turkey sandwich? “Bring me something else while I untangle myself from this monstrosity.”
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