White Wedding Mints

by Tiffany Carby

  Teagan interrupted the conversation. “I mean it makes sense—nobody else in their right mind would put up with all the inconveniences that Gavin has dealt with all summer—no offense, Sis.”

  She wasn't wrong. And for some reason, Gavin's news left us all quiet. The drive to Spring City was spent in our own thoughts. Gavin picked the tunes, Teagan played on her phone, and I was mentally going through my wedding checklist wondering what other details I had missed.

  About an hour out from the Spring City Confectionary, Gavin started talking again.

  “I forgot to tell you,” he said and grabbed some papers he had stuck in the console. “They had these lists free at the bridal place so I grabbed them in case you guys wanted some reading material...especially since dresses were kind of off your radar…” After I finished giving him my annoyed look, I took the checklist and started talking things through with Teagan.

  “Tricky, Gage and Nik are taking care of all the sweets for both the rehearsal and the wedding reception,” I explained. With specialty donuts and ice cream, along with Nik’s request for a special groom’s cake, my simple wedding cake was...well, cake.

  “But it’s been ordered?” Teagan asked and Gavin snickered.

  “I’m fairly sure, but I’ll ask Blaire when we get together tomorrow,” I said in clarification. “Now, I know flowers are done because we’ve talked through every possible combination of flowers needed for bouquets and boutonnieres and table centerpieces and at the altar, so that should be something we can safely cross off the list."

  “Photographer?” Gavin asked.

  “Yep, there’s a local guy in Elkton who Blaire has hired...he’ll be there for the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner in addition to the entire wedding day.

  "Good, because photos will be the one thing you can safely keep when it's all said and done," Gavin reminded me and I suddenly realized I had been talking wedding stuff to him all summer but not invited him. I tried to smooth that over…

  "Gavin, I wish I had met you before our adventure; I'd have hired you to be our photographer!" He smiled and I genuinely meant it, so I hoped he felt the sincerity. "Regardless, if you don't have plans at the end of our candy shop adventure, I'd love for you to be our guest and come hang out for all the shenanigans?"

  "That's a nice invitation, and I appreciate it," he replied. "Let's see where the next week or so takes us, and I'll let you know if that's okay?" Of course, it was; I wasn’t going to force the poor boy to hang out with me. It’s a wonder he was still tagging along, and it was an even bigger wonder how he hadn’t convinced Gail that she was looney for putting up with me as one of her authors. Lately, my hot mess was an understatement.

  It was very doubtful that I was going to make it back to San Francisco before the wedding and I suddenly panicked about packing for our honeymoon.

  “After your meeting with Blaire tomorrow, let’s just go shopping,” Gavin suggested and Teagan and I cocked our heads sideways at his suggestion.

  “You mean we haven’t annoyed you enough?” I chuckled.

  “Nah, I’m enjoying you two,” he admitted.

  “You’re growing on us too, Gav,” Teagan said and reached up from the backseat to squeeze his shoulder.

  “Enough girl talk,” he said and pulled into a parking spot at our destination. “It’s time for gourmet bourbon balls!” And I’m sure Gavin could hear us snicker from the backseat.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  The Spring City Confectionary was my most favorite spot out of all the stops so far. Their gourmet bourbon balls were divine, as were their chocolate-covered cherries. I ordered several boxes of each and had them shipped to Elkton as groomsmen and bridesmaids gifts. Teagan could just act surprised. I also had a large box sent to Gail and her team in D.C. and a separate box sent to The Estate for Gavin, in anticipation of him coming to the wedding. I wanted to thank him for putting up with me.

  Meeting Blaire later that evening was amazing; it was, in fact, the first time we had met face-to-face. Not only was she an amazing wedding planner, but she was gorgeous and it was a wonder she didn’t have a ring on her own finger. We’d save that conversation for another time and place.

  We discovered our wires had crossed when it came to the planning of the bridesmaid dresses. As I suspected, she thought I had handed that off to the girls to take care of. It was most definitely me who had dropped that ball. Blaire probably marked that off her list thinking I had it done. I sighed.

  “All the big things are said and done,” she said. “We just have a few minor things to talk through, and your wedding planning will be complete until it’s time to get the party started.”

  Gavin and Teagan got up to go over to the bar and get some more drinks, leaving Blaire and me alone at the table for a moment.

  “I’m real sorry about your Grands, Noey,” she said, her condolences so sincerely.

  "Thank you, Blaire. And thank you for the flowers you sent to the funeral home. It meant a lot. I sure do miss her," I told her.

  “I can see it on your face; don’t feel like you have to hide your sadness. Grief is a natural thing.”

  “It’s a combination of grief and guilt; there are many things I should have said and done, and I’ll try to make as much up as I can in the wedding, but I’ll never truly know if she’s happy with me.” I shrugged my shoulders.

  “I’ve never met her, but after getting to know you, there’s no doubt in my mind that she was happy with you and proud of her granddaughter.”

  “You keep talking like that, and I’m gonna have to keep you around after the wedding!” I squeezed Blaire’s hand across the table and tried to take my mind off of Grands.

  We spent the next day in Louisville doing some last-minute shopping for the wedding and the honeymoon. I caught a copy of The Washington Post at a newsstand next to the coffee shop in the mall. I got lucky that it had our engagement announcement inside.

  “Gavin!” I said, calling him out of the coffee line and over to me. “The picture turned out perfect!”

  He beamed from ear to ear. “It’s not every day you get to see one of your photos in The Post!” We bought all the copies he had, and I texted Nik to buy more and bring them with him when he flew in for the wedding.

  Ryan, Nik’s boss, was flying in the friends and coworkers we had invited to the wedding on his private jet. We appreciated the gesture, but it meant Nik and Gus would arrive just in time for the rehearsal. I was concerned about delays, but at least with a private jet, you could count on a nonstop flight.

  Lydia and Brooke confirmed they found dresses I’d absolutely adore, thank goodness, and Teagan and I were able to find some cute dresses for the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner.

  “So, Noey.” Brooke took the phone from Lydia when she called with the dress update. “After the rehearsal dinner, it’s bachelorette time. The boys will be whisking Nik away for the night and we’re planning some shenanigans ourselves. No arguing!”

  “Yes ma’am,” I agreed.

  “This mama needs some girl time!”

  “I think it might do me a little good too!” After hanging up, I invited Blaire to join us, and she reluctantly agreed she’d tag along once she was sure everything was set for the wedding.

  “This is the thing you’ve hired me to do, and like, that Friday night will be game time, so trust me when I say I’ll tag along as soon as I know everything is good to go.” I was so glad I hired her.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  A week later the wedding festivities started to come to fruition. Everyone started arriving in Elkton and all the planning was coming to life.

  Brooke being the amazing hostess that she was had the mansion in mint condition: room doors were labeled for occupants, special toiletries were stocked in each room and the kitchen was full of everything anybody could want or need.

  She turned the largest sitting room into the bridal suite so we would have privacy getting dressed and the groomsmen were set up in a room in another wi
ng.

  “So upon my arrival, I discovered I forgot my tux shoes,” Nik said as he wandered around the house and found me before we left for the wedding rehearsal.

  “I know this is gonna sound a little strange,” I said, “But. Why don’t you just wear your Chucks and call it a day?” We both looked down at his feet. Nik loved a pair of Converse and his current pair was still new and clean.

  “I mean, I’ve seen other grooms do that, but are you sure that’s what you want? I can go find some dress shoes, there’s still time…” I couldn’t have been surer. And if that was the “thing”—the thing that went wrong, it was the best possible scenario.

  We rehearsed.

  We had dinner.

  We finalized plans and Blaire was happy with everything and couldn’t wait to show me.

  Dad brought me Grands' wedding veil and to my pleasant surprise, it was a gorgeous blushing veil that would look perfect with my dress. Such a win there, Grands!

  We went to the ice cream factory where everything was set up for the reception, and I couldn’t believe my eyes. The tables were beautifully decorated. The flowers couldn’t have been more perfect. The tiger lilies were fragrant and the perfect pop of color mixed with the muted pinks that matched the bridesmaid’s dresses. Gage had small freezers setup with our wedding ice cream, Smintten Chocolate Chip, so guests could enjoy or take home whatever they wanted. The cake was already on the table and was classic and stunning. Three tiers of buttercream were decorated with sugared flowers that matched the flowers on the tables. Blaire had coordinated the details perfectly.

  Nik’s ice cream cake had a place to sit as well once we arrived. The mint chocolate chip round cake was tall and covered in chocolate ganache. I could see it sitting in the nearby freezer. Gage even had it a frozen marble slab to keep it frozen.

  I kept looking at everything and couldn’t believe how it all had come together. I just couldn’t quite place what was missing.

  “Hey Noey,” Brooke said, calling me over to some large boxes by the service entrance. “I think these are gifts you ordered and had sent here?”

  “Ah yes, will you help me place them?” The bourbon balls and cherries for the bridal party completed the table settings for the bridesmaids and groomsmen. I even had a special box to leave at Nik’s table setting with a bite from his wife. Brooke couldn’t get over all the little details.

  “K, there are a couple more boxes, and then we should be done,” she said, pointing to two more boxes that were different from all the others.

  "I didn't order any other treats," I told her. She opened the box and held up several delicate little single-serve bags of my favorite candies pecans.

  “Oh, Lord,” I said, right before everything went black and I passed out on the ice cream factory floor.

  ***

  “Noey! Noey!” Nik kept saying my name over and over, and I finally came to enough to wave at him to stop. “Honey, what happened?”

  “I held up the bags of nuts, and she hit the floor!” Brooke told everyone who crowded around me.

  I sat up enough to get my bearings and the tears started to fall.

  “There’s a note for you, Noey...from the pecan shop in San Francisco,” Brooke said and walked the paper over to me.

  Ms. Smitt,

  We are pleased to fill this large order of your favorite candies pecans and also send our condolences regarding your adoring grandmother. When she placed this order for your wedding reception, she told us about you and your wonderful husband-to-be. Ms. Audrey beamed when she spoke of you. She ordered enough extra bags so the homemade mints you’d also have at the wedding could be packaged to match. Her instructions were very clear.

  We wish you and your family much happiness and hope you come visit when you return to our bay city.

  Sincerely, SanFran Pecans

  “The only thing she insisted upon, I have screwed up!” I big belly cried into Nik’s dress shirt. Everybody was gathering around me and offering to help in any way they could. But I was so disappointed in myself, I could hardly breathe.

  I had messed up the wedding mints.

  I didn’t deserve the kind words that were written in that letter or the people surrounding me.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  “Lydia, you and Brooke go to the craft store in town before they close. In the baking aisle, there will be candy molds. Buy all of them you can get your hands on,” Tricky started handing out orders. “Gavin and Teagan, you guys head to the grocery. I’ll text you the ingredients and quantities we’ll need as soon as Gage and I have the recipe locked down. Between my donut recipes and his ice cream concoctions, we’ll make some homemade mints if it takes all night.”

  I swear the look I gave him must have sent Tricky into papa bear mode because he was determined to make this happen for me. He handed his credit card to Teagan and shooed everyone with orders away.

  “Gage, my place or yours?” he asked his newly appointed co-chef.

  “Donut Shop, man...let's do it there.”

  “Nik, could you and Noey take the bags the Pecan Shop sent to package up the mints over to my store? We’ll need some extra tables from Brooke’s photography studio too if you could set those up so we have a place to put these things to set.”

  I mouthed the words “thank you” to him as we packed up the materials.

  The after-rehearsal-dinner bachelor and bachelorette parties had turned into mint-making festivities. Tricky ran with it, and he and Gage came up with something.

  “Good call on the Donut Shop, I have a dryer that I use to set glaze quicker, and we can use it to hopefully make these mints harden faster!” I overheard Tricky tell Gage. Everybody came and went and did their assigned tasks. Blaire was helping too and pulled me aside to tell me how sorry she was that she didn’t remind me about the mints.

  “I seriously thought you had ordered them from one of the shops you visited and had them sent to Elkton,” she told me. “I crossed it off my list too soon and I’m so, so very sorry!”

  “I don’t hold you at fault for this at all, Blaire,” I said. “I’m disappointed in myself, and dealing with this grief is just killing me.”

  “I wish there was something I could do to help you through this, but I know as time passes, you’ll feel better,” she said and reached out to squeeze my hand.

  “I know eventually I’ll get a sign that it’s all going to be okay, I just haven’t yet, and I’ve got to keep on going, I want to enjoy my wedding.” I shrugged my shoulders and a tear fell down my cheek.

  Nik came over and told the crew he was going to take me back to The Estate and then he’d be back to help.

  “You’re too good to me, Mr. Eastwood.”

  “Oh no, I’m not. I just love you so much and want you to be happy,” he put his arm around me as we walked down the square downtown. The Eastwood Estate was located just past the local B&B and the night’s air did us both some good.

  “So. Tomorrow.” I waited to see his response. And all he would give me was a big grin. “Wanna get married? And hope nothing else goes wrong?”

  “As long as I see you coming down the aisle at half-passed three tomorrow afternoon, nothing else matters,” he said and reached down to kiss my temple.

  I was lucky. And lucky was an understatement.

  ***

  Tricky not only delivered donuts for breakfast at The Estate the following morning but brought me a little bag of homemade mints that matched the candied pecans that Grands had sent for the reception.

  “I hope they’re okay, Noey,” he said as he handed it to me.

  “They couldn’t be more perfect, Tricky. How can I ever thank you?”

  “Hey, one day I plan on marrying that soon-to-be sister-in-law of yours and we might need mints for the wedding, so…” he teased and got me laughing, which was good. I needed to laugh. “Now go eat one of your Double Smintt donuts; I brought...they’re in the kitchen.”

  We all had a nice relaxing morning and enjoyed
getting all dolled up. Blaire had so many little touches that made the day special and all the girls noticed. She had matching jewelry for everyone to again tie all the bridesmaids together, and the flowers had coordinating colors so everyone’s bouquet was different but similar.

  We took lots of pictures getting ready and just as my dad came and knocked on the door, we were securing Grandmother Audrey’s blushing veil in my curls, Teagan was zipping me up, and Blaire was sliding on my heels.

  “You’re gorgeous, Noey,” Dad said as he came into the room.

  "She so is," Teagan said, and I noticed she wiped a tear away before it fell down her cheek.

  “We are not messing up makeup today, young lady!” I said and made the room laugh.

  “Ready to go?” Dad said and held out his arm. The girls headed out first and Dad and I walked together out of the bridal suite slowly, not in a hurry. For a moment, it was just the two of us and I squeezed him a little tighter as we made the maze through The Estate out to the front.

  “Daddy, I—” I stopped dead in my tracks. The heel on my right shoe had found an uneven spot on the old wood floor and snapped my heel plum off the shoe. He could feel me waiver and steadied me.

  “And I was just thinking how great things were going,” I said and handed him my bouquet.

  “Oh dear, do you have another pair?” he asked, trying to be helpful.

  "Of wedding heels?" I chuckled because, at this point in the day, it was just funny. "All the girls have bigger feet than me, I can't even borrow anything from Brooke."

  "Maybe we can glue it?" He was grasping at straws but still trying to think of what he could do to help me when the lightbulb came on.

  “Give me just a second, Daddy,” I said. “I’ll be right back.”

  Back to the bridal suite I went and shuffled through my bag, hoping and praying I was right.

  And there they were.