“You’re the flower gal, and I trust whatever you choose,” Kara said as she swished the satin train back and forth on the carpet.
“I would still really like for you to look at them.”
“I’m picking up Jack in fifteen minutes, and then we’re meeting Darrin at the house. Why don’t you come with us, and we can go to the flower shop after we get the guys? I trust your choices for the flowers. You know it doesn’t matter to me.”
“Alright. That will work.” Jess tried not to sound tense. “I think I have most of the flowers chosen.” She knew she was anal about details, but this was Kara’s big day. There was pressure to make it the best for her friend.
Kara’s bouquet should be mainly peonies... no ranunculus... no peonies. Jess ripped the mistletoe headband off her head. She couldn’t think with the thing on. She didn’t have time to think about finding a man, there was a wedding to plan.
Chapter 2
Darrin tossed his suitcase on the floor and sank into the overstuffed leather chair. He looked around the empty house and then at the row of family pictures above the fireplace. It seemed strange for the house to be silent. Growing up, it had always been full of music and laughter. There was never a time when his mother hadn’t had her favorite music playing.
The front screen door squeaked and a voice called. ”Darrin? Are you here? I hope it’s you or we’ve got burglars.”
He pulled himself out of the chair and followed the voice. Kara screamed, ran towards him and wrapped both arms around his neck. She planted a sloppy kiss on his cheek.
“Whoa. I’m happy to see you too,” Darrin said as he fought to regain his balance.
Kara dropped back to her feet, turned and pulled the man behind her to stand by her side. “Darrin, this is my fiancé, Jack.”
He firmly shook the man’s hand. “So you’re the guy who swept my little sister off her feet?”
“You could say that, but she kind of swept me a bit too,” Jack said with a chuckle. “If someone told me I was getting married five months ago, I would have claimed they were certifiable.”
“They’re in love. What can you say?” a tall brunette said as she stepped through the door.
He stared at the woman for a long moment. “Jess? Is that you?”
“I haven’t changed that much since we last saw each other, have I?” she asked. She tossed her hair off her shoulders. Her flawless skin and rosy, pink lips distracted him for a second.
“Great to see you.” He wasn’t sure how to answer that. Because, she had to be kidding. Darrin’s mouth felt dry as he stepped forward to shake her hand. Her fingers were warm and her skin was soft. The Jess he remembered from when they were in school, had frizzy permed hair and she wore braces on her teeth and was flat-chested. This Jess had auburn waves, dazzling white teeth and, well... was no longer flat-chested. Had the Invasions of the Body Snatchers pods hid in her basement and transformed her in the years he’d been away?
Kara pulled Jack’s arm. “Let’s see if they delivered the tables and the tent for the reception. See you guys in a few minutes.”
Jess looked Darrin up and down. “So time does heal all wounds. I assume we can be civil for the wedding, because you hated me when we were younger.”
“Hate is a harsh word. You guys were little girls, and I was the macho big brother.”
“You called me ‘concave’.” You like girls now and don’t think we’re a pain?”There was a challenge and a twinkle in her eyes.
“I like women, and I hope I’m not an obnoxious kid any longer. I’m really sorry for the mean nickname.”
“I’m not sure I can ever forgive you for the time we girls were having a backyard sleepover and you put an open jar of ants in our tent,”
“They weren’t red ants. Those bite,” Darrin said trying to think of something to defend his past actions. He sighed and gave up. “I’m sorry; I was a rotten kid.”
“No, not rotten. You were dealing with a lot for a kid your age.” Jess gaze dropped.
“I was.” He hadn’t realized he was still holding her hand. He let go and stepped away. “Can I get you some ice water? I just arrived myself, so I’m not sure what’s in the fridge.”
“That would be great. It’s hot out there.” She followed him into the kitchen where he filled two glasses and handed her one.
“So, I haven’t seen you in six years. You went off to college and then started your business in Chicago, am I right?”
“I’ve been busy building my sports therapy clinics. There are three.”
“Impressive. Will you open more in Chicago?”
“No. Actually, I just sold off two of the clinics. Kara and I have talked about it the last few months. I miss being home. I’m taking the profit from the sales and moving back to the homestead. I’ve had a market report run and I think Seattle would be a great area to open a new clinic.”
“You’re moving back?” She seemed flustered.
“Is that okay with you?”
“Sure, I mean why wouldn’t it be? You’ve just been gone a long time. It was a bit of a surprise to hear that you’re coming back. Kara hadn’t said anything.”
“I love this property and house, and it’s close enough to the city to commute.”
Jess pulled out her cell phone and looked at the time. “Sorry I have to run. I’m in charge of Kara’s flowers. I own a flower shop in the Village Mall and I have to start on the bouquet and all the rest.”
“Can I take you to your shop or home?”
“Thanks, but I followed Jack and Kara here. My car’s out front.” She looked at him through long dark lashes. “I hope sometime soon we can catch up.”
“I hope so too.”
Darrin watched Jess leave out the side door. It was very nice indeed to be back home and even better to find Jess here.
Chapter 3
Jess’s wandering thoughts of seeing Darrin again were a nice distraction from all of the stress of the past few days. Fantasy versus reality. Even though there was no evidence of a girlfriend who came with Darrin, Jess’s secret attraction was nothing more than that. When he said he was moving home, it was a shock. She’d thought of him often, and wondered what he was doing in his life, but it was always from afar. Now he was here and she would have to keep herself from acting like a star-struck schoolgirl every time he was in her space. She was a confident, college educated business owner... who inside was still that geeky kid she figured he thought she was.
To top things off, of course, of any wedding, the flowers for Kara’s wedding were all wrong. The delivery was short. The day before, Jess drove a hundred miles and then worked late into the night to get more flowers to make sure the arrangements and bouquets were completed.
Jess sighed and looked out over the farm decorated in its finery for the wedding. The twenty acres held fond memories from her youth. The house, pond, barn and woods surrounded the open lawn. The grounds were the perfect setting for a casual country wedding. White chairs were lined up in rows and the large reception tent stood off in the distance. She’d finished the reception flower decorations and was down to the decorations for the arbor where the ceremony would be held.
Next to the arbor, she struggled with the large silver stands that held plumes of fresh cut stems.
“Can I help you with that?” a deep voice asked.
Darrin wore his white tuxedo dress shirt with jeans. His sandy brown hair tipped his collar and the five-o-clock shadow he’d had the last time she saw him was shaven. His blue-green eyes captured hers.
“I can’t get the arrangements to fit in the stands. Do you by any chance have a pair of pliers in the barn?”
“I’ll be right back.”
He returned from the barn a few minutes later with a hammer. Taking the claw end, he pried the tight silver claws wider. “Now try it.”
She pushed, and the flower basket popped in. She let out an audible sigh of relief. “You’re a lifesaver”. Jess looked up at the sky. “Now if the weat
her would just cooperate.”
“The weather reports said there might be some wind coming.”
“As long as there’s no rain, we should be okay. Everything has to be perfect.”
He put a hand on her arm. “You sound stressed out. What’s going on?”
“It’s Kara’s wedding!”
“Yes... I think I’m aware of that. But you seem more nervous than she is.”
“Kara deserves this day to be perfect to make up for all the bad stuff that happened when we were younger.” Jess’s heart tightened. He and Kara suffered hard times growing up. First, their dad left, and then their mom passed away.
Darrin stepped closer, a look of true concern on his face. “None of us have control over the past.”
“It doesn’t seem fair that I have both my parents and the two of you were left alone.”
“Life is seldom fair, but it’s drawn Kara and I closer. We are the only family we have.”
“You know you can always be added to my family.” She smiled. “My dad always thought the sun rose and set on you. After you moved away, he still talked about you. I secretly think he wanted you to ask me out, but you were too old.”
“I’m five years older than you. I don’t think that puts me in the cradle robber category.”
“I guess you’re right and things change.”
He watched her for a long moment. “If I asked you out now, do you think he would still be happy about me dating his daughter?”
Jess’s face heated. “He’ll be at the wedding. You can ask him.”
A large gust of wind caught the basket on the other side of the aisle and sent it crashing backwards.
“Oh, no!” Jess cried. Some of the flower stems broke and petals lay strewn down the aisle.
“You grab the flowers. I’ll go get some bricks and wire. We’ll weight the baskets down so the wind won’t catch them again.” Before he left, he bent and said, “Don’t get worked up over this. Wait for the big things in life to come along, and don’t sweat the little stuff. Put the flowers back in the basket. No one will know. They’ll be perfect.”
His words were oddly calming. He was right. Jess watched Darrin stride off across the field. Where had this calm, assured man come from out of the arrogant, cute boy she once knew? He wasn’t the same as she remembered, but maybe that was a good thing. She wasn’t the same girl. Jess liked this new Darrin even more... if that was possible.
Slowly, she picked up the flowers one at a time to rearrange them in the basket.
The sun came out from behind the clouds as the guests began to arrive. Guests were seated and a string quartet played in one corner. White flower garlands wound up the sides of the aisle as the flower girl dropped petals of bright pink and red. Jack followed the pastor out from the side of the field and then turned to face the guests.
Kara peeked around the corner of the house and exclaimed, “Look at Jack, isn’t he handsome! I have to be the luckiest girl in the world.”
Jess kissed Kara on the cheek and then bent to straighten the short train of her dress. The bridal procession music began. She straightened and found Darrin next to her.
“You all look beautiful,” he commented, but his eyes were on her. Her stomach did a little flip.
“Where are your pants?” Jess exclaimed as her gaze dropped.
“Uhhh... I think I’m wearing them.”
“Not those pants. Your tuxedo pants.”
“It’s a long story. But now I have a more pressing matter. I need to give away my sister.” He winked at Kara and took her arm. “Love you, sis. Wish mom was here to see you, she would be so proud.”
“She’s here. We just can’t see her.” Kara sniffed, and took her brother’s arm.
After the receiving line was complete, the reception began under the big white tent. Tiny white lights lit the surroundings with a magical glow and gardenias scented the air. Instead of enjoying herself, Jess found herself fussing again with the flowers on and around the cake.
“Will you stop?” Darrin asked.
“I can’t.”
He grabbed two champagne flutes from a passing caterer’s tray. “Have a glass of champagne with me, take off your shoes and breathe.”
“How did you know my feet were killing me?”
“I have no idea how women walk in those things.”
Jess leaned over and whispered in his ear. “It’s the number-one girl secret, but neither do we. We think they make our legs look sexy.” She kicked the shoes off to the side of the grass and sighed as she buried her toes in the thick-green turf.
“I think your legs look sexy without those torture devices on your feet.”
“Really? Thanks.” She took a drink of champagne. The bubbles tickled her tongue. “So, I bet you know that I am a bit of a perfectionist. I have been dying for the past hour to ask, what the deal is with wearing jeans? Are they more comfortable than the tux pants?”
Darrin motioned for her to join him at an empty table. “Honest, I wasn’t trying to ruin the atheistic look of the wedding. When the guys went in the room to get dressed, the tux rental place put the wrong pants for Jack on the hanger. They were the length of the ring-bearer’s. They were about six inches too short. Jack’s a big burley cop, but I thought he was going to cry. Lucky for him, his sister is marrying a man who is almost her brother’s same size.”
“You gave him your pants.”
“As I said, pick your battles. All the groomsmen have on these heart print boxers that were given as gag gifts at the bachelor party. I could have worn only those.”
Jess laughed and covered her eyes. “Too much information.”
“I made an executive decision and went with the jeans instead of the boxers. Though I have pretty sexy legs too.”
“But it’s not politically correct to attend a wedding in just your underwear.”
Darrin glanced over at the stage. “I have to admit, I’m nervous about giving the wedding toast.”
“You know everyone here. Why are you nervous?”
He pulled a crumpled piece of printer paper from his jeans pocket. “I found this toast online.” He handed it to her.
She read it over and shook her head. “Do what you want, but I think you should speak from here, and not a piece of paper.” She patted his heart.
Chapter 4
Darrin cleared his throat. “First off, let me thank you for being here tonight.” He flattened the piece of printer paper and then looked out over the crowd. Jess was smiling at him. It was hard to pull his gaze from hers; she was so beautiful it threatened to rob his thoughts. He gained his composure, wadded the printed speech and tossed it over his shoulder. “I found a toast, but someone told me it was too formal. She was right. I’m not a formal kind of guy; it wasn’t even close to what I wanted to say. I’d rather not read off paper and roll with the punches.
“I toast my sister to honor her wedding day, but more important to toast the memory of the years we have spent together. Tonight my heart fills with pride for the woman Kara grew into. The memories we shared will always be with me. Both of us wish Mom was here today, and as Kara said earlier, we know she is. I love you, sister; you will be part of my life forever.
“I also want to lift my glass to Jack, the man who today became my sister’s husband. I’ve only known him a few days, but I anticipate this is only the beginning of our friendship. Jack, I welcome you into our small family. Earlier today it was only Kara and me, now I have gained a brother. We’ll be bound forever by our common love for my sister.
“I know you’re a cop, and carry a gun, Jack, but with all that said, I will kick your butt if you ever hurt her.” Darrin raised his glass. “Here’s to Kara and Jack and a long, happy, and healthy life together.”
The guests laughed and clapped. Jack and Kara embraced him. He felt a tear of his own escape and brushed it away with the back of his hand.
The remaining guests and wedding party danced and laughed late into the night. As the party woun
d down, Kara exclaimed to Jack, “I have a surprise for all of you. Follow me out into the field.”
Darrin yawned, but he wandered after the guests and his sister.
Kara waved her hand. “Now, Bob!” she shouted.
There was a whoosh as the first of the aerial fireworks exploded. A colored sparkling plume appeared. She grabbed Jack and gave him a big kiss. “I know how much you love the 4th of July, and I thought the wedding wouldn’t be complete without fireworks.”
“I love you!” Jack said as he bent Kara back to kiss her.
A strong gust of wind hit them. One of the firework tubes blew sideways. There was a whump and the explosion shot past the crowd. Someone screamed as they dodged to avoid the projectile. The whistling fireball shrieked and stuck in the top of the reception tent. Suddenly there was a burst of flame.
“Oh my God! The tent’s on fire,” Kara cried.
Jack called out to his friends who were attending the wedding who were firefighters. The men and women ran off across the field. The orange flames licked at the top of the canopy and quickly spread engulfing the dome.
Darrin tried to think of what he could do and hurried to grab the hose they watered the field with by the house. He rapidly screwed a few lengths together so the spray would reach the tent and turned on the water. The fire hissed as the cold water struck it.
It was less than ten minutes before the wail of fire engine sirens filled the night air. Everyone was running and yelling commands. Flames shot into the night sky.
“My tent!” the neighbor they’d borrowed the tent from cried. “You burned it up. You need to pay for this!”
Darrin motioned to one of the groomsmen to take the hose from him and then confronted the man. “Hey, calm down. It will all be taken care of. It was an accident.”
The firefighters pulled out the length of hose and a tall stream of water arced into the air.
Soon they extinguished the fire. There was not much left of the tent but shreds of smoking tarp and dripping water. Darrin dropped down and sat in the grass.
The Mobile Mistletoe Series (Books 1-4) Page 6