by Donna Alward
“Hardly. Does anyone ever want to go to a wedding alone? Let alone their ex’s? Besides, I’m totally okay with you parading me around like your studmuffin for the day.”
She elbowed him and he started laughing. “Stop it,” she commanded. But he could see she was trying not to grin. “Not that you’re not studly. You are. But there will be no parading.”
“Laurel, would you like a date for the wedding?” He cut through the joking around and asked the simple question.
“I would. Yes.”
“Consider it done. I’ll pick you up on Saturday at, say, one-fifteen?”
“That’d be perfect.”
“Okay.” He checked his watch. “And it’s nine-oh-five and you’re not opened yet. I should blast off and let you get to work.”
“You’re a terrible influence. I’m late for the second time today.”
He took her empty coffee cup and stacked it inside of his. “I would apologize, but I’m not really sorry.”
“Wanna know a secret?”
“What?”
She leaned over close to him. “I’m not sorry, either.” She looked around for a second and then stood up on tiptoe and pressed her lips to his. They were sweet, soft, and alluring as hell.
“Thanks for dinner last night,” she whispered, giving him one last, lingering kiss.
“You’re welcome.”
“And for breakfast.”
He smiled against her lips. “That too.”
“You’d better get going.” Little nibbles on his lips. His body hardened.
“You’ve got to stop kissing me, then,” he advised.
“Damn. You’re right.”
She stepped back. Her eyes glowed at him, and he wished they could just blow off work for the day and spend it together. But all indications said that this was an adult relationship and they both had adult responsibilities. He led the way back down the concrete aisle to the entrance.
“Call you later this week?” he asked, wanting to see her, not wanting to appear needy. This relationship that was kind of a free-flow thing was damned hard to navigate.
“I hope so.”
They stopped by the gate, and Laurel lifted it out of the way and swung it back, opening the store for business.
Aiden saw George about fifteen feet away. He lifted a hand in farewell and smiled, and George waved and smiled back.
“Thank you for that,” he said softly. He doubted she really knew how much it meant to him, and he didn’t want to get all sentimental. Not when they were keeping things “light.” But George was special for some reason. When Aiden got frustrated with some of the banal nature of being a cop in a quiet, little town, it was the idea of helping people like George that made it worth it.
* * *
Laurel caught herself humming as she worked around the shop. With a laugh, she realized neither of them had remembered the items for his mom. Aiden was pleased that she’d hired George, and she suspected equally pleased that George had accepted.
When noon rolled around, George was finishing up for the day. Laurel grabbed the sandwich from the fridge, stopped at the cash register and took out George’s pay, and went to the far corner, where he was rolling up the hose. “Hey, George. Good job today.”
“Thanks, Ms. Stone.”
“Are you ever going to call me Laurel?”
He treated her to a rare grin. “Probably not.” This was getting to be a routine with them, and she liked it.
She smiled back. “Listen, I’ve got your day’s pay here.” She’d hesitated giving him a check, since she hadn’t wanted to pry about the logistics of a bank account or not having a fixed address. “And Aiden brought an extra sandwich this morning.” She held out the wrapped package. “You might as well have it.”
George’s gaze met hers. “Ms. Stone, I didn’t take this job for charity.”
She’d offended him. She’d bought him a meal before and he’d said nothing. He’d relied on other people’s goodwill. But perhaps she was guilty of not putting herself in his shoes. “I’m not trying to hit you in the pride, George. It’s a sandwich. Not a new car.” She tried an encouraging smile, but it wasn’t returned.
“I’ll take the money because I earned it. But not … I can go buy myself some lunch. I don’t…” his words faded, and to Laurel’s chagrin, she saw tears in his eyes.
“I’m sorry,” she said gently.
“This is the first time I’ve had anything to feel proud about in a long time,” he admitted, his words a little disjointed as he struggled to contain his emotions. “I need to learn how to do things on my own.”
She reached out with her free hand and put it on his arm. “And sometimes we need to learn that it’s okay to ask for help. There’s strength in that, George.”
“You don’t know.”
“I know I don’t. I have a better idea.” She carefully peeled back the paper on the sandwich, which was cut in two halves. “We share. You take half, and I’ll take half, and we can be friends.” She smiled encouragingly.
“Ms. Stone,” he said with a sigh.
“Someday you’re going to be standing where I am right now, George. And you’re going to pay it forward. So let’s bond over bacon and whatever else is in here and call it a day, okay?”
He shook his head. “You’re one stubborn lady.”
“The sooner you realize that, the better.”
He laughed then. A rusty, wheezy kind of laugh that sounded like he was out of practice. And then he took the half sandwich and took a big bite.
“So, you and the cop. You’re a thing, huh?” He said it through the bite of crusty bread.
Holy Hannah, George was making small talk. Laurel tried to affect a nonchalant expression and shrugged. “Yeah, I guess we are.”
“He’s a good guy.” George swallowed. “Always looked at me rather than around me, like most people, you know?”
She did. She’d seen it that day she’d offered him the job. Up until that moment, she’d been one of those “most people.”
“I’ve known him a long time,” Laurel admitted. “George, if I’m prying, don’t answer, but why Darling? Are you from here, or nearby or something?”
His chewing slowed and the wary, guarded look masked his face again. “Never mind,” she hurried to say. “I don’t want to upset you.”
“I’d better get going,” he said, wrapping up the rest of the sandwich.
“Do you want a drive today? I can run you into town.”
“No, ma’am. Thank you.”
Dammit. “George, I’m sorry. I keep putting my foot in my mouth. Forget I said anything. I’m an idiot.”
That, at least, garnered a small smile from him. “You’re not an idiot. I just can’t, that’s all. Not now. Maybe not ever.”
She felt like she’d made a mess of everything, until he went to pass by her. Then he reached out and patted her arm a couple of times.
It was as close to forgiveness as she was going to get, she figured.
CHAPTER 15
Laurel really hadn’t known what to wear to Dan’s wedding. What did you wear when your ex-husband was getting married? She looked at the dress on the hanger and fretted. Was it too much?
She’d had to call in reinforcements and Willow had taken her shopping at a little vintage store she knew. They’d come out with this minty-green chiffon concoction that was more girly than anything Laurel had ever worn before. But she’d liked it and enjoyed how it felt swishing against her legs when she moved. Then Willow had taken her to get her hair cut. The blunt ends were gone, and now she sported a sleek bob that ended at the bottom of her collar. Her hairstyle today was simple. Willow, with all her handiwork, had fashioned a headband from matching green silk with an aqua-silk reverse side. The aqua was the precise shade of the underskirt of the dress. The little pop of color was both surprising and pretty. The ensemble was completed with a cute pair of aqua-blue shoes with ankle straps and faux buttons up the top of the feet.
She pressed her hand to her stomach. It was already twelve thirty. Aiden would be here at one fifteen. She still had to fuss with her hair and put on makeup.
First things first, though. She unzipped the dress and put it on. The wrap-style bodice was comfortable and hid any perceived sins, and the V-neckline accentuated her breasts. The full skirt was fun, though frothier than she was used to, but when she looked in her mirror she liked how it made her waist look small. Aiden had been right about her hiding away behind her work shirts and jeans. Not today. Today she wasn’t going to hide. She was going to feel pretty, dammit. If it killed her.
The makeup wasn’t difficult, since she didn’t usually wear much. She just went a little heavier than normal and actually put on lipstick. It was the hair giving her fits. The hairdresser had thinned it out, but it still wanted to flip up on a few of the ends. She spent twenty precious minutes with a big-barrel curling iron, trying to smooth out the bottom so it curled under just right. Then another seven fiddling with the headband. When she got it as close to perfect as she could manage, she sprayed the hell out of it with hairspray.
How had she actually done this every day when she’d worked at the firm?
The preparations had kept her mind off the logistics of the afternoon, but now that she was ready, it all came back and hit her right in the nerves. The plants, urns, and flower arrangements were all set up by the bridge, and in less than an hour Dan would be standing there with Ryan and she’d be sitting in a rented white folding chair watching them make the same promises she and Dan had made to each other.
And she was expected to smile throughout the whole thing.
The knock at the door shook her out of her thoughts, and she let out a big breath. When she opened the door, she expected to see Aiden in the navy suit she remembered. Instead, he looked very summery and handsome in sand-colored trousers, a white shirt, and a tie that was more of a champagne color.
“Wow,” she said, looking into his eyes. The light colors seemed to emphasize his gray-blue irises and suited his dark ginger hair perfectly.
“I was going to say the same thing.” He smiled, leaned down, and kissed her cheek. “I don’t want to mess up your lipstick.”
“Appreciated. Though maybe we can revisit that later.”
“Mmm. That sounds like a plan. How late do we have to stay at this thing?”
She stepped outside and closed the door behind her. “Well, there’s the ceremony. And pictures. And the reception is a summer tea under white tents.”
“God.”
She laughed and they made their way down the walk. “Do you want to take my car?”
“Would you mind? The truck feels kind of … I don’t know, rednecky.” He grinned. “And you’re looking way too fine to be sitting up in the cab of a half-ton truck.”
“Flatterer.”
They stopped by her car and he opened the door, but stood in the way of her getting in. “You look very pretty today, Laurel. I like the dress. And the hair.” He lifted his hand and rubbed a few strands through his fingers. “You’ve always had the prettiest hair.”
The compliment went straight to her heart. “Willow helped.”
“Willow is a very nice friend.” He smiled and then stood back from the car so she could slide into the passenger seat. She handed him the keys and watched him go around the hood to the driver’s side.
The small parking lot next to the park was already full when they arrived. Laurel felt a little sick to her stomach, thinking about facing the people waiting. There’d be Dan’s family—her former in-laws. Her former coworkers, too. Aiden crept down the street, searching for a spot and parked across from the memorial statue. “Are you okay?” He shut off the car and looked over at her, his hand resting on the steering wheel.
“I will be. I just realized that I’m going to see my in-laws, and the people from the office. I haven’t seen them since I moved. They’re going to be looking at me, Aiden. Trying to guess at my feelings. Assessing.”
“You don’t have to do this,” he said. “We can turn around and go home and not worry about a single soul.”
“I can’t do that. I said I’d be here. It’s his wedding day.”
He made a weird nose in the back of his throat, and she knew he disapproved. “What?” she asked.
“Nothing,” he replied, letting out a small sigh. He met her gaze. “Look, I said I’d be here for moral support and I will. So it’s whatever you want to do. I just … well, if you wanted to back out, I’ll back you up. That’s all.”
And she was glad of it. It was nice to know he was there in her corner. “I’m fine, really. Just stay close, okay? I think I’ll feel better facing everyone if you’re there with me.”
“Of course.” He took her hand briefly. “Besides, it’s not like I know anyone else, really. I’ll be sticking close to you, too.”
“What a couple of weenies we are.” She laughed lightly. Nervous as she was, it was good to know they had each other. And she did want to do this. Not just for Dan, but for herself. She could show everyone that she was okay. More than okay. She had a new life now and was happy.
She squeezed Aiden’s fingers. She was happy. What a lovely revelation.
“Let’s do it,” she said.
“I’ll get your door. Sit tight.”
Aiden went around and opened her door, even offered her his hand to help her out of the car. She took it and smiled, then reached back for her clutch purse. “Ready?” he asked, holding out his arm.
Gallantry. She hadn’t expected that from him, but she nodded and put her arm through his elbow. “Ready,” she replied.
Her heels sank into the grass as they walked across the lawn toward the bridge. Laurel could see a small crowd already gathered by the chairs, though no one was seated yet. The ceremony was set up to be on a forty-five-degree angle to the bridge, so that the stone arch formed part of the background. They’d rented some sort of platform for the officiant, only about eight inches high but enough to give the impression of an altar. On either side were Laurel’s planter arrangements. She’d put white lilacs at the back, the large plastic pots encased in far more decorative pottery for the occasion. Their sweet fragrance wafted through the air, mingling with the nearby roses which had just started to bloom. She knew Dan’s yard and that he liked a variety of color, so around the base of the lilacs she’d added azaleas of different shades: fuchsia, creamy orange, lemony yellow. There was a spiky lavender in rich purple on either side, and she’d finished it all off with low, tumbling planters full of multi-colored giant impatiens, ivy, and trailing lobelia. They sat at the front and the trailing flowers helped camouflage the pots. It did look rather pretty, she realized, and was delighted when a few butterflies flitted around happily.
It was a perfect wedding day.
“Laurel! Oh my, it’s good to see you.”
Her delight was tempered when she recognized Dan’s mother’s voice. She’d always liked her mother-in-law, and when she and Dan had first split, Denise had been shocked and dismayed. Clearly they’d come around and accepted Dan and Ryan’s relationship, but it had been tense for a few months for sure.
“Denise. Hi.” She put on her best smile. “Gorgeous day for it, isn’t it?”
Denise nodded. “Tony, look, it’s Laurel.”
Tony enfolded her in a quick hug. “Hello, sweetheart.”
She’d missed her in-laws, she realized. When you divorced, you divorced a whole family, it seemed.
“Hi, Tony,” she responded, and hugged him back. “I should introduce you guys. This is Aiden, a friend of mine. Aiden, these are Dan’s parents.”
Aiden, bless him, smiled and shook hands. “It’s nice to meet you,” he said pleasantly.
They chatted briefly until Denise noticed Ryan’s family approaching. “I think we’re needed,” she said. “Please excuse us.”
After they were gone, Laurel let out a breath. “One down,” she murmured, and Aiden gave a low chuckle.
“The
y seem like nice people,” he mused. “Do you miss them?”
“A little. I don’t think I realized how much until now. They were so good to me.” Indeed. They’d been looking forward to grandkids. Laurel wondered if they still did, and if Dan and Ryan had any plans …
It wasn’t any of her business now.
“That’s normal, I’d think.” Aiden responded to her words about Tony and Denise. “Who do we tackle next?”
She grinned up at him. He seemed totally unfazed by it all and it helped to steady her. “How can you look so calm and collected?” she asked.
“I’m a cop. We deal with awkward and strange situations all the time. Most people aren’t happy to see us, you know.”
“I guess I never thought of that.” She couldn’t imagine not being happy to see Aiden. Then again, on the day of her robbery, he was the last person she’d wanted to talk to.
How things had changed.
They mingled in the group, and she greeted several former coworkers. Some were simply happy to see her; others were more assessing in their looks, particularly with Aiden by her side. When she explained that she owned the garden center off the highway, she often got looks of surprise and once or twice people actually looked patronizing, as if her new venture was some sort of pet project or something. She’d gotten so self-conscious at one point that she’d hid her hands, worried that she had dirt from the garden beneath her nails. By the time five to two rolled around, she was exhausted from her painted-on smile and forced perkiness.
“Do you want to sit down?” Aiden’s voice was soft in her ear.
“More than anything,” she replied, ready to stop the small talk and get the ceremony over with. There’d be even more socializing after. She wondered if Aiden hadn’t been right after all. Maybe they should have called it a day and just gone home.
They found seats on the left-hand side and Laurel crossed her legs, draping her full skirt over her calves. More and more people found chairs and the hum of conversation lowered in expectation. Dan’s parents sat in the front row, and Laurel watched as Ryan’s mother and sister sat with them, though his father was conspicuously absent. The whole thing felt surreal.