Wildflower Wedding

by LuAnn McLane

  “No, didn’t you see that commercial where the couple can’t catch up to the airplane?” Reese asked, and then snapped his fingers. “I got it.”

  “What?” they asked in unison.

  “I’ll deliver it in a pizza box.”

  “Perfect!” Tessa shouted, and Uncle Tony nodded his agreement.

  Reese picked up an empty box and then with sudden inspiration snagged a white paper bag as well.

  “I want a full account tomorrow,” Tessa said, and gave him a hug.

  29

  Special Delivery

  GABBY ARRANGED LONG-STEMMED ROSES IN A TALL VASE and then slid it over to Joy to add sprigs of baby’s breath. There wasn’t anything that could cheer Gabby up, not even the latest Bruno Mars song that Joy got up and danced along with.

  “Come on, Gabby, shake your groove thing,” Joy urged.

  Gabby shook her head. “I don’t feel like dancing.”

  Joy stopped and put her hands on her hips. “You need to march down to that pizza parlor and confront Reese. What he’s thinking is just silly. You made a little mistake. So what?”

  “Yeah, but add this to the fact that he’d stayed away from me for days before that. I just don’t get it.”

  “Sweetie, he was sorting through his feelings. Having his father show up like that had to be hard.”

  “I know that.” Gabby tapped her chest. “But I want to be here for him. That’s what couples do for each other.”

  “Ah, but the mistake is not giving the other person space. He needed space, Gabby. And he obviously figured it all out.”

  Gabby groaned. “And then I jumped to conclusions and messed up.”

  “We all mess up. Listen, the boy was on the ground bleeding. The police showed up. Cut yourself some slack, for pity’s sake.”

  “I just don’t know why it upset him to the point where he didn’t even come up to talk to me about it.”

  “You need to ask him that question. Go on down there.”

  “I can’t just waltz right in.”

  “Order dinner! It’s a restaurant.” Joy lifted her chin a notch. “Do you want me to go with you?”

  Gabby felt herself smiling. “No, but I love you for asking.”

  “Oh, Gabby, I do love you to pieces too. I miss your lovely smile and bright laughter. You’re one of those people that can just light up a room. I want that light shining again.”

  “I’ll figure it out. But hey, it’s getting late and we’re all but finished here. I’ll sweep up. Is Clyde picking you up?”

  “Yes, we’re having dinner at Wine and Diner with Miss Patty and Clovis. But I’ll cancel if you want company or if you’d like to join us.”

  “That’s sweet of you, Joy, but I’m fine. Well, I’m not fine, but I will be.”

  “Call or shoot me a text if you need anything at all. Okay?”

  “I promise.” Gabby smiled. After Joy left, though, she suddenly felt tears fill her eyes, but she blinked them away. Well, almost. One fat tear slid down her face. She sighed as she swept. Maybe Joy was right. Maybe she should just show up and order pizza and see what happened.

  Gabby dumped the leaves and stems into the trash and was heading over to lock the front door when she looked up and saw Reese enter the shop.

  “Here’s your pizza. Pepperoni, mushrooms, and extra cheese.”

  “I didn’t order pizza,” Gabby said, but felt breathless at the mere sight of him. She wondered if that feeling would ever go away and then knew the answer. It wouldn’t.

  “You didn’t?” He raised his eyebrows and blinked at her.

  “You’re a terrible actor.” She wanted to smile but wondered just what he was up to.

  “Well, I brought it, so you might as well dig in.” He walked closer and put the box down on the counter. “It’s on the house.” He lifted a white bag. “And so is the cannoli.” He handed her the bag. “In fact, why don’t you eat dessert first?”

  Gabby’s heart started beating wildly. Something was going on here. “Sure, why not?” She opened the bag, but instead of cannoli, there was a square box wrapped in pretty paper. “Since when do you gift-wrap dessert?”

  “When it’s for you.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek but then stepped back and shoved his fingers through his hair. “I’m sorry about this past week, Gabby. I was working through some stuff. I shouldn’t have taken your assumption so seriously. Sometimes that chip on my shoulder is hard to shake.”

  “No, it’s fine. I respect that you needed to sort things out. I hope I didn’t overstep my bounds when I gave you advice about your father.”

  Her reached over and cupped her chin. “There are no bounds for you to overstep, Gabby. There never will be.”

  She smiled but it trembled.

  “Open it.”

  She nodded and untied the pink ribbon. When she lifted the lid she gasped and then took the necklace out of the box. “It looks like the candy necklace. . . . Oh my, but it’s real! Reese, it’s simply gorgeous and oh, the meaning behind it.”

  “It will last forever. Just like my love for you,” he said in a husky tone, but then grinned. “And this one won’t get sticky on your neck.”

  Gabby laughed and had to get his help with the clasp because her fingers were shaking. “Thank you so much.” She reached up and touched it. “I’ll treasure this always.” She went up on tiptoe and hugged him. “Reese, I love you so much. Being without you . . .”

  He hugged her harder. “Isn’t gonna happen anymore. I know we both have our businesses, but hey, I’ll even attempt flower arrangements to be with you if you can’t break away.”

  She stepped back and grinned. “And I’ll make cannoli. Toss pizza dough in the air. I’ve always wanted to do that, actually.”

  Reese chuckled. “Good, now that we have that figured out,” he said, and then nodded toward the pizza box. “Are you ready for the main course?”

  “Sure,” she said, but then suddenly realized that she didn’t even get a whiff of pizza. She looked up and met his eyes.

  “Open it,” he urged softly.

  Gabby nodded and opened the lid. She put a hand on her chest when she saw the ring box. “Reese?”

  Reese smiled. “I want to do this right.” He picked up the ring box and then got down on one knee. “Gabby Goodwin, will you marry me?”

  Gabby felt happiness well up in her throat and burst forth with a joyous, decisive “Yes! Reese, I will marry you.” When he opened the box she gasped. “Oh . . . oh, it’s a daisy. Oh, Reese, I just love it. It’s simply gorgeous.”

  Reese took the ring out of the box and slipped it on her finger. It touched her heart that his fingers also trembled. “Does it fit?”

  “Yes. Perfectly!” She raised her hand to show him. A tear slid down her face and then another.

  “Happy tears?” He wiped them away with the pad of his thumb.

  “Yes, you make me very, very happy.” She smiled, laughed. “Okay, step back.”

  He did.

  She wiggled her fingers for him go farther and then paused to admire her ring. “Are you ready?”

  Reese grinned, knowing what she was going to do. She ran at him, launching herself so hard that when he caught her he stumbled backward. “Still throwing yourself at me, huh?”

  “You’d better get used to it.”

  “I’ll never get used to it or take you for granted,” Reese promised, and then dipped his head and kissed her while holding her tightly.

  Gabby wrapped herself around Reese and melted into his embrace. She felt safe and secure, surrounded by his love. The little boy with the big heart had grown into an amazing man. And in that moment Gabby knew without a doubt that she’d kept her promise to her mother. Reese Marino was her Mr. Strong and Steady and always would be.

  Reese rubbed his thumb over her bottom l
ip. “When do you want to get married, Gabby? Please don’t make me wait too long.”

  Gabby smiled softly. “In the late spring when the scent of the earth is in the air and gardens are being planted. I want to feel the warmth of the sun on my face while we stand in a field of wildflowers and say our vows.” She closed her eyes and sighed.

  “Ah, a wildflower wedding.” Reese captured her mouth in a tender kiss. “Perfect.”

  Epilogue

  Holes in the Floor of Heaven

  Nine months later

  Gabby stood at the entrance to the big, beautiful red barn and everything about her smiled . . . her face, her heart, and her soul. She felt like a fairy-tale princess in her vintage-inspired wedding gown of sheer ivory crinkle chiffon overlaying peach crepe silk. The tiered, ruffled hem, ethereal angel sleeves, and delicate lace edging added a touch of sweet romance. As soon as Addison had seen the dress, she sprinted over to Flower Power and grabbed Gabby for a fitting, knowing the dress was perfect.

  Addison and Sara had transformed the rustic interior of the barn into understated elegance. The sheer beauty of it all washed over Gabby, making her glow with happiness. The chairs were draped with white linen tied with fat bows at the back, and sitting in them were all of the people she cared about . . . except for one.

  Gabby looked over the field of spring wildflowers where she’d sprinkled her mother’s ashes, wishing with all her heart that her mother could be with her right here, right now. Gabby looked at the bouquet she carried, picked in that field, and she smiled softly. The tables for the barn wedding were decorated with wildflowers in Mason jars with raffia bow accents just like the ones Gabby used to bring to her mama. Oh, how she ached for the presence of her mother in this shining moment that represented the beginning of her life with Reese. But she knew her mother would be so happy for her. She had found the right man.

  Gabby looked at her husband-to-be, standing at the altar looking so very handsome in the suit that was a replica of the one he’d worn to the dance at Whisper’s Edge. Reese caught her gaze and held it and when he smiled Gabby’s eyes filled with tears. She remembered Joy sternly telling her not to cry and ruin her makeup and she blinked and sniffed in an effort to ward off the hot moisture threatening to spill down her cheeks. But when Gabby glanced at Joy, her maid of honor, she saw her friend brush at a tear.

  Sara had gotten her brother, Jeff, a rising country star, to sing, and instead of the Wedding March, Gabby had chosen “From This Moment,” the beautiful song for which Addison had named her bridal boutique.

  Tony, the best man, also beamed at Gabby. She smiled back at him and then looked over at Trish, who gazed at Tony with adoring eyes. Although their banter never ended, Tony and Trish were officially a couple and Gabby wouldn’t be surprised if they tied the knot someday down the road.

  Tessa and Mike didn’t sit together, but Gabby caught him looking her way and wondered if their love was strong enough to endure all of the heartache he’d caused. She hoped so. Although Gabby didn’t have any blood relatives in attendance, her friends had become her family. She’d grown to love Tessa, who fussed over her like a mother hen and treated her like a daughter already.

  Clyde approached her and offered his arm. “Are you ready, Gabby?”

  Gabby nodded, so touched when Clyde had said he wanted give her away. She leaned in and whispered, “You look so dashing in your suit. Save me a dance at the reception, okay?”

  “With pleasure,” Clyde promised with a wide smile.

  When Jeff started to sing, Gabby looked over to the field of wildflowers and inhaled a shaky breath, praying that her mother was watching over her wedding. She took Clyde’s arm and just as they were stepping into the barn Gabby felt a featherlight sprinkling of rain from the heavens above. Squeezing Clyde’s arm tightly, she paused and looked skyward but failed to see a cloud in the sky.

  “Happy tears,” Gabby whispered, feeling the presence of her mother like a warm embrace. She smiled and then took a step forward into the beautiful barn and her wildflower wedding.

  Don’t miss the next novel

  in LuAnn McLane’s charming

  Cricket Creek series,

  SWEET HARMONY

  Available from Signet Eclipse in October 2014.

  1

  Dust in the Wind

  “RIGHT TURN IN FIVE-POINT-TWO MILES,” THE FEMALE voice of Cat’s GPS stated with staccato precision.

  Although she was tired to the bone, Cat had to grin. “Is it my imagination or do you sound as road weary as me?” Cat glanced at the screen on her dashboard half expecting Rita, the name she’d given the voice, to answer. Earlier, Cat had accused Rita of being a bit tipsy when she sounded as if she were slurring her words.

  Cat glanced at the map showing her SUV driving down the two-lane road and sighed with relief. “Yes! I’m almost there.” After driving all day from her parents’ home in Chicago, she was anxious to reach her destination near the city limits of Cricket Creek, Kentucky. Because Cat wanted solitude for songwriting, her friend Mia had handpicked the location of the log cabin nestled in the woods with a river view from the back deck. Cat knew the cabin was nicely decorated with rustic yet stylish furnishings because Mia had sent dozens of pictures. Cat was also aware that the fridge was fully stocked, including a chilled bottle of Cupcake Chardonnay because Mia had even sent pictures of the contents of the fridge. To say that Mia was excited about Cat’s move to Cricket Creek was a vast understatement.

  “It sure is pretty here, Rita.” The sun was dipping lower in the sky, casting a soft golden glow over cornfields in the early-spring stages of growth. In the distance, tender green leaves made the woods appear fresh, and redbud trees added a splash of bright reddish purple to the landscape. When she passed cows lazily grazing in the grass, Cat waved and offered a tired “Moo.”

  Although Cat knew she would miss living in Nashville, her switch to small-town life already felt like the right choice. So did leaving Wayside, her big corporate record label, for independent My Way Records in Cricket Creek. But changes, even ones for the better, still held an element of fear that Cat couldn’t completely shake.

  “In one mile, turn right on Riverview Lane,” Rita reminded her.

  “It’s not soon enough.” When the sign appeared, Cat smiled, having been worried that the road out here in the countryside wouldn’t be marked. She turned down the dusty gravel lane, and even as weary as she felt, her pulse kicked up a notch. This was going to be her home.

  Cat had sold her sprawling home in Brentwood, Tennessee, completely furnished, except for music-industry awards and personal items. She’d donated most of her designer clothes to charity and sent dozens of shoes to Mia’s Cricket Creek–based foundation called Heels for Meals. Cat wanted a fresh start, a new beginning—to go back to performing and writing songs for the love of music, not worrying as much about record sales and concert attendance.

  A sudden stiff breeze caused dust to kick up, and the field of wildflowers on either side of her started dancing in the wind. I’m going to like living here, Cat thought, and she felt a sense of peace chase away her lingering fear. During the past year of legal entanglements with her record label, selling her home, and ending a toxic relationship, Cat had vowed to keep negativity out of her life. Through it all, her charity work had kept Cat grounded, bringing her some joy, along with the constant reminder that there were those in dire need, which made her own problems seem somehow trivial.

  Luckily, Mia had done the legwork with the local Realtor and found the location on Riverview Lane. Not only did Cat trust her best friend’s judgment, but the never-ending pictures already had her in love with the quaint cabin.

  The fields of flowers gave way to woods, with only fingers of lingering sunlight able to reach down through the trees. Cat knew that there were a few other cabins nestled in the woods, but they were mostly for weekend use by tourists or
fishermen putting their boats in Cricket Creek, which led to the Ohio River. So for the most part, Cat should have the solitude she’d been craving for the past year.

  “Five Riverview Lane is located on the left. You have arrived.”

  “Thank goodness,” Cat nearly shouted as she pulled up in front of the cabin. After killing the engine, she inhaled a deep breath and then blew out a sigh. Staying up late with her mother and father the previous night was catching up with her, but her parents were heading out of the country to do some charity work. She knew it would be a few weeks before she’d see them again, making her fatigue worth it.

  “Oh . . . wow,” Cat said when she spotted a doe walking up from the edge of the trees on the opposite side of the lane. Knowing she would frighten it away, Cat sat there for a moment and drank in the deer’s quiet, gentle beauty. As she suspected, as soon as she opened her door, the deer bolted, doing a graceful jump back over the gulley, and then disappeared into the woods.

  Cat walked around and opened the tailgate of her white SUV, now covered with a light sheen of golden brown dust. She leaned in to drag out her overstuffed suitcase, but the doggone thing barely budged. Thinking of the hearty snacks and chilled wine waiting inside, Cat tugged harder, grunting with the effort. “Apparently, I need to do some lifting at the gym,” she grumbled, but then remembered it had taken both Cat and her father to heft the suitcase up into the SUV. With a quick intake of pine-scented air, she braced the heels of her boots into the gravel, grabbed the handle with both hands, and gave the suitcase her best tug.

  It worked.

  The suitcase slid across the slick tailgate much quicker than Cat had anticipated, making her backpedal, but not nearly fast enough. The painful impact of the heavy luggage smacking into Cat’s legs sent her stumbling backward. Her butt hit the gravel with a bone-jarring thud. After a stunned grunt, she uttered a string of words that didn’t even fit together, but she was so spitting mad that she continued saying them, adding a random curse word here and there. “Stupid, ye—ouch, oversized, damn piece of luggage. Dear God, that hurt. Oh, my shins. . . . Sent from holy hell . . .” She sat there breathing like she’d just run a marathon and then glared at the suitcase as if it were somehow to blame. “Wow, ohhh, that hurt like . . . ohhh. I hope your blasted wheels are broken, you lousy piece of ugly . . .” she whimpered, and then added weakly, “leather . . . crap.”