by Andrea Hurtt
“You know I hate that nickname!” Grace was upset with her, likely for being distant. She heard her friend let out a deep sigh. “I’m sorry. My outburst was uncalled for. It’s just…well…I miss my friend. I’ve really needed you. And I’d hoped you’d need me too. Are you doing okay?”
“I’m good. Little Bean is good. Growing rapidly. My due date is May second. But we’ll see what happens. I’m sorry I dropped off the face of the earth. I just needed some time to myself. But it sounds like congratulations are in order.”
“You watched the New Year’s event?” Grace asked.
“I did.”
“Didn’t he look good?”
Who’s she talking about?
“Um, I guess so,” Hope said, with some hesitation.
“He really needs a haircut. I keep telling him, Nicky, you’re getting shaggy. But he never listens to me.”
“I don’t think he listens well in any form. But yeah, I was thinking the same thing. He needs a cut. Wish my hair grew that fast.”
“You should see his body. Holy cow! I was doing a video chat with Blaze the other day and Nick walked behind him, without a shirt on. I’ve got my own man, but good God. His body is rock hard.”
“Yeah, it is.”
“You haven’t seen him lately. I think he's working out. Like, a lot. Oui! Well, as much as I’d love to chat about Nick, and his hot bod, I do have a purpose for this call. My time is extremely limited, so I’ll get right to it. Hope, I would be honored if you would be my maid of honor.”
She’d prayed Grace would ask her; they'd been best friends long enough, it felt like a given.
But… Nick would be there.
Hope swallowed. Twice. “You realize, I’ll be six months pregnant. I’m short, Grace. There’s not a lot of room for Little Bean to grow, it’s all going outward. No dress will hide my belly.”
Grace squealed. “Is that a yes?”
“Yes,” Hope breathed out a sigh.
“Good! The wedding is in less than five weeks. There’s so much to do, and I could really use your help. And I’m not worried about your belly, if you're not.”
They spent the next two hours on the phone, bouncing ideas back and forth.
Hope would arrive a few days before the wedding to help finalize things. They found a dress online that would flatter her growing body.
It was red, a color she’d always loved. One of the best things about the date was the built in color choice. It didn’t matter that red and black were already Grace and Blaze’s favorite colors, people automatically associated red with Valentine’s Day.
“We’ve gone over just about everything we can think of,” Grace said, as the night was winding down.
Everything but one.
“We’ve got your dress; I think I’ve narrowed down mine. We picked a cake design, flowers, and the venue. Dwaine already made a claim to the music, and Thomas has the ceremony in his hands. Having five men wanting to help with this is almost overwhelming. Especially considering they are on the road and have enough to deal with.”
Hope bit at her fingernails. “Gracie. He’s gonna be there, isn’t he?”
It was silent on the other end of the line several moments too long.
“Yes. He’s Blaze’s Best Man.”
She closed her eyes and cringed; grateful Grace couldn’t see her. Her stomach churned, and it wasn’t the baby. “I guess I can’t keep it a secret forever. I think we need to set something up a day or two before the wedding, to see each other. I don’t want him to blow up at your wedding.”
“Do you think he would?”
“I don’t know. I was thinking about how Blaze took the news. He was really upset. And it wasn’t his problem.”
“Hope! Your baby is not a problem! He or she is a blessing! Don’t you ever think otherwise.”
“I don’t.”
“Good, I better let you go. The show is just about over and I need to video chat with Blaze. I’ll see you in a month.”
“Can’t wait.”
Chapter 26
Hope took a deep breath as she stepped off the plane at the Burbank airport.
Four weeks had flown by far too quickly.
She wanted to blame the excitement of the wedding, and all the things she was working on from a distance to help her best friend get ready for her big day.
Her dress had arrived and it fit perfectly. It was a lovely maternity gown made with chiffon. Its V-neck was flattering, showing off Hope’s pregnancy-enhanced bust. It accentuated her adorable baby bump with a matching chiffon sash.
Hope felt so beautiful when she put it on.
The flight attendant took the garment bag when she’d boarded the plane, holding it in a compartment by the cockpit. They’d handed it back when she deplaned.
She didn’t know what to expect when she came through the secure area of the airport.
The last time she’d been there, both Grace and Blaze had been there to meet her. Razor’s Edge still had another five months of touring, but she hadn’t looked at the show dates since her fateful trip to Tacoma.
Hope was so grateful to see only her best friend waiting for her.
Grace held her arms open, waiting for the much-needed physical connection.
Hope stepped into her arms and hugged her like she couldn’t let go, and her little bean was a big part of that hug.
“I’m so glad you’re here! I’m drowning in things to do!” Grace spoke in a rush.
“I bet! What’s the first thing on the list?” she asked, ready to get this done and over.
Not that she wasn’t excited to be at her best friend’s wedding, but she was still completely terrified to run into Nick and the consequences of her not reaching out before now.
Her hormones had finally leveled out, allowing her to think more clearly. She knew she’d been selfish and worrying about her heart was one thing, but he did have a right to know about the baby. Nick was a good man. He might want his baby, but not her, and it was what she felt she deserved. Her guilt spoke for her.
Grace broke her from her thoughts. “I’m starving. So lunch is first! Does the baby want anything in particular?”
Hope laughed. It meant a lot that her friend was thinking about the baby first. “No, Bean is happy with just about anything. Your choice.”
A short time later, they were flying down the highway in Blaze’s red mustang. It was a little too cold for the top to be down, so they lowered the windows, taking advantage of a pleasant cross breeze.
“I’m gonna take you to Blaze’s favorite sushi place,” Grace said. “It is amazing…”
Hope put a hand on her friend’s shoulder to stop her rambling. “Sweetie, um…. First, you know I hate raw fish, and second, pregnant women can’t eat sushi.”
“I know, silly. But they have other yummy stuff. I think you’d love their tempura dish. It’s to die for.”
She let her friend lead the way in.
The hostess smiled and greeted them. It was clear by her sweet expression she was familiar with Grace. “Would you like the usual today, Grace?” the waitress asked, calling her friend by name.
“I guess you come here a lot,” Hope teased.
“At least once as a week,” the waitress said. “Most of the time she’s alone. But sometimes she brings that hot guy she’s dating.”
“You mean marrying,” Hope asked.
“Seriously?”
“Yeah,” Grace blushed a deep red. “We’re getting married in...” she looked at her watch. “Less than 48 hours.”
“Well, shit! That’s something to celebrate! I gotta tell Lucy!” She took off without taking their order.
Hope and Grace burst into fits of giggles.
The waitress interrupted them when she returned with a tray carrying a pot of hot green tea and two cups. “‘I’m so sorry, I got excited. What can I get for you?”
Grace smiled. “I’ll have my usual. And Hope, did you want to try the tempura plate?”
&n
bsp; Hope hadn’t even looked over the menu, but was starving, and would eat just about anything. “It’s all cooked, right? Nothing raw?”
The waitress nodded. “It’s all fried in our tempura batter. It’s one of our most popular dishes.”
“Sounds good.”
They worked their way through their meal, going over details of the wedding, what still needed to be done, and their expectations.
“The boys get here tomorrow, with very little time to spare. I’m nervous about the ceremony. I have no clue what Thomas has planned. I wrote my vows, just in case. I’ll swing you by the hotel after lunch and show you where it's at. Oh, Hope, it’s gonna be so beautiful! We’re having the ceremony outside in the Crystal Garden, where they are stringing peonies everywhere. Let me tell you, that was a nightmare. I couldn’t get the lady to get it through her head, there was no way in hell I wanted roses at my wedding. Not in any shape or form. She kept pushing them. I hung up on her.” Grace laughed. “When she called me back, I told her, rather rudely, to get it through her head there would be no roses, or we were taking our very expensive wedding to another venue. That shut her right up.”
Hope laughed and had to blink through everything her bestie had just rambled, at top speed. “I bet it did. I can’t even fathom what this wedding is costing.”
“Blaze won’t let me ask for the cost of things. He practically yelled at me that cost didn’t matter. I’m trying to go with the flow, but it’s hard sometimes.”
She was glad her friend kept going on about the wedding.
They had yet to talk about what she feared most.
Would things go bad tomorrow, when Nick showed up?
Grace hadn’t been kidding. The hotel and its grounds were breathtaking.
The reception would be indoors, in the Rodeo Room. It had a very elegant feel to it, with an enormous chandelier in the center that reminded Hope of the one in Titanic.
The three rooms, Rodeo West, Center, and East, were all opened to create a sizeable room that could seat their three hundred guests.
Their wedding colors were red, black, and white. Finding decor that would work and be able to leave out red roses had been a challenge. Their design team had been up for the task.
She shared Grace’s excitement to see the final result in just a few days. It was clear, besides the choice of the Beverly Hills Hotel, that the wedding was for someone with money.
It was the only time she felt like she could see them in that way. Someone with money. Blaze was just the guy marrying her best friend. She’d seen him on stage with thousands of women crying around her.
They’d been screaming for BJ. Grace was marrying Blaze.
There were two other cars parked in the driveway of Blaze’s home when they arrived.
Hope looked over at Grace, when she felt the blood draining from her face.
Is he here already?
Her bestie must’ve seen her distress. “It’s okay! That’s Diane’s car. Blaze’s mom. I’m not sure who the other car belongs to. Let’s go inside.”
Hope grabbed her garment bag and Grace took the suitcase.
They didn’t get too far inside, before they were greeted by a beautiful woman that could only be Blaze’s mom.
He had her smile.
That smile extended past her lips to engulf her entire face. She spread her arms and pulled Hope into a big hug. “Oh, my goodness! You must be Nicky’s girl! Blaze and Gracie have told me so much about you!”
She couldn’t help but glare at her bestie.
Diane must’ve felt her tense. She stepped back, holding on to Hope’s shoulders. “Don’t worry, sweetie. Gracie told us about the situation. We’re here for you. I can only hope it goes well, but if not, I’ll bust his kneecaps.”
Hope burst out laughing.
Yeah, she was going to get along with Blaze’s mom just fine.
“Let’s get you settled, then you can come meet the family.”
Blaze’s immediate family set her right at ease. His mother had a heart so big; she couldn’t believe the woman offered to bash in Nick’s knees if he didn’t treat Hope right.
His step-father and step-sister were also quality people. Hope never would’ve guessed they weren’t blood family, the way they talked about Blaze and each other.
It thrilled her that her bestie was marrying into this family. Grace needed a good one, since her parents had died when she was nineteen. Her bestie needed a mother figure to help her get through the challenges of married life. Most people hated their in-laws, but this would be different for her friend.
They sat around the kitchen, laughing and having a magnificent time, like they’d known each other their entire lives.
Jerry, Blaze’s step-father, cracked one dad-joke after another. They’d ordered pizza to keep the fun going. No one wanted to leave or be the one to miss the fun by getting up to cook a meal.
Around ten p.m., things wound down.
They said their goodnights and headed to the guest bedrooms, when Diane pulled Hope aside and into the living room.
“Sit with me, honey.” She patted the couch beside her.
Hope didn’t have a chance to speak, because the woman dived right in.
“Now, I’ve known Nicky since he was about twelve years old. I can say I’ve been a mom to him on more than one occasion. Because Blaze was an only child, I was the only mom that could come on the road with them for lengthy periods of time. The other moms had siblings at home to care for. I got to know all the boys rather well. I tell you this so you understand, I know what I’m talking about.”
After the evening they’d spent together, she wouldn’t have questioned, even if Diane hadn’t said all that.
“Nicky’s a good boy. Man. He’s a good man. I know he’s made some bad choices in the past; they all have. Unfortunately, it comes with the band life. But that’s made them who they are today. I’m proud of my boys. I can see the worry in your eyes. You have nothing to fear, but fear itself.”
I can’t believe she’s quoting Roosevelt.
“Gracie and I thought it best we bring Nicky here, after we get them from the airport. Blaze has a beautiful backyard, with the gardens and the pool. You could sit out in the covered patio. It’s serene and would be a comfortable place to reunite. We felt it should be a safe place for you both. Would that be all right?”
It lifted Hope’s heart to know they cared enough about her to plan this out. She couldn’t reply, the tears stung her eyes, and she was afraid if she spoke, she’d start full on sobbing.
Am I ready for this?
Doesn’t matter.
It’s too late now.
Hope stared at the ceiling of the room she was staying in. She’d been there before, yet found many unfamiliar design patterns in the swirls on the ceiling.
Sleep eluded her. The more she tried to relax, the more wound up she got.
Around two a.m., she crawled out of bed and headed for the kitchen.
She found Grace up, drinking something steaming from a mug.
Her best friend gave her a smile “Would you like a mug?” she whispered.
“What is it, and why are you up?”
Her bestie smiled weakly. “Just a little nightmare. That’s all. And it’s warm milk with a splash of honey and cinnamon.”
“That would be great, thank you.”
Hope waited for Grace to finish and sit before she spoke. “Do they happen often? The nightmares?”
There was a heartbeat or two before the answer.
“It depends. I have good nights and bad nights. Sometimes it's a sound that triggers it, or a scent. Not sure what brought it on tonight.”
“You gonna be okay?” Guilt smacked into her, about worrying about seeing Nick, when Grace still suffered from what Charles had done.
For a brief second, it made her worry over how Nick was doing with everything.
She was also curious about the status of his little brother, but not enough to ask Grace.
; Sure, she could do an internet search, but Hope avoided looking up the Ford family at all costs.
She couldn’t see Nick’s face if she could help it, so she’d stayed away from the internet.
“I’ll be good. Blaze has really helped me through this. And Richard and Jason. Do you remember them from the theater? Well, they’re letting me work ‘from home’ so to speak, so I can be with Blaze for the next couple months on the road.”
“That’s great news!”
“Come, on,” Grace said, taking their empty mugs and setting them in the sink. “We both have a really long day tomorrow.”
Chapter 27
Nick stared at the red numbers on the clock. He’d watched them change, one by one, for the last few hours.
He couldn’t sleep.
No matter how hard he tried. Even a shot of whiskey hadn’t helped.
His life was going to change in less than twelve hours.
She’d either sit down and talk about what happened, accepting him for who he was.
Or Hope would crush him into a million pieces, destroying any chance they had to move forward.
Maybe there is no forward.
Maybe this is how it should be.
They both were to blame, really. Either of them could have called or texted. Yet they'd both been stubborn.
They both paid the price.
He wasn’t conscious of when he’d finally stopped looking at the time and slipped into a fitful sleep, but his dreams had been filled with fear, bright colors in shades of red filling his mind.
Nick woke with a gasp, the alarm blaring, and Hope’s name on his lips.
“Are you excited?” he asked Blaze as the five men in the band, and one wife, loaded into the company jet.
“Are you?” Dwaine asked, bumping Nick’s shoulder with his.
“Oh, yeah,” the Latin Lover’s wife, Evelien, stepped up behind him. “You’re gonna see the woman I heard about. The one you professed your love to, then she disappeared?”
“I thought we were going to Blaze’s wedding? Not my funeral. Can we just drop it, please?” His brothers and Evey settled in their seats and Nick pulled out his earbuds.