“I know Liz has been worried about Cole being single for a very long time,” she admitted. “We’re all so glad you’re here.”
She hugged me then, and we went back out to join the others. Charlotte found me first, and she reached her arms up indicating that I should pick her up. I lifted her into the air and settled her onto my hip as Rachel watched us from across the room.
“Two days until we get to be princesses,” Charlotte sang in my ear.
“Are you excited?” I asked, tickling her a little.
“She can’t talk about anything else!” Rachel interrupted. “It’s easy for her to be excited, because she doesn’t have to prepare a wedding toast.”
“Oh, Rachel, you don’t really have to,” I insisted.
“No, I am determined to do it,” she told me. “It would be a lot easier if I didn’t have a writer for a sister-in-law, though. I can never live up to your standards. Besides that, my brother has suddenly turned into this romantic freak of nature. It’s a little intimidating.”
“Is she complaining about the toast again?” Cole wondered, stepping up behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist.
“That and you,” I teased, contentedly leaning against him.
“What was Grandma Ivy talking to you about?” he wanted to know.
“Our wedding night,” I chuckled, smiling at Rachel. “Trust me, it’s better that I keep it to myself.”
“Did she give you the something borrowed?” Rachel asked conspiratorially. Cole gave me a look that told me he was very curious, but I refused to give him any information.
“Yes,” I said with a laugh. “Did you use it?” That piqued Cole’s interest even more, and he started searching my dress for pockets. Unbeknownst to him, there was a small pocket inside the top of my boot, and I had stuck it in there.
“I actually did,” Rachel admitted. “I thought it would be funny, but Jeff got a little mad at me. Do you think Grandma Ivy actually used it? Or Grandma Rose? Or Mom, even?”
“I don’t want to think about it,” I stated. “If I do decide to use it, I guarantee I will clean it really good first.”
“Whatever it is, don’t use it,” Cole pleaded. “This whole conversation is giving me the creeps.” Rachel and I both giggled over our shared secret then, and Charlotte talked Cole into pushing her on the swing, so we were separated for the time being. Rachel and I chatted quietly for a few moments about her experience with the whistle, and then Liz pulled me to the side to tell me she had something she wanted to give me.
“Please tell me it’s not something for the wedding night,” I joked, earning hearty laughter from Rachel.
“Oh my heavens!” Liz exclaimed. “Of course it’s not. What has Grandma Ivy been telling you, Camdyn? Don’t pay any attention to her!”
I followed her into the living room, where she sat on the couch and pulled out a little red box, handing it to me.
“Now, before you say anything, this is not only from me,” she began. “When I told Cole about my idea, he insisted on taking care of it himself. He loves you so much, Camdyn.”
“Trust me, I know,” I told her sincerely. “I don’t deserve him.”
“I don’t want to hear any talk like that,” she said. “Go ahead – open it.” I popped open the top of the box to reveal a solitary diamond on a gold chain. When I gasped and held my fist up to my mouth, Liz was quick to put her hand on my arm.
“I wanted to give you your something new,” she explained. “I was going to get you a necklace with your birthstone, but I started thinking about how you said C.W. Oliver died here. I know how important it was to you to find your roots, so I thought maybe a stone to commemorate your newfound life that you started here. It was April, when you came to us. Since the birthstone for April is the diamond, that’s what we settled on.”
Completely awestruck, I didn’t know what to say. I ran my fingers along the chain in the box and tried to come up with a response.
“Don’t you like it?” she wondered. I placed the box on my lap and leaned over to wrap my arms around her, hugging her tightly.
“Liz, it’s beautiful,” I said. “I can’t imagine anything more thoughtful. You’ve done so much for me already, though.”
“That’s what Cole said, too,” she stated, “that’s why he took care of it himself. Besides, it wouldn’t be fair not to replace those beautiful diamond earrings you gave Rachel.” I thought about protesting, but I knew it would do me no good. I picked the red box up in my hand and looked at her affectionately.
“I will cherish this forever, Liz, because it was given to me with a mother’s love,” I said as tears sprung to my eyes. She kissed me on the cheek, and then we both hurried about moving onto other topics so we wouldn’t sit there crying like a couple of crazies.
Stepping outside, I stood there for a moment and watched Cole push Charlotte on the swing. He was every bit the handsome fiancé I had been studying for weeks, but there was something slightly different about him now. There was a lightness to him – an easiness that hadn’t been so noticeable before. When he looked over and caught my eye, his face spread into a grin. I had been mesmerized by that beautiful smile since the first time I had seen it, and I knew that was never going to change. The way he was regarding me, I also knew he was going to accuse me of giving him “the look” again, but I simply couldn’t help myself. He pulled Charlotte down, told her to ask her Meemaw for some ice cream, and then patted her on the backside. As soon as she ran into the house, he rambled slowly towards me, and I held the red box out to him.
“This is a bit extravagant, don’t you think?” I asked him with a smile.
“You’ll have to blame that one on my mom,” he chuckled, but I wasn’t letting him off that easy.
“Oh, no, Mr. Parker,” I said, resting my empty palm on his chest. “Your mom told me you made this happen.”
“I wish I could have done more,” he told me then, and I stood on tiptoe to kiss him quickly.
“So, this is my engagement present, then?” I questioned him, but he shook his head adamantly.
“No, not at all. I can’t give you that until the day before the wedding.”
“You are going to have me completely spoiled before we even say ‘I do,’” I teased, leaning into him as he wrapped his arms around me. “How am I ever going to behave like a normal person when you pamper me like this?”
“Normal person?” he whispered into my hair. “Camdyn Taylor, when have you ever been normal? You were created to be extraordinary.”
Thank you for this man. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
“You know, Cole, you should be careful saying things like that. One of these days, I might believe you.”
-§-
Thursday morning during our jog, Cole reminded me that there was only one more day remaining until our wedding. I laughed at him, because I definitely did not need a reminder. There was enough excitement coursing through my brain to constantly remind me that Saturday was our big day, but if that failed to elicit a response, I had Rosalie buzzing around me in a constant state of panic. Her daughter Laura and her husband showed up Thursday afternoon, and even though she was happy to see them, it seemed to make her even more nervous.
When Laura found out that I was still in her bedroom and she would be sleeping in one of the rooms upstairs, she chuckled quietly and told me that her mother had never let her sleep in the upstairs rooms before, so she was grateful I had the tiny bedroom downstairs. Right after she said that, she apologized for being rude, but I insisted that I was so grateful to Rosalie, I would have been happy in the barn.
After a day full of getting to know my new relatives, we enjoyed a visit from Cole in the evening. When I finally settled down to bed, it was with a very happy heart. Before I could shut the light off, though, I had a knock on the door. When I opened it, Rosalie was standing there in her nightgown.
“Am I bothering you?” she asked, and I laughed.
“Rosalie, you know you a
re never bothering me,” I assured her. “Come in.” I sat on the bed in my t-shirt and pajama bottoms, and she settled down next to me, twisting something around in her hand.
“I have something for you – your something old,” she said, handing me a simple gold ring, and I looked at her quizzically. “It was my mother’s wedding ring.”
“No, Rosalie,” I whispered, the ring feeling very heavy in my hand. “I can’t take this.”
“It’s yours, Camdyn,” she reiterated. “I know it’s what Mom would have wanted. Cole was her oldest grandchild, after all.”
“It’s a priceless possession,” I stated, feeling my eyes fill up with tears as I thought of her giving me that beautiful gift. “You should give it to your daughter.”
“Now, don’t go getting all teary on me,” she begged. “You’re going to have me getting emotional, too. As for giving it to my daughter, well, can’t I give it to my beautiful niece instead? I know you’ll take care of it, and it will always be a special bond between us.”
“Oh, Rosalie,” I muttered, succumbing to my emotions. She slipped her arm around me and hugged me for a moment, and I knew she was too overcome to talk, just like me. After I had time to regain my composure, I held the ring tightly in my hand.
“I don’t even know what to say,” I told her rather breathlessly. “You have been so unbelievably good to me, and I love you. After tomorrow, I’ll get to call you Aunt Rosalie, too, and I’ll officially be part of your family, for real. I feel like I’m about to gain the whole world when I marry Cole, because I get the rest of you, too.”
“Well, honey, we all love you,” she replied, taking my hand. “I’m going to miss you more than I like to admit. You’re going to have to visit me all the time, or I’m going to be popping up at your house uninvited. Trust me, you don’t want that!” I chuckled as she rolled her eyes.
“I’m afraid you might be seeing me more than you think,” I admitted. “I really need you to teach me how to cook. Having Cole take care of me all the time is going to become embarrassing.”
“Well, in that case, I will be coming to your house,” she said with a wink. “I don’t have enough insurance to have you cooking over here.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Hello, Friday morning! One more glorious day until I become Mrs. Cole Parker.
I practically bounced out of bed, knowing that Cole was going to be there early to meet Jake and Artie. When I walked into the kitchen, Rosalie had breakfast prepared and she was working on the cake. My cake. Laura and her husband were sitting at the table, but I was too jittery to try to sit there and eat. After I brushed my teeth and pulled my wild hair into a ponytail, I asked Rosalie if I could help her do something.
“Let you help with your own wedding cake?” she asked in a shocked tone. “There is no way you are helping me do anything today, so don’t even bother asking. If I need anything, Laura will help me.” Hearing Laura groan, I knew that news did not fall on welcome ears. She smiled at me, though, so I figured I was only a mild annoyance. I quickly grabbed a muffin and a banana from the table and went to sit on the front porch. Before too long, Jake and Artie pulled into the driveway, and instead of waiting in their truck, they both started walking toward the house.
“Does Rosalie have breakfast?” Artie wanted to know, and I laughed at him.
“Yes, but don’t bother her too much!” I instructed. “She’s making my cake, and I don’t want her distracted.” He disappeared into the house, and Jake lowered himself down beside me on the step.
“Did she kick you out?” he teased, smirking over at me.
“No, I just wanted to say hi to Cole before he left.”
“As if he wouldn’t come inside to see you,” he stated with a chuckle. “The guy can’t go five minutes without talking about you at work, heartbreaker. It’s starting to drive me and Artie crazy.”
“Well, I’m sure he won’t do that much longer,” I told him, kind of enjoying the fact that Cole talked about me while I wasn’t there. As we watched Cole’s truck pull into the driveway, Jake announced that he would see what was for breakfast, and he disappeared into the house as well.
Seeing Cole walk towards me with that grin on his face was truly sweet, and I tried to record it into my memory so I could replay it throughout the day. When he reached me, he stood in front of me and studied me for a minute with curiosity. Since I didn’t make a move to touch him, he folded his arms across his chest and cocked his head to the side.
“What are you thinking about?” he wanted to know.
“I have no idea,” I assured him. “I’m quite delirious this morning.”
“Is that why your shirt’s on backwards?” he laughed, tugging at the bottom seam.
“It is?!” I gazed down at myself and wrinkled up my nose. “I can’t believe Rosalie didn’t tell me. Now that’s just plain mean.” When that made him laugh again, I put my hands on my hips and gave him a stern look. “Promise me that you will always tell me if my shirt’s on backwards.” He held up his hands in mock surrender.
“I promise! Now, give me a hug before I have to go to work. We’ve got a lot to get finished today.”
“Just don’t be late,” I ordered him as he wrapped his arms around me.
“I assure you, most ardently, that I will not be late.” He kissed the tip of my nose, and then he smiled at me once more. “Artie! Jake! Come on, let’s get going!”
Opening the door, I watched Artie and Jake file past me before I walked back inside.
-§-
Charlie and Trina showed up around three o’clock that afternoon. To say that I was happy to see them was an understatement – I was completely elated. Rosalie and I were in the kitchen talking about dinner preparations when there was a knock on the door, and suddenly there they were.
“Are we in the right place?” I heard Trina’s voice behind me, and I immediately spun around and rushed to greet them. When Trina hugged me, I saw a look flicker between her and Charlie, and instinctively I knew they were keeping something from me.
“What? What was that?” I asked. “I saw that look.” Charlie shifted Cooper to his other hand and gave me an expression of brotherly exasperation.
“Nothing, sis,” he assured me. “Cooper cried half the way here. We are mentally exhausted.” I looked down at little Cooper sleeping away peacefully, and I gave Charlie a smirk that told him I wasn’t buying.
“Rosalie, they’re here! Finally!” I watched as she washed her hands quickly and dried them on a towel before coming toward the door to join us.
“The famous Charlie and Trina, at last,” she said as she shook their hands. “Oh, and just look at Cooper. He’s every bit as darling as Camdyn said he was, aren’t you? Yes you are! I’ve got your room all set up for the baby and everything – Camdyn can show you up. When she’s finished, come back down and I’ll get you some milk and cookies.”
“Milk and cookies?” Charlie asked me quizzically. “No wonder you like it here – it’s like being back home with Grandma.”
“I know, isn’t it great?” I laughed, leading them up the stairs.
“Wow, Camdyn, when you said you were in the middle of nowhere before, you weren’t kidding!” Trina exclaimed. “And you want to live the rest of your life like this?”
“Oh, no, not like this,” I assured her. “Rosalie lives right off the highway. Cole’s house is on a dirt road.”
“You have officially gone insane,” she stated, shaking her head.
“It seems quiet here,” Charlie inserted then. “I kind of like it.”
“Is this my dress?” Trina wondered, grabbing it from where I had hung it near the door.
“Yes. I think it should fit you, but if it doesn’t, Rosalie said she can tailor it a little.”
“I like it,” she said. “I want to see your dress. Is it downstairs? Charlie, can you keep Cooper for a minute?”
He mumbled something about laying down beside Cooper to take a nap, and Trina followed me bac
k down the stairs. Together we went into the bedroom where I had been living the last two months, and I pulled back the closet doors to reveal the layers of fabric hidden behind them. I knew the dress was a hit when Trina gasped.
“Oh, Camdyn! That is absolutely beautiful. I feel speechless.”
“That would be a first,” I joked, and then I took her outside to show her the gazebo and where we would be having the wedding. We walked down to the river arm in arm, and when we returned to the house, Rachel and Charlotte had arrived. Introducing my two “sisters” was as much fun as I thought it would be, and they easily fell into conversation with each other.
Not long after Rachel arrived, Jeff and Ted showed up to move chairs into place and get everything ready for the rehearsal dinner, and I started getting really excited. I realized a little too late that I had forgotten to set aside something to wear for the rehearsal dinner, so Trina and I drove over to Cole’s house, where I picked up a pink dress and a pair of sandals. She also insisted on poking around every inch of the house exactly as I had done the first time, and she kept muttering, “Wow.” We were walking out the door when Cole pulled up, looking rather dirty and wonderful at the same time.
“You’re at the wrong house,” he told Trina with a laugh.
“Yeah, and I think I might stay,” she stated. “Cole, your house is amazing.”
“Thank you,” he said. “So, you think she made the right decision, then?” He winked at me, and Trina smiled over at me and nodded her head.
“I already thought that, but it doesn’t hurt your case,” she replied.
“I will see you over there?” Cole suggested as he walked up the steps. “Give me thirty minutes.”
“We’ll be there,” I assured him, and Trina and I headed back to the bed and breakfast. The relative calm we had left had been replaced by a lot of commotion, as Liz had arrived with the grandmothers, and Tony and Sara had showed up. I took the time to introduce Trina and Charlie to everyone. When we walked away from Tony, Charlie started laughing.
A Reason to Be Alone (The Camdyn Series Book 2) Page 31