Thirty-Four Going On Bride (The Spinster Series Book 3)

by Becky Monson

  Patti sniffs dramatically and goes back to her sweeping.

  I walk out to the front. Maybe I should just take care of this now. Rip the Band-Aid off super fast. That’s the best way to do things, so I’ve heard. I wouldn’t actually know. I put off and procrastinate until it all pops like a huge blister. A trait that actually gets on my own nerves, but I can’t seem to change.

  Okay, so I’ll do it now. I can do this. Just a quick little chat with Kate, and everything will be fine. It’ll be easy. So why is my heart beating faster and why do my palms feel sweaty? Dear heavens, I really do hate confrontation.

  “Kate,” I say as I walk up to her. She’s squatting down behind the display unit counting what we have left from the morning rush so we can make sure we have more for tomorrow since it’s Friday. Fridays are notoriously busy.

  “Yes,” she stands up from looking in the display case.

  “I need to talk to you,” I say just as the bells on the door chime signaling someone has come in.

  Oh please no. What’s she doing here?

  “Hi Julia,” Lisa says in a bright, fake voice. My eye twitches in response. Dang it. I was hoping I was done with the twitching; it had been a while.

  “Hi Lisa, can I help you?” I ask, trying not to convey the annoyance that she’s here while trying to make it clear that I’m busy. It’s not easy to do, and I feel my face moving from eyebrows raised to furrowed brow, back to eyebrows raised as my face fights expressions. I probably look like I’m having a seizure.

  In any case, Lisa doesn’t notice, or doesn’t really care because she waltzes right up to the counter and peers in.

  “I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d drop by and see if you have any scones left. I never got to try one the other day,” she says, her perfect white teeth displayed through a huge, over-the-top smile.

  “Yes, I think we have one left,” I say, hoping to hurry her out. I’m not in the mood for any more Jared surprise stories.

  I put a scone in a white paper bag and hand it to her. She reaches into her purse for her wallet.

  “On the house,” I say, holding a hand out to stop her from paying.

  “Thanks,” she says brightly. She didn’t even try to argue with me. Figures.

  “How are things going with the wedding planning?” She asks, opening up the bag and breaking off a piece of the scone.

  Lovely. I was hoping she’d grab her scone and go. Apparently that was not her plan.

  “Things are going great,” I say as happily as I can muster. I still need to talk to Kate, so this chick needs to skedaddle.

  “You don’t seem that excited,” she says, head tilted in mock concern.

  “I don’t?”

  “I mean, you don’t give off that typical glow most brides have.”

  Twitch.

  “Well, you know, I have more going on besides the wedding,” I say, feeling defensive.

  “Oh I’m sure! I just would’ve expected someone at your age to be super excited about the whole bride thing.” She nibbles a bite of pastry.

  Twitch.

  “Aren’t we the same age?” I ask, realizing the dig right away.

  “Oh sure, that’s why I’m saying it. I can relate. If I were marrying Jared, it would be consuming my every thought.” She gives me a thin smile.

  “Well, I guess I have other things that need part of my brain,” I say, oozing irritation. “Like running a business.” I hold my hands up motioning around me. “But I guess you wouldn’t have a clue about that.” I can feel the heat rising up my face.

  She holds up a hand. “Oh no, sorry! I didn’t mean to offend.” Her sincerity is about as transparent as plastic wrap.

  “No,” I shake my head. “Sorry, it’s been a stressful morning. I’m a little tired,” I say, feeling stupid for getting so defensive so quickly. “I think I’d be better off eloping,” I say, trying to lighten the conversation a bit.

  “Oh, I’m sure,” she says, and for a moment I feel like she’s truly trying to understand me. “I’m really sorry if I upset you, Julia. Honest.”

  “Don’t worry about it,” I wave the unnecessary apology away with my hand.

  “Hey, we should do lunch sometime! I’d love to get to know the girl that’s marrying Jared Moody. I’m dating his brother, so, you know, we might be family someday.” She gives me a little wink.

  Yeah, that’s pretty doubtful. I should feel sorry for Lisa—her days are numbered with Mark. He’ll toss her to the side soon enough just like all the others. If I weren’t petty, I’d feel sad about that. But … well … I’m petty.

  “Well I better take off.” She grabs a napkin from the dispenser on the counter.

  “It was nice to see you, Lisa,” I lie.

  “You know,” she says as an afterthought, “I really like the messy bun thing you do with your hair. I wish I could just go with the flow and not care what my hair looks like.” She winks at me again. “Anyway, take care!” She says with way too much enthusiasm as she walks out of the bakery.

  Twitch.

  “Well, she’s a ray of sunshine,” Kate says sarcastically.

  “Yeah, isn’t she?” I roll my eyes.

  “How does she get her hair so straight and shiny?” she asks, looking out the door as Lisa basically glides down the sidewalk.

  “I have no idea,” I mutter, staring after her as well.

  Stupid Lisa and her stupid locks. I need to make sure I ask her how she gets her hair like that before Mark gives her the heave-ho.

  Glossy, commercial-perfect hair aside, the more I’m around Lisa, the more I don’t like her. Her underhanded jabs are starting to get to me. Maybe I’ll say something to Jared. Although I’m not certain what that would do. He’d probably tell me to not even give her a second thought. Which is great advice, actually. Thank you, subconscious Jared, for your well thought-out guidance.

  With that, I turn to Kate to get this chat over with. Just as I open my mouth, the doorbell chimes.

  “Well hello, Lia,” Kate says before I can greet her. I turn and look at Kate. She has a genuine smile on her face, and Lia is reciprocating. How refreshing that she’s making connections with the regulars already. Patti was here long before I was, and she still can’t seem to muster up a smile for anyone. But then again, Patti’s not really the smiling type. That’s why she stays in the back and the rest of us work the front.

  “Hi Lia,” I say, actually glad to see her. Her face is a welcome sight after Lisa.

  “Hello Julia,” Lia says in her face full of concern. “You—“

  “I know,” I interject quickly. “My aura’s off.” I can’t see it, but I can pretty much guarantee it.

  “No—I mean, yes it is—but I was actually going to say that you look tired.”

  “Yes, I’m that too.” I give her a thin smile. It’s all I’m capable of mustering.

  “Well you should get some rest,” she says, nodding her head. “I had a dream about you the other night and I’m a bit concerned.”

  “Rest would be nice,” I say, purposefully not asking her about the dream. I don’t really want to know. “But unfortunately, it’s not in the cards for me right now.”

  “Oh! Do you want me to give you a reading?” She asks, excitement in her voice at hearing the word cards.

  “No!” I say a little too loud. “I mean, er, no thanks, Lia. That won’t be necessary.” I really don’t need to see my future right now. I can’t even handle the present.

  “Well, I’ll take a muffin then,” she says, peering down into the display case.

  I look over to Kate. “Can you take care of Lia? I have some work to do in the back.”

  Kate doesn’t even reply. She just gets right to work. Why was I having a conversation with her again? I mean, she’s a stellar employee and as far as I’m concerned, she’s doing stuff that needs to be done that I don’t have time to do. And I know Patti will hate this, but we actually do need a bathroom schedule.

  No, I think Kate B
owen is doing just fine.

  CHAPTER 8

  “Julia!” Anna yells as she sees me crack a soda. I was trying to hide it, but then I thought about the fact that I’m a grown woman and I can do whatever the hell I want, and so I just opened the darn thing.

  “You said you gave up that junk.” She tilts her head to the side, eyeing me through squinting, judging green eyes.

  Brown, Anna, and I are sitting on the floor of my condo going over wedding stuff, of course. What else would we be doing? When not doing bakery stuff, I live, breathe, eat, and drink wedding stuff. I’m trying not to be over it … but I so am. Why won’t Jared elope with me already?

  “I did give it up,” I say as I take a sip, the beautiful liquid instantly perking up my taste buds. I’m not lying. I actually gave up soda for nearly a day and a half, and along with it, my will to live.

  “I thought you wanted to lose weight before the wedding,” Anna says disapprovingly.

  “I do. I just want Dr. Pepper more,” I say, taking another delicious swig.

  “I can’t believe you still drink that stuff,” Brown pipes in after she ends a call on her smart phone. “It’s terrible for you.”

  This coming from the woman who quit smoking just over a year ago. I don’t point that out, though.

  A purring Charlie plops herself in my lap and I instinctively start to pet her, taking time to scratch her behind the ears, which she loves.

  “Have you picked out a dress for the gala?” Brown asks as she reaches over and pets Charlie on her back.

  “Not yet,” I say, wishing that stupid gala was not on my to-do list.

  “We can go together,” Brown says, a smile spreading across her face.

  Spectraltech, the company I worked for before the bakery, will be featured at the gala as well. They were recently given the key to the city by the mayor for economic growth over the past two years. Kind of funny, since they laid me off just before that.

  “Julia, we need to focus. We have a huge list of things to go through for this wedding,” Anna says, pointing to the checklist in front of her.

  “So you’re still going through with the marriage?” Brown asks, eyebrows raised, nudging me with her elbow.

  “Yes, everything’s fine,” I say and then roll my eyes at her.

  “Oh please, you totally overreacted to that,” Anna says, referring to the Lisa and Jared situation. Ew. I don’t even like to think of their names with an “and” between them. Or that there was ever a situation there in the first place.

  “What did Jared say?” Brown asks, angling her body toward me.

  I lean back against the base of the couch. “He downplayed it, of course. But honestly, I was jumping to conclusions. I mean, it was over a decade ago. He said they were young and naïve.”

  “Yeah, I can’t imagine how things would’ve ended up if I’d married my college boyfriend.” Brown shudders at the thought.

  “Me neither,” I add, but then scrunch my face. I have no idea why I said that.

  “You never had a college boyfriend,” Anna says all too quickly.

  “How do you know? You were ten when I was in college,” I say, giving her a major smirk.

  “Because, Julia, I may have been ten, but I watched you like a hawk,” she says and tinges of guilt fill me as I remember how I pushed her away all of those years, but she still looked to me as a big sister. It’s in the past, though, and I feel like we’re doing a pretty good job of making up for it. Anna has become a necessary part of my life and I don’t know what I’d do without her. I’m not going to say that out loud or anything. We don’t do cheesy.

  “Well, I dated plenty of guys I’m glad I didn’t marry,” I say, and that’s the truth. Although marriage was never on the table, so I never had to go there.

  “Back to the wedding, Julia,” Anna says, evidently done with this conversation. “Would you just make a decision already?” She points to the five color samples I have to choose from for the tablecloths at the reception.

  “But I like them all. You decide,” I say turning to Brown. I’m not going to give Anna the option because she’d jump all over it. She’s making too many decisions in my life right now as it is.

  “No way, this isn’t my wedding. Jules, you’re making it too hard.” She tilts her head to the side, annoyed look on her face.

  “I know,” I say and sigh heavily. I do realize I’m not good at making decisions.

  “Fine,” I say, “I think I’d like the cream ones.” I point to the sample.

  “Are you sure?” Anna asks, uncertainty to her voice.

  “Seriously, Anna? Of course I’m not sure. I’m not sure about anything. I’m only sure that I want to marry Jared and live my life with him and that’s it.” I lay into her, my anger setting in quickly as my tone gets louder with each word.

  “Okay, sheesh. Sorry. The cream is fine,” she turns her head from me, but I catch the eye-roll. I’m not going to acknowledge it, even though it’s at the tip of my tongue.

  “Did you just roll your eyes at me?” I ask, the acknowledgement slipping right out of my mouth. I’m too tired to fight even myself.

  “Yes, because you’re being ridiculous,” she says, folding her arms and sitting back against the base of the couch, her legs tucked under her.

  “Anna,” Brown chastises with her voice and a silent conversation happens between them with only their eyes. This isn’t the first time they’ve done this talking without talking thing.

  An unexpected bit of jealousy goes through me. I think my sister has stolen my bestie. And I’d point that out if we were in the fifth grade. But since we’re all adults here, that probably wouldn’t fly. It’s along the same vein as telling Anna that she’s not the boss of me. Which I have actually said, more than once.

  “Fine,” Anna says, conceding to Brown. She looks down at the list. “Okay, now that’s settled. Let’s move onto the music.”

  “I only want jazz,” I say and then take a chug of my pseudo-poisonous soda.

  “No,” Anna and Brown say at the same time.

  “Why not?” I ask, insulted by their emphatic tone. Last I remembered this was my wedding.

  “Because that’s boring, Jules. And I know you don’t dance, but the rest of us do. We want some booty-shaking music,” Brown says, doing a little shimmy.

  “Oh gosh,” I say, thinking of all the things I’m going to be forced to do at this wedding. I have to stand in front of a huge crowd, which I hate. Then go around and smile and try to be interesting at a reception that I don’t want. And now I’ll have to dance with a bunch of people I don’t truly know?

  Why won’t Jared elope with me, dang it? I’m not asking much here. Just him, me, and a beach. That’s all I want.

  “Stop dreaming of eloping. Jared doesn’t want that,” Anna says, reading my mind.

  “Fine,” I say, sounding very much like Anna, “you can have your stupid booty music.”

  “Yes!” Brown says, clapping enthusiastically.

  “Just know that I won’t be doing any lame line dances,” I say. Debbie and Patti had already put in a request for the Electric Slide, which I turned up my nose to immediately. Then they spent the rest of the day showing me stupid dances and trying to get me to do them. Although it was pretty hilarious, I still wouldn’t acquiesce.

  “You’re no fun, Jules,” Brown says, teasing me.

  “Can we be done now?” I ask, feeling exhausted. Not even caffeine can rescue me from my sleepiness. And I’ve drunk my weight in caffeinated soda today, so I would know.

  Anna runs over her lists, putting checkmarks next to the things we did tonight. I take a peek at the list and internally groan at the amount of things still left to do.

  “How goes the baby making?” Anna asks Brown once she’s finished running through my wedding to-do list.

  Brown sighs, a look of sadness washing over her. I think she was hoping to avoid the topic.

  “It’s not,” she says, her eyes crestfallen.
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br />   I reach over and rub her back for a moment, trying not to be overly comforting. It’s not my forte and Brown isn’t all that receptive to it anyway.

  “What’s going on?” I ask.

  “I’m just wondering if we should skip IUI and go straight to in vitro,” She says, looking at her hands now twiddling in her lap.

  “Why?” I ask.

  “Because we’re already spending money on the IUI; why bother if it might not work? Why not put our money toward something a little more guaranteed?” she says.

  “So why doesn’t Matt want to?” Anna asks.

  “There’s just a lot more worry with that. IVF involves a lot of hormones and increased risk for multiples too.”

  “Multiples,” I echo with a slight shudder. Brown could probably handle more than one baby because she’s organized and when she puts her mind to something she can pretty much do anything. She has strong determination. Me? I’d end up in a straitjacket.

  “So what’re you going to do?” Anna asks.

  “I don’t know,” she says with a small shrug. “We’ve been fighting a lot about it lately.”

  “Well, maybe you should try the IUI first?” I say and rub her back again.

  “Yeah, maybe. I guess it wouldn’t hurt,” she sniffs and then gives me a half-hearted smile.

  “You’ll get through this,” I say like the cheerleader I am. But I’m not just saying it. I have full faith in Brown. She will come out of this with flying colors.

  “You know,” Anna says, “all this baby stuff has got me thinking about it.”

  “What?” Brown and I say at the same time.

  “Jonathon and I have been talking about it. Think of it, Brown—we could be pregnant at the same time.” She bobbles around on her knees, excited at the thought.

  “Oh that would be fun,” Brown says, smiling. The smile quickly falters. “That is, if I ever get pregnant.”

  “Yes, first things, first,” I say, trying not to feel annoyed that my best friend and sister are now planning babies together. “Let’s get Brown pregnant and then worry about you,” I say, nodding my head toward Anna.