by Susan Hatler
I’d gone through the motions all week of what used to be my regular life, but there was a gaping hole now that felt palpable. Jason had filled something in my life that I hadn’t even realized had been missing. It still stunned me that he’d been behind buying the building the entire time. But after being upset all week, now I only felt a dull ache in my chest.
“What do you think?” Melinda asked, standing beside me.
I stood in my peach dress, watching her chew her thumbnail as she waited for me to give my verdict. “I think you need to quit biting your nails unless you want jagged stubs at your wedding. That would so not look good in your photo album.”
“You’re going to make me scream,” she whispered.
“Oh! What do I think about the dress, you mean?” I spun in a circle, admiring the way the peach colored skirt of the dress swirled. “It fits perfectly now.”
“What a relief. The seamstress, Kathia, had a hard time fitting the adjustments into her busy schedule. I’m not sure she could’ve squeezed us in again before tomorrow night.”
“I can’t believe you’re getting married tomorrow night,” I said, turning to view a side angle of the dress, which fell just above my knees and flared a little bit—cute and fun and dressy without being over-the-top. “It’s crazy that you’re single tonight, but tomorrow? You’ll be a married woman. Wow.”
There was more room in my brain to focus on the wedding now that the Founding Friendships crisis was virtually out of my hands. The reporter had been true to her word: our article had been published the following morning. There I stood in one of the photos, right alongside Bill at the mouth of the tunnel.
At the time the photo was taken, I’d been wishing Jason were with me, but no random reader would know that by looking at my expression. But, that’s what I’d been thinking at the time—that he ought to have been there, since he’d taken the chance of exploring with me.
How could I feel so conflicted over somebody who’d lied to me again and again? He had every chance to admit his part in the building transaction. I’d been over all of our conversations in my head about a million times and kept coming up with places where he could’ve said, “Oh, hey, by the way. My company is buying the building and tearing it down.”
It’s not like I would’ve embraced the truth, but at least we could’ve gotten the facts out of the way before I went and developed feelings for him. I felt so much pain and it was not fun. Where was that wall around my heart when I needed it?
I stared at my reflection in the full-length mirror and sighed. In a little over twenty-four hours, I’d attend my friend’s wedding and watch her tie the knot with the love of her life, while I stood across from the guy who had pulverized my heart and then kicked it for good measure.
There was only one choice: I needed to get over Jason.
“Okay.” I clapped my hands together and turned to Melinda. “What’s next, Bride? What do you need from me besides finalizing this dress?” I asked, figuring that keeping busy could be the cure for my blues. I’d have all the time in the world after the wedding to nurse my wounded heart, but right now it should be all about Melinda.
“Next stop . . . flowers,” she said, lacing her arm through mine.
* * *
Fifteen minutes later, Melinda and I walked into Gold Rush Flowers to check on the flowers she and Nate had ordered for the wedding. Katie Ellis, the petite brunette who owned the floral shop, greeted us and handed Melinda her wedding bouquet—a gorgeous arrangement of roses in different sizes and shades of pink and peach, with a few white hydrangeas mixed in.
“Oh, Katie. It’s exquisite,” Melinda said, putting her nose to the flowers and drawing in a long breath. “I don’t think I’m going to want to throw it at the reception!”
“What? And deny single women a shot at their own happy day?” Katie winked at me, throwing out a knowing smile as if she sensed I might be next. Fat chance, Katie. “Not to mention you’d be denying me the chance to provide flowers at the next wedding . . .”
“Um . . .” My face heated, but I couldn’t form any words. Melinda had to have noticed that Jason wasn’t hanging around the bakery anymore but she hadn’t asked me about it. I hadn’t told her anything either. Informing my friend that her cousin was a no-good, rotten liar didn’t seem like the best idea before her wedding, you know?
“Okay, Katie.” Melinda laughed, raising both palms in a gesture of surrender. “Okay, okay. I’ll toss the bouquet. Don’t worry.”
After our trip to the florist, Melinda and I ran more errands for the wedding. By the time we were done, it was late and dinner time.
“My treat,” Melinda offered. “What are you in the mood for?”
I glanced at her. “Two words: comfort food.”
“I hope whatever happened between you and Jason can be patched up.” She gave me a knowing glance, but it figured she’d have noticed he wasn’t around anymore.
“Not likely.” I tried to give her a smile to show my heart hadn’t completely been obliterated but she didn’t seem to be buying it. Neither was I.
She slipped an arm around me. “Let’s go to The Boat House in Old Sac for dinner. Then we can get a yummy cocktail and have some girl chat.”
Even though it was Friday night, we only had to wait fifteen minutes for a table. I figured the universe was throwing me a bone since I was in such pathetic misery. Whoever said love made the world go around obviously hadn’t experienced cupid’s dark side: introducing me to the seemingly perfect guy, who was actually my evil nemesis the entire time. Hopefully, a margarita or something equally delicious would pull me out of this funk.
The restaurant was pretty busy, but we managed to land a table by the window with a view of the river. We ended up ordering Cosmopolitans with added shots of Chambord, which we loved to drink on girls’ nights. So, tonight seemed fitting since it would be Melinda’s last “single girl” night.
For dinner, Melinda ordered a salad with dressing on the side. “I don’t want to pop out of my dress tomorrow night,” she said, laughing.
“Would I be a totally bad bridesmaid if I ordered the meatloaf and mashed potatoes?” I asked, grimacing. It was my favorite item on the menu and I could only hope it would kick my appetite back into gear. Being bummed over Jason was no picnic.
“Order whatever you want.” She sat back in her chair and laughed. “I’ll just lean over your plate and inhale deeply.”
I placed my order and then smiled at my friend, who seemed perfectly giddy. “For somebody who planned her wedding in only two weeks, you seem to have everything well under control.”
“Delegation is the name of the game.” She sipped her drink and then pulled a binder out of her shoulder bag. “I don’t mind not being in control of absolutely everything. I mean, things aren’t going to go perfectly no matter what. But Nate’s been an outstanding help, working on the seating arrangements and such. It’s a good thing we’re keeping things easy breezy.”
“I would imagine you’d have to, planning a rooftop wedding above the bakery in just two weeks.”
“Well, I had the choice between a grand wedding, which would’ve taken forever to save for and plan, or an intimate affair with lots of fun and food and music that we could throw together quickly. And, honestly, I didn’t want to wait. I love Nate and I’m beyond ready to marry him.”
“You make love sound so simple,” I mused.
“It can be, but relationships have their ups and downs. We’re all human, after all. But you can get through those hard times if you think the person is worth it.”
I flinched. Thank goodness our food came then, or else she might’ve noticed my mood take a nosedive again. For a short while, I’d thought Jason might be that kind of person for me. To Melinda’s credit, she seemed to notice that I didn’t want to talk about what happened between us and she’d never directly asked why Jason hadn’t been hanging around the bakery for me to drool over. I wondered if he’d given her an excuse for no longer sto
pping in.
Our romance had only been seven days, all added up. A few brief, sweet, exciting days. I dug into my meatloaf and wondered if a banana split would be needed, with maybe a slice of cake and half of a pie to boot.
We laughed over dinner, talking about old times with our friends, and Melinda promised never to give up “girl time” now that she would be a married woman. We parted ways in the parking lot with Melinda telling me she’d be in a bit later than usual in the morning. The bakery would still be open the morning of her wedding and then close early in the afternoon.
“I’ll still be there to help set up,” she said, pulling out her car keys, “but I won’t be able to make it in early enough to help with the baking. We’re having a Wedding Summit tonight, and there’s no telling how late we’ll be up.”
“No sweat.” I could handle things on my own. I fingered my lock of purple hair, thinking I’d handled things on my own for many years. I waited until she was in her car and pulling away before I unlocked my car door. I’d managed to eat my dinner, but it hadn’t cured that sick spot in my stomach.
And the thought of seeing Jason again tomorrow night and not being able to hold his hand and laugh with him took the tightness of that knot to a whole new level.
Chapter Seventeen
The wedding day had finally arrived. Rather than getting married at the Geoffries hotel, like so many couples did since it had such a sterling reputation, Melinda and Nate had chosen the private rooftop terrace at Bernie’s Bakery for the venue. Not like they could’ve scored the Geoffries hotel in two weeks, anyway. Not a chance. The waiting list was super long and couples needed to book well in advance if they wanted to have their wedding there.
Not that I’d ever need to worry about such things.
My love life was a big fat goose egg.
“Let me help you with that!” a guy named Rick called to me, giving me a flirtatious wink as I struggled to carry four boxes of desserts up the stairs to the rooftop deck of Bernie’s Bakery. Rick was a friend of Nate’s, who was single, handsome, and apparently helpful.
A week ago, I would’ve thought Rick would make a great date. Or, maybe two dates. Now? Dating had no place on my list. I didn’t even want it looking at my list.
“Thanks for your help, Rick,” I said, throwing him an appreciative smile and then turning away as he lifted two of the boxes out of my arms and took them over to the glass pastry case, which had a cooling system to keep desserts at the perfect temperature.
For people who actually wanted to say, “I do,” the private rooftop space was a lovely and intimate choice. A three and a half foot railing surrounded the tiled terrace, which had comfy and upscale patio furniture, potted plants, and an eagle’s view of neighborhood rooftops. Most recently, a bar had been added, complete with refrigerator and pastry case.
Rick was setting the boxes in that case now, but I decided to make sure the bride wanted them there. I spotted Melinda across the terrace with Jill, Mary Ann, and Sarah, all of whom were busy setting up tulle, tulle, and more tulle. It would definitely be a white wedding.
“Uh-oh,” I said, when Nate approached Melinda. I watched their gazes lock and they exchanged a smile that seemed to say so much with zero words. He pressed his lips to her forehead, she closed her eyes, and they seemed so in love.
Their affection made me think of Jason, our first kiss, and how he’d tasted like vanilla frosting. A shiver rolled through me. He’d told me he lost sleep thinking about me, which made him seem open and vulnerable and honest. I’d been unable to resist him. . .
Snap out of it, Avery.
I jerked from my thoughts, my gaze darting around the terrace to see if Jason had arrived early to help out. Nowhere in sight. Thank goodness. I knew I’d have to face him tonight, since he was in the wedding party and all, but I was totally amenable to putting that run-in off for as long as humanly possible.
Avoidance? Me? Maybe a smidge.
Nate and Melinda began decorating their sweetheart table with flowers and framed pictures of the two of them. Their cuteness slayed me—but even so, I walked over and asked, “Isn’t it bad luck for you to see each other before the wedding?”
“Well, he hasn’t seen the dress yet,” Melinda said, laughing. Her blonde hair was up in a twist and she positively glowed with excitement, the way one would expect a happy bride to look. Nate had been her first kiss when she was only fourteen years old, but then he’d moved to France with his mom when his parents separated. Melinda and Nate had reunited when he moved back to Sac a little over a year ago, and it had apparently been heavenly bliss since. Well, a few bumps along the way, and then bliss. Or so I’d been told.
“Need directions from the bride,” I said, eyeing the boxes I was holding.
She trotted over to me. “Whatcha got?”
“Four dozen cupcakes, decorated as requested, along with four dozen marshmallow fudge bars.” I set them on the dessert table, stepped back, and waved my arms like I was some kind of game show hostess. “Ta-da!”
“Ooh! You’re a miracle worker.” She threw her arms around me and gave me a squeeze. “I wouldn’t have been able to pull this wedding off without you, that’s for sure.”
“You would’ve found a way.” I hugged her back, giving her a smile for the compliment. In actuality, I felt pretty proud of the swirls of pink, peach and white buttercream that I’d matched to the shades of her wedding colors. “What do you want me to do with them? Should I put them in the glass case so they don’t melt? Rick put a couple of boxes in there already. I take it the staff will arrange them after the ceremony?”
There were still four hours until the wedding, and there was still a lot to do. We had to get to the salon for manicures and pedicures, have our hair done, make-up, and then get dressed. The glass case would be cool and comfortable for the desserts, which boded well for the buttercream, so I felt comfortable leaving my creations in there for safekeeping.
“Yes, I think that would be best, so nobody has to go back downstairs to get them. I’m sure the staff will do a beautiful job with the arrangements. Remember, delegation . . .” She winked at me. So, I took her advice, and set the rest of the yummy desserts in their case, knowing they would be in good hands.
After I’d put the desserts away, I glanced around to admire all of the changes for the wedding. Round dinner tables had been added to a section of the terrace. They were draped in white, with pink and peach napkins and chair covers. Candles and flower petals decorated the table centers, with room left for the final floral arrangements, which Katie Ellis, of Gold Rush Flowers, was due to deliver at any time.
One side of the terrace was blocked off from the other side by a lattice wall, which would be moved aside when it came time for the reception. Here, the ceremony would take place beneath a heart-stopping canopy of flowers, which Katie’s staff was currently working hard to complete.
A white runner already stretched from the canopy to the back of the terrace, which would be lined on both sides with rose petals. Tall candelabras sat along both walls, to be lit just before the ceremony. My friend’s wedding would be beautiful, simple, and elegant.
“Could I get a little help here?” Katie asked, coming up the stairs with the centerpieces. My friend Sarah Carlton and I hurried to unload them from her arms so she could return to the van for more. We placed the centerpieces on the tables. They sat in raised vases, dripping with luscious cabbage roses and tiny, delicate tea roses. I inhaled the scent of a dream garden. Perfect.
“This will be you soon,” I said, glancing down at Sarah’s engagement ring.
“You’re doing such a beautiful job,” I said, turning to Katie as she returned with more centerpieces. She and I stepped back to admire the space. I tried to let the beauty take away this dark cloud that was following me. “The flowers are gorgeous,” I said.
“Well, this business is my passion—and my joy,” she said, turning to me with a smile. “Especially weddings. What better job could there be?
My wedding day was the happiest day of my life. Sharing the love helps me feel like my husband’s still with me.”
“Oh, Katie . . .” I saw her mouth turn downward. My gaze shot to the gold wedding bands hanging on the chain around her neck. I touched her arm. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”
“He passed away last year,” she explained, letting out a long breath. Her gaze held mine for a moment then she gave a slight nod, as if she’d decided something. “We married young, very young by today’s standards. I was barely out of high school. But we were crazy about each other. Nobody could’ve convinced us not to go through with it—and believe me, they tried.”
“Why would they do that?” I asked.
“Our parents preferred that we wait, finish college first.” She chuckled softly, shaking her head. “But we showed them. Happy as newlyweds every day, right up until the day I lost him. I always hope the couples I provide flowers for will have the same sort of happiness.”
“That’s beautiful,” I whispered, a lump forming in my throat. I missed Jason something awful after only a short time together. I couldn’t imagine Katie’s pain.
“Ken was wonderful,” she said, glancing at me. “But nobody’s perfect. I don’t want you to think I’m saying that.”
“I’m not following you,” I said, thinking her hubby had sounded pretty awesome.
“I just think too many couples expect perfection from each other. That will never happen. Know what I mean?”
My brows quirked together. “I’m not sure . . .”
“Just that there’s no such thing as the perfect relationship, even after marriage. Husbands and wives are going to make mistakes. Everyone does. They’re also going to make fools of themselves. But the entire point of being married isn’t to find perfection. It’s deciding to commit yourself to the person you love most, the perfect catch you don’t want to live without, no matter how big of a dope they can be on a given day.”