He gave me a soft smile. “We’ll talk soon, Abby.”
I opened the door and Cat took off running out into the snow, barking as if she’d just been let free after days.
“Stay warm!” I called out, then stepped back into the greenhouse and shut the door. Spinning around, I gave the space one more look. “One week, Arabella. One week and I’ll be Mrs. Bishop Harris again.”
Arabella smiled. “Let’s head up to the house and plan the menu. It may be a wedding, but we’re also promising people food as well.”
“What do you mean, you don’t want to have a girls’ night?” Greer asked as she followed me through the barn store where I was cleaning up after a record-breaking day.
“Just that, Greer. I don’t want to have a girls’ night. Today was the last day of the season, we were so busy, and I’m exhausted.”
“But…but we have to!”
I paused in the middle of putting all the crafting supplies in a tub to store until next season. Slowly, I stood and faced her. I narrowed my eyes, and something akin to guilt washed over her face. “Why do we have to?”
“Um, well…look at how fun the last one was. It brought you and Bishop together!”
“Are you expecting someone to call the police?”
She smiled. “Bree’s in town, so you never know!”
“Maybe after Christmas, Greer. I’ve got a lot on my plate planning the Christmas Eve luncheon, and the store is still staying open for the next few months, so I need to do an inventory of everything.”
Even though we had sold out of Christmas trees for this season, we still kept the tree farm open on the weekends for folks to stop by and shop the store, as well as enjoy the outdoor space. The firepit was still one of the most popular attractions.
“Yes! And that’s why you need a night off. It’ll be fun, Abby. Besides, we never got to throw you a proper bridal shower before.”
The ribbon I’d been about to place in the container fell to the floor when I spun around. “What did you say?”
“Nothing!” Greer said, staring up at the ceiling.
“No. You said you never got to throw me a proper bridal shower.”
Greer’s eyes met mine, and she swallowed hard. “That’s true. And we all know you and Bishop will get married again—you’ve both said so.”
I folded my arms over my chest and glared at Greer. “Was it Candace or Arabella?”
She scrunched up her nose. “I kind of overheard Candace talking on the phone with Arabella. She didn’t know I was there, and I heard her mention a wedding cake, you, Christmas Eve…and I sort of put it all together myself. So really, you’re the one who just told me by confirming my suspicion.”
“Oh my God, are you learning all of this from your suspense-writing boyfriend?”
Her cheeks flushed. “Maybe.”
I grabbed her hand, pulled her into the craft room, and shut the door. “You cannot tell anyone.”
“Oh, come on, Abby! Please let me just invite the girls over. You know they won’t say anything to Bishop. Annie James got in some new fancy lingerie yesterday, and I’m dying to buy you some!”
I shot her a look that said I knew she was feeding me a line of bullshit. “You want to buy yourself some and use me as an excuse. What if Annie asks who they’re for?”
“Please!” Greer said with a fake laugh. “Like everyone in town doesn’t already know you and Bishop are back together. It wouldn’t be a big surprise if I said I was buying you a Christmas present.”
Her words made me think about it a little more. I sighed. “That’s true. I know you girls won’t tell anyone else that it’s not really a luncheon. But we are serving food! There will be lots of food. Arabella, Candace, and Misty have all been busy preparing for the dinner. MaryLou is going to come and help the day before Christmas Eve, since Brighton is in town and can help her mom at the bed and breakfast.”
“Do you need me to do anything?”
“Well, since you know about it now, can you help me with the table lanterns Christmas Eve morning? I want to put fresh flowers in them, along with candles—the flameless kind. I’m also going to be making an arch for the altar, and I need help with the flowers.”
“I can help. What about distracting Bishop?”
“Yeah, that’s going to be an issue.”
Greer snapped her fingers and pointed at me. “Hudson! He’s been picking Bishop’s brain about Christmas tree farms because he wants to write that book. I can have him ask Bishop if he’s free to talk that morning. I can say I’m coming to help set up the tables.”
My stomach dipped in excitement. It really was going to help, having an extra set of hands. Even though I was keeping this small and not going over the top, it was still a struggle with just Arabella and me doing most of the work. She was handling the cooking and baking, while I was doing the flowers and finishing the decorating.
“That’s perfect,” I agreed.
“Good! And this means we can have girls’ night tonight, right?”
Letting out a chuckle, I replied, “Yes. We can have girls’ night tonight.”
Greer threw her arms around me and squeezed. “It’s going to be so much fun! I need to send out a group text to the girls and tell them you’re in!”
I sighed as I watched Greer bounce out of the room, talking to herself about all the things that needed to be done. When I turned to finish packing, she poked her head into the room again.
“It’s going to be at my old place above the bookshop. Say, around seven? I’ll order pizzas.”
With a nod, I said, “I’ll be there.”
“Great! See you then!”
And like the wind that blew through the trees in a winter storm, Greer rushed through the barn and out the door before I could even say goodbye.
Bishop
Standing in the middle of Hunter’s living room, I stared out the front window as a light snowfall drifted down from the sky, turning everything into a winter wonderland. I swore it was the perfect picture and reminded me of a snow globe.
“Beer?”
I glanced over my shoulder and gave Hunter a nod. He handed me the beer, and I popped it open.
“She really thinks you don’t know?” Hunter asked as he sat down in his oversized recliner. Jack lay dutifully by his feet.
I smirked and took a seat on the sofa. “She thinks she’s being clever, pretending it’s a Christmas Eve luncheon, but I’ve known the entire time. I, on the other hand, have been busy planning a surprise or two of my own.”
“Did she even have time to get a dress?”
“Arabella told Kyle, who told me that she’s wearing a dress she bought from Annie James. It’s not a traditional wedding dress, which I’m happy about. This honestly feels like we’re simply renewing our vows.”
“At least this time you won’t have me and Kyle fighting over who’ll be the best man.”
“Christ, I had forgotten all about that. I thought the two of you were going to kill each other.”
Hunter laughed. “We almost did. Good thing Aiden wasn’t around then; I’m sure he would have been in on it.”
“Maybe I should tell Kyle I asked you and Aiden to stand up there with me, since he got to do it last time.”
“Dude, please make sure to do it when I’m there to see his face.”
A knock on the door had us both turning. Jack stood and waited for Hunter’s command.
“Down, Jack,” Hunter stated before he called out, “Come on in!”
The dog lay back down as Kyle and Aiden walked in. When Jack saw Cat, he jumped up and headed toward her. Both dogs began to play with the rope Kyle gave to Jack. I was surprised by how big Cat was getting. Her paws were freaking huge. She was a Belgian Malinois, just like Jack.
“Who’s watching Ben?” I asked Aiden as he caught a beer Hunter threw to him from the cooler next to his chair.
“Lacy’s watching him. He was excited to go and play with his cousins.”
“How’s Willa feeling?”
Hunter asked.
“Like she’s ready to have the baby yesterday. I can’t believe we’ve still got another month to go. She’s miserable. Can’t sleep worth shit. Gets up at least two times every hour to pee. I don’t know how she does it. She’s got to be bruised from the inside out. I’m guessing it’s a boy, with how hard he kicks.”
I laughed. “Could be a girl and she just has Willa’s temperament or your stubbornness.”
Aiden brought his beer up to his lips and paused before he smiled. “You think it’s a girl?”
With a half shrug, I said, “Could be. Women are that way; I think we can all attest to that.”
“I think it’s a girl,” Kyle said, taking a seat on the beanbag chair on the other side of the living room. Cat and Jack both made a beeline for him. He grabbed onto the handle of the tug toy while each dog grabbed one of the two balls that were on the opposite end. It was cute watching Jack take it easy on Cat. It was like he knew she was a puppy. When Kyle let go, they both took off running and chasing each other.
Hunter’s house wasn’t big, but he had an open floorplan and it made for a fun space for the dogs. The living room and dining room were in the front of the house, with a large kitchen and eat-in dining area at the back. He had three bedrooms upstairs and two bathrooms. It was the perfect bachelor pad, and even though Hunter could have the typical mismatched furniture and crazy shit on the walls, he didn’t. Instead, he had leather furniture, a nice formal dining room table, and a built-in table in the breakfast room.
The house looked a little sterile with nothing on the walls. The only room he’d fully decorated was his office, which was upstairs in one of the spare rooms. Everything in that room had to do with his job as a police officer. A large gun safe occupied much of the room, with a desk on the opposite side and a bed for Jack. There was no doubt the house could use a woman’s touch.
“What makes you think it’s a girl?” Hunter asked.
Kyle gave a one-shoulder shrug. “Just a feeling I’ve got.”
Aiden took another sip of his beer. “I don’t care if it’s a boy or a girl. I just want Willa to have a safe delivery and for the baby to be healthy.”
I lifted my beer. “I’ll drink to that.”
Hunter and Kyle mimicked my motion, and we all toasted to Willa and the baby.
I caught Kyle’s gaze. “How’s my wedding gift for Abby?”
His smile grew wide. “She’s good, and Cat has been in heaven. Makes me think I need to get her one.”
Hunter laughed. “Christ, Kyle. Training a K9 puppy is hard enough; the last thing you need is to add another puppy to the mix.’
Kyle nodded. “Tell me about it, but it’s so damn cute watching them play together.”
I chuckled. “Bring Cat over anytime to play.”
Kyle lifted his beer to me. “I’m going to take you up on that. Your pup is at my folks’ house right now. I figured we didn’t need two puppies running around Hunter’s house. My dad’s in love with her and is convinced we need another K9, but a golden this time.”
After I figured out what Abby had really been up to in the greenhouse, I decided to give her something she’d always asked for: a golden retriever puppy. Kyle and Aiden had gone with me to pick her up on Tuesday. The breeder wasn’t that far from Boggy Creek—just about thirty miles north in the valley. The puppy had looked so adorable peeking out the window of my old truck. Aiden had wrapped her up in a blanket and laid her in his lap. At one point, she’d rolled onto her back and had fallen asleep while Aiden scooped his hands under her and massaged her shoulders. It melted my heart, and I was positive Aiden and Kyle felt the same way, although none of us would have admitted it.
“How are you going to surprise Abby with the puppy?” Hunter asked.
“She’s going to be the ringbearer.” I reached into my pocket and pulled out the ring box. Abby had told me she still had the original wedding ring set I’d bought for her, but with this being a brand-new start, I wanted a new ring. She could still wear the same wedding band, but I got her a diamond to signify a new beginning for us.
Opening it, I turned the box so Hunter, Aiden, and Kyle could see. They all whistled at the same time.
Kyle stood and walked over to me, looking down at the diamond. “Dude, that’s one big ring.”
I studied the three-carat, cushion-cut blue diamond and grinned. The rare stone was set in a platinum band, flanked on each side by a trapezoid step-cut diamond. The sides of the band were accented with brilliant, round-cut diamonds to match the wedding band Abby already had. The thing had cost me a fortune, but Abby’s favorite color was blue.
“Shit,” Aiden said. “Is that a blue diamond?”
I nodded. “It is.”
He looked at me with a stunned expression. “And you’re carrying it around in your goddamn pocket, Bishop? That thing must have cost you a pretty penny.”
Hunter came over and gawked at the diamond. “I didn’t even know blue diamonds existed.”
“They do, and after looking into buying an earth-created diamond or a lab-created one, I decided to go with the latter.”
Kyle frowned. “Lab-created? That’s a thing?”
Aiden nodded. “More and more people are going with lab-created. More ethical, cheaper price, and same beautiful stone.”
I pointed to him. “Exactly.”
Hunter sat back down. “Dude, she’s going to love it, but I really think you need to put that in your safe instead of carrying it around with you.”
Laughing, I slipped the box back into my pocket. “I met up with Brighton a little while ago, before she headed over to Greer’s place for their girls’ night. She picked it up for me at the jeweler’s in Boston.”
Hunter eyed me. “She’s going to girls’ night?”
I nodded. “Yeah, why?”
He gave a half-shoulder shrug. “No reason.”
Narrowing an eye at him, I asked, “Are you two still hooking up?”
He shook his head. “Nah, that was a fleeting thing. Meant nothing.”
I glanced over at Aiden and Kyle, who were also both looking at Hunter.
“From what Abby tells me, Arabella and Brighton have become pretty good friends.”
Hunter met my gaze. “That’s good.”
I shot a quick glance back at Aiden.
“It’s nice to see Arabella getting out and about more,” he said. “Willa told me she hasn’t been so secluded the last year or so. That’s a good thing, right?”
Hunter nodded. “I guess so.”
“Dude, are you ever going to tell her you’re still in love with her?” Kyle asked.
Hunter cleared his throat and reached into the cooler for a beer. “Time for a subject change.”
I could see the frustration on Aiden’s and Kyle’s faces, but I sympathized with Hunter. I knew exactly how he was feeling.
When I looked away from him, I caught Aiden and Kyle exchanging a glance.
They knew. Somehow, the two of them knew what had happened with Arabella, or at least suspected. Kyle had never said anything, but that day he took Arabella and Abby hiking, something had changed between all three of them. Kyle seemed to be…protective of Arabella, without really trying to show it.
Kyle must have sensed the need to move on, because he laughed and said, “Poor Abby thinks she’s pulling off the greatest secret ever, and everyone knows it’s a wedding and not a luncheon.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “Someone is going to have to record it all, so I can see her face when she realizes everyone’s in on it.”
“Greer’s going to record it,” Kyle stated. “She’ll use my phone. Nothing records better than my Samsung.”
Hunter, Aiden, and I all let out a groan. “You and that damn phone, dude. It’s like you’re in love with it.”
Kyle smirked. “I’m sorry if my phone kicks your phone’s ass when it comes to photos and videos.”
Hunter slowly shook his head. “Do you sleep with that thing too?”<
br />
“She’s right next to my bed, always ready and waiting if I need her.”
“Christ,” Aiden mumbled. “You really need to get a girlfriend, dude.”
Kyle shot Aiden the middle finger, then looked back at me. “Best man again?”
“What?” I asked.
“You need me to be the best man again? I’ve got you covered, bro.”
I could see from the corner of my eye that Hunter was trying not to laugh.
“Nah, I don’t need you for that. I already asked Aiden.”
Not missing a beat, Aiden lifted his beer to me. “I won’t let you down.”
Hunter dropped his head and suddenly seemed interested in something on his hardwood floor.
“You asked Aiden to be your best man?” Kyle snapped. “Dude, how could you do that to me?”
“You already had your chance,” Aiden offered up.
Kyle’s eyes went from me, to Aiden, then back to me. “I’m hurt, bro. Like, hurt. I thought we were like brothers.”
“Kyle, you’re all like brothers to me.”
“But…you asked Aiden?”
“What’s wrong with asking me?” Aiden questioned, actually seeming a little pissed by Kyle’s question. I was struggling to hold it together.
Hunter finally lost the battle and started laughing his ass off. Aiden soon joined in, followed by me.
Kyle stared at us with a confused expression. “What’s so fucking funny?”
I held up my hand for him to give me a second to catch my breath. “I’m fucking with you, dude. I’m not going to have a best man. Arabella already told me Abby isn’t having anyone stand up with her. She wants to keep it simple.”
Kyle dropped back into his chair, a look of relief on his face. “I knew you were kidding the whole time.”
“Sure you did, Kyle,” Hunter teased as he reached down and scooped up Cat. “Was your daddy a little butt hurt, Cat?”
“Put my damn dog down, Turner.”
Hunter did as Kyle asked, and Cat took off running and jumped right on top of a sleeping Jack. The two started to play once again.
“Kyle, I need you to do something even more important than be the best man,” I said.
She's the One (Boggy Creek Valley Book 3) Page 23