by Jenna Brandt
The women laughed as Aiden pretended to be hurt. “I’m hoping you're not counting me as a frog.”
Lindsay shook her head. “No way. You’re definitely a prince.”
“But he started out as a frog,” Erica pointed out. “You had to see past his frog exterior to his heart of a prince.”
“And he had to let God bring that princely side back to the surface,” Lindsay agreed, wrapping her arm through Aiden’s that rested on the table. “God brought me my perfect match, and He will do the same for you.”
Erica snorted. “I’m not holding my breath. I sometimes wonder if I got the gift of singleness like Paul did in the Bible, and that’s why I keep ending up with so many frogs.”
As if on cue, the door chimed and in walked Zach. All their eyes flew to him. They laughed at the same time.
“What? What’s so funny?” Zach asked as his confused blue eyes darted around the table.
“Nothing,” Aiden assured. “Glad you could make it.”
“I’m here for you, partner. Anytime, anything,” he glanced around the bakery with an uncomfortable expression. “Although this may push it.”
Erica gave him a mocking glare. “What? No date today?”
He smirked back as he ran his hand through his black hair. “Oh, I saved myself for you today after Aiden explained you would be here.”
“Well, you shouldn’t have,” Erica stated with certainty. “You’re not my type. I’m done dating good-looking players who don’t possess a faith-filled bone in their body.”
“So, you’re admitting you noticed I’m good-looking,” Zach teased with a wink. “I can work with that.”
“Ugh,” she rolled her hazel eyes. “You don’t read the room, do you? How much more clear do I need to be for you to understand I’m not interested and I never will be?”
“Okay you two, that’s enough,” Aiden stated, trying to end the awkward conversation, “Let's focus on picking out the wedding cake.”
Marilyn reentered the room with a tray of bite-size pieces of cakes. She placed them down in the center of the table. “There’s a vanilla cake with Bavarian cream filling, a chocolate cake with chocolate ganache, a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, a lemon cake with lemon icing, and yellow cake with strawberry jam.”
“Wow, you have a lot of choices,” Lindsay stated, her eyes round with surprise. “What do most couples do for their wedding?”
Marilyn shrugged. “Depends on the couple. Most couples opt for at least two to three flavors with three to five layers. It helps to know how many guests plan on attending.”
Lindsay opened her purse and took out a list. “We sent out two hundred invitations. So far, we have about a hundred and twenty confirmed guests.”
“You should plan for another thirty which means you should have at least three layers. Cakes look best in odd numbers of layers so you should do three large or five small depending on what flavors you want to offer,” Marilyn explained. “But why don’t you try the samples and that may help clarify what you want to do. I’ll give you a few minutes and check back.”
Aiden took a piece of cake and extended his hand to Lindsay’s mouth. “Here, try the carrot cake. It's your favorite.”
She smiled, causing her eyes to twinkle, before she opened her mouth and took the bite. Her eyes grew wide with enjoyment. “It’s divine, but fewer people will enjoy the flavor. I want to make sure what we decide on will make our guests happy.”
Lindsay picked up a piece of the chocolate cake and offered the bite to Aiden who accepted. “She’s right. This is the best chocolate cake I've ever tasted. You all need to try a bite.”
Zach grabbed a sample and glanced at Erica out of the corner of his eye. He extended the piece to Erica who put her hand up and shook her head. “Don’t even think about it. No way are you feeding me that.”
He rolled his shoulders and popped the piece into his mouth, “Your loss.”
By the end of the tasting, the group decided on three large layers: one chocolate with the ganache, one vanilla with the Bavarian cream, and the yellow with strawberry jam.
The couple agreed they wanted a more simplistic cake, opting for one with layers sitting on top of each other. They picked white butter-cream icing adorned with edible rosettes in light pink and silver to match the wedding colors.
Lindsay picked up the bag beside her and pulled out a small box. She handed the package over to Aiden.
“What’s this?” he inquired with surprise.
“Open the box and find out.”
He did as directed and chuckled as he pulled out a cake topper of a police officer in uniform embracing a bride in a white wedding dress. The hair color and eyes even matched Lindsay’s and Aiden’s features.
“Where did you find this?” Aiden marveled.
“Online. Once I found the topper on the wedding site, I clicked ‘purchase’ hoping you would like it.”
He leaned over and kissed her on the mouth. “You are too good to me. The topper is perfect.”
Aiden’s and Zach’s cell phones both buzzed at the same time which meant only one thing, they were getting called out on assignment. Aiden pulled his phone up and looked at the text message. Sure enough, dispatch harkened.
“We got to go. Duty calls,” Aiden explained.
Lindsay nodded. “Call me when you can and be safe.”
“Will do." He gave her a hug goodbye. “Love you.”
“Love you too,” Lindsay echoed before Aiden and Zach stood up from the table and exited the bakery.
Nine
As Lindsay and Erica entered the bridal shop, endless rows of wedding dresses sparkled throughout the store. Every kind of gown was available; from traditional colors of white, cream and ivory, to antiqued colors of gold and silver, and pastel colors such as light pink, baby blue and sea-foam green. There were short dresses, floor length ones with trains, bell-shaped, A-line, and mermaid styles.
“I have no idea where to start,” Lindsay whispered.
Two other women were browsing in the shop looking at wedding gowns. The saleswomen hurried to and from the racks, to the dressing rooms, and to the back room to get anything the brides wanted.
One worker approached them; a young woman in a tailored pantsuit and pinned-back black hair. “My name is Susan. How can I help you?”
“This is my friend, Lindsay. She’s getting married soon,” Erica stated. “We wanted to find a dress.”
“Have you set a date?” she inquired.
Lindsay realized the woman was assessing if she was browsing or a serious buyer, determining how much time to spend on them.
“We did. Due to our circumstances, we’re getting married in three weeks,” Lindsay informed her.
The saleswoman glanced down at her waist with an arched eyebrow. “Trying to get married before the baby bump shows? We can help keep it under wraps with the right gathering of fabric if you show early.”
Lindsay's face flushed with embarrassment as she stammered out, “Oh, no, that’s not what I meant. I can't be pregnant. I’m a virgin.”
The woman's face registered shock at Lindsay’s confession. “My apologies. I assumed if you were getting married so quickly…”
“My future husband and I are adopting a little boy,” Lindsay clarified. “The sooner we’re married and settled into our house, the sooner our son can come live with us.”
“Well, custom dresses take at least six months. With your timeframe, you must buy off the rack, though we can alter the dress to fit you.” She glanced at Lindsay’s body and added, “I’m guessing you’re a size eight, correct?”
Lindsay nodded.
“We carry plenty of dresses in your size and a dress is easier to take in than let out,” the woman explained. “What style are you looking for?”
“I want a traditional white dress.”
“Do you want a train and veil?”
“I’ve always imagined having both.”
The woman seemed to make a men
tal checklist in her head as she made an uh-huh noise after each of Lindsay’s answers.
“I will go gather up options for you, but let me take you over to your own bridal sitting area where you can wait.”
At the end of the shop, the saleswoman opened a door and ushered them through. She gestured to the sofa. “We have sparkling water, champagne, and chocolates on the table. Help yourself while I’m gone.”
The room held a sofa and two chairs along with a circular stand in front of three giant mirrors to view dresses.
“This place seems high-end,” Lindsay stated with apprehension. “I hope I can afford the dresses here.”
“I checked. The good news is that shops often give discounts when you buy off the racks.”
Lindsay let out a sigh of relief. “I don’t want to spend too much on this wedding. Aiden and I have the adoption fees, and all the expenses of having a child.”
“True, but this is your wedding. You only get one—well at least that’s the goal.”
Lindsay agreed with her friend. She believed in only marrying once.
A few minutes later, the saleswoman came back into the room carrying several dresses on her arm. She placed them on a rack in the corner of the room. “Do you need my help trying these on?”
Erica shook her head. “She’s got me. We’re good.”
The woman nodded. “I’ll come back to check on you.”
Lindsay put on the first dress. The princess-styled dress with a heart-shaped neckline, puffy sleeves and massive bell skirt dwarfed Lindsay's short frame.
“I can tell from your face you hate this one, don’t you?”
“I feel like the dress is wearing me rather than me wearing the dress.”
“In that case, we need to move on to the next one,” Erica confirmed.
After finishing all the dresses on the rack without success, Lindsay was discouraged.
“What if I don’t find the right dress?” Lindsay asked with apprehension. “What will I wear for my wedding?”
“Hold on,” Erica left the room for several minutes. She returned carrying a dress in her hands which she handed to Lindsay. “Try this one.”
Lindsay slipped on the sleeveless white gown. “This is perfect. I love the dress and Aiden will too.” The gown had delicate tulle at the neckline and a cinched waist that slightly flared out and cascaded down with tulle layers. Lindsay adored the vintage feel to the dress. “I guess I’m not a train girl after all.”
“But a veil will make the outfit perfect,” Erica stated, placing one with a row of pearls around her crown.
“You’re right,” Lindsay gasped. “How did you know this was the one?”
“I guess being your best friend since high school means I know you well.”
Lindsay looked at the price tags for the items. Relief flooded her as the total was within her budget. “Next, we hunt for a maid of honor dress for you. It should be easy since you get to pick whatever you want as long as the dress is pink.”
Erica rolled her eyes. “You would pick pink—my least favorite color. It’s a conspiracy to get me out of navy blue or black for at least one day.”
“That hadn't crossed my mind,” Lindsay chuckled. “But I’m not arguing with you that you wouldn't look nice in a bright color.”
Her friend wore darker colors. Not that she was gothic or depressed, she simply thought clothes looked better in darker colors.
“Be glad I love you so much because I wouldn’t wear pink for anyone else.”
“Thank you,” Lindsay stated with a smile, “Now, let’s go pick your dress out and ring mine up.”
Ten
“Are you ready for this?” Aiden asked Lindsay as he helped her into his Mustang.
“I’m a little nervous,” Lindsay confided. “I haven’t seen my dad since I went off to college six years ago. He was so mean and bitter after my mother’s death, I couldn't be around him.”
Aiden wanted to go into the evening with an optimistic attitude. “Well, he agreed to meet us for dinner, so maybe time has softened his temperament.”
“I sure hope so. If my dad hasn’t changed, I won’t subject Alex to his verbal and mental abuse.”
“That’s why we’re going alone tonight, to test the waters.”
“Thank you for coming with me,” Lindsay reached out and squeezed Aiden’s leg. “I couldn't have done this alone.”
“You never need to do anything alone ever again. We’re partners, remember? We may not be married yet, but that ring on your finger means you’re stuck with me.”
Lindsay laughed. “I’m glad to be stuck with you. I couldn’t ask for a better person to be with for the rest of my life.”
A few minutes later, they pulled up in front of Joe’s Steakhouse, her father’s favorite restaurant in town. When they entered the establishment, Lindsay whispered, “I see him. He already has a table.”
In the corner, a tall thin man with grey hair watched them. As they approached, Aiden noticed he had the same green eyes as Lindsay.
The man stood from the table and extended his hand to Aiden. “Good evening. I’m Kevin Wright.”
Aiden took his hand and shook it. “Pleased to meet you, sir. I’m Aiden O’Connell.”
Kevin turned his attention to his daughter. “I'm happy to see you, Lindsay. I’m surprised you called, surprised but grateful.”
“Hi, Dad, thanks for meeting with us,” Lindsay said as she sat in the seat Aiden pulled out for her.
“I wanted to reach out to you, but I didn’t have your number,” Kevin explained.
“It's the same number since I got my first job in high school,” Lindsay countered.
“Oh, I didn’t know,” her father stated with furrowed brows. “I just assumed you changed your number to avoid me.”
“I don't want to rehash the past. We're both here now,” Lindsay stated. “How are you doing, Dad?”
“I'm keeping busy around the ranch with a new colt I’ve been training. Two racehorse owners are interested.”
“No, I don’t mean about business,” Lindsay clarified. “I mean, how are you doing?”
He shrugged. “I’m fine.”
“Are you seeing anyone?” Lindsay probed.
His eyes narrowed as he stated, “Your mother was the only woman for me.”
“But it’s not good for you to be all alone out there on the ranch. Are you at least going to church?” Lindsay inquired further.
“No, I quit going right after you left for college.”
“You can always come with us,” Lindsay offered. “We go to Clear Mountain Assembly.”
“Yes, Mr. Wright. We’re getting married there in two weeks. It would be nice to know people beforehand,” Aiden suggested.
“Why are you getting married so quickly? Lindsay mentioned you haven’t been dating long.”
“I told you, Dad, we’re fostering-to-adopt a little boy named Alex. We want to get married so he can move in with us right away.”
“Why are you adopting? Can’t you just have a child of your own?” Kevin inquired, perplexed.
Lindsay’s face paled as she averted her eyes. She paused for several seconds before answering. “No, I can’t have any children of my own. My doctor diagnosed me with Endometriosis. When I told him about Mom, he explained it can be genetic. He thinks she had it too, and it's why she couldn’t have more children.”
Her father's eyes narrowed to slits as he spat out in anger, "You shouldn't discuss your mother with anyone. That’s our personal lives."
Aiden didn't appreciate the flash of temper he saw when Lindsay's father didn't like something. He wanted to intervene and tell him to calm down, but it was a family dispute. Instead, he sent up a silent prayer for God to work in the situation.
“I needed to understand what was wrong with me. It also helped me understand why I had no siblings.” Lindsay explained as she crossed her arms defensively, “Besides, Mom would want me to know the truth.”
Aiden leaned over
and placed his hand on Lindsay’s arm. “There’s nothing wrong with you. You’re perfect the way you are.”
A flicker of regret flashed across the older man’s face. “I didn’t mean to upset you, Lindsay. I don’t want you to run off and not talk to me again.”
Lindsay’s eyes met her father’s. “I don’t want that either. I want a relationship with you, and for you to be a part of the new family I’m building with Aiden and Alex.”
“That would be nice,” Kevin admitted.
"This is a good first start," Lindsay stated. "I think the next step would be for you to walk me down the aisle if you are willing."
Kevin nodded. "I can do that."
The trio spent the rest of the evening discussing the upcoming wedding, the ranch, and Alex over a delicious steak dinner.
Eleven
Lindsay glanced at her cell phone. Half past ten. She was right on time to meet Deanna. As she entered the local cafe, the redhead smiled and waved her over to the table.
“Hi, Lindsay. Glad you could make it.”
“Thanks for texting and inviting me to come,” Lindsay said as she sat in the empty chair across from Deanna.
“Absolutely. I liked you when I met you at your engagement party. I think we could be good friends.”
“You’re too sweet.”
Their server came and took their order, bringing them both a cup of coffee while their food was being prepared.
“I’m excited to get to know a female in the police department. I’m sure your perspective differs greatly from the men’s.”
Deanna rolled her eyes. “The single men try to hide most of what they really think to win me over.” She gestured to herself. “They take one look at me and assume I got my job because of my looks; like there’s nothing upstairs, and I’m a badge bunny just looking to land myself a cop boyfriend. The rest of the men, they treat me like I don’t belong, not only because I’m a woman, but because I don’t have a badge number.”
Lindsay frowned with frustration. “I’m sorry you have to put up with all of that. I never imagined it would be that difficult to work at the station as a female.”